September 1999 Message Board

Sep 1, 1999 - 13:56 - From: Steve P
Title: Elan AWD!?
Message: Charlie, you're right in what you say about the Elan, it was always designed as a Front Wheel Driver with a bespoke chassis and patented rafts etc. However that would not have stopped the engineers taking the possibility of an AWD Elan into consideration?! It is purely academic as it will never be, and the only mention I've read of this is in the Mark Hughes book on the Elan ;->

Sep 3, 1999 - 00:41 - From: Jamie
Title: Hello everyone
Message: I just wanted to pop up and say "Hello everyone". Most of you probably don't know me because I've been a "ghost". I've been checking out Randy's site for about 8 months now and Doug's site since birth without saying a word till now. BOOO!!! For those that may remember me, I was the newest Elan owner that showed up to the Summer Southern CAL meet(I only owned the car for about 18 hours at that time). It was nice to meeting all you Elan lovers. BTW, Charlie when are you going to have the manual up on the web??? Some of us need to work on our cars!!! I hope I didn't sound rude. If so, my apoligies Charlie. I need to change my timing belt soon. My car only has 53K miles now (I've put on 3.5K in a month. hehehe !$^), but I don't think the belt has ever been changed yet. I would hate to be the newest and first Elan owner to have ruined their motor. Well everyone, I think I'm going to be the one to write-up the timing belt/water pump replacement guide. That is if someone had not done it already? Someone please say "Yes I have it written with excellent pictures and diagrams and I'll e-mail to you now." Well it was worth a shot. Doug you have an excellent site here. Keep up the great work. Let me know If I can do anything to help this site prosper. After all if it wasn't for this and Randy's site I would not have known about the common flaws with Elans and what to look for in purchasing one. So everyone, what upgrades do you recommend first? I already have a bypass valve. BTW, whats up with us Northern CAL Elan owners. We need to have a meet up here one of these summer days. We've got some great roads like Highway 35 (Skyline), my favorite. Well I think I am going to shut up now. Happy Elaning all. Jamie

Sep 3, 1999 - 03:42 - From: Richard A Clifton
Title: Clutches
Message: This reply us a little late but I haven't had time to keep up with the board. I am just about to bok my car in for its 162,000 mile service and I am not planning on asking them to replace the original clutch. Occasionally I get a little judder when reversing when everything is cold. Its done this for tens of thousands of miles so I'm not going to start worrying now. I reckon the rate of clutch wear is a product of driving style and situations. A good proportion of my mileage has been done on motorways and fast A roads which will aid longevity.

Sep 3, 1999 - 12:45 - From: charlie
Title: manuals
Message: i`m behind with them , i need to get them over to david or kinkos or something 8-) you know how it is work deadlines and whatnot, plus i don`t seem to be able to resist not driving off all weekend as opposed to sitting in front of my computer scanning sheets of paper in for hours, go figure 8-) off to santa babera this loooong weekend, so you all there ;-) yeah we`d like to get a meet going on up here, perhaps on skyline at the motorbike cafe up there, i sometimes take skyline home for that extra big grin when i pull into the driveway...

Sep 3, 1999 - 19:45 - From: Doug
Title: August
Message: Jamie, welcome, I've been waiting to see you here! Add your name to the owners' list already--I added a box just for you that says "owned Elan for only a few days" but you never poped in! Jamie I have a perfectly good timing belt that I'll send you for shipping costs--I took it from my car at 60,000 miles and it looks pristine!! I was good to know that the timing belt wasn't about to break but I wish someone had warned me that it really doesn't need to be changed every 50K miles!! What is everyone else's experience with this. Jamie I wrote all the Isuzu part numbers for the 3 belts on my board--so look in the Archives to find them about june 15th. Jade (or anyone actually) let me know when you will be in town and we will get a beer! Charlie, try to get those scans done, DUDE--I paid to get you those manuals for that reason. Jade, the G-Tech is only really good for the 0-60 times and I haven't used it in months--It is Seamus' actually. Jade, how about a "window problems" write-up?!?! Send me pictures everyone so I can get an Owners' Gallery up--Charlie I will need your space for this too so talk to me.

Sep 4, 1999 - 19:17 - From: Jamie
Title: HELP! - CV Boots
Message: Does anyone know if there is a trick in removing the drivers side CV axle from the transmission??? I performed all the necessary steps: I drained the transmission oil. Removed the outer left axle from the hub, but I can not seem to remove the right side of the axle from the transmission. I know in most cars, like my Honda Civic, you use a screwdrivers and twist it between the axle and trans and it will pop off. But it does not seem to work with the Elan.

Sep 6, 1999 - 01:10 - From: David
Title: Lotus Builds golf cart
Message: I happily found out that the Elan is capable of carrying two full sized bags of golf clubs and extra gear with no problems at all. The guys at the course were checking out the car (like most people do when they see the Elan) when we pulled in and when they saw us pull two sets of clubs out of the trunk their jaws hit the ground. Doug, I saw you driving on the 405 on my way down to San Diego for the weekend, cars looking good! I also saw a red elan heading south on the five top down on my way back today. Charlie give me a call and we'll figure out how to get those pages scanned. I actually have some free time right now so lets get it done before Doug passes out from holding his breath(hehe)

Sep 6, 1999 - 08:54 - From: Alex Garrod
Title: 4wd vs fwd
Message: Unlike Steve Mason who's got both an Impreza turbo and an Elan, I'm selling my Subaru to get an Elan.... I agree that there's no way that the Elan could keep up with the current generation of 4wd turbos. The Subaru particularly is ridiculously fast in all road conditions. However that doesn't necessarily make it fun - here in south east UK I find it difficult to enjoy the car to the full, because to do so would require outrageous (and illegal) speeds. However I still like monster acceleration so I'll definitely be increasing the boost of the Elan. Has anyone here had any reliability concerns after getting 200+ bhp from the engine? What is the best bet for producing this sort of power?

Sep 6, 1999 - 13:58 - From: Doug
Title: Stuff
Message: Hey Alex, you obviously recognize a great car. You can get 200HP safely and reliably by just turning the boost up to the max (just below 1 Bar). If you want to get nasty you will have to put an add-on computer and will need a bigger turbo and injectors (and ask Dimitri about Aquamist!). If you were to do this you would get an outrageous Elan that could spank any Subaru but you would probably find that you would need to drop in the Quaife Limited Slip Differential to get all this power to the wheels! Keep us informed about your progress--talk to IsuzuBill about all this for some good info! David, was this an Elan commute? How's the boost controller working? I haven't been on the 405 in a while and you likely saw the BRG Elan that I hear lives in Manhattan Beach--but mine is looking good after I detailed her Saturday ;-)

Sep 6, 1999 - 14:37 - From: Doug
Title: Car of the Week
Message: I have found free picture storage on the web of unlimited capacity! Thus I propose a new area of the site: "Car of the Week (or Month or biweekly)." This would be akin to the car of the week on Motor Trend TV where you would submit photos and some prose to go with it. Sound like a good idea??? Let me know! And send me your photos! I need input to help the site grow!

Sep 6, 1999 - 14:38 - From: David
Title: booost
Message: The boost controller is working great, but I still like to tinker with it to see if I can find the best setting for my drive over the hill. I am about to fit the bypass valve that I got from Topend and will post the results. Sad to say that it was not an Elan trip to SOCAL because we had to take two sets of golf clubs and surfboards and laptops and... you get the picture. Has anybody figured out a way to carry surf boards? off to the install --DPS--

Sep 6, 1999 - 16:11 - From: Colin
Title: drive shaft removal
Message: Jamie, I havn't done this job but looking at the manual, the circlip retaining the RH drive shaft to the transmission is of square cross section as oppose to the LH which is circular. I guess it is harder to pop out for this reason. The manual cautions against pulling on the drive shaft as this can disassemble the inboard CV which can be expensive. You should only apply pressure to the 'tulip' or outer shell of the joint. The LH assy has a male spigot and the RH a female, - they are always awkward. Oh yes it also says you should replace both circlips when reassembling. Good luck! Colin

Sep 7, 1999 - 00:25 - From: Jamie
Title: CV Boot
Message: Colin thanks for the info. I was able to pull out my axle. Well not all of it. The inner CV cup is still in the trans. I was not able to pull it out. Oh well It'll do. I'll let you know how the repair ended up once I pick-up my CV boots tommarrow. Jamie

Sep 7, 1999 - 04:12 - From: Jeff
Title: Just catching up
Message: Just wanted to send a big hello out to everyone. Sorry I haven't been active for a while. I've taken a new position with my company and it involvs travel now . . . Well, in response to some questions; Doug, I have the seats in and I have the rear strut bar installed; I received it from Korea last week. I must say that most of the "mushiness" I felt in the car's suspension before "magically" disappeared when I installed the seats - go figure. The rear end felt a lot "tighter" in corners and I didn't bob up/down and sideways. I figure the seats were just mushy. The new seats provide me with better visibility (they sit a little lower) and with better pedal/leg position (they sit a little farther back). The look like they came with the car and the color match is uncanny. Needless to say I will have to be careful with the top now in case there is fabric color fade . . . The only snag is that I had to install four point seat belts. Due to this development I had to send back the windbaffle. The seatbelts I purchased required an attachment bar just behind the seats. This seat "thing" is turning into a three episode saga but there is nothing like throwing her around corners in the new seats - nothing short of awesome! Now I'm in the process of is fitting a "custom" wind screen attached to the harness bar that was put in. So - for those of you who are interested; your best bet is still the windbaffle product. The rear strut bar added some much needed stability in the back; this might be a personal preference, but I feel a lot more confident with it now. It feels a little "stiffer", but its still softer than my M so I'm happy with it. The boost gauge is working well, but like everyone else I'm still playing around with it. BTW does anyone realize that the commercial Greddy equivalent is almost $200? Much thanks go to Carl for the great sub! Finally - I was the guilty party traveling south on the 5 Fwy. Due to the long weekend I heard La Jolla calling me for fun/sun, dim sum and shopping . . . Can't believe that I have to go back to work tommorow. I finally took all the rolls of film to Costco for development and will pick them up this week. I'll forward some to Doug and post some on my web page for your viewing pleasure. Maybe I'll also forward one for the coveted "cover shot" :) Later all, Jeff

Sep 7, 1999 - 04:25 - From: Dimitri
Title: Elan vs Impreza
Message: Hey Doug & Alex, don’t compare the Elan (what a happiness to own one) and the Subaru Impreza (every six months comes a model with significant changes). I have them both and they are great cars. Both are very fast (my Elan isn’t an ordinary Elan, but this car deserves everything you can give) in general, but when the road conditions are very good, then the Elan with Quaife Limited Slip Differential is a faster car with no need for more then 200 bhp extra power. This is a fact verified in the World Rally Champion, where the Citroen Xara (FWD) was much faster in dry B-roads than all the much powerful WRC ‘s (Subaru-Mitsu-Toyota)

Sep 7, 1999 - 04:40 - From: Jeff
Title: Quick Note
Message: For those of you who use Bauer Lotus for anything . . . I was sent a letter last week announcing that Bauer was selling the dealership. The Lotus part of the dealership was picked up by Platinum Motors (Santa Ana, CA) and the Jaguar part has now been absorbed by the Bauer Jaguar dealership in the Santa Ana auto mall. Harry is now at Platinum and I assume that David is now at Bauer Jaguar. Platinum Motors owns a Lotus dealership in Vegas and deals in exotics. Any curiosity can be satisfied here: http://www.platinummotors.com

Sep 7, 1999 - 11:58 - From: Bill Luton
Title: Impreza as a benchmark?
Message: I'm getting really confused by some of the comparisons being drawn, especially comparing the Elan to a Subaru Impreza. I run a 1991 Isuzu Stylus XS in local SoloII racing events, mostly for my own enjoyment as I will be the first to admit that I can not drive very well at all. The car has the Lotus Tuned suspension (too soft, leans too much, tuned for luxury ride), the naturally aspirated Isuzu 1.6 DOHC as is in the Elan, and the Isuzu 76 mm transmission (FWD). Modifications to the vehicle are a Quaife differential, sway bars, and a cold air intake. The differential bumps me up into Street Prepared class where I am expected to have full coilover suspension, header, performance exhaust, etc., but I do not have those modifications to the car, which puts me at a distinct disadvantage. Even so, there is a guy who runs a Subaru Impreza WRX in Street Prepared who has the full list of modifications allowed, and he consistently tuns only 1-2 seconds per faster than I do in my outgunned Stylus. The thing that sticks out most in my mind is that even with full suspension tuning, the Subaru takes every corner squealing loudly on the outside two tires only, while the inner two appear to be totally off the ground. Even the Stock class Dodge Neons with allowed factory sport suspension run smoother and quicker than the Subarus. I really think comparing the Elan (proclaimed the best handling FWD car ever) with the Impreza (one of the sloppier cars I've seen on the track) is slightly less than valid. For those of you who are running SoloII, ProSolo, and Club Racing, you might want to take advantage of the $18,000 in contingency money being offered at the Solo Nationals in Topeka next week and at the Club Racing Championships in Atlanta in November. http://www.isuzuperformance.com/bills/quaifebucks.html Bill Luton

