Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

[quote="billwill"]The reason I suggested a washing machine tap is because these operate with just a 90 degree quarter turn and have a detachable plastic handle, so it should be quite easy to make a lever which can be operated by the original dashboard pull wire control.quote]

Or you could just use a VW type in line heater valve which has a cable operated lever on it.

Back to the "Baby Elan" valve........ The replacement I ordered off ebay turned out to be the wrong style. Pull off rather than push off. Not sure if they new the difference for the Elan. However, the service was outstanding, considering the state of Rhode Island was under about 12 feet of water at the time. Arrived in a couple of days.

After reading the problem of removing the valve from the head, clearance and all, I just drilled out the rivet, twisted the outer stamped housing and changed the inner parts. About a 10 minute job, including refilling the radiator. Didn't want to do the shipping back and waiting bit thing. I believe you could remove the cast screw in portion without shifting the engine by taking the valve apart, if that was necessary. But the cast part looked serviceable, so it stayed in place. Just make sure you have something to catch the tiny circlip/Eclip if you drop it.

Rob Walker
26-4889

A failing motor mount lead to the heater valve contacting the foot box in my
restored-as-sprint Elan, provoking a coolant leak.
The threads in the head were really bad and I could not figure out how
to get the original valve to seat firmly, so (vaguely like others have done) I used a
90 degree elbow in the head mated to a
Ford truck heater valve (NAPA 660-1363, which was fairly expensive at over $30 but
light weight and easy to work with), an in-line valve.
http://reality.sgiweb.org/davea/elan.html#htrvalve has all the grubby details.

Resurrecting this old thread, and focusing on the Plus 2 heater valve situation.

As Stu pointed out, the Plus 2 has no heater valve in the thermostat housing. However, these people - NOS Locators - have been advertising a new and improved cable operated valve for some time now, in either push open or push close style. Reasonable price . . .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/201639364348?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

Worth noting that someone on the forum mentioned the Lotus head's thermostat housing has some British pipe threads, not the more common American pipe thread standards.

What I'm really interested in is the part that came with my car when I acquired it. It's condition suggests it's been on the car for a LONG time. Car is Federal. Here's a pic or two of the part. Has anyone seen anything like this before? I'd like to get another, rather than attempt a rebuild . . .

It looks like a few radiator drain taps I have seen ( including on the Elan) but just larger in size

cheers
Rohan

Thanks, Rohan! I was thinking the same thing as I eyed the rad drain . . .

The inner valve assembly on mine threads into the body with a reverse thread, and the valve stem threads with a clockwise thread. A little different than a typical drain valve.

Anyway, I have found the answer to my own question. It is a Ford product, most likely (although there is an American Motors unit very much the same, for 1939-40 Nash and Rambler motors).

Now I just have to check out thread sizes and hose sizes, etc. and see if among all the suppliers of this part there are some brass units and differing thread/hose barb sizes, etc.

http://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_mercu ... -ford.html

Regards,

Randy