Engine Compartment Vent & Removable Cross Bar

[jivers]

Can anyone point me to information on the Lotus recommended
modification to the side of the engine compartment to provide
additional cooling? Was the vent placed on one side (which) of
compartment or both? What is the recommended location? What is used
for a screen?

Also, I know some owners have converted the cross bar under the oil
pan to be removable. How did you remove and how did you accomodate
attaching the bar? Through bolts, nuts welded to chassis, etc?

Anyone have pics of either of these mods they can share?

Thanks in advance.

Jeff Ivers
67 Elan S3 FHC

[tvacc]

First..I don't think any modification to the side engine walls will have
much difference. I would put a Kenlowe or similar electric fan on the front
of the radiator with a temp switch that kicks it on.and I would put sa
bypass switch in the cockpit to allow you to turn it on manual if need be.
That has always solved my early Elan cooling problems. Oh yeah.the Kenlowe
mounts on the radiator.with plastic bolts and nuts that go through the
fins..real easy install.





As far as the cross bar.I made that modification to my first Elan.now in the
hands of Jeff Kyle.he is a member of this list. Perhaps he can take a photo
of it. I copied it from my spyder chassis car that I had at the same
time.that car is now in the hands of Doug Chadwick and I don't think he is
part of this list.but he does take all the panoramic photos at LOG



Anyways..I just happened to have a piece of channel that fit right inside
the cross bar. I then cut 2 pieces of that "inner" size channel and drilled
4 holes in each. I cut the cross bar on the car.so that I could lay the
inner channel across the cuts and then I drilled holes to allow me to bolt
that inner channel inside the cross bar to hold it all together once I
bolted it up. I used 4 grade 8 bolts per side with nylocs.



Maybe Jeff Kyle can take a fe pictures.and send it to me..I will post it
on www.lotusowners.com <http://www.lotusowners.com/>





Tony V



_____

From: ***@***.***lto:***@***.*** Behalf
Of Jeff Ivers
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 3:21 PM
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Engine Compartment Vent & Removable Cross Bar



Can anyone point me to information on the Lotus recommended
modification to the side of the engine compartment to provide
additional cooling? Was the vent placed on one side (which) of
compartment or both? What is the recommended location? What is used
for a screen?

Also, I know some owners have converted the cross bar under the oil
pan to be removable. How did you remove and how did you accomodate
attaching the bar? Through bolts, nuts welded to chassis, etc?

Anyone have pics of either of these mods they can share?

Thanks in advance.

Jeff Ivers
67 Elan S3 FHC










CopyrightC LotusElan.net and the author:





_____

[markvo]

Jeff,

The standard modification consists of 2 round holes in the fender well on the exhaust side. I rivited plastic screen material over mine, with the screen on the wheel side. It is supposed to allow the escape of high pressure air behind the radiator which tends to block incoming air if not relieved. It was a later modification, when the Elan radiator had gotten pretty small.I did it because it seemed like a good idea and my engine has a good amount of extra power compared to the original.

My TTR chassis also has a removable bottom chassis brace that bolts to the chassis. I would completely remove the existing bar and replace it with a similar channel that could be bolted to the chassis where the brace used to be.

Mark V.
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Ivers
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 12:21 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Engine Compartment Vent & Removable Cross Bar


Can anyone point me to information on the Lotus recommended
modification to the side of the engine compartment to provide
additional cooling? Was the vent placed on one side (which) of
compartment or both? What is the recommended location? What is used
for a screen?

Also, I know some owners have converted the cross bar under the oil
pan to be removable. How did you remove and how did you accomodate
attaching the bar? Through bolts, nuts welded to chassis, etc?

Anyone have pics of either of these mods they can share?

Thanks in advance.

Jeff Ivers
67 Elan S3 FHC















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***@***.***

[rgh0]

Jeff

I have posted a couple of photos of the cross brace mod I did to my
Elan chassis so its removable. Its in the folder "Rohans Elan" in the
photos section.I removed the brace by carefully grinding out its welds
to the chassis and then brazed a flat plate on each end of the original
channel. I then drilled these flat ends to fix the channel back onto
the bottom chassis flanges with close tolerance holes for the bolt each
end by match drilling and tapping through the holes so the bolt has to
be screwed in before fitting the nut.

The brace is vital and must be rigidly mounted otherwise chassis
distortion will take place. If my brace is removed and I jack the car
up on one corner its impossible to refit the brace due to the chassis
spreading at the bottom where the brace fits.

Spyder with their usual engineering thoroughness go to the trouble of
using a cup and cone fitting at the end of the brace onto the chassis
to ensure it mounts rigidly. I have found close tolerance holes and a
large bolt properly torqued and backed up by large washers sufficient
over 25 years of road use and racing since I did the mod.

Rohan

[Foxie]

Rohan,

No reflection on Spyder, but the imho credit for the cup /cone fitting on the removeable brace must go to Lotus, who used it on the Plus Two.

Wonder why it was not fitted to the Elans made at the same time ?

Sean Murray

----- Original Message -----
From: Rohan Hodges
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 10:38 AM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Re: Engine Compartment Vent & Removable Cross Bar


Jeff

<snip>

Spyder with their usual engineering thoroughness go to the trouble of
using a cup and cone fitting at the end of the brace onto the chassis
to ensure it mounts rigidly.

