flying otters

[kandmpc]

Hello everyone, I had my head under the bonnet this afternoon
tinkering with the pop-up headlights with the engine running when
there was a loud 'pop'. After picking myself up I discovered that
the otter switch in the rad had blown out of the grommet. I replaced
the otter switch and rubber grommet a couple of years ago and
noticed at the time that the grommet was a flimsier design than the
old one. Being a horder I kept the old grommet which I have
reinstalled and it grips the otter switch much firmer than the newer
one. After this experience I will be fitting something to stop this
happening again, possibly just a cable tie around the switch and top
hose outlet. I once had an Alfa engine ruined after losing the
water, by the time I realised what was happening the damage was done.

Regards

Ken
+2S

[nebogipfel]

--- In ***@***.***, "kandmpc" <aspareone@h...> wrote:

The otter switch in the rubber grommet has always seemed a crazy idea
to me. I'm amazed they don't go ballistic all the time!

Mine is getting a mod to take a screw in one!

John

[elansprint71]

Ken,
I had the same experience last year- boiling water everywhere, fortunately I was on the carb side and had the bonnet removed- so no splash-back!
I have wired my otter into position using copper wire, fed this through theradiator core and back out a couple of times- like the wire thingy on a Champagne cork!

Cheers,
Pete
----- Original Message -----
From: kandmpc
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 7:39 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] flying otters



Hello everyone, I had my head under the bonnet this afternoon
tinkering with the pop-up headlights with the engine running when
there was a loud 'pop'. After picking myself up I discovered that
the otter switch in the rad had blown out of the grommet. I replaced
the otter switch and rubber grommet a couple of years ago and
noticed at the time that the grommet was a flimsier design than the
old one. Being a horder I kept the old grommet which I have
reinstalled and it grips the otter switch much firmer than the newer
one. After this experience I will be fitting something to stop this
happening again, possibly just a cable tie around the switch and top
hose outlet. I once had an Alfa engine ruined after losing the
water, by the time I realised what was happening the damage was done.

Regards

Ken
+2S


















------------------------------------------------------------------------------






***@***.***

[poiuyt]

Otter switch??? Is that the switch that turns on the electric fan?
I just use a toggle switch under the dash. In cold weather I don't
need to turn it on, and in warm weather I leave it on all the time.
Wprke for me.

Steve B

--- In ***@***.***, "nebogipfel2004"
<nebogipfel2004@y...> wrote:

[paul_adamson]

If you have it wired like a champagne cork.....?
Does that mean that to remove it, you first remove the wire, then gently
twist the Elan whilst holding the otter switch firmly?

You may have to modify your workshop manual.





-----Original Message-----
From: elansprint71 [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: 24 January 2005 22:14
To: ***@***.***
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] flying otters


Ken,
I had the same experience last year- boiling water everywhere,
fortunately I was on the carb side and had the bonnet removed- so no
splash-back!
I have wired my otter into position using copper wire, fed this through
the radiator core and back out a couple of times- like the wire thingy
on a Champagne cork!

Cheers,
Pete

[cliveyboy]

My Sprint has an Otter switch with wire stopping it coming out. I can not
understand the reasoning behind why they did it that way. If you think of
the cooling system as a pressurised system it is the equivalent of sticking
a rubber bung in it. A very low pressure unreliable and undeterminable
relief valve.
I am working on something for my car at the moment which will do away with
the otter switch.
Cliveyboy

[JonHobden]

The Leyland cars of the '70s which had electric fans used a steel clip which
clipped over the rim of the Otter and around the header tank. This was
adequate to resist the 15 lb or so (assuming 1 sq in for the Otter) trying
to eject the Otter.

As an alternative, how about:
http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/search/Sear ... @@@@073617
9775.1106649365@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciadddjgkjkejcfngcfkmdgkldfin.0&SearchType
=quick&viewType=images&SearchText=561-460

Or just http://rswww.com and search for 561-460. It's basically what you
get in a Kenlowe kit, and you can adjust it to suit (after you have soldered
2p over the hole where the grommet was).

Jon

[nebogipfel]

"Or just http://rswww.com and search for 561-460".

I like the look of this, I had intended getting a thread put in the
header tank but this might be better ....... and it gives me the
opportunity to play with the setting; perhaps on second thoughts!!

John