Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi all,

For the past year or so the clutch on my Elan S4 has been grabbing when the engine is hot. All is perfectly normal for the first 15 - 20 miles after which the clutch becomes grabby and juddery - still drivable, but unpleasant especially on hill starts.

The clutch was newly installed approx five years/20,000 miles ago, new seals in master & slave cylinders and recent engine mountings.

I read somewhere that it could be worn gearbox mountings and mine do look a little soft. If so, can this be done without removing engine/gearbox?

Any ideas/info greatly appreciated.

John (saljo).

Elan S4 - since new.

Could well be the engine and gearbox mountings, and that should be our first job to eliminate. All easily done without taking the units out.

I'd also flush the clutch fluid for some new high quality high temp fluid. The line is subject to quite a bit of heat which might be causing issues, especially with older fluid.

Did you get the Flywheel resurfaced.
Even when it looks smooth it is not always flat. Replace Spigot Needle roller bearing also.
Alan

I would suspect the clutch plate is contaminated with oil or grease.

After you have discounted the gearbox mount John, I suspect that the clutch plate splines and input shaft splines are contaminated with hard grease and dirt, therefore not allowing the clutch plate to slide freely. I had exactly the problem you describe, and that was the cause. Unfortunately it is engine out to sort the problem.

Obviously you will examine the clutch plate when the engine is out, as it may be contaminated with oil as Brian says. And if you did not have the flywheel surfaced when you fitted a new clutch plate, adviseable to get that done.

When I had my engine out for rebuild, due to oil loss via the gaskets, and to sort the clutch issue, I could not detect any difference between the thickness of the old clutch plate and a new one, so I refitted the old one. That was at 39k miles. Now at 45k miles and still all good.

Keep us posted on what you find.

Leslie

Sincere apologies to responants for posting this thank you over a year late!

A couple of starts in top gear, brutal I know but if I have to change the clutch I might as well try. The problem is almost certainly oil on the clutch plates as the clutch is now very much improved and still ok after another 4,000 miles. This, I realise, is only a temporary solution as the problem is likely to return particularly if the oil seal is leaking.

Once again thank you for your thoughts. I'll pull the engine in the winter and see what's going on. In the meantime, the sun is shining, the tops down and I'm going to feel the breeze.

Once again, many thanks for your thoughts.

John (saljo). Elan S4 since new.

512BB wrote:After you have discounted the gearbox mount John, I suspect that the clutch plate splines and input shaft splines are contaminated with hard grease and dirt, therefore not allowing the clutch plate to slide freely. I had exactly the problem you describe, and that was the cause. Unfortunately it is engine out to sort the problem.
Leslie

Ditto.
Make sure you put a bit of grease in there, as per the Ford manual's recommendations.
I had exactly these type problems, including crunching gear changes, and occasionally an inability to get the gear lever out of reverse even with my foot on the clutch.

Ralph.

^^^Ditto again, especially resurfacing (or replacing) the flywheel.