which air filters for my Webers?

PostPost by: Pete Shepherd » Thu May 31, 2007 6:50 pm

i would really like to fit some decent air filters to my webers on my Elan +2. i have seen quite a few +2's with K+N ones. could anybody advise me of the correct/best ones to get. i know that fitting these means that i will have to modify the throttle linkage, will i need to do anything else?

cheers
Pete
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PostPost by: tdafforn » Thu May 31, 2007 7:51 pm

Are you thinking of fitting the filters directly to the webers or in the nose?
fitting them directly can lead to some unwanted problems. The webers can drip some fuel from the throats which soak the filters. Then if you have a backfire you have instant lotus bbq. There is also some evidence that drawing cool air from the nose is good for a bit of extra power.
If you do go with the filter in the nose of the car, there are some conversions for K&Ns..
Cheers
Tim
Last edited by tdafforn on Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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PostPost by: GrUmPyBoDgEr » Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:19 am

Don't know if this is of any use but I have fitted a K&N filter into the front of my Elan & connected it to the air trunking that feeds to the air box on the Carbs.
Have a look on the websites for K&N or Pipercross to find one the correct size for your trunking and as big as you can fit into the space available without blanking off the Radiator.
Most of the air filters that will fit directly onto the Carbs will restrict airflow a bit, but worst of all the Carbs will be sucking warm air from behind the radiator.
Keeping the air filter in its original position in the front of the car will permit it to suck cold air.
(Clive boy on this forum does a good kit :wink: )
Appologies if this comes across as "sucking eggs" :oops:

Cheers
John
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Editor: On Sunday morning, February 8th 2015, Derek "John" Pelly AKA GrumpyBodger passed away genuinely peacefully at Weston Hospicecare, Weston Super Mare. He will be missed.
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PostPost by: cliveyboy » Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:16 am

Pete
K&N air filters. You have a few choices of where to fit them.

First option straight onto the carbs. This is favourite for race cars but the disadvantages being you need to modify the throttle linkage as the airbox you remove holds the linkage. For a road car the induction noise can be considerably louder.
The carbs should only be taking in warm air when stationary as when moving the volume of air through the radiator will not warm up that much
I personally do not know anyone whose air filters have caught fire. I would be interested to know of anyone who has experienced this first hand and what the circumstances were.

Second option Fit a filter onto the end of the air box.
Disadvantages;- this is only possible if the radiator has been moved forward otherwise it will not fit. Apart from the warm air argument the other problem is you need to use a very small filter because you are adding extra weight to the airbox which in turn puts more force onto the carb O rings and more chance of leaking.

Third option fit a filter onto the end of the flexible ducting. (This is the one I have on my Sprint).
This is a popular choice and I believe the best choice for a road car and has various advantages, but obviously it would not look original.

Final option is put a K&N filter in the original air cannister. You can get one that fits inside. The disadvantage being you are still using the very restrictive air cannister, but the car would still look original as well as being the cheapest option.

Cliveyboy
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PostPost by: thor » Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:35 am

Cliveyboy; can you send me an email with a price for a K&N cone kit + ducting for my +2S ?
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PostPost by: Pete Shepherd » Tue Jun 05, 2007 9:54 pm

Thanks for all the response. Cliveyboy, you sound like a very clever chap and a helpful one at that!

i was told by many people before i got my lotus of the nice engine note the twincam makes, i have to say i am dissappointed with mine and the main reason i wanted to change the filter was not for extra power particularly, although i wouldn't complain, but mainly to make the engine deliver a nicer noise. when i run the engine with the fibre glass box/pipe it sounds ok but when the webers are exposed or the pipe is removed from the box you can really hear the webers and the engine sounds lovely.

so will any of the filters mentioned provide the noise i am looking for? i have been put off of the ones which fit direct onto the webers as it appears that not many people have to many good words for them.

i will be away from tomorrow night until next wednesday, so apoligies if i am delayed ( as usual ) in replying.

cheers
Pete
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PostPost by: cliveyboy » Fri Jun 08, 2007 12:15 pm

Pete
Unless you are prepared to fit straight onto the carbs which does give a massive induction roar. It will have to be a compromise. A K&N filter fitted onto the end of the ducting is the next best thing.
Mine is fitted onto the inner wing and uses a very short length of ducting so it does increase the induction roar but is a lot easier on the ears than going straight onto the carbs.

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PostPost by: type36lotus » Sat Jun 09, 2007 2:00 am

I agree with Clive, massive induction roar. I took a 60 mile trip at 80 MPH. By the time I returned home my ears were ringing! I had a pair of K&Ns mounted on the carbs. I quickly ressurrected my original air box back and purchased a new cover, then went the K&N cone filter in to nose route. Sooooo much better, I could now hear the radio and the wonderful exhaust note. And no more ringing ears!
Mike Geiger
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PostPost by: 1964 S1 » Sat Jun 09, 2007 3:42 am

Hello Clive,
I had an S2 that burst into flames around the carbs on warm re-startup, my employer/Lotus dealer buddy put them out with his wife's People Magazine. Scary but I restarted and drove on home.
It was a long time ago but If I remember right I had a stock air intake system. The car gave out a kind of burp backfire, very subtle, and then smoke began flowing out around the bonnet seams.... I pulled the bonnet release and eight inch flames greeted us. I can understand how air filters on the carb intakes could hold fuel and fumes.
It's been 35 years since I bought my first Elan and I still occasionally lay in bed and think about the distributor location under the carbs, does anyone have a story about that design starting their fire?
Eric
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PostPost by: oldokie » Sat Jun 09, 2007 2:21 pm

I have one about the fuel pump leaking onto the starter!
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