December 2002 Message Board

Dec 1, 2002 - 10:03 - From: rudz
Title: ALDL connector
Message: thanx for the prompt reply, Doug. i suppose that means that i could short the black to the black/white without unplugging the connector from the socket that it is currently plugged into ....or do i need to unplug it from that socket. it seems that i can short those 2 wires from the back end of the ALDL connector too (ie. without unplugging) ! cheers...rudz

Dec 1, 2002 - 11:13 - From: Doug
Title: ALDL
Message: Rudz, that socket is just a blank holder for ALDL storage.

Dec 2, 2002 - 01:19 - From: Dimitris GR
Title: Turbo? Nooooooooooo - No2
Message: Hi guys. :(((..... Unfortunately the "Turbo? Nooooo" subject turned out to be a rather unpleasant situation... The turbo stuck... Yes! It stuck... Not a finger, a screwdriver or a pair of pliers could turn the wheel. :(. The only thing that is quite comforting is that is still under guarantee. I full-serviced it at IHI at mid-summer. So I suppose I have to wait for them to replace it with a new one ;)

Dec 2, 2002 - 03:34 - From: Alan
Title: Front wishbone holed and sinking
Message: I Just had the car serviced and a few issues sorted out... A new CAS is on (thanks to those who helped me get hold of it - you know who you are!), the front brakes have been completely stripped and fettled - new seal kits the lot and the bottom has been Waxoyl'd. I've got no problems now then? Er, No I've got a noisy wheel bearing, two bent wheels (a piece of wood in the motorway I couldn't miss), oil misting around both the inlet and outlet of the turbo, loose baffles in the exhaust (SS exhaust from Paul Matty - Chris Foulds (the garage) hates Elan SS exhausts, they believe the quality is bad and the welds aren't stainless and rust! at least its under warranty), and a corroded (perforated) R/H front wishbone:( The garage reckons front wishbones are hard to get at the moment (although they know of someone who is making some) so I'll need a welding job to keep it in action... Anyone know of a source of front wishbones?

Dec 2, 2002 - 07:33 - From: Chris
Title: Front Wishbone
Message: Alan, you could try south west lotus centre...they had a few left at the Lotus parts fair at £185 a piece (without lower bush). Chris.

Dec 2, 2002 - 09:16 - From: Dave M.
Title: front suspension
Message: Paul, do you have any pictures of your work? It would be nice to have a small write up with some pics for those of us planning the same shortly. My suspension removal may come sooner rather than later as after spending the holiday on the east side of Michigan, we returned home yesterday to find a fair bit of "lake-effect" snow. May put the skids on any further dyno work this season. FWIW, the Kumho 712s are downright spooky in the snow. Even on the AWD Scooby...putting the snows on tonight! Not feeling up to trying the autocross rubber on the Lotus... ;)

Dec 2, 2002 - 19:53 - From: Peter W
Title: Great Site - Tire Question
Message: Thanks for an incredibly valuable site Doug! I located my low mileage Elan through this site just over a year ago and the "common repairs" information has been great (CAS, door panel removal, shifter cable, exhaust pipe hanger - it was amusing to find the answer to my undercar rattle as a "bonus" in the Broken Downpipe information). Tire question - I currently have 4 Michelin Pilot SX-GTs (stock size) of which one needs replacement due to road hazard damage. This is a discontinued tire which can be ordered at a price twice that of more recent models (another disadvantage is that it would have full tread opposite a tire which has ~3/4 tread. I'm thinking of getting two tires of another model instead. I would be interested in comments from others who have run different models front and rear - the tire shop recommended putting the new tires with more grip in the rear.

Dec 2, 2002 - 21:38 - From: Mike
Title: Top Adjustment
Message: I just e-mailed Stuart Humphrey with instructions on how to adjust the tension for the top. Doug has pictures of the screw and bolts that need to be adjusted, which he sent to me earlier, but I cannot now find. If anyone wants a copy of the instructions feel free to e-mail me. p.s. -forget what the Service Notes say about adjusting the top-the editor must have been asleep that day.

Dec 3, 2002 - 00:36 - From: Dimitris GR
Title: RE: Tire Question
Message: Dave M, I'm really surprised that the tire shop recommended putting the new tires on the rear wheels. The idea is to put the new tires on the wheels that deliver the power to the road, in our case the front wheels (front wheel drive), because we don't want the power wheels to lose traction.

Dec 3, 2002 - 00:39 - From: Dimitris GR
Title: Shift Cables' Solution
Message: Yesterday I managed to send two sketches to Doug, regarding the Solution to the Shift Cables problem. Sorry for the delay guys.

Dec 3, 2002 - 02:25 - From: Peter W
Title: Re: Tire Question
Message: Thanks for the response Dimitris. The shop's thought was that during hard cornering it would be desirable to have the stickier tires on the rear - thus the front tires would be the first to lose grip (resulting in a push) as opposed to the rears losing grip first with the rear swinging out.

Dec 3, 2002 - 03:17 - From: Doug
Title: Peter's tires
Message: Peter, there are many ways to go--just thought I'd throw out some food for thought. The bottom line = even if you put a new tire on the rear, since the rears do NOT share an axle OR differential, the difference in rotation if they are not exactly the same circumference will have no effect! If it is cheaper to get 2 new tires of another brand that could be done too. Sure you may mix grips and characteristics between the front and rear, but unless you live on a racetrack it will likely not matter. The Elan can do a snap oversteer, but again you'd really have to go hard to do this--I agree you'd want your traction up front--if you got 2 new tires this is where I'd put them. To discuss tire models could go forever. If you are torn between a few models let us know and we can throw out some user experience. Check the archives too for previous tire talk.

Dec 3, 2002 - 04:19 - From: Alan
Title: Tyres
Message: Another word in support of putting the new tyres on the front. The Elan has much more weight over the front wheels, it puts almost all its breaking effort through them and it drives them - the front has to be thr better choice. If you do get into a tailslide its the fronts that'll pull you out of it.

Dec 3, 2002 - 04:53 - From: Laurence
Title: Tyres
Message: I agree with Alan et al, I think the 'new tyres on the back' of front wheel drive cars is the popular new safety advice intended for Jo and Joe Public who may not know how to handle an unexpected rear wheel skid in a front drive car. The front's wear out so much quicker anyway I think the choice depends on which pair you want to put the wear on! By the way, my Saab 95 has practically worn out the SO3's I put on the front a few months ago and I don't drive it particularly aggressively or do a huge mileage (about 1,500m per month), no complaints on the grip but not a very practical tyre choice for a heavy car - I think it's back to the V rated Mitch's for practicality on that car! Laurence

Dec 3, 2002 - 05:08 - From: Owen
Title: Car for sale (sob!)
Message: I have made the heartbreaking decision to sell the Elan, to free up much needed cash for other things. It's a 1990 SE Turbo, 66k, FSH, silver. Too upset to write any more, check out the Elans for Sale section, or email me if you're interested. £8,250 ono.

Dec 3, 2002 - 07:14 - From: stephen reid
Title: nuts!
Message: can anyone tell me where i can source a set of locking wheel nuts for my motor, I've tried halfords and no joy. according to paul mattys lotus no longer supply them and i need to track down after market ones. also i want a set of lotus logo wheel centre caps and everybody seems to have them on backorder, does anyone have a set for sale.

Dec 3, 2002 - 09:23 - From: Ben W
Title: Hood Mods
Message: Spoke to Stratton Motor Co. about my leaky hood. They priced the seals at over £1200. They suggested letting them have a look at it (2 hours labour charge), they'll adjust the couple of things that can be adjusted (hood and windows) and botch the seals up. They offer no guarantees, but suggested this was a cheaper way of improving the problem, albeit not fixing it. Just wondered if anyone had any experience of a lotus dealer doing this sort of work and whether is made much difference or does anyone know a cheaper source for the seals?

Dec 3, 2002 - 10:39 - From: Andrew
Title: Leaky roof
Message: Ben, I'll give you my 'standard' answer to this: NTC cars http://www.ntccars.com/ntcframe.htm (UK - 01322 229 111) are designing better 'a' pillar seals for the Elan. But they have been doing this for the last three years or so.... I'm not sure if you are in the UK, but do shop around for these seals, as prices seem to vary. I'm going to email you some tips on getting the roof to seal better. One last point, check the archives for the last couple of months. Someone found that if you remove the 'bung' from the top of the 'a' seal and dig around you will find a drain hole....

Dec 3, 2002 - 11:05 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Tires, to all
Message: Stephen, as you remove each lug nut put super-glue on the threads and screw them back in. That should do it! On a more serious note, Sport & Compact Car tested 2 of Yokohama's new tire designs on page 163 of their January issue. This is what they had to say: Yokohama AVS ES100 - "We only had a very limited amount of time on this tire. Just enough to know there ISN'T an amazing amount of grip"..... Yokohama Parada Spec-2 - "Still not nearly as sticky as it looks. If competition is in your blood, this is still a show tire." As for MY opinion, I agree with those who want the tire with the most grip on the front. I just bought another pair (2) of Falken Azenis Sport tires for the front of my XR2 and now I can actually use 1st gear. Prior to this week the tires would simply spin endlessly and I would go nowhere, prompting a quick shift to 2nd gear to get any traction. Short of LSD, these are the best tires I have found. They lasted for less than 10,000 miles on my Elan but I am definitely buying another set of them. Life is too short not to have the best, especially at these low prices.

Dec 3, 2002 - 11:41 - From: Jose M. Armengol
Title: Yoko Parada Spec 2's
Message: Matthew, you're spot on regarding the Parada Spec 2's. I recently purchased a second set of wheels (SSR GT1's 16x7) and opted to mount true street tires on those and competition tires on the stock wheels. While the Yoko's look fab, I decided to run the Elan at a Speedtrial with the local sports car club last weekend and didn't feel like making a wheel swap, as was not a true "track day". while the tires work pretty well on the street, at the limit they were sliding as if on ice. Lots of squeal, though surprisingly not much in the way of sidewall roll. Just not a tire to do serious performance driving in. I now regret not putting Kumho V700's on these wheels also.

Dec 3, 2002 - 12:51 - From: rudz
Title: Peter's tyres
Message: i'm with most of the guys here, Peter. get the new tyres up front. FWD cars need the grip thru the front tires. the rears are doing almost nothing. have you ever compared the wear on the fronts as compared to the rears after some hard driving ? someone also said about the fact that it's the front that need to pull you out of a corner & that's very true including situations when you are understeering. in addition, you'd probably know that if you drive with some left-foot braking, you'd need the front to grip harder & the rears to slide out a bit to correct your understeer. it all points to getting the fresher, grippier tyres on the fronts ! just my 2 cents, by the way. cheers...rudz p.s. if you ever punish your tyres real hard & they reach a point where one of the tyres suffer a blow-out (god forbid), which end would you rather they be on, front or rear ?