Sep 7, 1999 - 12:57 - From: charlie
Title: Huh!
Message: anyone who thinks you can`t get an elan upto the speed of the AWD subaru is nuts, granted in the RAC/Lombard (whatever the heck it is now) rally the AWD is going to thrash it, but on a dry track forget about it, i bet seamus`s BMW 2002 would blow the subaru out of the water, never mind a souped up Elan 8-) . funny everyone seems to have gone south this weekend, i drove down hwy 1 to santa barbera for the long weekend, its a really nice drive for those who haven`t done it yet.. ps david i noticed that my gelcoat was starting to give on the lip of the pop up lid, right along the edge, have you done any research on getting it fixed? DOUG: sorry man, i know but i`ve been soooo busy at work, like i`m telling you anything ;-), this weekend was the first i got away, i`ll hookup with david this week and we`ll get it sorted ASAP. so don`t have a meltdown ;-) as for server space, just let me know when you need it., Plus I`d really like to arrange a track day for everyone who can make it over, hands up whos interested, maybe at monterey CA, seems like the most central. + its a nice place with carmel and the 17 mile drive there. If *only* NOS was street legal, i`d show that oversized baby wagon a thing or two ;-)

Sep 7, 1999 - 13:13 - From: Chris Bramley
Title: Elan Problems
Message: I have just applied the Charlie fix to my cam angle sensor and it worked! It is better to remove the CAS complete for this operation. You don't drop bits in the engine, and you can see to line up the sensor after the operation. I potted mine in clear silicone rubber so I can keep an eye on the resoldered joints. Thanks Charlie, you are a hero. I had looked at the sensor, but was afraid to open up the potting until I read your article. When my downpipe failed, I discovered that the flanges were mild steel, but the pipe was stainless which is not possible on original equipment according to the dealers. I welded it back together with a MIG welder and standard mild steel wire, and it is still going a year later. Does anyone have advice on sticking wastegates? My car is off the road over the winter and it has stuck both winters so far! Incidentally UK Isuzu dealers can not recognise the cam angle sensor part number published on this site, they claim the format is different on their computers. I would still like a spare. Will US dealers ship to the UK?

Sep 7, 1999 - 13:26 - From: David
Title: upgrades and stuff
Message: Topend upgrade bypass valve installed, K&N Filterkit installed, Boost one quarter turn up, RESULTS... WHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! Charlie, just give me a call or email me about this week, I am going to a PPG shop this week about the paint I will let you know what they say.

Sep 7, 1999 - 17:18 - From: charlie
Title: Bill!
Message: I was interested into the following on the quaife diffs. "Due to the internal design of the Quaife differential, all driving wheels must be elevated when servicing brakes, tyres, etc. " IE what happens if you don`t do this. presumably for the elan it means if you have to lift either of the front wheels, you have to lift both regardless, presumably with jacks and not ramps ? i`m just wondering since a lot of garages don`t listen to customers requests about stuff like this.

Sep 7, 1999 - 18:09 - From: Bill Luton
Title: Charlie!
Message: I've never been given a good explination of the "raise both drive wheels" statement. I believe that is consistent with all vehicles with any type of limited slip differential and may be mostly to keep the vehicle from shifting/rolling and landing in your lap or on your chest while you are working under it. I've gotten into the habbit of throwing the jack under the center fore/aft member of the Isuzu cars and putting jackstands under the tiedowns to hold them up while working under them, there is no convenient place to raise only one wheel on an Isuzu anyway. I'll run the question past Quaife UK and see what they have to say.

Sep 7, 1999 - 19:57 - From: Ryan Moos
Title: Car back from Painter, but
Message: Looks great, but it seems they jacked the car up from the "do not jack here" point in the center front. Looks like it will need to be replaced! Someday my car will be right....stay tuned ( its been 7 months in the shop and 3 months at the painter) Ryan

Sep 7, 1999 - 19:58 - From: charlie
Title: Places to meet!
Message: How about a list of suggestions of places to meet and stay and so forth, we could build up a recommended list of places etc and put them on the board, like a travel guide for elan people. Heres one of mine this place is unbelievable (i`m not kidding either) you`ll either love it or hate it. http://www.madonnainn.com/

Sep 7, 1999 - 21:10 - From: randy
Title: british meet in san diego
Message: The San Diego British Car Club Council is having an all British car day and picnic on Sunday, October 3, from 10 am to 2 pm at Fairbrook Farms, 13 miles north of Escondido off I-15. There will be several Lotuses from San Diego attending. More would be better. for more info call: 760 746 9028 858 566 6619 909 693 9094 619 575 5625

Sep 7, 1999 - 22:10 - From: randy
Title: madonna inn
Message: I can totally second Charlie's opinion. You either love it or hate it, but it must be seen at least once. Try to stay in one of the Rock/Cave rooms.

Sep 7, 1999 - 22:12 - From: randy
Title: places to stay
Message: there are three excellent places in Corondo. The Hotel Del, on the ocean side. Loews, at the Cays (south end) The Marriott on the bay side with a view of San Diego Skyline.

Sep 7, 1999 - 22:23 - From: Doug
Title: more stuff
Message: First, I think the comparason to the Impreza was for straight-line fun only. Surely we are not that wasted to think it could outhandle our Elans! Charlie, I am not one to put random-type things on the board, but if you must then MY secret-hideway recommendation is the Elk Cove Inn (www.elkcoveinn.com)--on the rocks of the California coast, 20 miles South of Mendocino is AWESOME Elan-driving roads. If you have a special someone (charlie) this is a MUST!! Write me for details anyone. Now I will be putting the Rants & Raves--Elan Owners' Experiences Board ASAP! Please quit the Quaife talk, I'm gettin' anxious--it's hard enough scraping the money for the new exhaust system together, and who wouldn't want the quaife and a great new clutch with a lightweight flywheel installed??

Sep 8, 1999 - 08:57 - From: Bill Luton
Title: Charlie, Answer!
Message: I've received an answer back from Quaife, and it's a good one I wouldn't have thought of: "The statement quoted is a word of warning, for example, if the vehicle is started up, it could possibly drive off one wheel." _______ Aparently, with an open differential, if you accidently start the engine, the drive wheel in the air will just spin like a madman, but with a limited slip or automatic torque biasing differential, the mechanism within the diff will sense that the wheel in the air does not have traction and spin the drive wheel on the ground, and your newly three wheeled car will go skidding across the pavement, possibly dragging your broken body pinned beneath it. _____ Bill Luton

Sep 8, 1999 - 13:24 - From: charlie
Title: and whats wrong with that 8-)
Message: sounds like fun !, i`d like to see them explain that at goodyear ;-) Still anyone whos revving up the engine that much whilst on one jack is asking for it anyway. thanks bill. ok heres another secret hideaway this ones more for the long weekend http://wwww.kenwoodinn.com in sonoma either doug or i can start collecting then together and put them on a page 8-) theres an awesome victorian style hotel in carmel area on the coast but i forgot its name..

Sep 8, 1999 - 13:40 - From: charlie
Title: hide-a-ways page added
Message: I`ve added a page of hide-a-ways to my web site, and added a submit your own link to it as well, so doug doesn`t get his nice clean board all messed up ;) http://www.charliex.net/places_to_stay.htm Feel free to add your links, and i`ll update them as I can

Sep 8, 1999 - 22:25 - From: Jamie
Title: Boost talk
Message: I've hear lots of talk about manually raising the stock boost. Will the Elan's stock fuel management system (ECU) compesate the fuel if the boost is manualy raised or does the ECU need to be upgraded (i.e. Superchip)? I would appreciate the info. Jamie

Sep 9, 1999 - 05:07 - From: Rod Little
Title: Boost Talk
Message: Jamie, I think the belief is that the fuel mappings are already in the standard M100 ECU, although the ECU will cut the fuel at a certain limit of boost ( think .9 )

Sep 9, 1999 - 06:20 - From: Martin
Title: Manual Boost Controller
Message: Doug, any idea when you (or anyone else for that matter) will be able to add the info for installing the manual boost controller to your "aftermarket enhancements" section. Hearing all you guys going on about that extra 0.4-5 boost is just getting too much and I feel I might need to get my hands dirty soon to have it. Thanks.

Sep 9, 1999 - 12:58 - From: JJ
Title: Wiring Diagram
Message: Any of you guys with service manuals got a wiring diagram showing what the various wires are that plug into the ECU? My immobiliser interacts with a couple at this point and I'm curious to know what it's interrupting. If anyone could send me a copy it would be mucho appreciated!

Sep 9, 1999 - 13:34 - From: charlie
Title: wiring diagrams
Message: JJ, i have them available, i`ll mail you the needed ones.

Sep 9, 1999 - 13:49 - From: Roger
Title: Power steering Leaks!
Message: I have a leak at the ends of my steering rack and have been told that it isn't just a case of replacing seals. I am told I would need a new rack, anyone else had this problem? What the hell does a new rack cost? Is it a lotus part? P.S.wish the subaru thing would go away have to sort through loads of messages not relevant to the boards subject. Who Cares!!

Sep 9, 1999 - 14:09 - From: Roger
Title: Steering leaks
Message: Could anyone e-mail or fax me the relevant pages of the workshop manual regards the steering rank. Would be really greatful. fax 603 664 5126 ANYONE GOING TO BRITISH INVASION AT STOWE?

Sep 9, 1999 - 16:18 - From: Paul Dennis
Title: Engine Noise
Message: has anyone out there had any major work done on the engine i.e crankshaft, pistons etc as my car has developed tapping noise from the crankshaft pulley area the tapping is of similar sound that you expect from tappets but it is coming from the crankshaft wheel where the drive belts run.The car has done over 123000 miles and in the past 280000 miles it has always had less than 6000 mile services with mobil 1 oil some people have told me that mobil 1 is ok on new engines but it is too thin for older engines is this correct. T he car does seem to run ok and there is no change in performance but i am concerned that the tapping could be a sign of problems to come and if caught earlier enough could save expensive repairs, any help on this matter would be great p.s. with all this talk about u.s. meets i think its about time us brits got together any one interested ?

Sep 9, 1999 - 17:31 - From: charlie
Title: mobil 1
Message: mobil 1 is the recommended oil for the car, as for older engines I ran it in my 1974 911 for racing as it was recommended not only by porsche but by the mechanics and the rest of the team ran it, in fact nearly everyone did. i`ve never heard anyone say its too thin...till now.

Sep 10, 1999 - 14:57 - From: Steve P
Title: UK Meet!
Message: Hey Paul, what a great idea. I'm up for a meet providing it's not raining! What about an Elan meet at a circuit?!? My Elan has had it too easy this last year. Think it's about time it saw some action ;-) Anybody else game?

Sep 10, 1999 - 20:58 - From: Doug
Title: stuff
Message: Martin, I will work on the MBC for you. JJ, I recommend to nix the immobilizer and make it look like it is still there for your insurance company (ask Ryan about "the one stray wire"!!). Paul, I've been told that if you put Mobil One in the Elan you will always hear more cam sounds--perhaps we will hear otherwise from others using it. I do not use it anymore after it leaked thru my wife's '96 Mitsu engine seals; I've been educated otherwise, but I'd have to say I think it is too thin for whatever unknown reason. Now if you chaps from overseas do decide on a meet, get me the info and I'll put a page up about it! Jamie, you can just turn up the boost (Rod is correct) without the need for a chip. AND how about some reviews, you lazy saps!

Sep 11, 1999 - 09:49 - From: Mike Crossfield
Title: Misfire/Stalling
Message: Help appreciated with a problem on my 1991 M100. Car has covered 48k miles and is well maintained. Recent service/cam belt change by main agent. Problem is an occasional misfire when cruising at aroung 30 mph. Also the engine sometimes stalls when left to idle, e.g. at a road junction. Always restarts instantly, and idle is stable. There are no fault codes stored in ECU. I've tried adding injector cleaner to the petrol, but no effect. TIA Mike

Sep 11, 1999 - 12:44 - From: Peter Seow
Title: Stalling at junctions
Message: My had stallings occasionlly(a few mths after buying the car at 1500km intervals). As I used the car everday the stallings disappered completely. I think that it's due to the fuel injectors. Running in might solve the problem

Sep 11, 1999 - 13:47 - From: David
Title: injector cleaners
Message: Mike, my understanding and experience has been that it takes a few tanks of gas with the additives before you will notice the injectors getting clean. This gives you a great excuse to drive the car more or take it on a nice long trip. By the way guys I have been trying to get the best tuning setup on my car and would like to know if anyone has changed (what i think is) the default setting on their HKS bypass valves.

