What did you do to your Lotus today...

[persiflage]

I eventually retrieved my errant spring washer and in the words of a well known Scandinavian rally driver "I super happy"
All in all I think it took over 6 hours spread over a couple of days. Magnet on a stick would have been the first choice given the access and space but neither existed even the tiny magnet on the end of the inspection camera was too large to get close enough.

[rgh0]

Started pulling the engine from my Elan. I had a loss of power in the last race at Phillip Island a few weeks ago, no noises or smoke and no misfire just down on power and I could drive off the track. After the race the engine would not crank over so I put it on the trailer and took it home. I finally had some time over Easter, so checked over the electrics and then started it but it needed a large throttle opening to keep it idling and the engine was very hard to turn over by hand even with the plugs out so something inside is partially seized up

Got everything off the engine today and will hook up the engine crane and pull it out tomorrow just the 6 bell housing bolts left to remove. It will be interesting to see whats broken, its been many many years since I have had an internal engine failure and I have never had an internal failure that made no noise or smoke

cheers
Rohan

[alan.barker]

Well this looks like a listen to Rohan story
I look forward to the next episode
Alan

[vstibbard]

I'm interested to hear what the cause was Rohan

Cheers

Vaughan

[RogerFrench]

Fun with wires....

[JonB]

Finished sorting the handbrake out. See other thread, grrrrrr!

Swapped front and rear wheels to see if the rears (as was) are balanced. I had a suspicion when I was trying to sort the prop shaft out and a swap was suggested. So I've done it, and if the front wheel wobbles like hell at 70 we'll know for sure. Suspiciously, one of these wheels only has a 25mm square weight stuck to it; the other has six of them in a line. Also washed them properly as they were off the car.

Only have the radiator fan motor left to sort out. It's waiting for a new set of brushes. I've refitted the fuel tank with Jubilee clips on the breather pipes (no Club Mod yet) and I reckon I won't be getting any more fuel smells in the car. Put some petrol in her and couldn't start it, then remembered I'd disconnected the coil to protect it when I was using the Huco pump to empty the tank. Almost as bad as Vince forgetting to turn his pump on when we took Toad for a spin. Almost...!

Reconnected it and it started immediately. Phew, thought I might have flooded it for a moment.

It seems to have a fair bit of white smoke coming out of the back, especially on the overrun / rev cycle. Have not seen this before. Whether this is due to it being a bit cold (choke was off by then but the thermostat hadn't opened) or being stood for a while I don't know. I'll find out when I get to drive it again.

[Mazzini]

Took a break from doing the dash wiring on the S2 and worked on the S3, I refitted the original AC air filter housing, which I'd had powder coated satin black, refitted the brake servo (rebuilt by Classicar Automotive) and worked on the steering column.

About ten years ago, when I bought my S3, I didn't have a garage or tools for that matter, so I entrusted the car to a now defunct Lotus specialist, whom I now realise knew nothing about the cars and his work was sloppy and dangerous. I was billed and paid for new steering column bushes, so today I knocked out, with great difficulty, the original 1967 steering column bushes and replaced them. I also replaced a wobbly worn out headlamp dip switch with a NOS part and tomorrow I will put it all back together.

Tomorrow marks fifty-three years since my S3 left the factory.

[mark030358]

Had some images done of my “other” Lotus and will be getting the Elan done soon.

Check out https://buzzartcollection.com/collections/lotus-cars. No affiliation, just very happy, but yet to decide which orientation to pick.

Cheers
Mark

[englishmaninwales]

Re-tensioned the driver's door window lifter cables. Fitted a new cable about 3 years ago and it had stretched.
Thank goodness for Alex Black and his modified cable fixing bolts. Takes all the sweat and risk of cracked glass out of the job
(Workmate and Elan in good company together!)

[alan.barker]

Very brave man.
I've never done that job and to be honest too frightened.
Alan

[miked]

I find that if you do an initial tension. Two mole grips (wife comes in handy ) while you tighten and nip up. Then put a combination spanner with a screwdriver through the ring end and open end into the drive drum and go up and down a few times, it throws out the slack as you are loading the system somewhat.
Usually due to the knot area (if you do a knot on the drum). Then retension, it limits the development of most of the slack coming in.
I have done a lot of these for friends. Yes, that design of Alex's is great.
Other tips, if you dont mind me adding in:
Make sure the nylon pulley wheels are a good fit on the pins, pins base areas are also not pulled out of shape. Look down the window frame from all angles. 90% of the frames are bent with people pulling the top. Easy to tweak back using a workmate.
Without this I have had the glass hitting the top rear edge and not wanting to run into the top of the frame.
Fix those flex cracks that appear above the motor mounting position. Stiffens frame back.
Also ensure you are level with the glass and also when at the upper and lower limits check that you equalise the amount of wire left on the drum in each direction. BB' s book is helpful and also the workshop manual.

Cheers Mike

Oh, and what did i do on my Lotus today? Nothing, waiting for comms kit to commincate with Nodiz. So bought another liitle Japanese motorbike project. Even if i can't get it here, i can start the research and a file for it. Keeps the old brain going.

[englishmaninwales]

Very brave man.
I've never done that job and to be honest too frightened.
Alan

I first did this job in 1983 on my first S3 and it was a complete nightmare, although I managed to avoid breaking the glass. The end result, I recall, was never terribly good, but it worked.

So when the cable snapped on my current car 3 years ago, I must admit I was alarmed at the prospect. Lots of advice on here and BB’s book helped, especially with the modified fixings.
The biggest problem was getting the winder motor off as one fixing had to be drilled out. The cable from Sue Miller had a brass nipple crimped on it so no knot to slip. New drum, pulley wheels and retaining clips and as Mike says repair the crack in the bottom plate, stiffening up the whole motor mount.

Two mole grips and wife (or daughter yesterday) to tension up the cable, although I shall go back and try Mike’s suggestion of winding / unwinding and re-tension.

A most satisfying job in the end, and I’ll be encouraged to do the other side when that cable dies!

[Bombay Racing Green]

Most of the diy jobs have been done (to my entire satisfaction, no word from my wife). I have finally got around to sanding out all the star cracks on the Europa. Two doors and the bonnet are done. It’s been almost a year since I stripped the paint.

[Mazzini]

Pete!

Good to hear you're keeping busy. Email me some photos of the Europa. I wouldn't mind an early Renault Europa.

MME is closed and I don't think I've seen or heard a commercial aircraft in weeks.

I worked on the S3 today. I refitted the steering column, sorted out the wiring. Fitted a new door stop retailing clip. Fitted the propshaft. Prodded a pick into the front tower drain holes and was rewarded with lots of fine sand, it reminded me of an hour glass. Thought about bleeding the brakes.

Cheerio,

Rob

[reb53]

Painted the scruffy cam cover, and yes, it's a "backwards" one.
Also took a photo of my answer to cam cover leaks.
I know there are "Selocs", but having a lathe I like to put it to use !
I think the O rings are actually 3.1mm, but near enough is good enough, and they are very cheap on Ebay.