Help. Still can`t fix the door handle to latch.

[jimj]

Right, Sprint driver`s door handle was opening the door, now isn`t. I`ve removed the door card and loosened the lock mechanism so I can just peek inside. My camera isn`t good enough but imagine: As I press the exterior door handle button, I can see an arm with a pin on the end sweep in an arc from the outside towards the inside. It should be connected to something, but what? There doesn`t seem to be anything on the latch, itself. Is there some rod that`s dropped out of sight?
Will I need to remove the whole window frame?
Jim

[jono]

Jim,

Not familiar with Elan door locks however this is a +2 door lock mechanism set up in case it helps.

Jon

[ken ob]

You could look at the passenger door to see what is wrong.

Ken

[jimj]

Yes, I thought of looking inside the other door but I`m always loathe to remove interior trim, there`s always a danger it just might not go back exactly right. I`m coming to the conclusion that I`ll have to remove all the window frame just to see what`s what. The trouble is that the lock has to be disconnected to get it back in but at least I`d know what I was trying to achieve.
I`m hoping someone, maybe you, yes you over there, might have had the same issue.
Help, please.
Jim

[el-saturn]

i?d say it?s worth the THIS particular hour of work: you?ll also undertstand these simple straight forward
components - another advantage: the other side may need opening some day (lets say to adjust the door)
and you won?t be as hesitant as you are now: good luck sandy

[peterexpart]

And unfortunately removing the Window Frame will not help as all the Rods and Clips have to be attached "after" the Frame is fitted.
I found the best way was to remove the Door complete and you can then see / work inside the door with it laying flat on a table which will enable you to see where the rod should be connected.

[RichardS]

Hi Jim
Been following the story of your reunion with your wedding car with interest. I was married in 1983 and my Sprint still has "just married" faintly visible on the boot where it was sprayed with shaving foam before we left on our honeymoon! Honeymoon was in N Wales and dominated by leaking Webers!! Did post a photo up a few years ago which will be somewhere in the archives.

I hate the door handle and lock mechanism - I still haven't connected the locks since getting my Sprint back on the road 5 years ago. I have attached a schematic from the parts manual. It sounds as though the rod 16 has become disconnected from the latch. It needs to be poked back through the oval shaped hole in the adjacent latch lever and secured with a fiddly clip. I seem to remember that I managed to push a single block from an electrical connector block (the ones with a little screw that tightens) and tighten it enough to hold the rod in place.

Good luck!

Richard

[trw99]

Jim, without checking I'm pretty sure Brian Buckland has a good explanation of the mechanism in his book.

Tim

[elansprint71]

Do NOT remove the window frame! More later.

[jimj]

Yes Peterexpat and Pete, I did put "The trouble is that the lock has to be disconnected to get it back in but at least I`d know what I was trying to achieve." I would only remove the whole shebang just to look at it but the schematic sort of shows what I`d discover, so thankyou for that. I couldn`t find anything in Brian Buckland`s or the workshop manual. I`ve just got to see if I can retrieve rod 16 from wherever.
Jim

[jimj]

Hang on, I think rod 16 is the thing moving through an arc, maybe it travels vertically when poked through the oval, that`s easy enough, if it does.
Thanks again, Richard,
Jim

[elansprint71]

Rod 16 gets my vote too- probably the little retaining clip has dropped off; they wear easily and are pretty rubbish even when new.
You can get them from Susan, Matty or maybe even Chris Neil; rather inconveniently these are not shown on the parts book drawing, in the manual or (as far as I can see) in the Buckland book, they are the things you can see in the supplied photo above- looks like blue spring steel. I think that their number is 036B6146 but also the separate parts can be obtained, erm... separately.
The Elan locking mech is almost impossible to photograph in the Elan, the +2 mech shown is only slightly different and at least you can see it.

I have always said that fixing the door lock/latch mechanism is the second worst job on an Elan; as you now own a Sprint with a steering lock you will find out what the absolute worst job is if you ever have to remove the steering column!

Edit: Jim, if the window glass is in the way, you might have to move it a bit at a time to find the best position (from memory).

[elansprint71]

Jim, there's a close-up in this short thread showing the clip thingy and part of a Sprint lock.

http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-chassis-f36/door-lock-mechanisim-t21135.html

[jimj]

Assuming that rod 16 locates in the bit of the lock that I think it does, that`s easy. I`ve spent ALL afternoon trying to attach a star clip washer thing to hold it there. I can just get it on the end with very tight pliers while holding 16 still but trying to push it along defeats me, dropping the thing inside the door each time. Has anyone tried glueing it in position on the lock first to leave one of my five hands (that you need) free? Or is there another, magic, technique?
Jim

[rgh0]

The attached picture show the type of clip you need.

Still not easy to get on but possible

cheers
Rohan