Sep 11, 1999 - 13:51 - From: Ben Tennyson
Title: a/c R-12 to R-134
Message: Have a leaking reciever dryer order new part from lotus Recieved new dryer and also lines to change out I believe this is to go to R-134 freon Has anyone done this change over and how does it affect a/c preformance Iam a new Elan owner and looking foward to making some of the mods you have listed

Sep 11, 1999 - 14:00 - From: David
Title: one other thing
Message: Back in Januuary my Benz sedan had a similar problem stalling and spitting going uphill at half to mid throttle that car has two fuel filters and it turned out that one of the filters had some debris from the gas tank that would block fuel flow when it would get wedged in the fuel line. I ended up replaceing the filters only to have it happen again a couple of weeks later. It took a full tank cleanig and another set of filters to fix the problem. My mechanic told me that some fuels breakdown faster than others and can form a type of laquer that solidifies if the cars sit for to long especially if its not a full tank because the air accelerates the process. I also put a clear secondary filter on that car so I could see if there was any particulate matter in the fuel lines. No prblems since.

Sep 11, 1999 - 16:42 - From: Doug
Title: bypass valve, etc
Message: David, I put a new page up about adjusting the bypass valve after people keep asking me about it (see bypass valve page on the bottom). I think the visible fuel filter is a great idea; but people, be wary as the fuel is under pressure so you don't burn your Elan up! How about checking the condition of the plugs, plug wires, and making sure the timing is right for those of you with roughness and stalling problems.

Sep 12, 1999 - 12:41 - From: Jamie
Title: FYI - CV Boots
Message: For those that need to replace their CV Boot in the near future, I just changed mine and used A&B boots(for a 91 Isuzu Impulse RS) purchased at Kragens. It only cost $14 compared to the lotus dealer at $40 and the Isuzu dealer at $60. Can you believe it, The Lotus dealer wanted less than the Isuzu Dealer! I can't seem to figure that one out. Rod thanks for the boost info. & Martin I know what you mean. I'm about to get my hands dirty again.

Sep 12, 1999 - 19:50 - From: Steve Mason
Title: enough is enough
Message: It never ceases to amaze me how car owners get all over protective of there particlar baby ! (me included) Alex, I agree completely with your comment of the Subaru being to quick to have fun all that often, but, surely everyone else must see you agree it will leave a standard Elan in it's wake. If you start talking about upgrading the Elan to compete then you have to be fair and upgrade the Subaru......the gap remains the same Doug, no "spanking" here I think. Let's face it, the Elan IS the best FWD car ever made and it is a Lotus but it does understeer near the limit in standard form (as it will as it's FWD) and therefore will have a disadvantage against a good 4WD. Dimitri, I think you will find that the reason the F2 cars won on dry tarmac against the WRC cars is not that they are FWD, but that they have a very considerable weight advantage in FIA rallying rules, a fact that really p*%$"s WRC drivers off and will probabley change in the near future. Another good example of this was in the BTCC when Audi dominated with the only 4WD car, the governing body then imposed bigger and bigger weight penalties to them in order to let the others catch up, eventually I think they banned 4WD, either that or the penalties in weight were set so high it was no longer a option ( I can't remember to be honest !) Now don't misunderstand me, I loved the Elan when it was first unveiled in 86 ( think ). I saw it at the Birmingham motor show and never ceased wanting one ( I was only 15 !) and eventually got one. Now having owned it 4 years I still love it and can't think of any car I would replace it with. The Subaru will go ( I get bored quick with normal cars ) but the Elan will stay forever...........The Subaru is still quicker though !

Sep 13, 1999 - 13:46 - From: charlie
Title: stalling
Message: i get stalling at idle for the following reasons, one i`ve just driven fairly hard outrunning subarus and then turned off the engine, then turned it back on again within 10-20 mintues, it`ll then take about another 10 minutes of running before i can let it idle again. you`re supposed to let turbos run for a little while after driving, turbo timers do it for you, either that or when you know you`re getting close to your destination lay off a bit, let the engine cool down. I find if i turn it off straightaway, come back in a little while and the let it sit idling before i move off for about 3-5 minutes its fine again. I also found that my accelerator cable was incorrectly adjusted and i was getting pedal `sucking` , no its not some wierd sanfran fetish, its when you let go the accelerator hard, and when you press it again, you have to give it a harder push to move it off the initial position.. I found i had lost about 6mm or more of pedal travel, once adjusted i had less problems with the cutting out. I also was getting the odd backfire around 30 but it went away, i`m fairly sure theres a common problem in all elans we haven`t come across yet that causes this. perhaps its the fuel line like david says.

Sep 13, 1999 - 18:23 - From: Bill Luton
Title: bushings and plugs
Message: Concerning the stalling and rough running problem, regap the plugs. The turbo 4XE1 is very sensitive on plug gaps and they tend to reduce gap over time unless you use the Torquemaster plugs which are permanently gapped.______ Concerning bushings, I was wondering if anyone was interested in urethane bushing sets (all 52 bushings) for their Elan.______ Bill Luton

Sep 13, 1999 - 20:24 - From: Doug
Title: What defines "upgrading"?
Message: The stock Elan comes from the factory with a boost max of 0.65 Bar and 165HP. This is good for 0-60 in 6.7 secs. By simply placing a small hole in the wastegate pressure line with your pocketknife (which only the most astute inspector could even find)and NO other modifications to the stock car you can achieve a boost max of 0.95 Bar with HP somewhere around 200 and 0-60 in about 5.6 secs!! Pretty cool, huh? Now I don't consider that "modifying" the car since even the factory ECU runs all the fuel maps still!! This is quite different from changing headers, turbos, exhausts, camshafts, ECUs, fuel pressures, suspension, tires, ETC--this stuff I consider "modifying" the car!! Just wanted to define MY interpretation and stir the pot a bit ;-)

Sep 14, 1999 - 00:13 - From: Jade
Title: Stalling and LA Trip
Message: Doug, sorry but hurrican Floyd put the stop to my LA trip tomarrow. They have closed all the airports on the east side of the state and I am going to miss my chance this go round. I will catch you next time. Stalling problem, Mike does it do it at 30 mph or is it 2700 rpm in 3rd gear which = @30mph? Mine is like clock work at 2700 rpms it stalls hard. It feels like I have hit the rev limiter, but I can drive right through it, it is worse if the car is not warmed up. Bill would the plugs cause this? My machanic thinks it might be the O2 sensor, does that sound right to anyone else? I am triing to decide if I should go out and check the Elans abilities in 150+ mph winds of Floyd. I will let every one know how it does. Jade

Sep 14, 1999 - 01:21 - From: David
Title: stuff, stuff and more stuff
Message: I bought the whole window regulator today and plan to stick it in the door tomorrow, are there any major tricks to getting this thing in or are the directions under the fixes page good enough. What kind of Subaboos are we taking about here?? They dont make one in the States that can do what is being hyped on this page. Plus if these euro Boos are as good as what is being stated I would think that eight additional years of engineering on their part would warrent a little tweaking on the Elans part. Remember all we are talking about is dougs pinhole or Carls $10 superduper manuel boost controller from Ace Hardware. My recent upgrades (all bolt-on, air filter,bypass valve)have resulted in a 0-70 time of 5.33 secs using my casio and a deserted road(I believe that its really a 0-63+- time due to the speedo error)My passenger and I ran it about six times while I played with the boost control so I think its pretty close and I still have more tuning to do. and maybe do some runs with the top up for better aerodynamics. My experience looking at the tail end of a Subaroo only amounts to the few seconds right before I pass them. So maybe If Charlie can get our track time at Laguna Seca set up someone could bring one of these Subaroos to see how they stack up.

Sep 14, 1999 - 13:37 - From: charlie
Title: i`ll hunt you down
Message: so i`ve taken to following other elans and making sure that they know about the board (the drivers thats is not the cars, dummy) hopefully we`ll get all the bay area peeps together for a meet soonish.. probably in the wet though 8-) bill what model are the sparkplugs, i`ll get some and do some heavy testing with them, I`m %95 sure that theres a common problem with all m100s that causes that wierd 2700 stall, hopefully ian will be ready with the ALDL thingy soon, and we can get more info on it, alternatively maybe we can find a dealer willing to part with a tech-1 with module for an afternoon ( yeah right ;-) )doug i`m still scanning away (theres a LOT of pages) one of my computers caught fire i put it down to the scanning :)

Sep 14, 1999 - 15:26 - From: Bill Luton
Title: plugs
Message: First try pulling your plugs out and checking the gap. If the gap has narrowed (normal over time but happens rather quickly in the 4XE1 turbo engines). Reset the gap and see if the problem goes away._______ On the Torquemaster plugs, those are available at: http://www.isuzuperformance.com/bills/engign.html#torquemaster . There really isn't a part number, TM classifies plugs by car model.________ Bill Luton

Sep 14, 1999 - 18:06 - From: Steve Mason
Title: mmmmmmm........................
Message: Doug, modify = change, nuff said ! Just for the record a UK spec Scooby has been proven to have a minium of 235 BHP unlike the amount Subaru claim, just adding an air filter, back box and super unleaded get near 280 BHP. David, interesting idea about the 8 years devolpment, I suppose if you had a model T Ford and upgraded it with a 60 litre V48 quad turbo (you get the picture) we could say that's the best. Subaru do not sell the 4WD turbo in the states, only I believe a 2.5 non turbo. I would love to be proven wrong on real figures from a track day, I suggest if you can get them get a stock elan, a "modified" elan, a stock Scoob turbo and a STI Scoob (Subaru Modified). Just another point, Although my Scoob does feel quicker than the elan 0-60 it feels miles faster between 60 and 120, more cc's playing a part maybe ? Question boys and girls....if your pocket knife trick is so effective why buy the superchips or other mods ? I only ask as I will soon be parting with hard earned and would rather spend it elsewhere if I can. I notice to my surprise nobody spat there dummy out over the understeer comment I previosley made, Do you agree ? surely not ?

Sep 15, 1999 - 01:16 - From: Andy Y
Title: Exotic valves
Message: Where you guys getting your precision valves??? I'm a bit embarassed, but I'm using a Walmart aquarium valve...around $ 2.49. Hell, it works...Andy.

Sep 15, 1999 - 02:25 - From: Jamie
Title: Speedo error?
Message: I have noticed a lot of people talking about speedo error on this board. I too agree and think the speedo is off at certain speed (around 70thru 90), but I ran my car in Sac with 15.48 at 89 MPH. My speedo seemed to be accurate at that speed. Has anyone else run his or her car for E.T's and/or had their car time trapped?

Sep 15, 1999 - 02:27 - From: Doug
Title: Sick of subarews
Message: Okay, how about a better car to compare to the Elan? Like one that you can look at without getting the heaves. And speaking of getting the heaves looking at a car, should we consider the MZ3 as "modified"???--for it is a wimpy "original" guttless Z3 1.9L with a 3.2L engine?? Or how about the "Boxster S"?? If I were to put an Esprit V8 engine in the Elan (salivating just thinking about it) could we call it a new "version" of the Elan instead of a "modified" one?? Does "changing" the tires or the oil count as "modifying" the car?? If so I am guilty, Your Honor!

Sep 15, 1999 - 03:13 - From: David
Title: Paint and Elans that never came
Message: Has anyone been successful in getting Lotus to pay for the crappy clearcoats that seem to plague all of the calypso red elans? I have been running around trying to find anyone who will take the job and not try and charge me for as much as I bought the car. This is clearly a factory defect that should have resulted in a paint recall. Heck if GM was willing to repaint tens of thousands of worthless boats like the Olds Delta 98 then Lotus should step up on the Elans. Lets try and document all the clearcoat problems and deliver the facts in force to Lotus, send any info to my email and I will try to get them to do something. Lets be real about this subadoo situation, we're not talking about dumping a modern V8 into a Model T but doing mods and tweaks to the existing platform just like Subaru did with their car. The only difference is that we have to do it ourselves because Lotus was incapable of maintaining jack Sh*t in the way of management, product development, and effective marketing for the Elan. If Lotus was'nt being bought out every two seconds and could maintain product Lines I,m sure they would have come up with juicer versions like everyone else does in the Carworld.

