black eclat

This is from the workshop manual.

The rear axle RH side was adjusted first. Removing 2 washers from inside the radius arm mounting increased toe in by 1.9mm Next adjustment was on each of the track rods to equalize the half toe settings. Checked the workshop manual and it has Front Toe as Toe in at 3.2mm overall and Rear Toe is stated as Toe In at 6.4mm overall. So looking at my results again, its pretty much bang on!

Brought the car for 4 wheel alignment today and made some small adjustments while on the rack to rear toe and to front toe in accordance with the testing machines database setting.

Well that was a quick 2 years! So nothing has changed, car wise, but I built a house for the daughter and I am now a grandad! Recently I got a chance to get back to this. I had two problems, first my 2 post lift is no use for alignment checks as suspension hangs when you lift the car. And its a real pain lying on the ground, positioning arms, lift car make adjustment, repeat repeat repeat. Second, when I bring car to local garage for alignment its too time consuming to make a rear toe adjustment so they are not interested in adjusting the toe To address the first problem, I had 2 ramps made, 3500mm long and with the aid of some spacers and bolts, fitted the ramps to the 2 post lift. I now have a platform from which I can make adjustments, roll the car to settle the suspension and then measure again. And as the suspension is fully loaded, I can also check chassis measurements against the manual. To address the second issue, I am planning to get 2 new trailing arm mounting brackets made and replacing the rubber bush with a fixed stud, with a nut either side of the trailing arm. The idea is that when its on the ramp for alignment, the tester can easily adjust trailing arm position to achieve the correct toe. Once I get the car home, I will have a known position on the stud where the trailing arm should be. So if all this goes to plan, rear tracking should be sorted, fingers crossed. 😁

It might be that the clutch fork is not sitting on its pivot correctly and so you are just pulling the fork rather than engaging the release bearing. Drop the cable off the fork again and see that there is limited movement on the fork. If it wobbles all over the shop, then its detached from its pivot. Not sure if it can be reseated without splitting the box from the engine.

Well, I had to cancel the alignment check as I was invited to present the Eclat for a photo shoot to appear on a You Tube channel called Johns Garage. I spent a considerable amount of time polishing and buffing the car in preparation for that. It was a 200km round trip and the car was fabulous and it didn't rain. Part of the photo shoot was a spirited drive for some action shots and it was very well behaved. However, I still intend to get the alignment check done, soon.

Diff bearings are ok, recently changed. Wheel bearings are ok. Small, almost imperceptible play in diff and U/J's. All U/J's greased and not rusty Radius arm bushes are old but not soft or perished. Radius arms look straight as much as I can tell with them on the car. Put a spirit level along its length and shows to be straight. Chassis looks square and flat. I have booked it in for 4 wheel alignment check this coming week so I will see what that tells me.

Don't have the means to measure camber but from an alignment check late 2021, LH Rear was -00.40 degrees and RH was -01.52 degrees.

I hadn't considered that. They don't appear rusted.

A bit of background, I have the car 15 years and its always handled well once driven within its limits. October 2022, I had a crackling outer diff bearing so the diff was removed and both outer bearings replaced. All other rear suspension parts checked and spacers on the diff noted. All bushings were replaced in 2021 and I have only covered 5k miles since then. The radius arm washers, then, were all on the outside of the radius arms. (radius arm tight to rubber mounting). A reinforcing channel is fitted across the diff mounts. I have driven it since October and didn't notice anything amiss with handling but it was just a test to check that the crackling had disappeared when turning sharply. Since yesterday, I put the car on the lift, slackened all suspension components, rolled it backwards and forwards on the floor several times with 80Kgs ballast in the boot. I torqued the suspension again, whilst on the floor. When I apply the tracking gauge again, it reads the same. I don't doubt the tracking gauge as it reads correctly on the front toe and against my calibration gauge. I cant see anything wrong, out of place and I am thinking I might need to "alter " my diff reinforcing channel. Any feedback welcome.

Bit of a puzzle here. I was out driving my 521 Eclat earlier and the rear felt strange going through corners, almost as if it was steering itself, and not in a good way! When I got back to the garage, I checked front toe and it was toe in 1degree. all good there. Checked the rear and it was 3 degrees Toe Out, 1 degree on nearside and 2 degrees on offside. No inner washers on the rear radius arm mounts so I have no adjustment left. Nothing seems loose or bent on the rear suspension No idea what to do next! Anyone experienced this before?

Flipping the motor is fine. You shouldn't have to adjust the lengths of crank arm or connecting rod, you will just be positioning the crank arm at a different position on the gearbox shaft.

Fit 2 fans, with a manual override for the second fan.

Well, my car is on the ramp at the moment so I was able to check out some details. My Getrag is a 262. The number "262.0.510.20" is stamped on the side next the bell housing a bit below the reverse switch. It looks like the smaller of the 2 in your photo. This was a tight fit in my Eclat so I cant imagine that the larger box will fit in yours. I think I used an Eclat Excel bell housing. (An early Excel). I had to move the engine forward about 25mm too, to get the anti vibration weight to fit, even after I cut its corners to fit into the chassis

I have been asked a few times over the past years for details of this particular conversion. Back then, my pictures were hosted on TinyPic and now long gone. But seeing as all my inlet valves are bent, I have had time lately to capture all the details of this conversion so its attached here for posterity. (This time I have a back up so if any one wants a copy via email, just send me your address and I will happily send on a copy) Hope it helps some one. Michael. Lotus Head Lamp Pod MX5 Motor Conversion.docx