<snip>

Rohan
















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***@***.***

[triumphelan]

Electricians "ty" wraps attach it just as well
Regards John S41969 DHC----- Original Message -----
From: Tony Vaccaro
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:35 PM
Subject: RE: [LotusElan.net] Engine Compartment Vent & Removable Cross Bar


First..I don't think any modification to the side engine walls will have
much difference. I would put a Kenlowe or similar electric fan on the front
of the radiator with a temp switch that kicks it on.and I would put sa
bypass switch in the cockpit to allow you to turn it on manual if need be.
That has always solved my early Elan cooling problems. Oh yeah.the Kenlowe
mounts on the radiator.with plastic bolts and nuts that go through the
fins..real easy install.





As far as the cross bar.I made that modification to my first Elan.now in the
hands of Jeff Kyle.he is a member of this list. Perhaps he can take a photo
of it. I copied it from my spyder chassis car that I had at the same
time.that car is now in the hands of Doug Chadwick and I don't think he is
part of this list.but he does take all the panoramic photos at LOG



Anyways..I just happened to have a piece of channel that fit right inside
the cross bar. I then cut 2 pieces of that "inner" size channel and drilled
4 holes in each. I cut the cross bar on the car.so that I could lay the
inner channel across the cuts and then I drilled holes to allow me to bolt
that inner channel inside the cross bar to hold it all together once I
bolted it up. I used 4 grade 8 bolts per side with nylocs.



Maybe Jeff Kyle can take a fe pictures.and send it to me..I will post it
on www.lotusowners.com <http://www.lotusowners.com/>





Tony V



_____

From: ***@***.***lto:***@***.*** Behalf
Of Jeff Ivers
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 3:21 PM
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Engine Compartment Vent & Removable Cross Bar



Can anyone point me to information on the Lotus recommended
modification to the side of the engine compartment to provide
additional cooling? Was the vent placed on one side (which) of
compartment or both? What is the recommended location? What is used
for a screen?

Also, I know some owners have converted the cross bar under the oil
pan to be removable. How did you remove and how did you accomodate
attaching the bar? Through bolts, nuts welded to chassis, etc?

Anyone have pics of either of these mods they can share?

Thanks in advance.

Jeff Ivers
67 Elan S3 FHC










CopyrightC LotusElan.net and the author:





_____


















------------------------------------------------------------------------------






***@***.***

[lotuselanman]

Gidday John,
Regarding air flow in ?lans. The baby Elan is in my humble opinion quite hopeless as far as under bonnet air exhausting is concerned and the +2 onlymarginally better. A couple of years ago I pulled the bonnet relapse on my+2 at around 70 MPH and had to sit up really high in the seat to peep overthe obstacle. As far as I am aware this is not an ACBC recommended procedure. As for the exhausting of under bonnet air I am of little help, a look under the +2 shows areas of glass in the area of the inner guard immediatelyafter the Rad that could go but that only ducts the air into the front wheel well, maybe better than nothing. For high speed work you could fit a pair of check straps to allow the bonnet to rise 50mm or so, all makes a difference, would be interested to know if that would affect the water temp.
As for engine cooling I fitted an Aluminum radiator 580 x 245 mm plus tanks, remembering the later the car the smaller the rad. Small sections of theinner guard trimmed to bit the big fella and it was moved forward at the bottom . An electric fan is fitted but not used, I live in South East Queensland in a sub tropical climate. It does not get hot now with a 150HP engineunder race or road conditions, in fact getting it up to temp is more of a challenge. As far as I'm concerned the cost of an Ally Rad is well justified and looks super cool.

----- Original Message -----
From: John Harrison
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 10:33 PM
Subject: Re: [LotusElan.net] Engine Compartment Vent & Removable Cross Bar


Electricians "ty" wraps attach it just as well
Regards John S41969 DHC----- Original Message -----
From: Tony Vaccaro
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:35 PM
Subject: RE: [LotusElan.net] Engine Compartment Vent & Removable Cross Bar


First..I don't think any modification to the side engine walls will have
much difference. I would put a Kenlowe or similar electric fan on the front
of the radiator with a temp switch that kicks it on.and I would put sa
bypass switch in the cockpit to allow you to turn it on manual if need be.
That has always solved my early Elan cooling problems. Oh yeah.the Kenlowe
mounts on the radiator.with plastic bolts and nuts that go through the
fins..real easy install.





As far as the cross bar.I made that modification to my first Elan.now in the
hands of Jeff Kyle.he is a member of this list. Perhaps he can take a photo
of it. I copied it from my spyder chassis car that I had at the same
time.that car is now in the hands of Doug Chadwick and I don't think heis
part of this list.but he does take all the panoramic photos at LOG



Anyways..I just happened to have a piece of channel that fit right inside
the cross bar. I then cut 2 pieces of that "inner" size channel and drilled
4 holes in each. I cut the cross bar on the car.so that I could lay the
inner channel across the cuts and then I drilled holes to allow me to bolt
that inner channel inside the cross bar to hold it all together once I
bolted it up. I used 4 grade 8 bolts per side with nylocs.



Maybe Jeff Kyle can take a fe pictures.and send it to me..I will postit
on www.lotusowners.com <http://www.lotusowners.com/>





Tony V



_____

From: ***@***.***lto:***@***.*** Behalf
Of Jeff Ivers
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 3:21 PM
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Engine Compartment Vent & Removable Cross Bar



Can anyone point me to information on the Lotus recommended
modification to the side of the engine compartment to provide
additional cooling? Was the vent placed on one side (which) of
compartment or both? What is the recommended location? What is used
for a screen?

Also, I know some owners have converted the cross bar under the oil
pan to be removable. How did you remove and how did you accomodate
attaching the bar? Through bolts, nuts welded to chassis, etc?

Anyone have pics of either of these mods they can share?

Thanks in advance.

Jeff Ivers
67 Elan S3 FHC










CopyrightC LotusElan.net and the author:





_____


















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