Dec 3, 2002 - 15:28 - From: Peter W
Title: Tires; Thanks all
Message: Thanks for all the responses; the tire shop recommended Kumho ECSTA Supra 712s. On my Alfa's (GTV-6 and Milano, both rwd, rear transaxle) I have Bridgestone S-03s which have worked well, but these are very different handling cars than the Elan. I experienced the snap oversteer early on with the Elan - definitely a wake-up call to learn its handling characteristics better! I've read the archives in the past so I know there's good user experience there regarding tire choices.

Dec 3, 2002 - 19:31 - From: Rich Lemieux
Title: K&N filter crushed by headlight motor
Message: Guys, I'm wondering if TopEnd sent me the wrong K&N filter with my "filter & pipe" kit, as the headlamp motor actuator grabs the filter top and pushes it forward when activated. This has caused the filter to become an angled filter, so I have rotated it 180 degrees out of the way, but it looks rather beaten up. It is 5" in diameter, and 6.5" in length. Is there a shorter K&N I can switch to in the future to avoid this? thanks, Rich

Dec 3, 2002 - 21:18 - From: Doug
Title: K&N filter
Message: Rich, you can see pix of my set-up of the same items in the gallery and there are others with pictures of the same set-up as well. Look to see if it is the same as yours. I suspect they are smart enough to send the proper filter though you could call or email them to confirm they did not change it. I do know that there is some play in the length, to effect that you can loosen the clamps and push it all down a bit shorter. If your rubber connector is a bit long this will extend the overall length, so using some gentle muscle to push it all together a bit more may be the cure. The filter can be pushed down onto the pipe a bit more too. Hopefully this will give you enough clearance.

Dec 4, 2002 - 00:05 - From: mike richards
Title: Roof Seals
Message: Ben, don't let anyone fool around with the a pillar seals who hasn't been there several times before. you will find two plastic plugs in the top of the a pillars. they push into holes in the frame. water pools above these plugs before it overflows onto your leg. you could leave these plugs out, however, where the water would flow to is anybody's guess. there are drain tubes inside the a pillars, however i haven't located their pickup point. if anyone has been inside the a pillars and down into the side panels, could they let us know what lives down there.

Dec 4, 2002 - 05:46 - From: Paul D
Title: Smashed window
Message: First just to warn, dont close your elan door by using the window, I did this last night and put my hand straight through the window, my hands all right, but my pocket is not, I have been quoted over £300.00 to supply and fit the window. F.c.u.k that!, managed to order the window for £100 + vat plus delivery from Christopher Neil, all I need to do know is fit it. (Need help). "Drivers door RHD", there are 3 sliders... I can work out how to fit the far left, and the C clip in the middle slider, but how do you fit the final slider on the right of the door near the lock. any other tips would be appreciated. Many thanks Paul

Dec 4, 2002 - 06:51 - From: Ben W
Title: Hoods and now tyres
Message: Thanks for advice on seals everyone. Will let you know how it progresses. Now I am finally getting around to replacing the front tyres. Looking seriously at the Goodyear F1, at just £75 ($110) all in, seems like a good deal. Has anyone tried these before? I'm guessing they aren't going to do many miles? New silencer and EBC discs and greenstuff pads are getting fitted today. Car is getting all ready for a trip to Germany over the weekend!! Must get my new spark plugs fitted and hopefully fix the stutter - don't want to be juddering down the autobahns!!!!!!!!

Dec 4, 2002 - 08:08 - From: alan short
Title: Gear Box Problems revisited...
Message: Hi guys... It looks like its bad news regarding the gearbox. Apparently the nut on the 5th gear side which holds the lot together came off and i've been quoted £800+ to fix. They have taken the inspection cover off the gear box and I've been told that the gear for 5th needs replacing together with a load of other stuff. They are currently being somewhat coy about what exact parts are needed. I took the car to these guys several weeks ago because the speedo had stopped working, and they swapped out the drive in the gearbox because it was worn. At that time they said they hoped it didn't indicate a more serious problem with the gearbox. Unfortunately it looks like they didn't bother to check it out quite as well as i had hoped... Cheers A.

Dec 4, 2002 - 22:36 - From: Scott
Title: Hood seal/windscreen solution
Message: I see we are discussing hood seals again. I had mentioned my solution previously over the years but I have yet to hear anyone trying it. I have stopped all leaks from the 'A' pillar by making one modification. Here it is: the idea of using the drain holes at the 'A' pillar is ridiculous. The 'A' pillar holes assume that they should/could/would drain the water when the water collects there. I attacked the problem by deciding that instead of trying to drain the water, I would PREVENT the water from ever collecting. I determined the reason water collects is the seal on the hood does not press against the windscreen rail effectively. This is probably due to shrinkage over the years. Instead of modifying the hood seal, I decided to ADD a seal to the windscreen edge. Using a standard D profile seal (found anywhere on the internet, catalogs or scrap yards) I attached the seal strip the whole length of the windscreen edge. I used 3M automotive seal adhesive. The first time I tried to close the hood, I thought I made a mistake. It was really hard to close...but really really tight. Over the course of 3 months, it became easier. 2 years later and I still do not get any leaks or otherwise known as the "Wet Knee Syndrome." If you need some pictures to better explain the process, email me and I will send them out. -Scott

Dec 5, 2002 - 07:26 - From: Richard Steele
Title: Re: Hood seal/windscreen solution
Message: The standard solution to water leaks at the top of the A pillars is to apply a suitable amount of Sikaflex 221 onto the seal above the drain holes in the windscreen header bar and as far along as you want. Apply cling film over all of the Sikaflex and close the hood. Leave for a few hours for the Sikaflex to dry then open the hood and remove the cling film and you should in theory have a seal that is contoured to the shape of the hood seal. I also found that water could also seep through the stitching holes at the very corner of the hood where the side windows meet the windscreen header rail and the side gutter is formed. I applied Silafex to the outside of the hood material at this point and managed to make a neat job of it and have had no leaks for 8-9 years.

Dec 5, 2002 - 07:32 - From: Richard Steele
Title: Re: Hood seal/windscreen solution
Message: Oh, and I forgot to add the use of copious amount of silicone grease Dow Corning MS4 wiped onto all of the seals really helps keep the water out.

Dec 5, 2002 - 10:40 - From: Ben W
Title: New A post seals
Message: I have been in contact with Norman Cadman of NTC cars www.ntccars.com who informs me that their new A post seals which they use with their hard top, can be used with the soft top and will be available in the new year. No doubt, these seals will provide a cheaper alternative to the lotus replacement which currently stands at £115 + VAT and may even be a better seal?? I'll be buying some when they are available, will let you know how it progresses.

Dec 5, 2002 - 11:00 - From: Andrew
Title: NTC seals
Message: Ben, Norman is full of good intentions, but these seals always seem to be 'almost ready' - don't hold your breath (but when they arrive I'll be the first to buy some!).

Dec 5, 2002 - 11:16 - From: Ben W
Title: A seals
Message: Andrew, I'm sure your right (I do seem to remember you saying you thought they would be here by now!) but maybe we could rush him along if we convinced him of the demand for these seals? Is there any demand except for us two??????? Please feel free to email me and I'll compile a list.

Dec 5, 2002 - 11:18 - From: Scott
Title: Hood seal/windscreen solution pics
Message: Doug emailed me and said for me to send the pics to him and he will post to this site. So, all that requested pictures, look for them here soon! -Scott

Dec 5, 2002 - 14:41 - From: rudz
Title: Hood leaks - another solution
Message: I agree with Scott & to an extent the solution offered by Richard on the hood leaks. rather than trying to figure out a way to aid the water to drain itself out thru the drain holes, I have also opted to nip it in the bud by preventing the water from getting past the seal between the header rail & the windscreen in the first place. I noticed that due to the age it has lost its ability to provide a good seal. what I've opted to do was to stick on a length of adhesive-backed sponge tape (abt 1/8 inch thick) throughout the entire length of the windscreen where it meets the header rail. the sponge tape was about 1 inch wide & continuous for the entire length of the windscreen top. It has prevented water from seeping in between the gap that would otherwise be there. this has worked for me for the entire wet season here where it absolutely pours almost daily for about 3 months or so. since the sponge tape was so cheap ($2), I opt to renew it yearly when it has lost its sponginess. it has kept me dry 9 out of 10 times when I would have otherwise gotten the "Wet Knee Syndrome"! hope that helps someone. cheers...rudz

Dec 5, 2002 - 23:22 - From: mike richards
Title: Hood sealing
Message: As a last word on hood sealing, i run a length of self adhesive electrical tape along the gap between hood and head rail, making sure that i leave enough each end to come around the area above the door glass. black tape goes unnoticed and takes only a minute to apply. as everyone has said, if you can keep the rain out, you've got it fixed.

Dec 6, 2002 - 00:02 - From: John
Title: Elise,M250
Message: Deja Vu all over again? http://www.british-cars.co.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=lotusbbs&mode=thread&access=&subject=2001&source=T&thread=200212041609258734 

Dec 6, 2002 - 00:47 - From: Dimitris GR
Title: Richard Steele
Message: Richard, I tried to email you but I could not reach you, so please drop me an email with your address. Thank you

Dec 6, 2002 - 09:28 - From: Paul
Title: Help to keep Lotus alive through 2003
Message: Anyone interested in keeping Lotus in the USA or anywhere for that matter should look at this site. http://www.british-cars.co.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=lotusbbs&mode=thread&access=&subject=2001&source=T&thread=200212041609258734 

Dec 6, 2002 - 12:01 - From: Walt T
Title: power steering pump
Message: After a long look around the engine bay, I find a couple of things that really bug me. 1) The power steering pump has a huge, heavy steel bracket to hold it in place, which greatly interferes with maintenance chores like checking the timing belt etc... plus the associated reservoirs and plumbing make it a very attractive nuisance. I like the feel of the system from inside the cab, but it's just so hard to get to stuff in the bay with it there... so the obvious question is, has anyone tried to run this car without power steering? It'll add 5 hp or so on the top end if you remove it, but parking lots will be a bear. Is there a non power assisted rack that will bolt in place? 2) If the pump and the large hose that supplies pressure to it is removed, there's lots more space in front of the cam timing belt and gears... which would entice me to run without the plastic covers in place. This means a cooler running belt, although you might have to worry about debris getting in at high speed. However, you could then make small adjustments quickly and easily to adjustable cam timing running gear, which I plan to make later. My Honda Civic has been running for 5 years now without a cam timing belt, mostly freeway driving, with no problems and virtually everyone I know does the same. I also took off the power steering pump, and do admit to struggling a bit in parking lots, but road feel at anything over 10mph is drastically improved. The Civic is about the same weight as the Lotus, although I'm not sure about steering ratio. Question: the right hand side engine mount (in front of the cam timing belt) is a very tight fit, and has 3 bolts securing it to the frame. The top 2 are obvious, though a tight fight around the mount. The 3rd bolt is horrendously hard to get to, and is placed down between the cam timing cover and the frame rail, just about impossible to reach from the top of the engine compartment. Are you guys getting to this bolt from underneath? Which means jacking and blocking the car up in the air just to get to this one bolt?? Or removing the right front tire and getting to it through the wheel well?...which means jacking and blocking the car AND removing the wheel just to get to this one bolt... ugh.

