Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I think if the hole was original, it would show up with a blanking plate in the parts manual

It also really serves no purpose in assembly, and we know Lotus could care less about disassembly

The first ten years of a cars life can be...interesting.

Ok.

No1.
I dont have a hole, well lots of little holes but not an access plate.

No2.
Took off the induction side.

No3.
I cant even get more than a finger on either of the heater pipes.

So,
Solution,

No1.
Cut off old hoses as suggested.
Fit new ones by going from left hand side.

No2.
Remove head..!! NOT what I want to be doing. Not 100% sure it will give required access either.

No3.
Im stuck..help

Remove coil pack, vac hoses and move wiring loom to access from top between engine and bulkhead?

Thanks.
I considered that but theyre not in the way.
They sit on an inch wide lip above the coolant hoses. Because of the lips extrusion and very close proximity to the head, i cant get anything down there. Theyre almost touching. Its that close.

I tried getting my hand in from left to right.
Very tight for my sausage fingers but i think if i cut them off, the hoses not my bratty fingers,i could possibly have room to push on from under the right, then tighten up by getting in from the left.long screw driver required.

It started raining again so i stopped, ill take a look in morning with fresher eyes and see if i can get to it.

It did look like it would be an engine out job, or at least lowered. Or the heater box out and install from in to out. That would be alot of work just for two pipes.

Thanks again for suggestion.

My car has a little cut out in the lip that improves access that I think I could get a tool to the clips from the top (Long screw driver/extension). With them removed I'd hope to get my arm up under the intake tracts, same route as the hose and hopefully be able to get hose removed.

Remove starter and access from below?

Loosen/remove 4 engine mounting bolts and move it forward a little ?

John

Just thinking about my car, it has a big valve engine in it so the previous owner must have had some work done, so maybe my porthole is not original, although the edges look properly finished not like they have been cut afterwards. Whatever, it?s jolly useful!

A bit of good news and a bit of bad news. Also a quick question first.

In the picture i have the coolant hose from heater at the rear and the temp sender at the front on the mount. Question is..is this correct? I read somewhere here that it should be other way round.

So good news. I found i had a split in the pipe that runs along the rear of the head. So i pulled it clear.

Bad news, cant get the remaining part of the hose off the fitting. I did manage to get a long screwdriver from left so ill have to keep trying.

Patience is wearing thin.

Paul
I had it that way for years and it made no difference , just tidier.

John

P.S. a sharp knife to slit the pipe is a good idea...

Wd40 on the end of the pipe and much wiggling to help it work it?s way in plus slitting with a knife if you can

I can confirm it's much easier with the head off but no, it's not what you want to do just for the hoses!

I can't remember now but, does removing the fuel pump give any extra room?

Robbie

A productive couple of days spent on Sophie.

It wasnt the hardest job in the world just very frustrating but in the end i have all 4 coolant pipes off.

Took radiator out to get to the bottom one, just as well as that was cracked and dry too. It would have split any day.
I ended up cutting the heater pipes off, i think its going to be a right pain getting the clips tight due to space, or lack off.

Also took of the thermostat housing to fit it a new lower temp stat and gasket. Must have been the last thing clive sold.

So when i get time ill rebuild it all with stainless clips.




So i think ill continue to give the engine bay a clean, especially the front of the block.
Its probably the best few days i had to carry out some much needed maint on her.
May even do the oil filter too. But thats another thread.

Cheers for the convenient timing of this thread !
I am currently fitting a pair of heater hoses.... some thoughts & questions..

My carbs & starter are not fitted, nor the vacuum takeoff to servo & steel pipe. I removed the petrol pump glass bowl & clip to give me a little more room. I think removal of the rear manifold stud would have helped.
the original hoses were removed long ago and I steamed (wallpaper stripper) the matrix out on he bench some while back..
A bit of soap and the pipes push on Ok. I have used jubilee clips here with a hex head (BA socket). I have a very small ratchet driver , possibly from a cheap bicycle maintenance kit... this worked well. I could probably achieve the same, doing the lower pipe first, with a long thin extension bar from above, as there's a semicircular cutout on the bulkhead.
Both pipes have been in my loft for years and both have a single 90deg bend a couple of inches from one end
Questions:-
1) difficult to tell from the manual - does the lower pipe go to the water pump ?
2) I have rotated it to touch the footwell and loop outside the fuel pump, have yet to cut the excess to fit the other end.. is this correct ?
3) the longer hose loops behind the engine to the thermostat housing, does this sit on the bellhousing and so under the bulkhead flange. or does it run at the same level as the head ? I favour the later to keep it away from exhaust / gearbox heat

Adrian

Lower pipe goes to the water pump and is a straight pipe, no bend in it. Upper pipe has a 90 degree bend a couple of inches from the heater end and goes to the thermostat housing. Depends a bit on how much you shorten it as to where it runs. Mine is below the moulded joint in the bodyshell behind the head, but is clear of the bellhousing and exhaust manifold.