Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hello everyone

Haven't posted for a couple of years but been lurking... Lost job, nearly lost wife (who wrote her audi off driving in to the back of my Plus 2), but currently happpily wed, Plus 2 glued back together (and employed as builders van), and new career (as builder).

Anyway - car question... The car (on Webbers) has sat for about a month, and I wanted to try to avoid the long cranking before it fires.

Can I unscrew the wingnuts on top of the carbs, lift off the brass cap and pour fuel in? Is it that easy?

Or shall I just get the wife's (new) audi and some jump leads and give the starter motor a thorough work-out...?

TIA

David
71 Plus 2S
London[/img]

Hi David...Sounds like you've been through a hell of a time, but now that you're worrying about the best way to start an Elan I guess things are getting back to normal.
If I leave my Elan for a long period the method you described is exactly what I do. I use a long clear tube to suck enough out of a petrol can (clear so that you don't get a mouthful) and dribble it into the top of the carb. That way you gan get enough into the carb without spilling it all over the distributor.
Mark

Remove one emulsion tube from each carb and fill with petol until it's 1" from the top of the hole for the emulsion tube.
This is the nomal running level so car should start as normal
Regards
Dave

Hi David

There is no problem squirting a bit of fuel in the top the way you describe.
When my Sprint is parked up for the winter I fire it up every few months and go for a short drive.
Squirt bottle of fuel in the top until a prod with a bit of blunt wire makes the floats go up and down and you're done. Don't think you need to be too fussy about exact levels once the floats are actually floating. I never have and it usually fires first turn of the key, even after sitting for several weeks.

Ralph.

reb53 wrote:Hi David

There is no problem squirting a bit of fuel in the top the way you describe.
When my Sprint is parked up for the winter I fire it up every few months and go for a short drive.
... it usually fires first turn of the key, even after sitting for several weeks.

Ralph.

Running with no engine lubrication for the first few seconds? Bad thing, surely?