Dec 6, 2002 - 12:06 - From: Walt T
Title: 5 years with no cam timing belt??
Message: Ha. Should be 'cam timing belt cover.' I'd be very surprised if my Honda went more than 5 years without a cam timing belt, interference design and all ;) Walt

Dec 6, 2002 - 12:22 - From: Ed
Title: Removing PS
Message: But Walt, then you would no longer have that well known sound that says "Yup, that's an M100" any time you turn the wheel in a parking lot... :-)

Dec 6, 2002 - 12:25 - From: Doug
Title: racks
Message: Walt, Lotus did make an Elan without power steering so the rack exists. From what I hear it is a bear to get to/replace the rack--my old L.A. mechanic did this once (to another's Elan) so he could likely give you advice. Personally, for the $$$$ expense and hassle, you are much better off putting your money into in a bigger turbo or something like that. With regards to the engine mounts and all I think you are venturing into rarely seen waters (though Tony V may be able to help) because Elans so infrequently break. We have not done the adjustable cam route for 2 reasons (1) there is none available and (2) given the turbo engine, your time and money is much better spent in boost increase, as you can go up to 300HP with the stock cams. You should start frequenting the Isuzu MB as well as those guys have done lots of big projects and will be of help to you there.

Dec 6, 2002 - 14:34 - From: Walt T
Title: engine mount
Message: Thanks, Doug. Does that mean for maintenance chores like replacing cam timing belt and water pump replacement, the right side engine mount is normally left in place? Thanks, Walt T. Also, if anyone knows of a non-power assisted rack for sale, pls let me know!

Dec 6, 2002 - 16:33 - From: Tony V
Title: Cannot remove ignition key...
Message: I cannot remove the ignition key. Spoke to the guys at Lotus..and there is nothing electrical that could make this happen..no fuse on a solenoid like some newer cars...so I am going to have to remove the lock. Anybody have any experience with this? Pointers...help?

Dec 6, 2002 - 17:38 - From: Peter W
Title: Re: Cannot remove ignition key...
Message: Tony, the November Archives don't seem to be accessible right now, so I don't know if you've mentioned trying something like lock-ease (I believe it's graphite lubricant in a petroleum distillate carrier). I had success with it in a similar situation where I believe a lock tumbler was sticking.

Dec 6, 2002 - 21:29 - From: Tony V
Title: ignition key
Message: Does anyone know the source of the ignition key assembly in the M100?

Dec 8, 2002 - 15:06 - From: clemo
Title: have i joined the elite elan m100 club ?
Message: hello everyone , dave in devon , england , here .... just bought myself an early m100 NA in silver 1st reg 01 01 91 engine 880018 ..... much fun to be had (when it stops raining) any good sites i should look at ? how do i know which production number mine is ? is it 18 (from engine no) or do i have to look further .... look forward to chatting ...bye for now

Dec 8, 2002 - 18:57 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: steering lock...
Message: Tony, I had this problem on my Maserati once. All the internal tumblers in the lock had broken. Of course, this happened on a shopping trip with the wife far from home. The only consolation was that not only would the key not come out, it would not turn either, so you could not start the engine or turn it off. You didn't mention whether you could still turn your key, so I don't know if your problem is the same.

Dec 9, 2002 - 00:33 - From: Doug
Title: Top/Hood Renewal
Message: Hi Folks! Just wanted to let you in on the product I found to re-dye the top/hood black. Used it yesterday and found it very impressive. Rather than field questions, I just made a quick page: www.LotusElanCentral.com/renovo.htm

Dec 9, 2002 - 06:33 - From: James
Title: Cannot remove ignition key
Message: Tony I think it's the same lock as the Esprit at least I think it is on the early models with 3 keys, It might be different with the airbag setup. My key used to hang up every time if I put the steering lock on but turning the wheel slightly released it every time. The AA Man sorted mine out the first time It happened out on Dartmoor, almost, but not quite in the middle of nowhere. I think the latch sticks in the housing, maybe the lubrication is drying up a bit? Now I've learnt to just remove the key and don't turn the wheel when I park, convincing the GF of this is a different matter though. Ever thought of joining the diplomatic service Doug?

Dec 9, 2002 - 11:30 - From: Ben W
Title: Anti-Squeak Pads
Message: After trawling through the service notes for info on squeaky hoods, I found what I was looking for! Anti-squeak pads which stop the noise of the hood rubbing when stowed (Lotus part A100B6286S). I've waited 2 weeks and they have arrived. They look like 1" square sticky-backed pieces of felt. They look a bit naff, but I intend to stick them on the underside of the hood storage compartment and wait 6 months for some good weather to get the hood down!!!!!!

Dec 9, 2002 - 12:05 - From: Doug
Title: squeaks
Message: Ben, that is one of the first mods I did to my Elan--it totally stopped all the squeaks from back there with the top stowed--in fact I haven't even thought of that for years until you mentioned. Luckily they sent you the 'proper parts' rather than referring you to the store to get some sticky felt padding for dirt cheap.

Dec 10, 2002 - 03:40 - From: Laurence
Title: Anti-squeak pads
Message: I compromised and bought a small sheet of some cheap sticky backed black felt from a crafts shop. Not very robust but anyway I also put some on the rear side pillar near the seat belt mounting to cut down the squeaking of the leather seat rubbing against the plastic trim. Laurence

Dec 10, 2002 - 06:34 - From: chris P
Title: Steering lock
Message: Tony, you will find that the steering wheel lock is either out of a Vauxhall astra or cavalier (this may not be of help if you are on the other side of the pond) but I think it is possible to remove the whole tumbler, by turning the key and sliding a small drill bit into one of the holes in the tumbler holder, if you need to do this send me a mail and I will scan the details you need.... Chris

Dec 10, 2002 - 15:36 - From: David Langdon
Title: Pinking (engine not colour)
Message: I've had my Elan SE Turbo for 3 months and am extremely happy with it but I've noticed that it appears to be pinking (or knocking) at 1-2000 rpm under light acceleration. When the engines has warmed up the pinking reduces but does not go away. This is the only Elan I've driven so I'm not sure if this is normal or whether something needs tuning or adjusting? I've seen a few discussions about Cam angle sensor failures, for example. Does this manifest itself as rough running at low revs? I don't have any warning lights on. Another problem is that the drivers seatbelt reel has completely jammed so unless anybodys resolved this any other way I guess I need to replace it. I've also traced a window condensation problem to a wet carpet which in turn I've traced to a leak in the pipe from the water bottle in the boot to the windscreen washers so not all wet carpets are due to leaking roof seals!

Dec 11, 2002 - 00:39 - From: Dimitris GR
Title: RE: Pinking (engine not colour)
Message: David, this might be a too much tensioned belt, or a thick oil in the engine.

Dec 11, 2002 - 04:17 - From: PaulN
Title: Re Leaking water bottle
Message: David, my washer bottle has leaked in the boot in the past, but ive never thought of checking the pipes for leaks in the car. Where were the leaks and what was the process you followed to check them. Cheers PaulN

Dec 11, 2002 - 04:40 - From: Andrew
Title: anti-freeze
Message: Rather a basic question, in know - but can anyone advise me on what anti-freeze to use in the rad? Can I use a basic one or does it require a special formula?

Dec 11, 2002 - 07:21 - From: dan
Title: number plate for sale
Message: I have the plate E3 5LAN on my 88 911 carrera, thinking about selling it, would anyone be interested. make me an offer.

Dec 11, 2002 - 07:27 - From: Dave M.
Title: antifreeze
Message: Andrew, I don't know of any requirements for special antifreeze. Be sure to use distilled water to mix, however. I *would* recommend using Redline WaterWetter, though. You add a bottle to your mix of antifreeze/distilled water and it really does make a difference. The temp needle takes noticeably longer to come off the 1/4 mark when going slow in traffic, for example. Worth the $7-10, IMO.

Dec 11, 2002 - 08:05 - From: Dave M.
Title: turbo write-up
Message: Well, it's only been about a year, but I *finally* got a write-up finished on the BHP turbo swap. I was ashamed to see my first pic with a 12/23/01 date (shakes head in shame). Doug did his usual awesome job of putting the write-up and pics together (very quickly!) in the upgrades section. Thanks to Philbo for helping with things I may have forgotten in my notes. I also did a quick bit on removing your injectors in the upgrades as well. Figured I better get these done before removing the front end and starting on the FMIC! I'll be a little more timely with notes on that...maybe 6 months after?!? ;)

Dec 11, 2002 - 12:01 - From: Laurence
Title: Distilled Water
Message: I've never used distilled water in a cooling system before Dave. Sounds an interesting idea - is this to reduce scale build up or corrosion or both (actually anti-freeze is supposed to be a corrosion preventer as well isn't it)? Laurence

Dec 11, 2002 - 12:45 - From: Dave M.
Title: distilled water
Message: Yes, I use it to help prevent any buildup. The water where I live now isn't too bad (probably would be somewhat safe), but before it was heavy in sulfur and iron. Nasty well water.

Dec 11, 2002 - 16:15 - From: Doug
Title: Distilled H2O
Message: It may be overkill, but you bet I use it. If you don't put in impurities (and you bet there are plenty in faucet water!), they can't precipitate--it's that simple!

Dec 12, 2002 - 07:17 - From: Richard Steele
Title: Re: Distilled Water
Message: I am supposed to live in a soft water area and before using distilled water in the coolant I used to get a crystaline residue in the top of the header tank, I don't now get this.

Dec 12, 2002 - 08:23 - From: Laurence
Title: Distilled water
Message: Richard, it's about £1 a litre in Halfords, any idea where I could go to buy enough for the cooling system at a sensible price? Laurence

Dec 12, 2002 - 08:54 - From: owen
Title: water
Message: Laurence, i change my coolant a few weeks ago, and got 5 litres from halfords for about £3. It was easily enough to fill the system by the time i added antifreeze.

Dec 12, 2002 - 09:08 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: distilled water
Message: Here in Florida, you can buy distilled water at any grocery store for less than a dollar a gallon. I buy 3 gallons a week because I drink the stuff. It is more pure and tastes better than any spring water.

Dec 12, 2002 - 09:20 - From: andrew
Title: Coolant
Message: Thanks for all the info guys. My rad has a leak and hence I need to add a litre each time before I drive the car - by now I'm sure to have 'flushed' out all the antifreeze....

