Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi Guys,

I'm wondering whether anyone has had issues with the press fit used on later pickup pipes becoming loose. In my younger days scouring wreckers yards when English Fords were everywhere I well remember taking the sump off a newly reconditioned crossflow engine I was going to purchase only to find the crankshaft and it's bearings totally destroyed. On closer examination I found the oil pickup pipe to be loose at the press fit interface between the pipe and the block. It was obvious that the oil pump had been sucking in air at this point rather than oil from the sump!

I don't want the same thing to happen to my Lotus engine and as it is currently the press fit seems to be a bit loose. Do you guys have any recommendations regarding how to restore/improve the press fit or a suitable sealant to use at this joint? The pickup is the big wing type so unfortunately I cannot easily find a replacement because the Elan/Cortina type is different.

Photos of the pickup and of the press fit section are attached for reference.

Regards

Consider getting it swaged to a tighter-fitting diameter.

Hi

I always use Loctite bearing fit, never had a problem but also its not loose in the block.
Also mine is a straight tube.

Can you resize the end with a die made from a hard bolt (see photos)?

Hawksfield wrote: Also mine is a straight tube.

Indeed so is mine. I thought they all were?

The bent tube is for a rear bowl sump engine such as used on Escorts

cheers
Rohan

rgh0 wrote:The bent tube is for a rear bowl sump engine such as used on Escorts

cheers
Rohan

I'm puzzled because such an engine will presumably not fit in a Lotus, yet the original Poster said his problem is for a Lotus engine.

2cams70 wrote:Hi Guys,

I'm wondering whether anyone has had issues with the press fit used on later pickup pipes becoming loose. In my younger days scouring wreckers yards when English Fords were everywhere I well remember taking the sump off a newly reconditioned crossflow engine I was going to purchase only to find the crankshaft and it's bearings totally destroyed. On closer examination I found the oil pickup pipe to be loose at the press fit interface between the pipe and the block. It was obvious that the oil pump had been sucking in air at this point rather than oil from the sump!

I don't want the same thing to happen to my Lotus engine and as it is currently the press fit seems to be a bit loose. Do you guys have any recommendations regarding how to restore/improve the press fit or a suitable sealant to use at this joint? The pickup is the big wing type so unfortunately I cannot easily find a replacement because the Elan/Cortina type is different.

Photos of the pickup and of the press fit section are attached for reference.

Regards

And the few I have noticed are straight

RDENT




The swinging one was bent. From a recent post. Maybe that one has to be.

I suppose on long sweeping corners the baffles do their thing (CeeJay design). And the largest accusump does not have enough in reserve. I suppose its all a moot point as things have been this way for 50 years. So outside of a dry sump...

Maybe I am missing something. I am hoping to be ready to make baffles and secure a “swagged” oil pick up tube with 641 “loctite bearing” i think it was.

Sort of surprised there is no stainless safety wire or the like...

The original post from some time ago was by 2cams70 and he has a couple of twincam escorts with the rear bowl sump and hence the bent pick up compared to the straight press in one in the Elan. If you modify the sump for the swinging baffle design up then you need to modify the pickup tube to add a bend to bring it to the centre of the sump if using the press in style block

cheers
Rohan