Sep 15, 1999 - 03:52 - From: dimitri
Title: for Bill Luton
Message: I am interested in urethane bushing sets for my Elan. Fax 0030-31-241210

Sep 15, 1999 - 07:33 - From: dimitri
Title: elan vs impreza
Message: On Sunday, I have done better times on the track with my Elan (adjusted for 195 bhp + AP brakes + Quaife LSD + Renault motorsport wheels + AVO adjustable shocks) in comparison with my Impreza (255bhp) GT turbo (1':32" Elan, 1':33,5" Impreza - average times) but in the real Greek road (very bad) Imprezza is unbeatable from any other car.

Sep 15, 1999 - 08:21 - From: Rod Little
Title: Speedo Error
Message: Jamie, my M100 speedo is indeed out by quite a way, I checked it against my GPS on straight, flat runs. I forget by how much ( but could test it again if anyone is interested ). I assumed all speedos read wrong, but when I checked my other car ( a modern thing ), that speedo was in fact very accurate. I believe Lotus speedos have always read low and factory 0-60 times are normally easy to beat.

Sep 15, 1999 - 11:34 - From: Colin
Title: Holes
Message: Doug, Could you please be more specific on hole size in the wastgate pressure line. It it a pinhole or something with a definate dimension? EG 1mm. and does position in the line affect the effect? Thanks, Colin

Sep 15, 1999 - 12:01 - From: David
Title: speedo
Message: All the stuff that I have heard puts the speedos off by 10%. Can that be high or low? If its low then I owe the CHP an apology and would also be ready to take on the super Boos. I am pretty sure though that mine reads high.

Sep 15, 1999 - 14:34 - From: Doug
Title: Clarifications
Message: Colin, the "hole" I mentioned was only an illustrative one--it is akin to a manual boost controller, which is essentially "a controlled hole" on the line. I have put a page up recently to describe this all--see the upgrades section. And regarding sppedo error, I wrote a while ago that I did the GPS test and found it to be about 5MPH faster than actual thruout all normal speeds. I think the engineers screwed up the speedo with their tire diameter size calculations or something--also this was an "off the shelf" GM part, so we can blame GM for the faulty engineering!

Sep 15, 1999 - 15:00 - From: Colin (UK)
Title: Can anyone help?
Message: I`m looking to purchase a 92 K reg Elan and would appreciate any honest comments from other owners regarding problems with these cars in general. I have also a few questions if anyone could help: 1) I here that there is a constant problem with the roof leaking, water in the boot space (trunk) etc. Is there any truth in this myth? 2) With regards to servicing, is it necessary to go to a recognised Lotus garage or will any one do? 3) Do spares cost a lot compared to a regular car, and is this likely to be a costly item every time I put my car in for service? 4) How often do you find your cars need servicing? 5) I know it is possible to increase the BHP from 165 to over 200 by using a Superchip, but is this viable and beneficial? Can it be done with ease? 6) By replacing certain items that are `stock` on the car such as a K&N Filter, larger exhaust etc., would this be beneficial or a waste of money and time? 7) What is the life-span of the turbo fitted on the car and are they very problematic? 8) Is it possible to lower the suspension to give a more road-hugging appearance? 9) Where and for how much in the UK can I purchase a set of S2 alloys? 10) When mounting speakers, multi-play CD, amps etc. on the interior, has anyone got any good ideas on discrete positioning of such items? 11) What is a `Nardi` steering wheel? Finally, can anyone dispell the myth that LOTUS stands for Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious?

Sep 15, 1999 - 18:17 - From: Bill Luton
Title: Exhaust Systems
Message: Stan just emailed me pictures of the prototype exhaust system for the 1989-94 Elan M100. Thank you Mark for lending your car for prototyping. I have posted a picture of the exhaust system on the internet at http://www.isuzuperformance.com/gifs/partsgifs/Rim00017.jpg If you look carefully, Stan has numbered the pieces. #1 is the down pipe with flex joint. #2 is the main catalytic converter. #3 is the long pipe that runs the length of the car. #4 is the Magnaflow muffler. The precat eliminator is not pictured because the design for that was done with the 1991 Impulse RS AWD Turbo down pipe and we will just be reusing that piece with the new system for the Elan. That precat eliminator can bee seen on the 91 Impulse RS down pipe at http://www.isuzuperformance.com/gifs/partsgifs/shbill07p.jpg Again, this is all 2 1/2 inch diameter, aluminized steel, mandrel bent pipe. Secures to the OEM hangers. No modification of the vehicle. High flow 2 1/2 inch catalytic converter. High flow Magnaflow straight through performance muffler with welded lap joint construction (http://www.magnaflow.com). I will get pricing and add this item to our catalog as soon as I can, which will probably be next Tuesday, we are going down to the NOPI Nationals Motorsports Supershow in Atlanta this weekend, leaving tomorrow morning. Bill Luton

Sep 15, 1999 - 18:54 - From: charlie
Title: colin 8)
Message: 1) yes 2) it depends on what you can afford, you`ll pay more for lotus service, but it might just be worth it you can use most, chances are you`ll been in more often than the actual recommended lotus checkpoints anyway. most garages can deal with it, but expect to have trouble locating most parts from non lotus people. 3) some parts cost 3 times as much, some are about the same, some are a little cheaper. windshield $550, rotors $150, lotus wheel caps $50, brake pads $150, tiny triangular piece of plastic $110 4) for routine service just the stanrard recommended, oil change every 2500-3000 miles dependant on who you believe, 5) its beneficial of you can afford it and you want to go faster, if you`re a poseur who just likes to drive around flashing your teeth then probably not, if you`re a speed demon then you wouldn`t be asking ;) its easy to do, but time consuming and the cars off the road for a short while, 6) some are a waste of time, some aren`t again its a time argued thing, air filter helps somewhat, how much isn`t really known, more air flow = cooler engine = better running, same for exhaust, bigger free`er flowing exhaust = better performance, too a point of course, engine `mood` enhancers etc , long molecules anything that claims drag or funny cars use without any problems are probably not worth it, unless you change your engine every week or so 7) turbos are IHI decent, i`ve not heard of any problems, i had a bolt drop out of the housing which made it very noisy but thats it, going on 8 years now.. *0 its possible to lower it, but the drag factor and noise caused by the cars underside scraping along the road might cause some consternation and performance problems, probably best to leave it as it is, its pretty low already IMHO. 9) lotus i`d imagine, no idea on price though try chris neil 10) its a steering wheel made by `Nardi` ( is that a trick question ? ) .. no more trouble than most hand built medium expense sports cars of that age 8-) but more trouble than say a ford fiesta or a saturn.

Sep 15, 1999 - 21:13 - From: Mark Hains
Title: Stan Stan the exhaust system man
Message: I just returned home from picking up the Lotus from Stans muffler shop. I must say that Bill Luton and Stan seem to have done a bang up job on the exhaust system. To me the build quality looks first rate, and the muffler and cat look to be of very high quality (and I consider myself the picky sort). Stan had a rather large pile of scrap pipe as a result of his obsession to having a perfect fit. I can't comment on how well it works yet, they removed the system to build jigs and I'll get my system in a week or 2. I'm really looking forward to getting it on the car, I'll post again when it's on the car and let you know the results. :~) Mark

Sep 16, 1999 - 00:31 - From: Doug
Title: Exhaust
Message: Mark, the pictures look great--thanks for loaning your car! I am turning the couch cushions and checking all my coats and pants for loose change. After I get the new exhaust I will have a slightly used new downpipe for sale cheap!

Sep 16, 1999 - 01:34 - From: Roy Bailey
Title: Bloody Lights !!
Message: Hola All, Went to turn my headlights on this morning and ... Up they popped...on came the lights...Then...lights go out !!??** Light pods will now only travel up automatically and will only go back down manually. Headlights do not work at all, Full beam works fine. I have checked every fuse on the car (side of the footwell and under the huge oval dash panel) but I can't find a reason. Tried to find an electrical diagram, looked in the service manual only to find out that there is another manual dedicated to electrical diagrams !! I'm wondering if my problem could be a relay ?? Any one had this problem ? Anyone got any ideas before I start tearing out looms ??!! Regards to all

Sep 16, 1999 - 09:27 - From: Mark Hains
Title: Exhaust
Message: Doug, my engine is still stock. You and the others who have upgraded your turbo's should love this system. The pipe is really big and is said to be able to flow well even with engines pumping out over 300 hp. Btw, my car has 22,000 miles on it and the stock exhaust already has two cracks. The stock unit is poorly designed and a cheap piece of crap. I guess this is one of the pieces they cheaped out on to be able to come in at the price point they were looking for. The flex piece in the new system should solve the cracking problem.~Mark~

Sep 16, 1999 - 10:21 - From: Dean
Title: RE: Can anyone help?
Message: I think I can answer a few of your questions. I have owned my Elan for about 18 months and use it as a daily driver. US driving is a bit different from over there but ... 1. After learning how to position the front of my top I no longer get many leaks. I had a few drops from the passenger's side while driving home from work in driving rain of hurricane Floyd yesterday (I had one brief stall while at idle, other than that the car pushed through the standing water without a hitch. Yes, I know that is not what Lotus driving is all about). I did have to drill an additional drain hole in the trunk. There are a few wells that seem to collect water. 4. In 14,000 miles of driving I have had the car in for other than normal servicing 3 times (fix cooling, re-fix cooling, broken vibration damper on the exhaust pipe) and it needs one more (recharge air-conditioning). 5. I don't have any personal experience with Superchip but I have heard several people whose automotive opinions I respect tell me that there are better ways of making horse power. 11. "Nardi" is a brand name for very nice and very expensive steering wheels. They have some nice wheels in the classic wood rim style. 11+. Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious. (LOTUS). Excepting the Elan; if you think of Lotus as an exotic rather than a Chevy, no. Think of the Elan's maintenance needs as a BMW "M" and you should be OK. There is more information on some of theses subjects buried on my site. http://home.att.net/~giacopassid/index.html

Sep 16, 1999 - 10:21 - From: JJ
Title: Headlight problems
Message: Roy, with regards to your wayward headlight pods someone once told me that the bulbs seem to be part of the motor circuit. They had similar problems with raising/lowering but once they replaced the blown bulb/s everything was fine. Just an idea, may be worth a try, let us know if there's any truth to it.

Sep 16, 1999 - 12:21 - From: Thomas
Title: Roof adjustment
Message: Dean, would you kindly share your knowledge on the roof adjustment with all of us?? That will help us prepare for our rain season. Thanks very much!

Sep 16, 1999 - 15:00 - From: charlie
Title: electrical manuals
Message: roy i have the manuals, after doug kindly paid out of his own pocket to lend them to me to scan, i have a list of high priority parts to scan so i`ll do it for tomorrow.

Sep 17, 1999 - 00:29 - From: Doug
Title: FAQ Listing
Message: I am posting this in hopes of finding someone to write a draft for a FAQ List!!! I would love to do it myself, but I am busy doing other things to the site. If anyone has time to write some FAQs and answers I (we all) would appreciate it!! Perhaps if a few people work on it together it can be very nice--just think of the things that get asked all the time and start answering them! Thanks.

Sep 17, 1999 - 14:28 - From: Jeff
Title: Finally
Message: For those who have been curious to see watch a work in progress - here is the link to the new addition to my Elan web. For those of you who are curious you can check out the seats, rear strut bar, manual boost gauge and the like. If anyone has specific questions - feel free to ask. Hope you all have a good weekend. - Jeff home.earthlink.net/~scythe1969/myelan.htm

Sep 17, 1999 - 18:21 - From: Doug
Title: Bravo, Jeff
Message: Nice addition to your site, Jeff. I guess you finally had time between Elan upgrades to upgrade your site too. The seats look sweet!--I bet you're getting some good comments about them! Are there other colors available as I'm sure I'm not the only one who is wondering?? How much are they?? Also I don't know of the real utility of the Superchip--I got this before I knew all that I know now. I'm glad I have it but I am not sure if Superchips really makes a difference. You can try to get them to tell you what they change on the chip--but I tried this to no avail! I do not tell people to get it as the boost is safely raised without it! Steve P. will work on the FAQ, please contact him if you would like to help.

Sep 17, 1999 - 18:41 - From: Steve Mason
Title: Now Now
Message: Now now Doug, remember looks aren't important (it ain't pretty though). There is nothing wrong with mods, my point is it gets far too complicated to compare cars this way so standard is at least a level playing field. Standard is any model a manufacturer releases, a BMW Z3 M roadster is a legite model under this criteria. As for your comments on tyres etc I assume you were not feeling well......whats next ? filled with petrol is modified ? give me a break ! Like the idea of a V8 Elan, I believe the Esprit V8 is the Worlds smallest ? will it fit ? is anyone mad enough to try it ? David, good points about Lotus management, there was going to be a 2+2 and a tin top and no doubt faster versions. I think you and others may have been confused by this 8 years of devolpment line, the devolpment was not really on power, it only increased slightly over the years, it was more suspension, brakes and refinement (car and powertrain). Dimitri, interesting figures, got any friends with a standard Elan and a STI Scoob so we can get the full picture ?, amazed you reckon your Scoob is quicker than a heavily modded Elan on real roads ? Why do you think this is ? In theory your Elan should be faster, better power to weight and all that, is it the 4WD ? I was hoping that modding my Elan to the 200BHP mark would get me off the Scoob Fix's I crave.