Dec 12, 2002 - 10:24 - From: rudz
Title: anti-freeze
Message: laurence, you shouldn't need to buy 5 litres. if i recall right, the cooling system has a 6 litre capacity & if you do a 50% mix, you should need only 3 litres saving you 2 quids ....but then you'd need more anti-freeze !! cheers ...rudz

Dec 12, 2002 - 10:59 - From: keithg
Title: front end parts
Message: My Elan has just crossed 70k miles, and an informal inspection has revealed a torn cv boot, and at least one ball joint that is suspect. I don't know if the struts have ever been done, and it must be time. I figure it is not worth it to pull the thing apart for anyone thing, might as well do it all. Are there any US cars that I can source the ball joints etc from?

Dec 12, 2002 - 17:58 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: CV joints
Message: What you need to do is find the place which actually rebuilds them in-house. There is a place in my city called CV Specialists and they just rebuilt both of mine on my other car for only $180 installed. Other places quoted up to $600. The same holds true for starter motors and alternators. I found a place which rebuilds them (who do you think the major auto parts stores get them from?). They checked to see if they had the core, a Bosch, and had it rebuilt and ready for me the next day. The price? $69 vs. $190 for both Pep Boys, Discount Auto Parts & NAPA. Eliminate the middle-man & you can save mucho money!

Dec 12, 2002 - 18:34 - From: Robert Collins
Title: distilled water
Message: Matthew, it's not a good idea to drink distilled water! The natural hardness in drinking water is a major source of minerals, eg calcium and magnesium. (My wife is a nutritional therapist BTW). I'm also told by the lab staff where I work, that distilled water is terrible for brewing tea with! Clean rainwater is a decent alternative for filling radiators and has the advantage of not costing anything.

Dec 12, 2002 - 21:44 - From: Peter W
Title: Rebuilds
Message: I agree with Matthew on the advantage of finding a good rebuild shop - not only is the price a lot better, but you can specify upgraded parts. In my case, in the Pacific Northwest, on rainy nights with the lights on, wipers, def. / heater fan, rear window def., stereo, a/c to dehumidify, I was losing the alternator on my winter car each year. I found a good shop, had heavier duty diodes put on the alternator than a purchased alternator would have, and never had a problem again.

Dec 13, 2002 - 05:39 - From: Andrew
Title: Rebuilds
Message: Speaking of re-building parts, does anyone know if it is possible to rebuild the aircon condensor? Mine is seized, and a replacement is v-expensive.

Dec 13, 2002 - 20:32 - From: Mike
Title: Headlights
Message: My low beam headlights look like two pencil beams intersecting 20 or so yards away (contributing to my front bumper shunt with a curb in the summer-ouch $$$$). There is no light whatsoever on the side of the beams, and the vision is terrible. The high beams work great, and I usually leave them on at night as the car is so low no one notices. The manufacturer's name, stamped on the low beam lens, indicates the lights are setting cock-eyed in the pod compared to the high beams, but I don't think this is the problem (I am not the original owner). Any ideas, or is a garage the best bet to sort it out? Or, is this normal??

Dec 14, 2002 - 05:00 - From: Laurence
Title: Headlights
Message: Mike, it sounds to me like you might have the wrong bulbs or the bulbs may not be fitted into the reflector units properly (they are not easy to fit). If other drivers don't notice when you're on main beam then all your lights need sorting out and adjusting very badly! The M100 headlights are quite respectable normally (apart from the vibration effect from the pods). All the original dipping headlight units I have seen have been made by Cibie. Laurence

Dec 14, 2002 - 05:47 - From: Rob
Title: A/C Rebuilds
Message: Andrew, I think you mean the compressor not the condenser!! The condenser is like a radiator and will be at the front of the car. The compressor is the pump that moves the refrigerant around the a/c system and this looks like an alternator attached to the engine. (Lecture over) There are plenty of rebuild places, where are you? UK, USA? I'm not far from Birmingham (UK) and might be able to help if you don't live too far away. I'm an A/C, refrigeration engineer.

Dec 14, 2002 - 12:45 - From: rudz
Title: air-con maintenance
Message: hi rob, wonder if you mind sharing with us some tips on good air-con maintenance since you're probably the best person to ask. are there things you can do to ensure the air-con system is in top shape & prolong the life of the components like the compressor, condenser, evaporator, drier & stuff like that. kinda like when we regularly change our engine oil, filter, etc to ensure the engine's in a healthy state always. thanx, in advance, I'm sure your tips will come in handy for all of us here. cheers ...rudz

Dec 15, 2002 - 08:32 - From: Rob
Title: A/C Maintenance
Message: Rudz, there is not too much that you do maintenance wise on the Air con as is is a sealed system and you need special tools like gauges and adapters to actually check the systems gas level, running pressures etc. but there are a few things that you can do. Firstly make sure that you run the air con at least once or twice a month even in the winter, this moves the oil around the refrigeration pipes, stopping the oil going thick which could clog up your expansion device, it also keeps the rubber seals in the system lubricated so they don't shrink and let refrigerant out of the system. Wash the condenser coil through with a hose pipe to keep it clean. Other than these points I don't think there is a lot you can do maintenance wise.

Dec 15, 2002 - 13:34 - From: Derrick
Title: Elaners I need help choosing a car
Message: this isn't about buying an Elan, (I already have one, and I never intend to sell it), but a daily driver. Based upon reading posts in the past here, many of you have owned/driven many other cars and all have the love of speed/handling. here is my situation...I am selling my 1990 Dinan Modified 535i and need to replace it. I am looking to buy used and would prefer to stick at 15k, but wouldn't mind going 10k or 20k if needed. the cars I am considering 1995-97 Mercedes c36 AMG-($17k-$20K) 1997 Mercedes c43 AMG ($20-$23K) 1995-97 Volvo 850 t5-r ($10k-$13K) 1995-96 BMW M3 ($13-$17K) the sleeper of the group may be the Volvo for the price/power (250hp, can be modded easily to make 280), but I haven't been able to test one yet. thanks for any input and personal experience with any of these models.

Dec 15, 2002 - 14:11 - From: PaulB
Title: Interior Lights
Message: My interior lights refuse to turn off and I presume it's due to a faulty door switch. As a temporary solution I've removed the fuse because weather in the UK is too cold and wet to allow for me to investigate this further!. To save me from 're-inventing the wheel' questions I've got are: 1. is this a common problem? 2. Where is the door closure switch as it's not positioned on the door pillars in the same place as a 'typical' car. Any assistance would be appreciated.

Dec 16, 2002 - 03:53 - From: owen
Title: interior lights
Message: Paul, you probably know this, but the interior lights are also controlled by pulling the headlight switch out - have you done this by accident? A few people have done this from what I've heard!

Dec 16, 2002 - 04:26 - From: jeremy
Title: owen
Message: Indeed Owen,.. I ended up taking my car to the garage over this. Felt like a right Rodney when the guy pushed the switch and the light went off,...

Dec 16, 2002 - 06:15 - From: Andrew
Title: AirCon Compressor .....
Message: Hi Rob, yes, I mean compressor, of course. I am based in West London - so Birmingham is quite far. Could you recommend anyone in London that could re-build my compressor? Apparently the clutch has seized - can this be fixed? What sort of cost am I looking at do you think?

Dec 16, 2002 - 09:18 - From: Dave M.
Title: anti-roll bars
Message: Here we go again...I've found a shop to make the bars relatively inexpensively, however they would have a problem making the brackets that the bar attaches to the frame "hangers" with. Does anyone know of a shop that could fabricate some of these for us? If you need pics of what I'm talking about, e-mail me and I'll get them to you. If someone could make these as a "bolt-on" piece to the anti-roll bars, I'll have the bars done and we're all set! PS - Started the car last night to let it run/warm a bit with no exhaust from the O2 housing back...sounds MEAN! Though much quieter than I thought it would be.

Dec 16, 2002 - 12:13 - From: PaulB
Title: interior lights
Message: Owen Thanks for that, I now feel a complete pillock!

Dec 16, 2002 - 14:34 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: rebuilt A/C compressor
Message: ARP (American Rebuilt Products) here in Jacksonville has 2 rebuilt A/C compressors ready to ship for $280 - USD plus a $45 core fee. They are the same place I bought my alternator from. Their number is (904)353-9262. Ask for Buddy as he had to call to find out which compressor fit a 1991 Elan. By the way, I didn't realize you were in London until I read your last post just now, or I would not have asked!

Dec 16, 2002 - 22:39 - From: Doug
Title: Light switch
Message: Paul, so was it just the switch? You can always turn them off using the little switches under the rear view mirror if needed. There is a "microswitch" within the workings of each door which senses when the door is closed and this works in conjunction with the central power door locks. If your locks are messed up as well then suspect one of these switches--you have to dissect the door to get to it unfortunately.

Dec 17, 2002 - 04:33 - From: PaulN
Title: interior lights
Message: Hi PaulB, Your not alone with the light problem, We took ours into a main dealer, 5 minutes later i was half way home... with a red face. You only do it once. PaulN

Dec 17, 2002 - 04:41 - From: PaulN
Title: Vac Op Heater Valve
Message: Just a big thank you for PaulB for finding EuroJag +44 (0)1324 722777 (Ben is a good bloke there) We ended up going for the XJ40 Vac Op Heater Valve part number CBC2536 £23 approx all in, and it seems to have done the trick, I will give it the complete thumbs up in a few days. Should save a couple of quid. Thanks again PaulN

Dec 17, 2002 - 07:28 - From: Ben W
Title: Hethel Servicing
Message: I saw an advert for an Elan for sale boasting of being serviced at Hethel. I wondered if anyone here has their car serviced there and how it compares cost wise??

Dec 17, 2002 - 08:52 - From: Ben W
Title: new elan?
Message: For everyone out there concerned about the price of elans dropping: I've just seen a 1990 one for sale at £26,999!! However it only had 400miles on the clock and still has the plastic on the seats!!!!

Dec 17, 2002 - 10:26 - From: Jose M. Armengol
Title: Paint woes
Message: Hello all, My Elan has been suffering for some years now with the dreaded "pink-out" problem. I also have so many stone chips on the nose that the car looks as if it has had chicken pox. This is truly a shame because the pain itself has been cared for and has tremendous depth and shine. I'm at the point where I'm ready to have the car re-sprayed, but have two questions that perhaps someone might be able to help me with. 1) The rubber weatherstrips on the outside of the upper doors (where they meet the window) have cracked. Are these readily available, or is it going to be a mission to obtain replacements? 2) This one concerns me more. In addition to the pink-out, I've noticed that on the bonnet & boot lid, you can now see a wave on the upper surfaces where the reinforcements are underneath. Is this a common problem? If someone has had this happen, can it be remedied w/nothing more than sanding it down & re-spraying the car? Thanks for any comments/experiences on this! Regards, Jose

Dec 17, 2002 - 10:59 - From: Ben W
Title: Paint Woes
Message: Jose, the seals you are referring to currently cost £130 each in the UK! Suggest you try to salvage the old ones somehow. I am eagerly awaiting some alternative seals which will be available from NTC cars www.ntccars.co.uk , one of these days. Can't comment on your other points.

