Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I'm getting my +2 back soon after having the engine fully rebuilt, Webers refurbed, brakes overhauled, new solid drive shafts etc etc.

I am really excited about getting it back and would love some advise / opinions / thoughts about where I should take it on its first drive.

I live in South West London so would ideally be close enough for a day trip .. Maybe Surrey - down to Petworth, across to Midhurst and home?!?

Ralph

The back roads to Goodwood?

The roads in and out of Shere / Dorking / Box Hill / Leith Hill in the Surrey Hills AONB are narrow, steep, twisty and fun. Just watch out for cyclists at the weekend. Approach via the back roads from Esher / Cobham and avoid the A3 and you will have fun. Great pubs too.

Best
Steve

What kind of driving are you contemplating? Won't you still be running the engine in?

Good point - although the engine should be ok

Its been run for hours (couple of tanks of fuel at idle) and run up and down the M4 to put some miles on it.

What sort of engine run time / miles would people recommend post a rebuild??

Ralph

Ralph

It is not a good idea to run a new engine at idle for any extended period before the rings are bedded in. The lack of gas pressure means the rings run very lightly in the bores and they can glaze the bores which can prevent the rings from bedding in properly.

it best to bed the rings by doing full throttle acceleration runs to maximize cylinder pressures and force the rings against the cylinder walls. The variation in speed also helps the bedding in process without damaging the surfaces

regards
Rohan

As somebody who hasn't lived in that part of the world for a quarter of a century my advice is worth little. But I recently celebrated a family birthday party at an old haunt that is hard to beat:

The Duke of Cumberland Arms, at the bottom of the steep, steep hill on the South Downs at Henley, just off the A286. A few miles north of Midhurst. Perfect Elan country.

http://www.dukeofcumberland.com/

Nick

For running in in that part of the country I always used to go to Bury Hill in Sussex late in the evening when there was little traffic and do repeated full throttle runs up the hill initially in a high gear to limit the revs and as time progressed accelerating through the lower gears shifting up at gradually higher revs.

Its second only to a Rolling road and a jar of Ajax or Vim for bedding in the rings, I also used a 50/50 mix of engine o?l and paraffin for the runs up the hill.

For pleasure driving the A272 starting in Midhurst and going as far East as you want is a superb run if done once again late enough to avoid traffic.