Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Donels,
I?m surprised by someone who is familiar with the balancing of engines makes a comment ? The clutch may be changed and then the balance is different.? when it?s common knowledge clutch pressure plates are always balanced as a separate individual part first for that very reason.

The idea of having it balanced is just that, an idea. Mine spins nicely as it is but i dont know if it was previously balanced. Its actually quite smooth, im more interested in using the tall block as i have it along with most of the parts. QED sell the rest ill need at what i think is reasonable, the main effort will be to check the breather and find the cause if this problem.
I hope its simple, if not its off to be rebuilt.

My experience with the standard state of Ford's factory balancing is that it's very much hit and miss. First thing I do with a crankshaft is check the balancing drill holes. If there are very many holes drilled deep I prefer to try and find another crankshaft where the raw casting itself has been in a better state of balance requiring less holes to be drilled. If there's a lot of holes it means Ford had trouble balancing it at the factory and it's likely to be a bit "iffy". I think Ford's policy was to retain rather than scrap at all costs!

I once had a 1600 crossflow engine that had a detectable vibration right on 4,000RPM. Above and below that speed it was fine. Hold the engine at 4,000RPM however and the gearlever would sizzle in it's socket. Upon dismantling the engine I found the two crankshaft counterweights closest to the centre main bearing to be riddled with deep balancing holes, some even overlapping each other. I replaced the crankshaft with another and had everything balanced. The engine was transformed as a result with no resonance periods right up to 7,000RPM.

I'd recommend having any engine balanced even if it's just for road use. It makes a difference even from 4,000RPM.

So,

Popped down to Halfords today and got a new oil filter, classic oil, and a compression tester.

I checked the oil before starting and found it was barely on the dipstick. Not suprising as there was alot of vapour coming out.

So a top up, and i fired her up to let it warm up to do the test.

I was plesently suprised to find that when it was up to temp it was as responsive as it always was. Not down on power due to low compression.

Anyway as the rain started i called of the work. Shame as i wanted to know the results.

I took some pics tho.

Should be a picture of the breather, actually theres nothing there just a hole. What should i fit in replacment? I think its a bit tight for a filter.

A picture of rear of engine where alot of vapour was coming from. Not much is different to my eyes and no obvious signs of leaks weeps or general spillage.

The last is looking down my thermostat housing. It looks like the stat has failed and perrished. I better get a new one.

I am assuming that's a clivey boy filler. But where is the coolant?

The coolant should be very close to the to of the filler neck. The fact it looks dry above the thermosat suggests your betty low on coolant! I'd at least refill it but also consider a flush and refill.

Spot on, from my good friend Clive.

I didnt know it was so low. I only stopped because of the rain but ill get the hose in and fill it.

I think its dry because the overflow goes to atmosphere. The origonal nosecone mounted overflow has long gone.
I want one of those nice shinny ones.

Also have Clives rad with 2 fans. Works well

Ill edit to add, i hope it fits with the zetec.if not..dohh

Do you not have a bottle connected to the over flow on the filler? Level seems low if for no bottle...

I have the same setup, with a bottle, and it very good even in Texas temps!

I did have before.

No names mentioned but hes famous in south uk. After leaving his garage, a few of the rare parts were shall we say missing.

Thats not rare but still 'fell off'

Theres a pic of a stainless overflow thats been fitted. I think the post is in mods, in the zetec conversion thread. Thats what id like.

RichC wrote:looking at that picture you have posted shows that the engine has had the rubber hose breather pipe lengthened and is running into an old oil bottle jammed beside the weber airbox. ... not a good look !...

That's my breather.

Fyi, the leaky grommet hole in the head was tapped to take an oil-tight 1/2" nipple, to which the breather hose was attached.

The (brake fluid) bottle mightn't win a concours, but it cost nothing, and it works !

In any case, all that has now been retired, since I dry-sumped the engine last year.

So just to keep the info flowing, unlike my coolant, compression test carried out as per instructions. Ie warm, throttle open. All 4 were 165 to 170 psi. I checked and checked 3 times each.

I filled her up with water to ensure there was something in there. As i thought it pxxxed out at temp. So i guess i need an overflow tank next.

Can i just use a spit n suck type tank or should i use something else?

funny that ... my plus two has a full width radiatior, granted, but there's no overflow attachment and the coolant level is just below the rad filler neck always when i view cold. even after hareing around castle combe at 100mph and long motorway runs ... no thermostatic fans just a twin blade waterpump mounted fan ... go figure
maybe it's 'cos its not ' big valve '

Please explain why it matters if its a big valve?

Please explain why it matters if its a big valve?

Those compression numbers seem ok.

I just fitted a cheap generic expansion bottle. You just need to make sure it will suck the coolant back up when it cools, either by having the connection at the bottom, or by having a hose that goes to the bottom of the tank (like the original setup).

RichC wrote:coolant level is just below the rad filler neck always when i view cold.

The upper coolant hose is higher than the filler neck on the radiator, so I'd guess that the coolant is expelled when warm and the air sucked in when cooling that ends up in your upper hose. Leaving the radiator level at the neck.

The normally expansion of the coolant when up to temperature is probably enough to expand and fill the upper hose ensuring enough coolant flow to cool the engine. But if the engine gets warmer than normal it could expel more coolant and leaving your coolant level a little low.

So personally I prefer to run a tank and ensure the system stays full.

I don't think i ever had a standard cooling system so ill admit to not knowing what you mean. I was thinking of buying a header tank to be an overflow tank. Only thing is they have an out let to a pipe and another overflow pipe to atmosphere. So i cant see the point.