Dec 17, 2002 - 11:26 - From: Ben W
Title: Weatherstrips
Message: Jose, I think I have my wires crossed please ignore my comment above - doh!

Dec 17, 2002 - 11:59 - From: Scott
Title: stainless steel brake lines
Message: When I was in the UK last May, I bought some stainless steel brake lines from one of the vendors at Donington. I just took my car into the dealer the other day to have the fuel tank replaced under recall (everyone should check on this by the way) and they said the lines are rubbing against the wheel. Ack! What the heck was the purpose in giving me lines that don't fit? The dealer service guy thought perhaps they were too long. Has anyone else encountered this?

Dec 17, 2002 - 12:10 - From: Scott
Title: Kumho Ecsta Supra
Message: I just wanted to let you all know that I believe these tires are no good - at least for this car. I put these on at a recommendation from a shop. I think the problem is that while Kumho makes some great "sticky" tires, these are not the highest performance tires they make. Here's my story: I had Dunlop SP9000's on my car and I took it to the track (Thunderhill in Northern California). The next week, I had the car in the shop and they said my tread was looking a bit thin. So, at their recommendation and others, I replaced the Dunlop's with the Kumho's. The following weekend, I took the car to the same track. Well, let me tell you, the difference was hard to believe. After reading all these reviews about tires, I never thought I'd be able to tell the difference myself. And, seeing it from one weekend to another so closely, I could tell. Here's what I noticed. On a number of turns, the car just felt sloppy and was losing grip. Now, I'm the same driver and I didn't suddenly get that much better or worse. In particular, turn 14/15 (the hairpin at the end just before the straight - see http://www.thunderhill.com/map.html ) was a huge difference. Usually, I can take 15 by putting on the power just as soon as I exit 14. Well, when I did that in the Kumho's, I practically went over the berm before the straight whereas the Dunlops kept me within the line. I'm very disappointed in the Kumho's. I think that I made as fair a comparison as one could make without taking off tires and putting on a new set while at the track. Of course, your mileage may vary but I'm going back to Dunlop's next time.

Dec 17, 2002 - 13:00 - From: Jade
Title: Paint woes
Message: Jose, I had the same problem with paint, mine even went one step further. All my clear coat started just coming off in chunks. I had to have the car completely sanded down and resprayed. The waves from the supports I think are normal. All of the red elans that I have seen have it. I also need those window seal. I notice you were also in need when I saw your car at FT. I was about to start a search but if any one has already done it I would like the info as well. Jade

Dec 17, 2002 - 13:25 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Quaife
Message: Scott, I agree with you about the Kumho's; I bought them and got rid of them within 2 months. Here is an interesting quote from an auto rag about the Ford Focus RS. That's a turbocharged Focus available in Europe but not in the US and it has a Quaife Automatic Torque-Biasing (ATB) differential... "In dry conditions, on a relatively smooth surface it works exceptionally well and almost eradicates power understeer. In less ideal conditions, however, it does prove fallible. Dropping the outside tire on to a greasy center line, for example, tends to confuse the differential and create armfuls of torque steer. On bumpy surfaces, where this effect is exacerbated by the hard ride, the effect can be discomforting."

Dec 17, 2002 - 16:43 - From: Philbo
Title: Quaife ATB's
Message: Matthew, yes indeed, this was the disadvantage (and the car) I was referring to earlier with the Quaife, according to recent press reports. The Focus RS has been a long time coming over here, and the "Fast Ford" types so prevalent, that the Focus RS has been extensively analyzed. The overwhelming conclusion seems to be: on the track and smooth tarmac it does the business, while on average quality B roads it hunts for grip, which is being put down to the Quaife diff. So as I said earlier, anyone considering one should be aware that there *might* be downsides for general use. FYI's, the Focus RS has 212bhp and about 220 lb/ft.

Dec 17, 2002 - 18:05 - From: Jade
Title: Dunlop Tires
Message: Scott, I have been running the SP8000 for some time and it is time for new fronts. I was looking at the SP9000 on a Ferrari 550M and thought they would be a good sub. Are you running stock size. I currently have 225/40/16 up front and 225/50/16 on back. But I want to go with a taller tire up front to fill up the wells. I see the Tire Rack has the 205/45/16 on sale for $100 and thought that was a great deal. I do not want to start a debate on tires again I was just curious on the SP9000 since I have 8000 on back and you already have had the tire I was looking into. Thanks Jade

Dec 17, 2002 - 20:26 - From: Tony V
Title: Short Block
Message: I still have the short block out of my Elan (same as the Impulse Turbo) that the engine went low on oil and locked up the top end...this bottom appears to be OK...but no guarantees... A guy in Cleveland was supposed to pick it up 2 weeks ago..but has not showed..(is he on this list...? if so let me know if you still want it)... Is any body else interested in it? $100 takes it. Tony Vaccaro http://www.lotusowners.com  http://www.drivingclothes.com 

Dec 17, 2002 - 21:31 - From: Scott
Title: Dunlop Tires
Message: Hi Jade. Well, I don't have the Dunlop's on my car now but when I did have them, yes they were the stock size. If you can get them for $100, that is a great deal. I believe I paid $169. What had enticed me to get the Kumho's originally was partly the recommendation and partly the price - they were under $100. However, I now believe that, at least in this case, you get what you pay for!

Dec 18, 2002 - 12:26 - From: rudz
Title: Kumho Ecsta Supra 712
Message: interesting that someone actually found the 712s disappointing ! i was beginning to think that i had a set from a bad production run. honestly, in my 4 weeks of having the 205/50/15s, i found that they were squealing much earlier than i would have liked although they did still grip. the squealing doesn't need all that much provocation or particular aggression. however, i have not had a chance to put them on a test in a track session. might get that done by year end & probably should reserve my comments at least until then. cheers....rudz

Dec 18, 2002 - 13:28 - From: rudz
Title: 260km/h ELAN ?
Message: would the owner of the Elan that did the 260km/h run that's pictured somwhere on this site please own up & tell us where to get that magic wand you've used. alternatively, you could also share with us what you've done to the car. i've done 220 tops (actually topless!) & it will go no more. so please, let us in on what you've done (& let us all be able to show that the Elan would still kick some ass despite the age). are we talking about serious mods (turbo swaps,ECU upgrades,NOS,550cc injectors etc) or something simpler & cheaper. cheers...rudz

Dec 18, 2002 - 14:37 - From: Ed
Title: Finite Monkeys
Message: Anyone else tried to get to the online electrical manual (or the parts and engine-management manuals)? They don't seem to be working any more. Was trying to look up the wiring for the headlight switch and what not as all this talk of turning on/off the inside lights reminded me that my switch doesn't turn the lights on when pulled out. But they do come on when the door is open. And my clock doesn't keep time when the ignition is off...

Dec 18, 2002 - 16:04 - From: Steve Cassidy
Title: Shipping from the UK to the US
Message: Hi Guys... I have always dream of owning a Lotus Elan and last Feb i bought my dream Elan. However, the company i work for here in the UK have made me an offer i cant refuse so i will be moving to Dallas in January. However i would like to take my Elan with me, can any one advise me if this is possible as i know there are differences in the spec which will may complicate the situation due to legal requirements. Any advise or company recommendations are gratefully recieved... Regards Steve

Dec 18, 2002 - 16:10 - From: Doug
Title: Elan Import
Message: Steve, welcome to the US then, but I doubt you will be able to bring the Elan. I do NOT know the regs, and certainly don't know about any Texas specifics, but in general the U.S. rules are too strict for emissions and safety to allow the cars in. To my knowledge, only with a manufacturer's license can you bring a car in without alteration--and then it is a temporary. There is no temporary auto visa :-( But do look into it if needed--the good thing is that there are a few Elans to get in the US if you bring some $$$

Dec 18, 2002 - 17:23 - From: Jeff
Title: Elans in the States.
Message: Many Elans here in the States available. Can help direct you to some folks here in Texas, if need be.

Dec 18, 2002 - 22:09 - From: Tony V
Title: Bringing in an Elan
Message: I know you can bring in a car for the period of 1 year. I believe you have to go to the American Embassy to arrange this. The car then has to be exported after a year. No exceptions. I am not an expert in this...a guy on the 340R list did this and has had to export the car as his company decided to make his stay another year. I dont know how long you are staying..but with the prices of Elans in the states what they are...you may be able to get a good deal on one here and then sell it when you leave. Probably cheaper and safer than bringing yours over. Unless you are staying here permanently.

Dec 19, 2002 - 00:14 - From: Peter Canepa
Title: wiper blades
Message: I finally found the Trico 24-245's, Kragan of all places. They do not fit? trimming the legth was easy , but they are not wide enough, I didn't mike them but its a good 1/16" to narrow. Anybody have another idea. Not that I would ever drive the car in the rain. Just in case.

Dec 19, 2002 - 02:00 - From: Doug
Title: wiper blades
Message: Peter, I just took one of the rubber blades from my original wipers into Pep Boys and searched it out by comparing it side by side with a bunch. The Tricos were a perfect match for me, but given the Elan and how each car has its differences, it does not surprise me to hear of a fit problem. The Trico model I used is #45-245--hopefully you just made a typo. My wiper arms have been removed from my Elan now as she is truly a fair weather garage queen--looks so much better without wipers I must say!

Dec 19, 2002 - 03:14 - From: marissa
Title: custom stereo options for the elan
Message: Has anyone been able to put a subwoofer in the elan thats worth while? Just wondering Marie

Dec 19, 2002 - 09:17 - From: Jose M. Armengol
Title: Subwoofer
Message: Dear Marissa, I have tried in vain to get good "boomage" in the Elan for a LONG time. Of course, I wanted to keep the car as original as possible, so I tried to accomplish this w/out building custom bass cabinets behind the seats. I elected to upgrade the sound system w/an Alpine head unit, Infinity component speakers to fit in the doors & behind the seats, A/D/S Powerplate amp to drive the Infiniti's and finally a Bassoka Bass Tube (8") in the boot with an Alpine plate amp to power it. The real problem is that the boot is so far away from the cabin (hood storage space in between) that you hear & feel more bass out of the car rather than IN it. It's not bad, mind you, just not the real deep, solid bass you can FEEL. Of course, the other option is to try and squeeze a custom enclosure behind the seats w/larger (10" maybe) subwoofers. I haven't tried, but might be inclined to if someone has had success w/it AND it doesn't interfere with the seats. Good luck & let me know how it goes! Cheers! Jose

Dec 19, 2002 - 09:28 - From: Paul D
Title: Sub
Message: Marie I have put a kenwood 12" in the boot, and it sounds great even when the roof is down. and its quite easy to wire, as the battery is in the back. To get the best sound, put the sub behind one of the seats.

