Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I was just about to try removing the sump with the engine in place-the gasket is leaking slightly-and I thought I would check the history of doing this on the forum and found a comment that it was not possible with the bellhousing front cover in place! (mine is not removable) I realised that the times I have done it years ago I was removing a cast alloy dry sump pan and that would make a difference. This engine uses a lip seal btw.

So, can I do it without removing the engine or not?

I thought the problem with removing the sump in situ was the fixed cross member getting in the way. I?ve been hovering, hacksaw and welding torch in hand, for years trying to pluck up the courage to make mine removable but not started cutting yet. The oil leaks continue but I don?t want to take the engine out.

69S4 wrote:I thought the problem with removing the sump in situ was the fixed cross member getting in the way. I?ve been hovering, hacksaw and welding torch in hand, for years trying to pluck up the courage to make mine removable but not started cutting yet. The oil leaks continue but I don?t want to take the engine out.

Hi Stuart,
if you mean the front x-member, don't even consider it, it's absolutely critical for the strength of the chassis. Not sure about further back, the +2 has a removable x-member by the gearbox.

It's the one that goes under the sump that I meant. I understand it's removable on the +2 and on some replacement chassis - Spyder for example. There has been some discussion here in the past about the best method of converting the welded version to bolts and I know some people have done it. With it in place the best you can do is drop the sump down a couple of inches which makes resealing the rear of the engine a tricky (= leaks ) thing to do.

The skinny cross member under the engine is removable on mine-a very easy conversion and a sensible one.

So, with that out of the way, can I remove the sump with the (bellhousing front cover in place)

I believe you need to be able to remove the removable central part of the bell housing cover to access the sump cover rear bolts. There no needs to remove the full cover.

As long as you running something close to standard this should be a none issue. From what I've seen the cover is one of those often messed around with components thou...

Thanks for that Mbell. I have removed the two rear bolts despite not being able to remove the cover-mine is a one piece.
I am reluctant to go further unless I am sure I can remove the sump-this is a minor leak and I don't want to have to remove the engine at this point!

Post removed.
OK, should have read the op more carefully. Clearly then not the original engine.

In my S2, I converted the cross-brace under the oil pan to a bolt- on removable type, that was easy.
but more importantly, the bell housing front cover can' be the one-piece type, the lower half has to come out as it hides some of the oil pan bolts. the two-part front cover is available from the usual suspects.
unfortunately you have to do that when the engine is out.

Carlos G

Craven wrote:OK, should have read the op more carefully. Clearly then not the original engine.

No, the previous owner allowed the block to freeze so I had to fit a replacement and the replacement is later.