Sep 17, 1999 - 21:25 - From: Rupert
Title: pictures
Message: As we all know, this is a truly great site. But, for the none owners like myself could we have a special pictures section to view these fabulous creatures?????????????

Sep 18, 1999 - 10:45 - From: Doug
Title: Pictures
Message: Rupert, I agree! I keep saying to mail me pictures! I am working on getting a Gallery up soon!!

Sep 18, 1999 - 17:47 - From: Jade
Title: V8? Christie's Auction
Message: Rather than the Lotus V8 wouldn't it be easier to find a totaled S4S and take the 300hp twin turbo 4 and put it in to the Elan. I stil think that is what Lotus should have done in the first place. They had the parts just plug them in. I just received the new issue of SPI and in the back it always has an auction report. This months was Christie's Auction at the Peterson Museum in LA on June 19. The fist car mentioned is a Yellow Elan and it sold for $23k. But this is what Keith Martin of Sports Car Market had to say, "1991 Lotus Elan Turbo SE.... Only 546 Elans were imported in 91, he tells a little about the car, Now after after storage & insurance and not being driven, has lost 50% of it's value. The Lotus Elan Turbo SE, with its Isuzu engine, whoopee cushion exhaust note and front wheel drive, is the Porsche 924 of Loti, and never likely to appreciate". I would venture to guess he has never driven one & I would ask him to name any Sports Car that is almost 10 yrs old that has not depreciated that much. Just take a look at the 91 NSX for example, nice car but it can be purchased for around $25-28k. I was not happy to have the car compared to the 924 either. The saving grace of the Magazine is that it has the best article I have ever read on the Esprit Turbo, they drove it from LA to San Fran. in 5 hrs. I think that should be a challenge for you guys on the west coast. Let me know if any one has an extra twin turbo 4 laying around.

Sep 18, 1999 - 19:03 - From: Mark Hains
Title: Limited slip differential
Message: I am curious if anyone has installed a limited slip differential in their Elan. If so how hard was it to do and how pleased are you with the results? I've read what was available on this subject elswhere on this site, but nothing was said about how hard it was to install or if it's something that we must have to achive nirvana. My best guess would be that in 200+ hp applications it would really help to get the power down and help control torque steer. Sounds like a prime subject for a review....Thanks ~Mark~

Sep 18, 1999 - 19:06 - From: Jade
Title: Jeff seats and comparisons
Message: Jeff the seats look great, reminds me of the F40 seats. How are they as a daily driver and long trips? I am sick of hearing about the scooby comparisons why don't you tell us how the Elan stacks up against your M3 and supercharged and turbo MR2s. It is raining is south florida so I have nothing better to do today but surf. jade

Sep 18, 1999 - 21:23 - From: gregory
Title: Yellow Elan
Message: Looking for the perfect yellow elan. No, I won't pay more than $25,000 for one. Get over it. It's a cool car, but it's not worth a dime more. Let me know what you have, and will talk.

Sep 18, 1999 - 23:16 - From: Jeff
Title: Update and other stuff
Message: First off; for you Doug I have revisited my page and added cost for all items. To answer your questions, there are few seats that fit as well as the Clubman but you can fit the Vitek, two of the Recaros, two of the Konigs, one of the Vitek Racing, one of the Corbeaus and two of the Sparcos. The Clubman comes in red, black, red/black and leather. They start at $250 and move on up from there. I am really enjoying them and even though they're not leather I they are comfortable for short and long trips. The only set back is that getting out of the car is tricky when the top is down; skirts do not bode well with them - Thank God my girlfriend rolls with the punches :) But, I will say this, for spirited driving - they are the bomb! All I have to do now is point and steer. And now for all the comparison talk . . . I love two seater sports cars - beyond that I love cars that are unique, hence the M and the Elan. Here is my two cents on the comparisons; stock and out of the box all three claim similiar 0-60 times. The MR-2 6.7, the M3 6.5 and the Elan 6.7. Of course on the street the numbers are irrelevant. Theoretically my M is quicker off the line of course this is due to not having a turbo. The MR-2 and Elan will probably catch pretty quick and then its a dead heat to the finish line. As for real life its difficult to make comparisons because I am a mod freak and nothing I drive stays stock for long. If I were to make a choice, with everything considered, I would pick the MR-2 as the overall winner. With a little under $3,000 I was able to build up a car that dynoed 292hp at the rear wheels, handled like gum on a hot day, and felt safe at speed. Now, the car that I would like to be in an accident with would be the M3. It feels much more solid than either of the other two and performs just as well. I have extensive mods on the M3 and right now it is my quickest car. She's dynoed at 280HP at the rear wheels and I have a race clutch, racing flywheel and race slip-diff. Basically I can slam her into gear and floor it - no fuss, no muss. As much as I love the Elan, the appeal for me is more for the exotic nature than the performance. Even with all the stuff I've tacked on so far I just can't get the Elan to be the Camaro Z28/Corvette buster my MR-2 was. Along with all that, there is the torque steer issue I don't like and then of course the fit/finish of the car. I get picked on by a lot of things but sometimes I am surprised to find out that I'm losing to some Integra/Honda with only about $1,500 worth of bolt-ons. Anyway, those are my 2 cents worth on the comparisons. The Elan is a great car, but an NSX it ain't . . . Comments of course are always welcome :)

Sep 19, 1999 - 21:09 - From: Peter Seow
Title: Window Regulator Fixes
Message: Is there anyone who can fix window problems - motor's working but can't ascend only able to descend. Is there a Jake in florida who can do it ???? Window problem seems quite common and it usually the regulator but dealer want the whole window system changed

Sep 20, 1999 - 06:33 - From: Peter Seow
Title: Car Fights
Message: There seems to be so much arguement on which car is better. Personally I think that the Elan is the best (esp in S'pore). The Elan is the cheapest car in second term in S'pore of all the cars compared. I have competeted with my much unmodified elan(165 Bhp). It was certainly faster than an evoIV round the coner on par with the subaru(280 Bhp) round the conner or even faster loses in poor road condition and straitght line sprints Beats 911 flat round conners. It's certainly the most exciting car I've own. I've used BMW's etc... It might lose overall only to a ferrari(new ones only) and perhaps Lambros. An Elan giveen slight mods beats subarus round the track(like what people have mentioned). Maintaince is certianly cheaper than Porsche or the rest esp is S'pore where road is based on cc s

Sep 20, 1999 - 12:14 - From: Jason
Title: Handling Comparisons, Residual Values
Message: Interesting point from Jeff about loosing out to only slightly modified Hondas/ Integras. I've owned a few Honda's, and the closest thing to the Elan I have ever driven in terms of FWD handling is the Integra Type R. I think the handling is at least on a par with the Elan (hey - its my opinion). Where The elan beats it though is its ability to get between the corners,not just getting round them - ie second and third gear (and its a convertible :) ). The comparison to the 924 is utter Bo****ks. In the UK the Elan holds its value better than the Elise for year on year depreciation! Late, low mile elans sell now for up to 27500 UKP (3500 UKP over the list price in 96!!!). An Elise hasn't sold for over list in a long time, and residuals will drop (as they are now) as the numbers / availability increases - we wont have this problem with the Elan!

Sep 20, 1999 - 13:26 - From: Roger
Title: Backfire and Washer fluid
Message: My car has backfired twice recently, once while accelerating in first gear (quite hard) and once going about 80mph when i had to take my foot off the gas really quick because some idiot pulled out in front of me. Should I be concerned?. Also each time I fill my washer resevoir it emties through the jets on the hood most noticeably when parked on an incline, it is obviously due to gravity but surely it shouldn't completely empty, I have already tried a new pump but still have the same problem any ideas? Thanks Roger NH

Sep 20, 1999 - 13:27 - From: Rod Little
Title: Residual Values
Message: Jason, don't get me wrong I think an Elan is worth every penny of 27,500 ukp, however, whilst I am seeing Elan prices firm up and Elises drop. I have not seen an Elan actually sell for that much ( I'm just west of London ). It does mean that my dealer was pointing out I could change my 7 year old 50k mile Elan for an relativly new Elise with 6k miles with only a small ammount of cash changing hands. The bubble has certainly burst on the Elise sales. I have managed to talk the g-f into a delayed decision until next spring :-)

Sep 20, 1999 - 13:30 - From: Rod Little
Title: Backfire and Washer fluid
Message: Roger, I don't suffer backfire, but the water washer "dribble" is pretty well known I believe. I notice it when I have spend ages washing the car and leave it for a while. Suggest you run with the washer bottle half full.

Sep 20, 1999 - 16:21 - From: charlie
Title: backfire and hopping around 2700rpm
Message: is there anyone getting this who doesn`t have the superchips upgrade ? Lets try and narrow it down.. see if its just modded cars or all of them.

Sep 20, 1999 - 18:54 - From: Jade
Title: Backfire - window fix
Message: Charlie I have the 2700rpm monster but NO superchip. I am going to look at my plugs, now that I think about it I did not have the problem, or at least as bad, before I changed plugs. I do get the backfire every once in while. I thought it was do to the removal of my pre-cat. I just sent Doug my write up on the window fix, so if anyone needs it, it is on its way. I will do the headlights as well (someday). Jade

Sep 20, 1999 - 23:31 - From: Bill Luton
Title: diffs
Message: Installation time on the diff in the less exotic cars with the Isuzu 76 mm transmission is listed in the labor manual as 7.6 hours. This involves removal and reinstallation of the transmission and disassembly and reassembly of the transmission. Most tranny shops can do this more quickly because they have invested in the specialized tools that reduce time and make things easier (but don't expect them to charge you less than book because they do have to pay for those special tools and the technical knoledge to use those tools). I watched my tranny guy pull the tranny out of my car in about 12 minutes after he did a test drive. Most tranny guys can do the Isuzu trannys in their sleep because they are so common. I do not know if the raft on the bottom of the Elan adds any time. The diff helps tremendously with 130 HP, with 200 HP, it would make a huge improvement. As for torque steer, I keep catching myself not holding onto the steering wheel while warming up the front tires in the burnout box and then quickly grab the wheel before any of the track officials see that I am in the process of having the tires fully lit without even holding the steering wheel. No more torque steer to say the least. Bill Luton

Sep 21, 1999 - 13:54 - From: charlie
Title: Backfire
Message: Looks like bills right about the backfiring being related to the spark plugs, i haven`t verified it yet but heres a diagnostic for you. Backfire: Fuel ignites in intake manifold or in exhaust system, making a loud popping noise. Check: For possibility of misfiring, crossfiring or cutting under load or at idle. (sound familiar?). Locate misfiring cylinder(s) by performing the following test :- 1. Start your engine. disconnect idle air control (IAC) valve (rear side of engine). Remove one spark plug wire rom a spark plug and ground it against the engine. 2. note drop in engine speed. 3. repeat for all four cylinders. 4. Stop engine and reconnect idle air control valve. If the engine speed dropped equally (within 50 rpm) on all cylinders, See "rough Unstable or Incorrect Idle, Stalling" (i`ll do that next) symptom. If there was no drop or excessive variation in engine speed on one or more cylinders check for spark on the respective cylinder(s) with spark tester(T000T0901). if spark is present, remove the spark plugs from the cylinder(s) and check for the following. Cracks, Wear, Improper Gap, Burned Electrode, Heavy Deposits. Intake manifold gasket for leaks. Ignition system for moisture, dust cracks burns, etc. Spray plug wireswith fine water mist to check for shorts. ECM and ignition system for faulty grounds. secondary ignition voltage ouput with (T000T0901) tester. For vacuum leaks at intake manifold gasket. Engine vavle timing and compression. For work or incorrect basic engine parts such as cam, heads, pistons etc. Be careful with the spark plug wires and since you have the engine running ! take care of belts etc. Note: that the diagnostic for hesitation, sag or stumble contains the same information... + a few other things such as the fuel filter/air filter. since the main thing they deal with is the spark plugs it seems as if, as bill said, its likely that they are causing the backfiring and hesitation..