Dec 19, 2002 - 11:33 - From: rudz
Title: Exhaust & stiffer springs
Message: philbo, when the 2.5 inch Paul Matty exhaust arrived, did you notice if there was actually that squish on that portion that goes above the front cross member or did they really manage to squeeze the 2.5 inch pipe into that area without the squish ? have you received the stiffer springs from SJSportscars & did it help with minimising the roll ? how did it alter the handling characteristics of the car ? i'm asking as i'm contemplating on having stiffer ARB instead of stiffer springs as i'd like to keep the ride as soft as it is but improve on the excessive body roll. thanx, in advance, for you inputs. cheers....rudz

Dec 19, 2002 - 11:37 - From: keithg
Title: sub
Message: Depends how tall you are. I have a pair of 8" kickers in my car, made it undrivable when I bought it. I took a circular saw to the drivers side one, cutting 2" off of the back of the box and reassembled it with Sikaflex. Sound may be a bit imperfect, but I can't tell. Seat goes all the way back and I can impress the kiddies at the stoplight and get that lower back massage at the same time.

Dec 19, 2002 - 11:44 - From: Philbo
Title: Exhaust and springs
Message: Rudz, as the exhaust was installed for me I didn't see...but having crawled under the car I can see that it is still there, though not as pronounced as the standard exhaust. The PM exhaust is a straight drop-in replacement and follows the original routing exactly, including the squish sad to say, though it doesn't seem to have harmed the final performance increase any. As for the springs, I haven't got them installed yet, haven't had the time. By definition when you install stiffer springs you won't get the same ride as you currently enjoy.

Dec 19, 2002 - 11:47 - From: Ben W
Title: Insurance
Message: Boring old ground for most of you but I'm trying to find a decent quote for my S2. 26yrs old, 5 years NCD, garaged in rural village, no points, £624 with protected no claims. Still sounds like a lot to me, any comments or reccomended insurance companies? That quote was with Zenith Online.

Dec 19, 2002 - 12:05 - From: Dave M.
Title: subs
Message: You could follow the ideas above or do like the person who had my car before me: cut two 8" holes in the body between the boot and the hood storage area. *shudder* I am of course kidding about cutting. I wish I were about my holes...

Dec 19, 2002 - 12:26 - From: owen
Title: insurance
Message: Ben, try www.confused.com, they were by far the cheapest quote for me, 23 years old, 1990 SE Turbo, parked on drive in Leicestershire, 3 years NCB - £850. I've got 6 points too, but they were a while back, so i'm not sure if they make a difference. Come to think of it, it's 5 years to the day since I got them, so now I can finally stop declaring them to insurance companies!!

Dec 19, 2002 - 13:39 - From: Jeff Brown
Title: subwoofer
Message: I managed to install a 12" sub behind my passenger seat. I tried it first in the boot, but could not hear it and was worried that I might over stress it had I left it there. It took some doing but I built an enclosure that matched the shape of what space I had to work with, whilst sacrificing 2 or 3 inches of my passenger's legroom (oh well). The amp is under my seat (keeping my backside warm). Everything can be put back to original if i want to.

Dec 19, 2002 - 15:06 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Performance exhaust pipe
Message: I have my car in a top-notch speed-shop having some exhaust work done. I can have him fab-up BOLT-IN replacement 2" MANDREL-bend tubing where the exhaust pipe currently gets squished flat (like an elephant stepped on it!) where it goes over the subframe. This piece would bolt right on to your stock exhaust, replacing the restrictive piece of factory exhaust tubing. If there is any interest on your part I would need to know about it by Christmas. Merry Christmas, Matt

Dec 19, 2002 - 15:06 - From: Laurence
Title: Sub-woofer (simple solution)
Message: I have recently installed a Kenwood KSC-WA62RC Powered subwoofer (Prices vary between £140 and £200). It's a very neat and compact design especially for sports cars and will fit nicely behind the passenger seat in the Elan above the rear speaker box(it only limits the most extreme reclining position of the passenger seat). It really resolves the lack of bass problem. You can take the power supply from the fuse unit in the existing speaker box - just push in a fuse connector into the spare in the fuse rail. There is also a metal box section to provide an earth connection. You can take a signal direct from the main head unit in the dash or couple up to the existing rear speakers. You can check out the unit at http://www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk/start.htm the following seems to be one of the cheapest suppliers in the UK http://www.mcs-direct.co.uk/acatalog/index.html It's a convenient solution that could easily be unplugged and moved to another car if needed. I havn't made it permanent in the Elan yet but there are a selection of brackets and I think i will fix it to the metal cross brace that's under the plastic trim in front of the hood storage area. Laurence

Dec 19, 2002 - 15:07 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Wiper blades
Message: The Elan uses 24" long blades with a 5/16" width, also referred to as "wide" or "standard". Narrow blades are 3/16". Knowing this, you should have no trouble finding replacement blades. Doug, are you breaking some sort of law driving around without wipers? I know you have the roving on-the-spot cat-conv checks in your state, and you can be written a $2500 ticket (yes, that's right, 2 thousand 500 dollars!!!!) for not having the cat-conv on your car. All this without ever seeing the inside of a courtroom. California... it's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there!

Dec 19, 2002 - 15:09 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Elan import
Message: Tony is right about the 1 year limit. This is only MEANT for someone who is coming to TEMPORARILY work in the states, so they do not have to buy a new car. Now, on the other hand, if you are coming to live here PERMANENTLY, you can get a ONE time (once in your lifetime) EPA exemption, where you have to promise you will never import another non-emissions complying vehicle again. But that is the easy part and solves only half your problem. You still have to meet crash and safety requirements which would mean installing doors from a US Elan (they have large steel beams in them for crash protection) as well as front & rear US bumpers. So, I'm with the crowd who says "give it up and buy a US Elan". Unless you like, conceived your child in this car or something!

Dec 19, 2002 - 16:34 - From: Doug
Title: subz
Message: Marissa, enough good info has been said already, and it appears everyone's set-up is a bit different, and it is a common upgrade--my God those OE speakers are worse than imaginable! I have a 10" sub in a custom box behind my drivers [LHD] seat, and amp behind the pass seat, and awesome 2-way 5 1/4" (I think) pro-series speakers in the doors. All looks stock but the sound is great for me. The sub shoots into my seat for a good back massage. It has been said by owners that the only way to get subs to work in the trunk is to cut holes between the cabin to allow an air column between! Be careful as the fuel tank is behind the left front seat wall--someone drilled back there in the past and told us how he saw something dripping under the car afterwards = fuel = yikes!! Just my $0.02

Dec 19, 2002 - 16:43 - From: Doug
Title: exhaust
Message: Matthew, I have the Isuzuperformance system and I assure you that there is a 2.5" pipe with no squish over the crossmember!! Just wanted to put this info out there so you know if can be done. Don't know if you have a 2" pipe or you are just putting the offer out there, but if you do and swap up to 2.5" I'd bet your Elan would be noticeably quicker! I have activated the wipers more times by accident than intention--I took them off to re-paint them a few years ago and liked the look so well I kept them off until the Winter rain-twice cycle in SoCal. I took them off again and don't plan to re-install again. Rain-X works wonders on our steeply raked windscreen anyway--you should try it. I do have a main-cat and pass the CA emissions with ease so I should be okay, unless the CHP has a "roadside lift" to look under the turbo exhaust!

Dec 19, 2002 - 17:26 - From: James W
Title: insurance
Message: Ben, I ended up with Egg motor insurance - same details as you - 26, 5 yr n/c, garaged, rural town, no points. cost £575 plus I got 10% cash back using an Egg credit card...

Dec 19, 2002 - 17:42 - From: robert collins
Title: insurance
Message: £500-odd sounds about right for unlimited miles + full NCD. That's what I'm paying with Frizell for SDP + business use.

Dec 19, 2002 - 18:24 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: exhaust
Message: Doug, I too have the Isuzuperformance system with a 2.5" pipe with no squish over the crossmember! But that will not help those who have the stock 2" exhaust which is still squished anyway. I am offering to "un-squish" their 2" exhaust for them on that one exhaust piece which is about 2 feet long. It should be easily and not too expensively shipped to Europe as well. That small section of pipe can't weigh too much. Dave is having an entire exhaust made on my car while it's in the shop, boxed & shipped to him. I was just extending the offer while my car is still at a grade-A performance shop, the best one in all of North & Central Florida. There is a shop in Miami which claims to be better, but they have blown up a couple of S2000's, while "my" shop has turbocharged over 15 of them with no problems at all.

Dec 20, 2002 - 01:05 - From: Doug
Title: porting
Message: Matthew, how about getting that shop to port out some Elan wastegate/turbo exhaust manifolds!! This would help with power and help lower the creep problem! This would give me a reason to take that area apart and improve it all too . . .

Dec 20, 2002 - 02:16 - From: BrianMDB
Title: Anti-squish
Message: Matthew, I was considering exactly what you've described as a first stage in de-restricting my car. Any idea what the fab cost is going to be? Also the system they're doing for Dave, will this bolt up to the stock pre-cat? How much? Thanks.

Dec 20, 2002 - 06:31 - From: rudz
Title: "Non-squished" exhaust
Message: matt, i'm interested in that offer except i would really like the "non-squished" 2.5 inch piece, please ...kinda like the Isuzuperformance piece that you & Doug have. since it is actually possible to have that 2.5 inch piece without the squish, do you think "your" shop can get that done ? i don't actually need the entire system, just that tricky piece that goes over the front cross-member. maybe they can make a few as i'm sure there are others who are interested in this piece. cheers ... rudz

Dec 20, 2002 - 08:34 - From: James F
Title: Insurance
Message: £640 with elephant (includes £50 for hi-spec brake upgrade). 27 year old, 3 yrs NCB, 0 points, driveway parked, 6k miles SDP. Only problem is excess is £500 (£250 compulsory!). I suspect that the protected no claims is pushing your premium up a fair bit. I tried confused.com but they only came up with elephant (who I was with anyway) because the brake mod ruled the others out. It seems the key is to find the right company for your area and age group (and type of motor potentially).

Dec 20, 2002 - 09:01 - From: Ben W
Title: Insurance has been purchased
Message: Hi all, thanks for insurance tips, I tried them all and best was via confused.com. I got the premium down to £510 which includes SDP & Commuting. Saved £100 on the quote I nearly bought! Voluntary excess is worth bumping up a little. I'm at £450 excess total. Just hope I don't need to claim!!

Dec 20, 2002 - 11:25 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Doug, porting
Message: I asked him about porting the exhaust manifold in the past and he saw that as a substandard solution to the whole flow/creep problem. He was in favor of building a custom turbo outlet with an EXTERNAL wastegate, which would terminate into the downpipe at 2.5" without the inefficient 4" flare-out we now have for the precat. Smooth exhaust flow all the way and a 45 mm wastegate was his plan.

