espriturbo

The time has arrived for an engine rebuild on my 82 dry sump, not looking forward to taking it all out again! Deep breath...........................

Does anyone know what Clutch Master Cylinder Lotus used on an S3 TURBO? I thought i'd ask before paying twice the real price I have changed the seals in mine and its still leaking, so think its time for a new one.

I was recently chasing a wiring fault on the horn circuit and had my boy sat inside pressing the horn button, whilst I was underneath with the meter. I fixed the problem which was a bad earth - however, when I went to start it - it wouldn't fire at all. I knew immediately what I had done.......COOKED THE COIL I'd left the ignition on for about 40 mins!

At long last, the weeks (84 hours) of hard work has paid off - its booked in for MOT in the morning! Wife has demanded the first spin out is shopping! I have to send out a massive thanks to the Guys at Lotusbits, who's Service, knowledge, and expertise has been priceless - without them - I'd be a lot poorer and depressed. Not to forget the invaluable advice and tips from Harry Martens I have ended up with an awesome (period) original 82 Dry Sump Turbo Pics to follow..........

OMFG I have just spent three hours balancing my carbs and adjusting the CO to an acceptable level. With the carbs never having been set up after reconditioning (by the previous owner) , the fumes coming out of the exhaust were making the heads fall off the daisy's in the garden. What an absolute nightmare trying to get all the carbs running at the same level - I used a CARBTUNE 2 to level them out, but it took me an hour and half to get the butterflys all at the same level. The mixture was fairly easy to master as I started off by winding the screws in all the way then back out by 2.5 turns then tweeked each one by 1/16th of a turn and hit the CO level spot on almost straight away. I think I am going to have another go at the weekend, just so I am convinced that everything is where it should be and perfectly aligned and balanced.

I need to find one locking weel bolt for my S3 Turbo BBS alloy wheel. I snapped it in the hub today, not impressed with myself. Anyone got a spare one?

Wow, this is something that I am going to have to get over the next couple of weeks as my intake pipe is missing, so in the interim have secured a cone K&N filter directly onto the turbo. I have made enquiries with Paul Matty and was shocked to hear the price of £90.00 for a piece of corregated pipe. Now I've seen the picture above, I am now completely reassured that I certainly am not paying someone £90.00 for that!!! regardless if it is the standard fitment or not. I can just imagine the air bumping down the pipe over all those coils - doesn't seem too good for smooth air flow. For half the price I can get it in any colour and in smooth, unrestricted, silicone/stainless steel pipe and at the right stepped diameter too, which is also resistant to heat and oil.

After some 68 hours, I finally managed to get the dry-sump out on the road. I have Renewed the Gearbox, Clutch, Pressure plate, Clutch pipe (with braided), Clutch master cylinder and it all works..... However; I can either have 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & fifth, but no reverse or I can have reverse, fifth, 4th & 3rd but no First and Second. I have spent 4 hours today fine tuning the crossgate cable and I have come to the conclusion that after 28 years, the bushes have had their fair share of use. I did however go for the forward gears today and tried out a bit of the finest Welsh tarmac Awesome

Thanks for the comments Danny, You are right they are getting very rare - that's reflected by the prices on second-hand spares - with an engine block at £2000+ vat i'm afraid it'll be getting get a modern engine if it ever goes bang. I quite like the idea of a Mercedes 2.8 supercharged engine!! I spent 12 hours working on it today, putting everything back where it should be plus a few extra new bits. I have now cleaned and polished the clutch master cylinder as well as fitting the braided clutch pipe from front to rear and also fitted a brand new slave cylinder. It also got fitted with goodridge braided brake pipes all round, flushed and filled with DOT 5.5. In addition, a brand new set of rear shocks, new engine oil (Millers classic 20w 50) and new gearbox oil (TAF-X) - although I still have the new throttle cable to do and the vented front discs and green stuff pads to fit. Its starting to look a bit better, however; as it was turning over to start it sprung a petrol leak from the feed to the front carb, so thats next on the list of things to do before it goes up in smoke - I still haven't got to test drive it yet.... I'm now aiming for the first week in September to be on the road.........but we'll have to wait and see......

