Stokey

No problem, worth a try eh?

Hi David, I am looking for the following spares if you can let me know if you have them, PM me with the prices. Rear Wiper Arm Fuel cut off valve/switch (on the chassis in the engine compartment) Air Filter Box Boot Lock (the bit that fixes to the glass tailgate) Speedo Cable Headlamp Solenoid Valves Bonnet Strut/Gas Strut Wheel Centre Caps Spare Wheel There will be a mountain of parts I need but can't think of anymore at the moment. Jase.

LOL!!!!!!!! I know the feeling, I thought I had been clapping for a solid fortnight after I did mine. I had blisters, splinters and allsorts.

John, I had the same thought when I did mine but I checked and they were re-usable ie they are not "Stretch Studs". Keep at it! Jase.

Will do Paul, Glad to hear you are OK! I will get some photo's on here this weekend. Jase.

Hi John, Let me have your address and I will post you a copy of the disc. It has all the info off the whole forum but it is awkward to find as it isn't in any searchable format. I have toyed with the idea of re-instating the old forum so that all the info is available again, but I really don't know that much about hosting websites and the like. Progress is slow at the moment with my Elite, money has been tighter than usual with moving house but I plan to get cracking again in spring. Jase.

Hi folks, Does anyone know where the relay (which replaced the diode on earlier cars) for operating the solenoids on the headlamps is located on the car? I have a 1978 Elite.

Hi John, Ifyouemail Dave Ryder he will post you a cd with the whole forum on. I have a copy but it would take some finding. I will have a look for you.

Hi Paul, Happy New Year!!!!!! Progress on my resto has been painfully slow as well So far since we last spoke I have fitted a re-cored radiator, new fans, new tyres, stripped out the seats & carpets, replaced one side of carpet, half sorted the headlamp vacuum system, got the indicators and hazards working, fitted new shockers on the rear, new coil springs on the rear &refurbed the rear drums. Sounds a lot but believe me, with moving house, I have struggled with finding the time to spend on her. Will hopefully post some pictures in the next few weeks. Jase

I am with everyone else here! I had a 16v Honda twincam which decided to snap it's belt on a dual carriageway whilst accelerating, I mean of course under the speed limit Ahem!!!!! It was supposed to be impossible to not bend valves with this engine if this happened, but I had nothing to lose other than a belt and time. Put the belt on turned it over by hand first with no problems so turned the key and hey presto started first time and never a mention after that. Go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jase.

Hi Warren, Engine parts are readily available, I did my head not that long ago (headgasket failure - thought it a good time to overhaul everything whilst I was at it). Yes you can take the head off with the engine in situ no problem, the exhaust manifold nuts are a knuckle skinner though LOL. People reckon it is best to support the engine then remove the engine mounts so that you can move the engine over a bit to get at the studs, I would definately do that next time around. Jase.

Hi Tocus, I don't know about the heater problem as I haven't looked at mine yet, but the problem with my electric window was with the contacts inside the switch on the dash. if you pop it apart you can clean the contact with a little bit of wet and dry abrasive paper and some electrical contact cleaner. I spent ages when I first had it checking all the wiring replacing earths etc but it was the switch in my case. I did the same with my hazard switch which now works again.

Hi Warren, Welcome to the forum! I too embarked on a 1978 Elite about 12 months ago. Your post made me chuckle as it brought back some memories LOL they are mostly the same faults with mine (some of which I have sorted others not yet). Here are a few of the things mine needed to sort out the problems. 1st thing get the cambelt changed ASAP including the tensioner. 1. Radiator fans not working - replaced otter switch (get it from Graham Walker a scimitar dealer in Chester area cost about £18 - Lotus one about £70) still didn't work then found the relay (small square metal one fixed in the inner wheel arch under the bonnet) - Fans then kicked in somewhere about 95 degrees on my guage but I wouldn't think it was very accurate. I had one plastic fan and one metal fan strangely one sucked through the rad and one blew through it. rewired them. 2. Electric Windows, drivers side worked fine (but slow) passenger side would go down but not up - Contacts inside the switches were very dirty also poor Earths (Most Lotus electrical problems are bad earths, finding them can be a pig). 3. Indicators - Bad earths, rewired all mine. Cleaned contacts inside the hazard switch. Hazards then worked but still only drivers side of the indicators flashed. turned out to be a broken wire in the loom (green and red one from memory). I ended up running a wire from the column switch to the pin on the hazard switch with an inline fuse in it. Bingo! 4. Rev Counter - turned out to be White and grey wire which runs to ignition coil. 5. Handbrake not holding - Not done yet, but looks to be cable/ mechanism siezed up, it is by the diff at the rear of the car. 6. Horn - Mine still toots Pictures please!!!!!!!!!!! Hope this helps, Anything else just ask, we will all try to help Jase.

Herc, The radiator cooling fan relay is the black square one on the picture up to the right. I only found this one out because my fans didnt work and I had to replace it. I am stumped as to what this other one does? Jase.

I had exactly the same thoughts Matt. I contacted Dave Ryder a couple of weeks ago and he sent me the old database on a CD Rom (many many thanks Dave if you are reading this)! It has thousands of post and pictures on it but you cant search so finding info is difficult. Bibs - could the old database be set up on another site but read only? Jase.