Dec 20, 2002 - 11:26 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Brian and Rudz, exhaust
Message: Brian, the 2" non-squished pipe would bolt to the stock pre-cat. I will have to get you a price later after I have shown the shop the STOCK (OE) piece which goes there. Rudz, any 2.5" pipe requests should be routed through Dave Meyers, as he is having a full 2.5" exhaust built on my car using the Bill Sun PCE. With Dave & I both talking to the shop that is enough. I don't want my car to stay in the shop forever so I want to limit the work requests to either Dave or myself. Any requests need to be made by Monday, and the sooner the better.

Dec 20, 2002 - 13:09 - From: Dave M.
Title: exhaust
Message: I am getting a quote from Matt's shop on my exhaust as I type. They haven't gotten back with me yet. My exhaust will consist of the Bill Sun PCE, 2.5" pipe, and a Magnaflow/CarSound freeflow cat and muffler. I am also getting a quote on having additional pipes made to fit with the PCE and the cat/muffler I'm using. If the price is reasonable, I'll buy some additional copies so I could "build" the same exhaust for someone else at a later date.

Dec 20, 2002 - 14:08 - From: Tony V
Title: Online manuals?
Message: I see that the online manuals are "off line"....I seem to remember a posting that they had been moved...does anybody else remember this? Doug....if they have moved...can we get the link updated. Not for me...I have all the manuals...but the guy that just bought the White Elan I had is looking for them.

Dec 21, 2002 - 10:43 - From: stephen
Title: earth cable
Message: while trying to sort my tail light problem i remade the earth connection on the underside chassis, right side. when taking the 10mm bolt out i discovered that the thread was about 40mm long. it toke an age to unscrew and when it came out i heard the clonk of something falling down the back. doh! now under heavy braking on hard acceleration i can here something rolling about behind me. can i get to it and is it important? merry christmas everyone. p.s can i buy something to carry my snowboard on the boot lid?

Dec 21, 2002 - 13:01 - From: Doug
Title: stephen
Message: Can you tell us more exactly where this earth is? Sounds like a nut behind it may have come loose? I'd think bungi-cords onto the rear wing would be a perfect fit.

Dec 22, 2002 - 04:16 - From: Bill S.
Title: Coolant
Message: I am just curious about my coolant mixture. In my quest to keep my Elan running cool, I only added 2 bottles of Red Line Water Wetter mixed with water and NO antifreeze (or coolant). My Elan seems to run much cooler, but will the Water Wetter protect my cooling system against rust and corrosion? Is it better protection for the cooling system if I do a water/antifreeze mix plus a bottle or two of the Water Wetter?

Dec 22, 2002 - 06:17 - From: stephen
Title: earth cable
Message: if you had the car up on a lift and were standing under it, the cable comes from the earth point next to the battery though the floor of the battery compartment and runs for about a foot to the chassis. it is bolted to the chassis on the driver side (rhd uk car).

Dec 22, 2002 - 10:20 - From: rudz
Title: vibrations
Message: hey guys, was just wondering if anyone has ever had their engine mountings replaced. i'm getting quite some vibrations thru the car & i'm pretty sure it's not from the tyres. seems to be increasing with engine speed & can be felt even while revving up the car with the clutch disengaged. there are actually 3 of these mountings & 2 dampers & these parts alone cost about 200 quids...thought i'd just consult the owners on this board before i go get them replaced. thanks, in advance ... rudz

Dec 22, 2002 - 13:20 - From: PaulB
Title: Insurance
Message: I know that you thought the insurance discussion has been put to bed, BUT don't forget that the Elan can be insured under a classic car policy. There's loads of adverts in the 'Classic Car' mag or similar. I pay £286 fully comp for myself age 34, my wife age 26 and have an excess of £100. Downside is a mileage restriction of 7000 miles per year, but that suits me. It's with a company called 'Firebond' and are well known and advertised in the 'Classic Car' mag.

Dec 22, 2002 - 13:22 - From: PaulB
Title: forgot
Message: policy is for SDP, commuting etc

Dec 22, 2002 - 22:04 - From: Marissa
Title: porting turbo manifolds
Message: Has anyone thought of extrude honing their manifolds? I used to build racing engines for hondas, nissans, toyotas,ect,( i've since moved up to lamborghini's, ferrari's & my recently purchased lotus) & this was usually the first thing I would do along with port matching the heads. extrude honing provides far superior flow to just porting and polishing due to the fact that they force a heavy medium through the tube that follows the path of the exhaust flow rather than porting it out with a die grinder which can leave an uneven surface at points through the desired tube. I know the service is available in the states for a modest price. I'll get more info on the procedure soon. just a thought Marie

Dec 23, 2002 - 06:53 - From: Steve R
Title: Port and Flowing
Message: I’ve ported and flowed the head (both inlet and exhaust) as well as the exhaust manifold on my N/A Elan. Coupled with the Piper Air Filter the car has been transformed, it sound better, power delivery has been improved, and I have more torque higher up the rev range. I was rather naughty while I was testing, I wondered how far it would pull on the rev counter, to my surprise it was still pulling beyond 8000 RPM! The car does get hot quicker now though due to the increased air flow, and I have plumbed in a manual fan for the hotter days (not that we see many in the UK). Ive also noticed that once the rpm hits about 5000 in first the engine goes bonkers and the needle springs up and I have to change to second far quicker than before I did the work on it. Im wondering I could tweek the ECU to optimise this new found power? I don’t want to invest in another ECU as the power return as compared the Turbo is minor and not really worth it. Ive sent Doug some pics of the new Engine bay and Brake upgrade so hopefully they will be posted soon. I also have pics of the head work that I did earlier this year (probably quite sad of me though:) Happy Festive Driving Y'all - Steve

Dec 23, 2002 - 10:01 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Bill, coolant
Message: What you want to use is "Zerex Racing Super Coolant". It is 50% more efficient at heat transfer than a conventional water/antifreeze mix but offers NO freezing protection (but neither does Red Line Water Wetter!). It is what all the Nascar race teams use... being from the South I know things like that! "Zerex Racing Super Coolant" contains rust & corrosion inhibitors ONLY, no ethylene glycol; so you mix it with water at only a 10% ratio, and a little goes a long way. It was designed for people like you (and racers) who are not concerned about their car freezing but who need maximum cooling and engine protection. You can only buy it directly from Valvoline at (800)354-9061, extension 7208. You have to buy a whole case which costs 60 some-odd dollars, as they are used to selling to Nascar teams and not individuals. However, because it is only 10% (conventional coolant only contain 5% rust/corrosion inhibitors) of your cooling system mix you will probably never have to buy coolant EVER again!

Dec 23, 2002 - 11:29 - From: James W
Title: bulbs
Message: I've not changed any bulbs yet. Today I had the main beam bulb out with no problem, but not the dip beam... anyone got a tip/diagram/pic of the dip bulb assembly? cheers.

Dec 23, 2002 - 12:31 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: need Lotus precat
Message: I need an original equipment Lotus precat. Doesn't someone who installed Bill's Isuzuperformance exhaust have their old precat lying around? I will gladly pay you $50 bucks for it. You may contact me offline at mwelsh@dtr-software.com

Dec 24, 2002 - 01:23 - From: Brian MDB
Title: Elan collectables
Message: Thought you may be interested in this site that I found, contains loads of original Lotus press packs, road tests etc. http://www.mclellansautomotive.com/sales-lit/bymake/lotus/index.shtml 

Dec 24, 2002 - 09:15 - From: rudz
Title: CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
Message: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO DOUG & EVERYONE ELSE FOR MAKING THIS SUCH A WONDERFUL BOARD. CHEERS FOR THE SILLY SEASON ... RUDZ

Dec 24, 2002 - 11:07 - From: Alan Betts
Title: Cooling problems
Message: I would appreciate advice from those with experience of the Elan cooling system. My car is a 1991 SE Turbo with 13K (genuine) miles on the clock. Air con is fitted. In ambient temperatures of 35 degrees Centigrade the coolant temp fluctuates between a quarter of the way up the gauge and just over half way up the gauge at which point the coolant starts boiling either when stuck in traffic or when cruising around at 2000 rpm in top (all I could manage thanks to traffic conditions). I have identified that the coolant temperature sensor has failed. More specifically I mean the one that controls the first radiator fan and the electric coolant re-circulation pump. But surely the failure of the coolant temperature sensor which controls the rad fan would not cause the car to boil when running at 2000 rpm in top gear. I would have thought that the airflow through the rad would be enough to stabilise coolant temperature under such conditions. Should I be searching for a secondary problem? Coolant system has been flushed and backflushed, bled repeatedly and has a new thermostat. The reason I am so keen to diagnose all problems in one hit is because my nearest dealer with significant parts stock for the Elan is some 7000 miles away and so I am looking at several weeks downtime before I can get parts.

Dec 24, 2002 - 13:30 - From: rudz
Title: overheating
Message: Alan, traffic condition sound just like Bangkok ! the ELAN's temp gauge usually resides anywhere between 1/4 mark to the 3/4 mark, where the radiator fans would activate. the radiator fans are activated by a "radiator fan thermal switch" located on the thermostat housing. you might also like to check for the 2 fuses to these fans located under the dashboard top cover. each fan has its own fuse, if i recall right. i have encountered occasions when it has gone above the 3/4 mark when one of the fans' fuse fail. traveling in heavy traffic behind other vehicles does not seem to lower the temp by very much either, in my experience, especially in that sort of ambient temperatures. hope that helps. cheers ...rudz

Dec 24, 2002 - 15:27 - From: Doug
Title: cooling probs
Message: Alan, sounds like a genuine problem! Do as Rudz says and check the fuses. I can tell you from experience that my gut tells me you have a bad thermostat--replacing it is easy and may cure your problems. You can even test the current one in boiling water to see it open and close to prove it is okay or not (see t-stat write-up). I had a t-stat that (in hindsight) would stick open and caused my car to run cooler than normal for about 6 months; then one day it failed closed when I was in traffic and I almost melted the engine. The thing you need to analyze if you want is the position of the 3 temp sensors! I can't remember for sure off the top of my head, but I recall the CTS is on the engine side of the t-stat and the fan switch is on the other side. If your t-stat fails closed the engine will heat up real quick, but because the coolant is not flowing right, the fan thermal switch will not get hot enough to activate the fans due to the closed thermostat--this can lead to overheating!! You can also start the car from cold and put your hand at the t-stat housing and hoses there to see if the t-stat opens and you feel it warm up in proper time. Let me know if you need more info/assistance.

Dec 25, 2002 - 04:01 - From: Alan Betts
Title: Cooling problem solved
Message: I have now established that the failed fan sensor was the only problem. I 'hot wired' the fan by running the wire that goes to the coolant temperature sensor to earth. That causes the first of the two fans to operate constantly. As soon as I can lay my hands on the correct sensor I will replace it. Temp gauge now rock steady at a quarter of the way up the gauge in all conditions. It seems that in high ambient temperatures the Elan needs a working fan to stabilise coolant temperature even when the car is moving. Quite unusual as in my experience most cars will run fine without a functioning fan provided they keep moving. Thanks a lot for advice and to Robert Collins in particular for sending me a copy of the fan wiring diagram.