Let me settle this one..... You have a legal right to purchase your car back at salvage value in the event it is written off and catagorised as either a 'C' or 'D' (repairable catagories) as well as being paid out the vehicle market value - less the salvage value. However; if you have a breakers licence you may buy it back regardless of catagory. I work in the insurance salvage industry....... www.tcdsalvage.co.uk

This is the new skimmed flywheel bolted on: And the newly reconditioned clutch and pressure plate installed: Then the 37k miles gearbox from Essex Turbo No.20: 6am start to finish it off..............

Where does one get an Insurance Valuation that I can give to my insurance company???

Oh thats reassuring........coz I just bought 3 litres of it for my gearbox.

Is anyone running TAF-X or any experience of it - it says all the right things on the outside of the bottle!!!

Might be a bit of a late response..... I'm putting in TAF-X by Castrol in my gearbox - however; that has nothing to do with living in Wales, its what is advised by OPIE oils, they give good discount if you join this Forum!!!!

Hi, The actual crownwheel was fine, however; the pinion was shattered. The Clutch and Pressure plate was reconditioned by Lotusbits for £130 and looks awesome - only took a week. Lotusbits also supplied a replacement gearbox from a dry sump like mine, so it bolted straight on without any problems.

Just spent and a good evening with all the bolts turning clockwise!!! I'll post some pics soon, Sunday its going for a test run with the new gearbox, once i've finished it

I have just had my recon'd clutch plate and pressure plate back from Lotusbits - it all looks brand new now and very pretty - for £130 its a bargain. I had the flywheel checked and it was out by about 20thou, so its been sent away locally for skimming - perhaps if I manage to find a gearbox thats not broken (here goes box No.3), I may see some tarmac by next week!!!

That Sounds awesome! I'd be up for that

Startling? Easier to read, where's my magnifying glass?

1982 TURBO ESPRIT - DRY SUMP VIN# SCC082910BHD11156 RED GARY Currently located in Cardigan, West Wales, UK Purchased BLIND on Ebay from Co Tyrone, Northen Ireland 22 May 2010.

Oh balls, don't you just love it when that happens Yeah, I think they were in the region of about £40 each! 7th August I am working all day and covering for one of the other guys who is on leave, so its going to be too much of a stretch for me to come down then - my brain will be fried with the rush of people wanting parts, engines and gearboxes, it will most certainly be mayhem like every other Saturday. Will definitely have to have some runs out though, up the A487 from Cardigan to Snowdonia would be an awesome road to drive in the Esprit. I'd be up for any runs out providing I am kid free and not working.

Its not what the car advertised as, that's for sure! I am awaiting my new clutch and pressure plate, which should take about a week with a bit of luck, then it's time to burn the candle a bit and get it ready for MOT. I have a C35 gearbox to replace my old early Citroen type, apparently they are a stronger box. What with the new rear shocks, seats, clutch slave cylinder, braided brake hoses and braided clutch hose, in addition to the installation of the gearbox - I have my work cut out for a couple of evenings aafter work. I'm not stopping, its going to be on the road......... As for the BBQ, i'll try my best - when is it?

After pulling the gearbox in my 82 dry sump and stripping it down This is what I found! The pinion smashed to bits - I have secured another gearbox from Lotusbits plus a few other essentials Hopefully, all being well, I am aiming for the second week in August for the MOT

Oh my God............................ I just spent an extra 5 hours at work taking the gearbox out on my own, whilst leaving the engine in the car - ! How heavy is that gearbox! More bits were stuck to the drain plug today, even bigger than before. I have inspected the gears and they are all in one piece (from what I could see). Although I did find this hanging out of the clutch assembly and scoring the bellhousing - no idea where it came from! So I am minded to say that the CPW has broken - ouch I have sent an email to Harry Martens for spares Thanks for the offer Molemot, for the special tool (I will need it) , You'll have to let me know how much its going to cost me Regards, Gary Here's a few more pics I need a bath