Sep 21, 1999 - 15:17 - From: Bill Luton
Title: Elan Exhaust Systems
Message: I've crunched numbers all day and have the pricing on the Elan M100 exhaust systems: Complete system in aluminized finish, $799.00 USD. Down pipe only in 2400 degree light grey ceramic coat and the catalytic converter to the tail pipe in aluminized finish, $899.00 USD. Complete system in light grey 2400 degree ceramic coat finish, $1,049.00 USD. Shipping within the US is $40.00. I can quote prices for overseas shipping if that is needed. Bill Luton

Sep 21, 1999 - 15:53 - From: David
Title: Exhaust
Message: Bill will the exhaust be California legal or will we have to do the switcherroo at smog time? Also any clue on performance gain? Thanks David

Sep 21, 1999 - 20:03 - From: Bill Luton
Title: exhaust
Message: I'm not sure if California requires CARB approval for down pipes. The manifold will be OEM. The precat eliminator will be a no-no and would require either switching or you would have to find an inspector that did not know it had a precat. These precat eliminators are being sold with the express instructions that they not be used and if the customer uses them anyway, that is going to be the customer's responsibility. The EPA and CARB guys are real killjoys. The down pipe shouldn't be a problem though. The replacement cat will most likely outperform the original for polution reduction, it will be newer and they will have had nine more years to improve catalytic converters in comparison to your OEM unit. After the catalytic converter, there are no EPA/CARB rules, only that the exhaust exit the rear of the car. The precat is the only real emissions/technicality issue. With the system installed without that precat eliminator it is totally emissions compliant and will not change weather or not you will pass the sniff test from the OEM system. With the precat eliminator in place, as lomg as the engine (exhaust and cat) is warmed up to opperating temperature, it will pass without the precat. I've heard from more than a few people who have been able to pass without even the main cat, but that depends a lot on keeping the engine in good shape. Bill Luton

Sep 22, 1999 - 08:25 - From: Will
Title: Elan prices
Message: I can't agree with some of the comments about Elan residual prices. My car is a good condition 50k mile H reg car, and nobody outside of the Lotus dealer network will offer me more than 10k ukp for it (which is the Glass' guide price at the moment). Although that's still pretty good for a 9 year old car (list was about 22k I think), against a main dealer price of 17k 18 months ago I'm pretty dissapointed. I think it's just reached the point where it is an "old" car. Anyway, I'm afraid I've jumped ship and traded it for a 1996 Elise, which I'll be getting sometime this week. I got 12k on trade in for it, and I don't think I'd get any more than that selling privately in a reasonable timeframe. What were the figures your dealer was talking about to swap the 50k 7 year old Elan for a 6k Elise? I'm skeptical to say the least.

Sep 22, 1999 - 08:39 - From: Will
Title: Elise (no flames please)
Message: As you can see from my last post, I've sold the Elan and bought an Elise. I'm very sorry to see the Elan go, but I think it was the right thing to do. I've really enjoyed reading (sometimes contributing) to these Elan pages, and will continue to read them. If you guys are interested I'll still post on how I'm finding the Elise, as I'm sure a lot of Elan owners are considering doing the same. Impressions and expectations so far (based only on a test drive) are 1) Huge fun to drive in the dry, don't be a pillock in the wet 2) I'll miss the Elan's roof (but I will have a hardtop on the Elise which will probably compensate), 3) less practical, I will use it to commute to work (30miles/day) so we'll get a better idea pretty soon! 4) Elise running costs are lower, fuel economy is better, service costs are less, service interval is longer. Just don't mention the tyres... 5) couldn't bear to be without a Lotus, an Esprit would bankrupt me. In the final analysis the only real competitor (TVR Chimaera) was just too damn scary to own. I want to make it clear that I'm not trying to start an Elan vs Elise war here (try alt.cars.lotus for that) as any Lotus is pretty special in my book.

Sep 22, 1999 - 08:42 - From: Will
Title: Last one honest - Elan prices part II
Message: If anybody wants to offer me usefully more than the trade in I've received on my Elan (it'll have to be in the next 24 hours mind) to prove me wrong on my pessimism about residuals, you could land yourself a bargin! (1990H Elan SE turbo, Pacific Blue, 54k miles, Janspeed exhaust, FLSH, new tyres & front pads & discs)

Sep 22, 1999 - 13:45 - From: charlie
Title: sparkies
Message: i changed mine yesterday, i used AcDelco RapidFire(5) with a 1.143mm gap (0.045) NGK`s were special order, these should be compatible with BKR6E`s that were in, the shops said they were the best they had about $3.99 each. They`re GM really so who knows. Anyway i drove hard to work this morning making sure lots of 2000-4000 rpm pedal to the floor kind of stuff, and no more stuttering, i`m going to test the hot start idle cut out shortly, when i go off to starbucks,I heartily recommend changing the plugs if you`ve got the stutter, for about $15 and 10 minutes of work its well worth it so far. Thanks to Bill Luton for the TIP. (if you go looking for sparkies, lotus probably won`t be listed so use the 91 impulse RS XE41-MT) ------------------------------ Will sorry to see you go, have fun with the elise, i was in the market for an elan when i left england 3 years ago, and they were all 18-25k, still i wouldn`t say no to a 10k elan 8-). specially with lotus selling new engines for 1k. ------------------------------- Bill question about the exhaust is it significantly louder than the stock ? Unlike the rest of the worlds it seems, I prefer a quiet exhaust. AFAIC its a mark of good engineering 8) a well tuned exhaust, tone wise anyhow. I hate harleys ;)

Sep 22, 1999 - 14:16 - From: Jeff
Title: Spark Plugs and some freebies
Message: If you're in the market for the spark plugs Doug had me check with Pep Boys and you can order the NGK stock plugs from them. Now for something totally different - I found some film in the garage and low and behold; pictures from our summer get-together. Also, since I find myself with spare time at work I have made some Elan wallpapaper for your Mac/PC. I have made it in the 1024x768 size so its rather large, but you can resize it with PhotoShop/Painshop Pro on the PC and PhotoShop/JPEGview on the Macintosh. The .bmp file is compressed is .zip format so you Mac users will need stuffit expander or MacZip to get at it. You can check out the pictures or get the wallpaper here: http://home.earthlink.net/~scythe1969/elan.htm Enjoy!

Sep 22, 1999 - 14:37 - From: charlie
Title: starbucks
Message: just got back, no cut outs, usually i get two or three on the way back, but nice quiet 1k rpm at idle. You can get NGK special ordered almost anywhere, kragen etc. Theres two types for the elan, with different gaps mine had the 6E`s, the owners manual gives the specs.

Sep 22, 1999 - 16:23 - From: randy
Title: wipers
Message: does anyone know where to get new wiper blades? so far all I have found is the arm and blade at a dealer for $90 each. thanks,

Sep 22, 1999 - 16:28 - From: charlie
Title: sparkies again
Message: i`ve added a simple install procedure and diagnostic to my web page. wwww.charliex.net

Sep 22, 1999 - 18:12 - From: David
Title: remote radar
Message: I remember reading somewhere that somebody had put a remote radar detector in their Lotus I believe it was one of the bell models. Can anyone point me in the right direction to where I might have seen that write up. They talked about using one of the dummy switchs on the dash to house the readout.

Sep 23, 1999 - 00:26 - From: Andy Y
Title: Radar Det. options...
Message: Hey-David, It could have been mine...I remember mentioning it as one of the options I have...I went for the fixed install, so that I don't worry about prying hands helping themselves to a free radar...as you know...the glove box offers no confidence towards security, so the only option was to inconveniently take the radar off the glass, also the radio face...and tuck it away in the trunk...But if you don't mind Slightly modifying the Elan, you can permanently install a modular unit (This is a 4 part system ) It is comprised of the main radar unit ( I located it next to the intercooler in the grill), the laser unit ( It's on the windshield), the main controller (Under the dash cover), and finally the LED's (Light Emitting Diodes) (Located horizontally under the factory clock). It's a Whistler unit, but unfortunately...the company's in chapter 11, so hurry...and try to find one...There are many radar options, but I went with the Whistler for asthetic reasons...and because I'm biased...I am (was) a dealer...The K40 is also a good unit, but it's comprised of a single LED...looks pretty stupid...but @ $750...it's a proven unit...The Bel unit is also good, but it comes as a semi-modular system...The lights are housed in a casing similar to the full size radar, but only the front portion...I believe they're also in chapter 11...David, if you want digital pics...email me and I attach. it for ya'...oh yeah, I just upgraded my indash tv from 5.5" to 7" with the wide screen format for watching movies!!! Andy.

Sep 23, 1999 - 06:09 - From: Jason
Title: Wiper baldes
Message: Randy, I changed both of my blades a few months ago. They were 15 UKP each. This didn't include the arm. They were a bit of a pig to replace as the arm lifts so little. I know Ian H got some Bosch blades which he told me were fine - at about half the cost of the Lotus part.

Sep 23, 1999 - 06:22 - From: Jason
Title: Question for Will
Message: Will, If you don't mind sharing the info, can you tell me what you got for the elan as a trade in and what you paid for the elise. Was it from a Lotus Dealer? I'm going to swap my Elan in the near future, and I'm curious. Current possibles - Elise (Wife hates it), Honda S2000 (Wife indifferent), Audi TT (Wife loves it - suprise!).

Sep 23, 1999 - 08:41 - From: Rod Little
Title: ELAN Prices
Message: I'm only talking from my own experiances but Haydon Cars ( http://www.lotus-cars.com/ ) were quite keen to get their hands on my J reg 50mile Elan. Guess they like the fact that they know first hand all the history of the car, and at the time did not have any Elan's in stock. We never got to actual figures as I did not want to appear keen to change, but the sales guy certainly made me believe my car was worth 15k to him. At the same time he gave the impression ( eventually ) that Elise forcourt prices were flexiable. I know you have to be sensible and that as a trade in you may get a good price for the trade and pay whats on the screen of the new car, but I remember saying that I could not change for 5k and he said that we should still talk more. I declined at the time. I think I will have to review my Elan ownership next spring, just based on the fact that the car is getting old and will need more maintance. At this time I love it so much I could not bear to see it go. so will be interested in Elise ownership stories, from people that have ran Elan's.

Sep 23, 1999 - 08:53 - From: Will
Title: RE: Elan part ex prices
Message: Jason: I don't mind sharing the info. I paid 21k for the Elise, (1996P) which seems over the odds, but as well as low miles (15k) it has a nearly new hard top, sports exhaust & removable steering wheel. I got 12k for the Elan. Rod: I just did this deal with Haydon Cars (Actually Haydon Daytune, their Cambridge outfit). I had to fight him up from 10k (may just be that I'm a crap negotiator of course). If he offers you 15 for your Elan I'll kill him! Will

Sep 23, 1999 - 10:28 - From: Peter Seow
Title: Unsuitable cooling tempurature
Message: I believe that alot of elan owners out there would like the cooling fan to cut in at the 1/2 mark instead of 3/4 mark. I am working how to make it cut in at the 1/2 mark. I belive that most elan owners who drive it as an everday car may experience cooling system faliures especially in summer.If someone could provide me with a circuit layout/driagram of this cooling system(electrical) one . I should be able to add/remove some resistance.I think that most prefer their cooling system to cut in at that temp.

Sep 23, 1999 - 12:14 - From: Rod Little
Title: UK Web Page - HKS
Message: Perhaps the UK people will add http://www.tdi-plc.com/ to their favorites. Its the UK dealer for HKS products. Had an interesting chat with them just now trying to encourage them to think about offering solutions for Elan owners. I was looking to get the HKS Electronic Valve Controller ( EVC4 ) - an electronic bleed valve that checks the throttle body and only bleeds off the actua pipe when you get to 0.65 ( not all the while like a manual one ). It has a control panel in the car. I was a little interested as had seen 300usd mentioned. Was a tad sad when the UK dealer said 465ukp + vat + fitting :-(

Sep 23, 1999 - 12:14 - From: Doug
Title: Wipers, Cooling
Message: Randy, the wipers are made of a few pieces. The plastic piece at the root of the wiper pulls off to reveal the nut that holds the wiper in place. The wiper arm can be removed from the blade portion. The blade metal portion holds a "runner" piece which fits thru the metal fingers. Finally there is a wiper rubber blade that slides into the runner piece. It does cost a lot to replace the whole thing or just the entire blade assembly. I took mine off and just reconditioned them by painting and adjusting them. All you really need to do is go to any auto parts store and find a wiper REFILl that will fit the runner. You can cut a 1 cm piece of your current wiper off and take it to the store to find a matching one. Don't waste money getting new assemblies if all you need are new rubber blades! Peter, give the WaterWetter a try first! I swear that my car rarely ever gets up to 1/2 or even 3/4 unless I'm in traffic for a LONG time with it. Also I'd like to point out that the temp where the cooling fan kicks in is only about 110 degrees and this is only about 10 degrees above normal running temp and it really is NOT anything to worry about if the temp goes to or just over the 3/4 mark!!

