Aperture size for gear lever

[lowflyer]

Tl;dr: Can anyone provide guidance on the size and shape the gear lever aperture should be in the tunnel?

Longer version:
My Elan S4 has a notchy shift and can be a pain to engage reverse, so I was working through the usual activities: Adjust clutch to avoid any dragging, refill the gearbox with Red Line MTL and check the retaining cap for damage etc. The last of these should be able to completed from inside the car at the top.

However, the aperture for the gear lever is too small to remove the cap and looks crudely hacked about. So before I crack out the Dremel and make a neat hole I thought I'd check your collective wisdom on the size.

Judging by the look and feel of the mechanism I'll replace the cracked cap and worn bushing anyway.

Gear lever aperture

[snowyelan]

Mine looks about the same as yours, kind of jagged around the edge. Not done with a hole saw for sure.

[Stevie-Heathie]

I have a similar issue - watching with interest.

I get a lot of engine bay air coming up through the gear stick aperture. I try to deal with gaffer tape but only lasts a short while. Eau de Hot Oil as my family refers to it. They can always tell by the smell on my clothes when I’ve been for a drive

On the same topic is there a recommended tool for tightening the nylon dome? I tend to resort to persuading the lugs round by tapping with a large flat bladed screwdriver. Not the standard of engineering I aspire to!



Cheers
Steve

[lowflyer]

Seems like I might be the guinea pig

The seal around the gear shift appears to be good. My car is not stinky, I'd be concerned about fumes especially carbon monoxide if it was. The sound insulation has a smaller hole around the gear level and the plate and lever gaiter go on top, then the console. Assembly in that order should reduce the air flow.

I would be concerned about damaging the nylon cap on removal using a screwdriver. When I get access I'll find a suitable drift to tap it out against the flats. I plan to replace with a repro aluminium cap.

I'd be interested if there is a tool for tightening it, if there isn't I'll maybe design and 3D print one. Watch this space!

[Stevie-Heathie]

Oooh - 3D printed socket / tool for the top cap! You’ll sell dozens!

Seriously please let me know if you get around to it, I’d love one

Best
Steve

[gjz30075]

The threads are really fine on the cap and I found it easiest to r&r the cap if I release the spring
tension by pushing down on the 'inner' cap with either my fingers or needle nose pliers.

[2tmike]

Also watching with interest.....how/should the aluminium plate that the gear lever gator attaches to be secured? In the pic there is a hole at the bottom of the pic and maybe another at the top....I also have a rough cutout for the gear lever and 4 holes surrounding the cutout but the aluminium plate is not drilled....

[pharriso]

Also watching with interest.....how/should the aluminium plate that the gear lever gator attaches to be secured? In the pic there is a hole at the bottom of the pic and maybe another at the top....I also have a rough cutout for the gear lever and 4 holes surrounding the cutout but the aluminium plate is not drilled....

With Self tappers... I made up this drawing of the gator mounting plate, shows the positions:

036B1038_LotusElan_GearboxGrommet_MountingPlate.pdf

(46.26 KiB) Downloaded 306 times

[lowflyer]

As Phil says the mounting plate is self-tappered down over the insulation.

There are pictures in these threads that may help
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=29199&start=
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=35153&start=

I was planning to derive a hole in the tunnel top based off the plate hole. I'll go and experiment this evening.

[2tmike]

That thread explains it, just couldn't work out why the plate wasn't drilled on mine and it looks original, Friday car perhaps......self tappers into fibreglass indeed, classy engineering Mr Chapman....!!!!

[Stevie-Heathie]

Thank you lowflier and pharriso! Will make a mounting plate when time allows

[RobMc]

If you’d rather not make one then I was recently looking at securing the gaiter on my S4 and found this at SJ Sportscars in stainless for £8.75 (no association with them).

SJ Sportscars

[lowflyer]

Not a lot of progress tonight but I did take a couple of pictures of the plate in situ with the lever removed, in case that was useful to anyone.

Plate in situ

I also marked out the hole perimeter based on the plate. Judging by the view when the inspection lamp was shining under the car, that should give me enough space to unscrew the cap (and be a lot neater).

Hole perimeter marked out

[SENC]

I had a spare pvc pipe connector I turned into a tool for removing and tightening.

[Stevie-Heathie]

SENC: Brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that?

Best Steve