Elan Part Found In Stock At Local Liquor Store
Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 7:38 pm
Hard to believe but true. It all started when my Sovy started acting up. For those of you who don?t have one, a Sovy is a device that sits on top of the master cylinder reservoir and is designed to warn the driver of a leak in the braking system. I believe at one time, it was required in certain markets such as the US. Despite the fact that I had plenty of brake fluid, the warning light insisted that this was not the case so I decided to investigate.
First of all, as far as I can determine, a replacement Sovy is not available. Upon dismantling it, I found it to be a simple device consisting of a cork impaled on a rod that should fall as the brake fluid level falls. Once it falls a certain amount, a copper disk on the rod touches two terminals completing a circuit that powers the warning light. The reason the light would not go off was fairly obvious. After soaking in brake fluid for 36 years, the cork had become water logged or shall I say brake fluid logged and as a result, it would no longer float. But where to find a replacement? That?s where the liquor store comes in.
I needed a cork, but not just any cork. It had to be small enough to fit into the Sovy device, yet buoyant enough to keep the contact disk away from the electrical terminals. A plastic one would not do as once the metal rod was pushed through it, the plastic cap would fill with brake fluid and sink. Several bottles were opened with a special Italian Lotus tool made by ?E.B.?. This opener is capable of removing a cork without the use of a cork screw so it will not tear a hole in it. After several exhaustive experiments involving numerous vintages, my wife and I finally found the perfect cork in a bottle of 2004 Clos du Bois, a Merlot from California. About $11. I put it on the drill press and drilled a (slightly smaller than the metal rod) hole through the center of it, trimmed the bottom end to size (the part that was touching the wine) on the bench grinder, and installed it.
The brake warning light is no longer giving me false warnings and as a bonus, the brake fluid appears to be getting better with age. If anybody needs this special Lotus part, please send $11 and I will be happy to ship it to you anywhere free of charge.
First of all, as far as I can determine, a replacement Sovy is not available. Upon dismantling it, I found it to be a simple device consisting of a cork impaled on a rod that should fall as the brake fluid level falls. Once it falls a certain amount, a copper disk on the rod touches two terminals completing a circuit that powers the warning light. The reason the light would not go off was fairly obvious. After soaking in brake fluid for 36 years, the cork had become water logged or shall I say brake fluid logged and as a result, it would no longer float. But where to find a replacement? That?s where the liquor store comes in.
I needed a cork, but not just any cork. It had to be small enough to fit into the Sovy device, yet buoyant enough to keep the contact disk away from the electrical terminals. A plastic one would not do as once the metal rod was pushed through it, the plastic cap would fill with brake fluid and sink. Several bottles were opened with a special Italian Lotus tool made by ?E.B.?. This opener is capable of removing a cork without the use of a cork screw so it will not tear a hole in it. After several exhaustive experiments involving numerous vintages, my wife and I finally found the perfect cork in a bottle of 2004 Clos du Bois, a Merlot from California. About $11. I put it on the drill press and drilled a (slightly smaller than the metal rod) hole through the center of it, trimmed the bottom end to size (the part that was touching the wine) on the bench grinder, and installed it.
The brake warning light is no longer giving me false warnings and as a bonus, the brake fluid appears to be getting better with age. If anybody needs this special Lotus part, please send $11 and I will be happy to ship it to you anywhere free of charge.