Sep 23, 1999 - 12:21 - From: Rod Little
Title: Elan Prices
Message: Will, the Haydon Cars I use is in Salisbury, much as they claim to be the Haydon Group, I don't think they work like that really. I'm not in any way suggesting I can drive in today and get 15k. I think the middle of summer and maybe he had a buyer waiting for a car like mine. Also there appears to be a good demand for Lotus cars around the Salisbury area ( I always like driving on the roads down that way ! ). As I said I will be interested to see how you get along with the Elise, and perhaps also intested in what they try and sell you Elan for.

Sep 23, 1999 - 12:24 - From: Doug
Title: Electronic Boost Controllers
Message: Rod, you have stumbled into the realm of decreasing returns. Seamus had an HKS Elec. Boost Controller (EBC) in his Elan. The advantage of the electric one is the ability to adjust your boost limit real time as well as a real time boost gauge that is much more accurate than the dash mounted one. You do have to do a lot of set-up and programming runs to get it working right and this can be tiresome. Also I can say that trying to look at the gauge while accelerating with that big smile is pretty hard unless you put it over the steering wheel! My point is to point out that it IS a good product but that it will NOT perform ANY better than a manual valve which is properly set! In our car it is not needed---if you were to upgrade the turbo, get an aux ECU, and run higher boost, then I would say it is Essential to get it all programmed and running right. Spend the money on something else like shipping your car to CA for the next Elan Gathering!! Cheers.

Sep 23, 1999 - 13:50 - From: charlie
Title: gel coat
Message: I noticed that the gel coat is beginning to give front and rear now. Time for that respray, i fear. perhaps we should get all the CA owners together and find one place to do it at a massive discount or something equally unbelievable.

Sep 23, 1999 - 13:54 - From: charlie
Title: cooling
Message: I agree with doug, the cooling is set that high for a reason , the difference in temp between 1/2 and 3/4 is minimal. If you were to alter it you`d basically either change the sensor or youd have to raise the voltage coming out of the sensor slightly, shame its not the reverse voltage drop is a lot easier 8)

Sep 23, 1999 - 14:46 - From: David
Title: Paint
Message: Charlie I had posted a little while back that we should gather info on all the cars with clearcoat problems and present it to the Lotus Rep. I am still waiting to get emails from people with this problem. I have also been running around getting quotes on respray and its not pretty. the range I have from quality painters so far is ~3000 to 9000 dollars that right 9000. The problem is that they have to take all and I mean ALL the old clearcoat off the car because even if it looks stable now it will eventually let go. So everybody with bad clearcoat send me an email with a description and I will present our cases to the Lotus rep. --DPS--

Sep 23, 1999 - 19:10 - From: Jade
Title: Clear Coat
Message: Charlie, make sure you take that old clear coat off fist. I repainted my car 2 yrs ago and had it hand sanded down to the glass, had every thing removed (bumpers mirrors, hood,fin,trunk lid) and had the wheels pained and it was around $3k. It was repainted with Glasorit Paint (sp) which is designed for tropical climates. It was painted by the body shop that does all of Shelton Ferrari's work. Remimber this is a small car and does not take much paint. But also do not paint over that old crap because it will kill your new paint. It also took almost a month. They were slow but good and the price sounds like it was a steal. I have seen some 91 Esprit down here that are doing the same thing. Jade

Sep 24, 1999 - 17:45 - From: charlie
Title: clearcoat
Message: a friend has told me that their ford dealer said that the clearcoat on his car could be repaired without a respray, he has sprinkler damage. sounds interesting, since the alkaline water just seems to eat the clearcoat(its slightly acidic) , perhaps it can be removed somehow without damaging the paint, i bet its a trade secret of some kind,.

Sep 24, 1999 - 17:50 - From: charlie
Title: clearcoat (again) sorry doug!
Message: http://www.pssales.com/cpw.html - this talks about clearcoat repair as does this http://www.bignet.net/~cci/pcsurface.html anyone got any input ? snake oil?

Sep 25, 1999 - 09:51 - From: mark h.
Title: Clearcoat problems
Message: I have had no clearcoat problems and and also no colour fading problems and my car is red, which is considered an unstable colour. I can only suggest that obsessive waxing, garage storage, and a good car cover when parked under a summer sun have protected the clearcoat. Meguiar's waxes are the best I've found. I follow up their several step system with a good carnauba paste wax. I think the main thing is to wax the hell out of the car, the garage and car cover being secondary. Maybe you southern California guys need to rub on some SPF 39 or better sunscreen lotion on your car :~). On the other hand maybe I've just been really lucky. It is after all better to be lucky than good. ~mark~

Sep 25, 1999 - 09:58 - From: mark h.
Title: Clearcoat problems
Message: I have had no clearcoat problems and and also no colour fading problems and my car is red, which is considered an unstable colour. I can only suggest that obsessive waxing, garage storage, and a good car cover when parked under a summer sun have protected the clearcoat. Meguiar's waxes are the best I've found. I follow up their several step system with a good carnauba paste wax. I think the main thing is to wax the hell out of the car, the garage and car cover being secondary. Maybe you southern California guys need to rub on some SPF 39 or better sunscreen lotion on your car :~). On the other hand maybe I've just been really lucky. It is after all better to be lucky than good. ~mark~

Sep 26, 1999 - 02:47 - From: Jeff
Title: Its here!!
Message: For those of you who want the ultimate windscreen - Serious Auto now makes the windstop for the Elan. You can check it out here: http://www.seriousauto.com/windstop-elan.html. Order yours today . . .

Sep 26, 1999 - 10:51 - From: Peter Seow
Title: Water Leaks
Message: I have got sick of the water leaks and have decided to put a stop to it. I bought a monarch seal and cloth scotch tape from the DIY shop cost me S$25 only. I found that the seals would be tighter once the scotch tape was applied over the seal and the door really need extra seals. The stiil look as good as before and the water leaked stop finally. I didn't have any leaks even through a heavy down pour. There might be mist only!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sep 27, 1999 - 11:46 - From: Martin C
Title: hood repair
Message: Ever since I bought my car there has been a small cut in the hood. I've never been that bothered about it as it was so small it didn't leak. However, after a little inspection yesterday it looks like it has got bigger. It is now about 1.5 cm long and is fraying a bit. I hope it isn't spreading. Is this what they tend to do?? Therefore does any one know of any solutions to get this mended? Are there people in existence that sew them up or are there glues that can be applied to cover it up? PS Doug, still haven't had the balls to have a go at the manual boost upgrade!! I like to call it a time problem! :-} By the way Peter (from message above) what happens to the Scotch tape when you put your hood down?

Sep 27, 1999 - 12:04 - From: Jason
Title: Tape & Seals
Message: Peter, are you putting the tape over the seal and the glass? If so - what happens when you open the door? Ie surely this works if the car is stationary and you dont have to get in and out of it very often - or have I got the wrong end of the stick here?

Sep 27, 1999 - 13:24 - From: Doug
Title: Rips
Message: Martin, you should contact some auto top places and ask for repair advice. Living in Southern California there are plenty around, but I'm sure they are rarer where you are! You should definitely put something under the rip to plug the hole and keep the tension off the rip, so it won't spread. Like patching your jeans you will want to put some type of large patch about the area to keep the tension away from the area in question.

Sep 27, 1999 - 16:54 - From: Roger
Title: Oil for ITG
Message: I just installed the air filter upgrade from top end, I chose the ITG filter but I am not sure what oil to use on it. Can a suitable oil be found in the states does anyone know?.

Sep 27, 1999 - 17:56 - From: David
Title: operation clearcoat
Message: Just got off the phone with the Lotus rep in the states and he has agreed to submit our problem to the factory to see if they will step up to the plate and take care of these cars. What I need is each persons accounting of their individual clearcoat problem, and any accounting of why you would expect Lotus to cover this problem. Remember that the squeaky wheel gets the grease!!! get these to me ASAP. Ian I got your email but if you want send more details and I will edit the two together. --DPS--

Sep 28, 1999 - 08:29 - From: Peter Seow
Title: Tapes and seals
Message: I didn't place the tape over the glass and seal. I would be a ridiculous idea you can't get in and out. I place the tape on the seal (a layer over it and that's all) and extra seals on the foot panel. So far no leaks and it's raining twice a day.

Sep 28, 1999 - 13:37 - From: AndyV
Title: Help!
Message: First of all, hello all! I've been checking out this site and Randy's for the past 4-5 months whilst saving for a Lotus Elan. Two weeks ago I took ownership of a 1991 SE Turbo in Red with 55K miles on the clock. Sunday afternoon, I'm cruising along at 70mph (well, any more would be speeding now, wouldn't it!) when suddenly the revs drop and the engine finally stalls. I've read a lot about the CAS problems Elans suffer from, but there was no "Check Engine" light until it stalled. I would guess at a potential fuel blockage/timing problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and I'm still 100% impressed with the Elan - a marvel if ever I drove one!

Sep 28, 1999 - 13:55 - From: charlie
Title: engine cutting out
Message: thats a new one on me 8-) if the CAS goes open circuit the engine won`t run without it, but it ought to be a nonstart as opposed to a shut down, i`ve got no idea what would happen if the CAS went off completely while driving, i`d imagine the ECU would limit revs and slow you down. best thing probably is to take it to a dealer and get them to see if there any fault codes on it, it stores them for the last fifty starts. Most dealers won`t charge you just for looking up the code. The CAS will cause rough idle, sluggish performance, at around 70mph I doubt it`ll be anything do with it, as its more of a low speed device. More likely fuel system if the revs drop down.

Sep 28, 1999 - 14:12 - From: AndyV
Title: Re: my previous mail
Message: I just realised I probably didn't provide enough info on my problem, so here goes... first of all, I checked the obvious, and there was at least a quarter of a tank of fuel left. I checked under the bonnet, and checked for electrical cables frayed or come loose, and for pipes that may have perished. The only thing out of the ordinary was a slight perishing hose going into the intake manifold. The car would start again after around 5 minutes, and idle sweetly (well, went from 600rpm initially, then up to 1000rpm after about 5 seconds), but as soon as I'd travelled about 100 yards, the same problem. Pumping the accelerator made no difference. If I pressed the clutch while pumping the accelerator, it would help it slightly but cough and splutter and eventually refuse to remain running. My roof leaks too, big style. I 'accidentally' left it out overnight, and good 'ol England's heavens opened all night. The result... puddles on the floor behind the seats and the passenger seat drenched through! My only advice I can provide at this early stage in my Elan is that if you need a tow truck to take you home, make sure they send a slideback (where the entire back of the lorry comes down), not a front lifter. Due to the ground clearance it's actually borderline even on a slideback.

Sep 28, 1999 - 14:50 - From: charlie
Title: cutting out
Message: sorry to hear about all the troubles, if its the CAS you`ll get engine light on during running, so if thats not happening its probably not that. I`d go for the easiest thing first, the sparkplugs, they`ll give good indication on the state of the engine, whether the fuel mix is ok, if the plugs are ok, misfiring detonation etc. check the gap, if in doubt replace them, it won`t hurt. a quick visual check and a good gap checker. Also make sure they are the right kind of plugs, its possible to install incorrect `heat ranges`. If there are no problems with the plugs check for faulty plug wires, run the engine and spray a fine mist of water over the plug wires, watch for shorts and leakage. Obviously be careful. Next would be the fuel system, this is probably out of your scope to check, you need various custom tools to do a proper check,unless you really know what you are doing with it i`d suggest leaving it to a mechanic. Check the TPS voltage it ought to be around 0.40 volts +/- 0.02 volts with the throttle closed. Whats the emission like from the exhaust ? is it coughing or spitting, are there excessive deposits? My gut reaction is fuel, but its really hard to say, the sparkplugs might give you some clues there, as will the exhaust. you really need a pressure tester etc to do the fuel system, also, perhaps the fuel filter is blocked. Does the idle get to 1000rpm and stay right on it, if it doesn`t thats usually a CAS thing. theres so many causes of the problem, it means that theres lots of possible answers. sorry can`t be of more help, as much info as you can give would be helpful. Welcome to the lotus club , it gets better 8-)

Sep 28, 1999 - 14:54 - From: mark h.
Title: stalling problem
Message: I have not had this problem with my Elan. On other cars I've owned, a similar problem to the one you describe was a plugged fuel filter.good luck ~mark~

Sep 28, 1999 - 15:01 - From: Doug
Title: Andy's Troubles
Message: Andy, welcome! Sorry to hear of your problem. Please check the ALDL to see if there is a trouble code---the procedure is easy and I posted it in the "Repairs" section--then report back!! No good answer has come to me yet. The IAC will change the idle around a bit so that is probably your answer to that. I'd suspect a trouble code and the CAS is at the top of my list. It could also be a SHORT caused by the recent rain and humidity in your car!!