Dec 25, 2002 - 04:47 - From: Steve P
Title: To Engine Flush or Not?
Message: I've recently changed my old Mazda for another old Mazda with a 24V V6. The Hydraulic tappets were noisy so I decided to try the STP engine flush - add to old oil run for 15 minutes at idle etc. Well I have to say the results are really rather good - far less noise - almost back to a near silent idle. Has anyone tried this in their Elan? My tappets aren't exactly silent and I was thinking that getting rid of the internal varnish might do the trick? Apparently engine varnish is caused by ash in the oil?? Some oils have a much lower ash content - Mobil 1 being very low (0.5%).

Dec 25, 2002 - 15:04 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Elan values
Message: Some of you have pontificated on Elan values of late. As of today, 12/25/2002, www.cpivalueguide.com lists the price of a 1991 Elan in excellent condition as $24,300. As of 10/20/2000 (which I saved from back then) the identical car's value was $22,675. So, according to them, the value has gone up.

Dec 25, 2002 - 20:20 - From: Doug
Title: Elan Xmas Presents
Message: Given the day and dry weather here, I seized the opportunity for a nice wine country drive in the Elan with my son today! What a fun car! For a Xmas present, I ordered up (thanks to Matthew's list) $150 in SS bolts to go onto my car. Still need to get those SJS dampers ordered up too. Anyone else get their special car anything?

Dec 26, 2002 - 14:03 - From: marissa
Title: christmas timing belt
Message: And a Merry Christmas to elan land! For christmas I gave my elan a major service done by yours truly including t-belt, waterpump, acc. belts, plugs, radiator flush, oil change, new oil seals, and a good ol' fashioned cleaning. By the by if anyone else is thinking about attempting to do their own major service be forewarned that it took me close to 10 hours to do the whole thing (engine in) and yes I'm a chick mechanic, scary but true. Anywho, have a happy holiday and happy elaning. Kisses to all and to all a good night.

Dec 26, 2002 - 18:03 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Xmas gifts
Message: My (old-new) girlfriend bought me a set of the new V4 Greenstuff front pads. I was relieved to see they came with new pins. Anyway, I've had EBC rear pads for over a year still in the box because EBC advised not to install them without also installing EBC front pads, as the rear brakes could lock-up due to the increased friction of the pads... same effect as adjusting your brake proportioning valve! As to all the work Marissa did, my back hurts just thinking about it!

Dec 26, 2002 - 20:26 - From: Dave M.
Title: Elan Christmas
Message: Merry Christmas to everyone! It's been an out-of-town Christmas (family visits) on this end. As for the Elan presents: when we return the Elan will hopefully have the new BOV (Turbosmart type III plumback) I ordered. Before we left I received my 2" mandrel-bent pipe and turbo hose for the intercooler plumbing. The SJS struts are on their way, too. Just don't tell my wife. Hopefully the first tax busy season overtime checks will pay the credit card off quickly! Then maybe I can get the front-mount...

Dec 27, 2002 - 06:38 - From: robert collins
Title: xmas gifts
Message: Didn't even give mine a wash for Christmas.

Dec 27, 2002 - 06:55 - From: Alan
Title: Happy Christmas!
Message: Happy Christmas to everyone. After a December full of major (brake/suspension) repairs the Elan has decided to throw a smaller problem at me. The rev counter has packed in. It sometimes twitches a bit but that's it. Any ideas?

Dec 27, 2002 - 08:40 - From: robert collins
Title: Alan - rev counter
Message: Alan, do the revs indicate correctly on Elanscan?

Dec 27, 2002 - 16:19 - From: Alan
Title: Rev counting
Message: I went out with the laptop to check out the rev readings with ElanScan (I assumed it would be ok as the check engine light stayed off and the cars running well). And the revs logged perfectly. The rev counter also worked perfectly! I reckon everything points to a dodgy connection.

Dec 27, 2002 - 18:05 - From: Doug
Title: revs
Message: Alan, does sound like poor connection as hinted at by the flickers before. How's the weather in Middlesbrough/Cleveland? I wonder if any of you UK chaps have ever put a dehumidifer next to your Elan? I have noticed now that I live in Wine/Rain country that the humidity has caused a few electrical gremlins--I may look into climate controlling the garage some day (that is AFTER the wine cellar).

Dec 28, 2002 - 07:33 - From: Theo
Title: Clutch/Reverse
Message: When engaging reverse, my car always had a scratch sound. Now, all of a sudden, I cannot engage reverse - just scratching. When I switch the engine off, the reverse engage. Is this just an adjustment requirement, or is it something much worse?

Dec 28, 2002 - 08:51 - From: Alan
Title: Cold & wet
Message: I'm in Glasgow, Scotland at the moment and its cold and wet. I could put a dehumidifier beside the car but It'ld have to be powerful enough to dehumidify Scotland as its parked outside! I'm afraid my Elan is no garage queen, it lives outside all the time - its no stranger to damp - and its my daily driver (I did wash it for Christmas though:) I hope the rev counter glitch was a one-off thing, I don't much fancy trying to trace a problem behind the dash.

Dec 28, 2002 - 09:27 - From: steven
Title: marissa
Message: Marissa, lovely job, changing the t-belt. I did it once. As a chick mechanic you probably have smaller hands than I do. I sometimes wished, while working on the Elan I was a gynaecologist. I always think that the part I want to reach or service is the one they started the car with and built the rest around it.

Dec 28, 2002 - 11:51 - From: Doug
Title: reverse
Message: Theo, first of all, shame on you for grinding your reverse. Here's the fix for the future: when shifting into reverse, ALWAYS put the tranny into a forward gear first, then gently put it into reverse and it will NEVER grind. The gears/synchros will be happier this way! Seems like it is possible you have ground up your tranny a bit, BUT (and I am no tranny guru for sure) since reverse usually doesn't even have a synchro it seems more likely to me that you may actually have a shifter cable that needs adjustment, since you say reverse will engage and work properly sometimes, and you didn't mention any global gearbox problem. You should be able to feel the gear engagement point when shifting forward and back and that it is not quite right for other gears too; I suspect this cable may be a bit off probably from pulling it hard to get into reverse [shaking finger again]. Have a look . . . anyone else agree/disagree or have other thoughts?

Dec 28, 2002 - 12:42 - From: Laurence
Title: V4 pads & flushing oil
Message: Belated Xmas wishes to all. Mathew when I came to fit my V4 pads I found the pins where not really long enough so I had to get some new ones from Lotus. Steve, I have had a couple of bad experiences with flushing oils, a cam going on a 2 litre OHC Ford engine and an old MGB sounding a lot worse than it did before. Personally I would never use a flushing fluid again. Laurence

Dec 28, 2002 - 15:23 - From: robert collins
Title: flushing oil
Message: My boss's son used flushing oil in his crappy old ford fiesta. It flushed out the deposits from the engine alright. Unfortunately it also opened up a load of oil leaks he never knew he had :-(

Dec 28, 2002 - 16:11 - From: Theo
Title: reverse/Doug's reply
Message: Doug - First of all, I was not a naughty boy by forcing the gear engagements. There was always a slight scratch when engaging reverse (I only have the car for a month), even with selecting a forward gear first. At one stage I have read on some website, can't find it now, that it was a common problem for the reverse engagement to scratch a bit - so it did not worry me. Is there an adjustment on the shifter cable, I presume it should be tighter?

Dec 28, 2002 - 20:17 - From: Aris
Title: BRAKES
Message: Everyone knows AP racing, wilwood and Brembo brakes. Does anybody know anything about TERRASPORT or something similar....they told me that it is an American brand....?????any help would be appreciated.

Dec 28, 2002 - 20:33 - From: Doug
Title: reverse
Message: Theo, no prob, just poking ya in the ribs. Really though, I just have a habit of putting the stick thru 3rd-4th-then reverse (in one continuous motion with the clutch in) and it ALWAYS works perfectly--even cold starts. There is a "fore-aft" cable which is the one to investigate. There are adjustment screws on the tranny end of the cable--this is under the coolant reservoir. See these pages [from the online manual] for "adjustment" info: http://ret0027h.eresmas.net/ffpreview.htm  http://ret0027h.eresmas.net/ff005.htm  http://ret0027h.eresmas.net/ff006.htm 

Dec 29, 2002 - 22:54 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Dream garage
Message: I dropped off a stock precat housing at my mechanic's right at closing time Saturday, so he could build the front pipes a couple of you want. Anyway, as it was closing time he had all the customer cars pulled inside (some on lifts with another car parked underneath!) and I swear, half the Porsche Turbo's in Jacksonville must have been in that room! He fits a HUGE KKK turbo to those which he showed me. Our car's turbo is merely a toy. This thing can flow enough air to produce 1000 HP! Also, he had a Ferrari 512 up in the air as he was just finishing a twin-turbo install on the car. Did you know that car came from the factory with TWO oil filters as standard equipment? They are right side by side. There was also a Dodge Viper he had just received from south Florida awaiting the Twin-turbo treatment and a beautiful Lexus 6-cyl coupe with a big turbo and wonderfully chromed pipe-work. All that was quite a sight to see with just enough room to walk between the cars. All the keys were sitting on the tops of the cars... too bad the doors were down and locked!

Dec 30, 2002 - 05:10 - From: Philbo
Title: Porsche & big turbos
Message: Matthew, I have driven a pug with a big KKK turbo and it was an absolute dog. Put your foot down and....wait....wait some more...wait a bit longer....hooooly crap! Massive power but virtually unusable - by the time the power comes in you're at the next corner! By contrast turbo upgrades like the "Ruf" for the pugs concentrate on power usability with new induction paths, massive intercoolers (sometimes with an ice preload option!) and so on, and I have heard it said that these types of upgrades (usually "only" around 500bhp) are much more drivable - a Ruf turbo held the lap record round the 'Ring for a while and I think they're going back sometime soon to try to recapture it. I guess it depends whether you're going for a max bhp figure or max drivability.

Dec 30, 2002 - 20:11 - From: Matthew Welsh
Title: Why Mandrel is better
Message: Was just reading isuzu-mods.com and this answer from Kyle at BlackHole Performance jumped out at me... "Do you have any 90degree bends in that 2.5" (exhaust) system? A typical 90degree pressbend has a diameter of just over 2". That would be a restriction.".... Wow, needless to say, I was blown away as the Elan does have several 90-degree bends in its exhaust system. I am having a mandrel bent 2" front-pipe made for another gentleman at the moment, and this would mean that he should run a 2" x 2.5" reducer (turned backwards of course) if he is going to finish off his exhaust with standard press-bent tubing, the type EVERY muffler shop uses! Definitely something to think about if you are having exhaust work done.

Dec 31, 2002 - 01:34 - From: Jose M. Armengol
Title: Happy 2003
Message: Happy New Year to all, and to all a 2003 filled with health, happiness and much Elaning! Cheers! Jose