Jensen Healey 5 speed fit the TWS?

[Glenn M]

Buddy has a good price for a Jensen Healey Getrag 235 5 speed transmission.
Have searched the forums and did not see if this 5 speed would fit any Elan, I want to get a Plus 2.
Does the 907 engine have the same bell housing bolt pattern as the TWS or Zetec?

Cheers,
Glenn

[elated]

No - one is a Ford block the other Vauxhall: both preceded EU harmonisation.
Gordon

[Glenn M]

Gordon,
Thank you, I did not know that.
Thought it was a Ford based engine.
Cheers,
Glenn

[mikealdren]

It's based on the Vauxhall slant 4 best known from the Mk4 and 5 Vauxhall Victors and also fitted to the Viva GT/Magnum and larger Firenzas.

The bottom end was strong and Lotus added the twin cam head which Vauxhall copied for the HS Chevette. The slant engine enabled lower bonnet lines than a conventional 'vertical' engine.

[rgh0]

It's based on the Vauxhall slant 4 best known from the Mk4 and 5 Vauxhall Victors and also fitted to the Viva GT/Magnum and larger Firenzas.

The bottom end was strong and Lotus added the twin cam head which Vauxhall copied for the HS Chevette. The slant engine enabled lower bonnet lines than a conventional 'vertical' engine.

The Vauxhall bottom end was only used in the initial prototypes until Lotus developed their own alloy block.

From what I have read Lotus designed the head first and used the same bore spacing as the Vauxhall block so they could use the Vauxhall block for the prototype development of the head until they had their own block and in the LV220 race engine.

cheers
Rohan

[alan.barker]

They were clever to sell to Jensen Healey and let them get the bad image of overheating and blown head gaskets
Alan

[mikealdren]

The Vauxhall bottom end was only used in the initial prototypes until Lotus developed their own alloy block.

From what I have read Lotus designed the head first and used the same bore spacing as the Vauxhall block so they could use the Vauxhall block for the prototype development of the head until they had their own block and in the LV220 race engine.

cheers
Rohan

Yes and the final block was similar enough for Vauxhall to use Lotus heads on competition cars until they were caught out!
Of course, Lotus used fuel injection that that also gave more performance the the twin Strombergs used by Vauxhall for the road cars. Roughly 160 vs 135 bhp.
The Chevette HS engine didn't have any of the issues that the Jensen Healey did, it flew through testing at Millbrook with no significant issues.

[alan.barker]

For the road cars i think it was Dellorto carbs.
Alan

[nomad]

So Lotus used a lot of those engines. What did they do different from Jenson Healey to prevent them overheating?

Kurt

[Donels]

The engine was destined for the Lotus Elite but this was delayed. Jenson Healey were looking for an engine so Lotus supplied the Elite engine for a couple of years prior to Lotus use. Jenson Healey basically did the development work. I think the later Jenson Healey's were fine and in Lotus use it was pretty good being turbo charged for the Esprit.

[The Veg]

I had a Turbo Esprit for a few years. GREAT engine, huge fun to drive when it's in an optimal state of tune. Bottom-end looks like something out of a Diesel truck, very robust and can take WAY more turbo-abuse than Lotus ever subjected it to.

[Vic]

I'll add my thoughts to this topic. I'm not an expert, but own an Esprit S2 with a 907 engine and have owned an Eclat (that I fuel injected in the 90's). My Esprit has never over-heated. I purchase the Esprit with a damaged spoiler and radiator and replaced the bent radiator with an Esprit Turbo size radiator, before ever driving it. That was in 1996 and it has run great ever since. The Jensen Healey club has lots of information on upgrading a 907 engine, like improved start-up oiling and adapting cranks and bearings. The early Jensen Healey 907 used a rope seal, switching to a lip seal on later engines. I purchased a 1975 Jensen Healey engine as a spare for my Esprit and it has identical casting numbers to the Esprit. The Jensen engine I purchased had the Getrag transmission, but the Jensen club doesn't like the Getrag, preferring to fit Toyota 5 speeds. I had a BMW M535i with the same Getrag, dog-leg first gear and 1 to 1 fifth. With the high torque 3.5L engine in a 2800 pound car, the close ratio gearing was worthless for street driving, I typically used 1-3-5 only (wishing I had something taller than 5th).

Vic