Sep 28, 1999 - 16:48 - From: AndyV
Title: Cutting Out probs
Message: Many thanks guys for your advice! It's good to know there's serious help and advice out there - you sure do know your Elans! The spitting from the exhaust occurred once a few days ago when I was waiting at some lights, but haven't had the problem reoccur since. I'll certainly check the ALDL before giving the go ahead for my main dealer to do work - although it almost certainly won't cost me anything this time round, since it's on a 1 year Lotus used car warranty (and after only 2 and a half weeks of ownership I reckon they won't kick up too much fuss!) Well, I'll treat this as being a good opportunity to get to know the electrics and mechanics a bit better! I'll finish by going onto a more optimistic subject - I already raced a couple of motors, nothing too steep to begin with, just an MX-5 and a Porsche 944 Turbo - what a buzz! How's the Elan SE Turbo against the infamous Impreza Turbos (22B / stock Turbo model / WRX etc)?

Sep 28, 1999 - 20:21 - From: Doug
Title: Not another scoobie-fest
Message: Andy, if yer looking for straight line acceleration, there are a number of faster cars than the Elan! If you go to the track, you will find out that you can pass just about anything in your Elan that your driving skills are up to!! We've all had enough with the car comparasons this month.

Sep 29, 1999 - 06:36 - From: Ian Levy
Title: ALDL information up at last
Message: All, thanks to Charlie hassling me, I've finally got round to putting what is known about the Elan ALDL protocol up at http://www.syntaxis-technology.co.uk/lotus There's not much there at present and the hardware schematic wont be up for another couple of days. If anyone does any work on this, I'd appreciate a note. Ian

Sep 29, 1999 - 08:41 - From: JJ
Title: Nagging Doubts
Message: I've had a couple of questions that have been bothering me of late, that I thought I'd air. 1.If the stock ECU can handle the extra boost from the bleed valve conversion what does the Superchip and BBR module do, or why did Top-End insist on upgrading Seamus' Fuel Regulator? 2.My BBR conversion doesn't have a bleed valve, it just appears to bypass the "Boost Control Frequency Valve" (located on back of air filter housing/trash can, cylindrical with clear cap) by joining the two tubes together with a plastic restrictor. This would appear to give a non-adjustable bleed-valve effect that vents back into the intake. My only concern is any ill effects of bypassing this valve. Anyone any ideas what this valve does? Andy, have you got any sort of immobilisor on the car? I had to have mine replaced recently as it started to cut out for no reason whilst driving along. Check to see if you lose ignition lights next time it happens. Other than that it does sound like fuel starvation possibly filter. Best of luck.

Sep 29, 1999 - 11:14 - From: Roger
Title: Lotus Manual
Message: I have been trying to view the info posted by charlie but cant open any of the tiff files.HELP!

Sep 29, 1999 - 11:19 - From: Dan Miller
Title: M100 tech advice needed
Message: Hello to all you M100 enthusiasts! I just recently purchased an M100 for my wife’s use as a “fair weather” daily driver. The car had just over 8,000 miles on the clock when we took delivery. I’m not new to the “Lotus scene” – I’ve rebuilt a couple of Europas and an old Elan, as well as a Type 61 Formula Ford and I’ve started work on the restoration of a Lotus 23; I’ve also been active in Lotus Ltd, as Europa Tech Editor and participated as a Director(and got suckered into being “Pres” for a while). I assumed that the reliability of the M100 would preclude all of the usual Lotus quirks, since there’s so many GM parts in it, but we’ve had a number of problems in the first 1000 miles of use: 1) headlamp pods do not “pop up” but the headlights are illuminated. Any ideas? I’ve ordered shop manual & electrical systems manual 2) got a 2” tear in the left side of the convertible top between 2nd & 3rd top bow about 2”above the top rear corner of the window --- caused by the top frame? Any way to guard against this? I can’t even figure how it was cut to begin with! 3) Driver’s window sometimes stops about half way up, then with manual coercing, will “jutter” its way up OK; this problem is intermittent. Any ideas? I’ve seen some mentions of plastic parts on the message board. 4) Tried to remove the front wheels to clean them and inspect suspension; lug nuts(bolts?) showed a lot of corrosion -–rusty & white crumbly stuff – I suspect that the alloy wheel and the steel hub have corroded themselves together at the central mounting “boss”; rears came off OK as they had a light smear of some type of grease at the mating surfaces; I hate to grease anything near brakes, but anti-sieze compound may be necessary to prevent this bi-metallic chemical reaction. As the car has such low mileage, I’m guessing that the wheels were never removed!(as I will park it on other tires over the winter, I probable won’t have the problem again). I plan to jack the car, remove lugs and soak with wd40 for a few days after the car is parked for the winter & try again(maybe a heat gun on the wheel center?) – any better ideas? We really enjoy the car and my wife’s face still hurts from smiling while she drives it, but I’m the guy in charge of “lawn care and vehicle maintenance” so I’m not as happy as she is. I’ve changed the oil and plan to change the coolant and gearbox oil since I suspect that the car has had the TLC it should have; and I plan to have the timing belt changed as a precautionary measure based on age alone – any other items I should replace as a matter of course? Also, I’ve seen a lot of postings on how to increase the boost to get more HP, but I’m confused….this is a dead “stock” example….what do I really NEED to get to 1 Bar of boost(and 200HP)? Buy a Superchip? Or just install a manually adjustable wastegate? Or both? Or just poke a hole in the right hose? I’m not opposed to spending the money on a Superchip, but if the fuel mappings are already in the stock chip and will be processed by imposing other mechanical mods, why bother? Product loyalty & past experience considered, What is the PROPER way to achieve the increased boost? I’ve enjoyed monitoring the message board, and Doug has done a great job of maintaining the site! Thanks in advance for any advice you M100 techies can provide. Dan Miller

Sep 29, 1999 - 13:37 - From: charlie
Title: tiffs
Message: photoshop, paintshop pro, gimp, image alchemy, microsoft picture viewer, thumbs plus, just to name a couple of packages that`ll read em just fine 8-) I will convert them to inline gifs one day, they`ll just be bigger.

Sep 29, 1999 - 13:43 - From: charlie
Title: boost
Message: superchips + manual boost controller is what you want dan. headlights is a common thing, i`ve seen it posted a couple of times, might want to look back. Fusebox C contains two 15amp fuses for each side, (fuses 1 and 2) looking at fuses from the drivers seat (above the instrument cluster, under the panel) fusebox C is the topmost to the left of the four relays for rhd to the right for LHD, RHD fuses 1 and 2 are the topmost right and second row right, LHD bottommost left and last to bottom left. Both fuses would have had to go out i think, so it might be something else. I have most of the manuals online, i`ll have all of them online shortly. www.charliex.net, until them i provide them on request or till doug blows up 8-) windows not working well are commmon, poor design , the runners are probably on their way out, see my door stripdown on how to get too them and give them a visual. its about $300 for a new unit.

Sep 29, 1999 - 13:45 - From: charlie
Title: ians work
Message: i`m going to start on the circuit this weekend, wish me luck 8-)

Sep 29, 1999 - 15:58 - From: Doug
Title: things
Message: First of all, GO IAN!! Perhaps you or Charlie or some other computer genius can provide all us other gimps with the connector in exchange for money when this is all worked out. I'm still waiting to buy a used laptop when this is ready for enjoyment--I bet Andy Y can figure a way to send it to his dash-mounted "bigscreen"! JJ--I have the Superchip and will stop just short of professing it is NOT necessary, but many people have increased the boost with the factory stock ECU without problems! To do this I'd recommend (1) a manual (or electronic if you have $$$ to burn) boost controller, (2) a turbo bypass valve to save your turbo from 1 bar backsurges, and (3) an open air filter intake to provide all the O2 your engine will want!! That is all I have (except the chip) and what most people use to raise the boost. If you search the site and message board history you will find all you need about this stuff. Seamus' conversion was done for two complimentary reasons--(1) Superchips did not have the right code for his "ECU code" and (2) that is the historical way to get more fuel to your engine when increasing boost when your ECU doesn't do it for you---this is what you would need to do if you were to raise the Elans boost past the 1 bar mark! Also this was done before we knew that the ECU can handle the boost on its own! Dan--The lugs always look this way. Just put them up to a "wire wheel" (buy one for your drill)and they will look new in a minute--I agree it is from the galvanic reaction! I have to caution against lubricants on lug nuts though, if you catch my drift! Carl K. has put a super thin layer of grease over the wheel hub to ward of this corrosive reaction as he had the same problem of the wheels "welded" to the hubs. I agree with changing all the fluids! The headlamp problem may be just a blown/shorted relay--you can play "musical relays" and swap some to see if it fixes this. I suspect the driver's window is out of adjustment on the tracks so check this by tearing the door down as Charlie suggested--see his site for the procedure. If the car has these problems you should be ready for the CAS to get faulty as well--see this site for details! Once you have all this done, Dan, I bet you and your wife will love the car and have many happy miles--see the owners list to add your name and see those people with over 100K miles!! The Service Manuals will be a good investment since Charlie STILL doesn't have them up yet!---J.K. Chuck!! ;-p

Sep 29, 1999 - 16:07 - From: charlie
Title: manuals
Message: i`m doing it 8-) its a lot of work , frontpage is not good at this kind of work... my poor scanners overheating ;)

Sep 29, 1999 - 16:52 - From: David
Title: lo siento mucho charlie
Message: Charlie, give me back my page feed scanner and the manuals and I will do it this weekend before Dougs head explodes all over his computer. After all we need him to maintain the site and squash any attempts to compare Elans to Subadoos. As for the car cutting out while driving I had a similar incident my second day of ownership when one of the vacuum lines popped off, on the top of the manifold to the left, a thin plastic pipe coming from the firewall. The car started up after it stalled and with the engine bay open I could hear the vacuum leak in the back. The window thig should definitly be addressed right away, I just replaced the whole unit on the driverside because the previous owner let it go to long, and made adjustments to the right side which saved me from forking out another $300.

Sep 29, 1999 - 18:33 - From: Dan
Title: Advice
Message: Thanks Doug & Charlie! I have just reveived manuals, so I'll get this figured out & keep you posted. I have seen the CAS and door articles. For the light problem, I did check those 2-15 amp fuses - both are OK, after looking at the electrics manual, there is one "control" module that operates the motors and should be getting current as the headlights are illuminated, so I suspect it's the faulty part. Doug, I do have a grinder with wire wheel(important tool for restoring old Loti) that I used to clean the lugs before re-installing -- getting the wheels off the car is the problem! We both enjoy the car and I expected some "sorting out" as its previous owners drove it less than 1000 miles per year! Thanks again!

Sep 30, 1999 - 14:20 - From: Geoff
Title: Bypass valve
Message: Thought my experiences with the Top End bypass valve might be of interest. I bought it, along with an ITG air filter a few months ago. I couldn't get the bypass valve to work, and after a lot of hastle, I finally got Top End to send me a weaker spring. (Thanks for your help on that one Doug). But the new spring made no difference - either my car was not making enough vacuum or the spring was much too strong. I finally got it to work by cutting the spring in half and just using part of it. Anyone else come across this problem? On another matter, I want to adjust the handbrake travel. Anyone done this - is it a simple job? Lots of good things on the site now Doug, you've done a great job. Geoff

Sep 30, 1999 - 15:09 - From: charlie wallace
Title: hand brake adjustment
Message: http://red.charliex.net/Lotus/SN/JE/ maybe americans will realize one day that the hand/parking brake is not for emergencies ;)

Sep 30, 1999 - 19:40 - From: Doug
Title: Stuff
Message: Well, I decided to take a field trip to Torquemaster to see their plugs, since they are a mere 10 miles from where I live. Very nice people and product. The catch--since our car uses direct ignition (DI) and a nonconventional coil, the current plugs are not recommended! Maurice, the plug inventor, looked at the car and said we should wait for his "DI Plugs" to get their patent and then get those! Charlie, what happened to the TIFF files--the jpgs take forever to download and then are displayed at "larger-than-life" size? Geoff, be careful NOT to tighten the handbrake too much--if your handbrake is loose it is a sign that either your rear pads are well worn or the cables have stretched (or a bit of both)!! Lotus UK is getting a nice new site up--but, as expected, there is not even a mention of the Elan on the entire site--boy do I wish I could take my Elan to a track and show Lotus how it would pass their Elises!! How about writing some "Owners Reviews," folks??!!

Sep 30, 1999 - 20:12 - From: charlie
Title: nobodys ever happy 8-)
Message: ok i`ll put both 8-)