Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Sat down yesterday to stick my overhaul kit in the glass dome original item.
Simple enough job in theory but again manual is not clear on the replacement of the inlet/outlet valves and as usual the easy job isn't that straighforward.
What is considered the correct way to get rid of the "staking" as they call it to release the valves? and then to refit.

The way I see it a Dremel looks favourite to relieve them on one side then a made up punch to re-peen them later.
If you did it this way how can you be sure the valves are tight on their paper seals......or do they not need to be?

Has anyone ever replaced these?...thought I'd have an ask before I butcher it .

Regards,
Kenny

Hi Kenny
I have replaced the leaky diaphram but left the valves alone, The one way valves were ok so I left them.

Gary

Same as Gary, only ever replaced the diaphram.....thought I would damage it if I tried to replace valves.

Yep, My thoughts exactly but it just feels like a cop out not to replace the dirty old 40 year old items with the nice shiny ones whilst it's on the bench.
I know how my luck's been with this car and it's a pound to a piece of sh1t I'll put it back in engine and it will be faulty

Kenny

Hi Kenny
If they haven't failed in 40 years, don't break it on the bench...

Gary

Kenny,

Did mine the way you describe, Dremel and little chisel.

This was years ago and they haven't been a problem since.
Mind you they weren't a problem at the time, it was more a case of having the bits in the kit and knowing that if I didn't put them in I'd wish I had.

Ralph.

Spot on Ralph.....although I switched the dremel off last night as I was about to attack it
I'll try it again tonight without the bottle of wine first

Kenny

Kenny

Don't go without the wine.
As long as it's a Kiwi one it's good for you.

Ralph.

I did this a couple of years ago as well after the pump pressure started falling off. I hope your session goes better than mine did! They were damn near welded in place after being in there 40 years; swore I'd never do it again.

More to the point, I did it the same way, with a Dremel, needle nose pliers, and other implements of destruction. Go slowly and carefully, and plan on it taking a while. Removing the staking was the easy part, the old valves had to be totally destroyed to get them out.

On the positive side, the pump now works perfectly. Save the wine for a toast when it's finished, and good luck!

I did this last weekend, I just used a sharp stanley knife to remove the metal (its quite soft) enough to remove the old valves and a centre punch after refitting.

Use a socket of the right size to drive in the new valves if they are tight.

Worked for me anyhow.

Cheers
Jon

Thanks for that lads. Jon I'll try the Stanley knife approach before I get stuck in with the dremel.

My only concern is that there are paper seals to go under the valves. They are obviously there for a purpose. Scottow did you know they are sealing after peening the metal back over to hold them in, or do they just press in very tight and the peening over is just insurance.

Thanks,
Kenny

kenny wrote:My only concern is that there are paper seals to go under the valves. They are obviously there for a purpose. Scottow did you know they are sealing after peening the metal back over to hold them in, or do they just press in very tight and the peening over is just insurance.

Thanks,
Kenny

I just blew through the pump the wrong way, to see if the valves were sealing OK.

Kenny,

Good advice above but Aussie wines are better than NZ wines. Ease the peenings off with a stanly knife or carefully with a dremel, pick the old valves out with a screwdriver, clean up and press in the new valves with a socket as described above, once you re-peen the valves in they will be forced onto the paper gasket, done this many times on Fords and Holdens downunder without any problems except once when I out the valves in back to front!!!!!!!!!!!!!!............... but the wine was OK.

Tony W

I always thought they though in those valves in the kits so you would screw it up and then have to buy a new fuel pump. I just toss them away and don't worry about them...

Gary

OK lads, just done the deed. Removed the old valves as suggested by relieving staking with sharp blade and dremel assisted by large screwdrivers lump hammers and pneumatic drills
Sheesh they were tight.
Anyway put seals in and drifted new valves back in to their correct holes and re-peened.

Now for a basic suck/blow test
On the outlet side if I suck its open (air coming through) then if I blow it snaps shut.....I reckon that's ok.
Now on the inlet side you can just suck and blow all the air you want through..........is this correct?

Final point why is there a need for 2 valves if this test is correct? as the outlet valve on its own seems to be doing the job of stopping petrol flowing back.

Any comments greatly appreciated as I don't want to refit this if it's wrong, I'd rather buy an aftermarket one.
Many thanks,
Kenny