ansellb

Chassis Number: SCC082910RHA61256 Year & Model: 1994 Esprit S4 Owner & Location: ansellb (Ben Ansell), Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, UK

Here's the picture from the parts manual: The baffle plate seems to be clamped between the sump and the bottom of the block - so I suppose it would be quite easy to modify. Ben

Yeah - it definitely needs to be ground back. So are you planning to use carbon fibre matting around the bobbin? Would Kevlar be even better? Or even carbon/kevlar mat...? I only want to do the job once, you see. This place seems to have some interesting stuff available... Ben

Pete From what I understand, it's a known weakness. Geoff at Esprit Engineering spotted that mine is the same (clicky) As Stu says on that thread, there's a fixit guide on LEW (clicky), although Geoff didn't recommend using a steel plate in case it rusts in the future. Annoying, but no big deal, apparently - especially for someone with no fear of fibreglassing. I've yet to tackle mine. Maybe a job for the winter... Ben

Rob Nice work! It usually pays to make a fuss. Here's my insurance story: Last week, I phoned up Footman James to renew the 4500-miles/year insurance on my S4, and was quoted

I think a few Europeans suffered the odd cut and bruise, too.

Congratulations Stu! Now get out there and fix those rattles - the proper way By the way, is Lottie going to feature in your radio programme any time soon? I'm still giggling about the last episode... Ben

Stu Drive it. No - seriously. I had all sorts of irritating rattles and squeaks in mine when I got it (it had previously languished at Paul Matty's for 18 months), but after a few hundred miles of driving they all sort of went away. I tightened up the sunroof (until now I can hardly open it), I put silicone grease on all the rubber seals, I lubricated everything - but no medicine worked better than a good dose of road. Enjoy! Ben

Chandra In this instance, it was sheer clumsiness. I fluffed a double de-clutch from 3rd to 2nd, and there was a nasty "GRRR" noise. After that, I couldn't engage 2nd without more nasty noises: the synchro didn't work at all. Funnily enough, a week or so later, it just sorted itself out, and the synchro worked perfectly again. Spooky. So I consulted Geoff. His verdict was that I'd snapped a tooth off 2nd gear, and it had got stuck inside the synchro hub (hence the nasty noises when trying to engage). Then the tooth dropped out of the hub, and everything was fine - only with a few less driving surfaces. Despite the magnets in the gearbox case, I was a bit worried that tooth debris would be wandering around the gearbox case, looking for trouble. So I decided to get it fixed. The clutch needed doing anyway, you see. The moral of the story is that you should go easy with your gear changes. And if you lose a synchro for a while - but then get it back, you've probably lost a tooth. Even if you don't get it repaired immediately, I'd suggest you drain the gearbox oil, then maybe you can retrieve the big bits. Ben

Hi Phil Ah. Sorry about that. I saw your beautiful car when I took mine in - and thought about putting a note in the "Spotted" part of the Forum, but decided that might be a bit rude... The price was a nice surprise for me too. I had expected to pay at least

I've just collected my beloved from Esprit Engineering in Salisbury - and I'm absolutely delighted with the work that Geoff has done. I had asked him to split the gearbox and investigate a suspected missing tooth on 2nd gear. It turned out to be: 4 missing teeth. Oops. Anyway. Whilst he was in there, he cleaned and inspected all the bearings, replaced the seals and O ring, fixed an oil leak, completely overhauled the translator and fitted a new clutch. He's cleaned the gearbox case until it gleams, and also replaced the boot floor fixings with brand new stainless steel ones. And what a difference! The gear change feels like a rifle bolt, rather than the previous "rummaging in a rubber bag" feeling. And the clutch is - well, not light as a feather, but significantly better. Not a trace of judder, either. For all of that, Geoff charged me

Congratulations!!!

Hi Pat. Welcome to the Forum. It looks pretty decent from the piccies. I'm sure you could get it looking top notch in no time. And it's WAY too beautiful for a trackday car. Nice Capri, by the way...! Ben

Thanks Stu. I hadn't spotted Carl's guide on LEW. Eugh! It looks like a horrible job. I was thinking of delegating it - but from Carl's experience, a repair by "Esprit Specialists" doesn't survive very long. That steel plate looks like a very smart idea. Right. I'm off to learn about fibreglassing. Thanks! Ben

Need some advice, please. My S4's at Esprit Engineering for some gearbox repairs. Whilst taking out the boot floor, Geoff noticed that one of the body-to-chassis mountings under the boot floor has "failed". I presume that means that the rubber portion has disintegrated, because Geoff said that the body is now pretty much resting on top of the gearbox casing - which is not A Good Thing. So is it a great trauma to replace these things? I understand that they're glassed in to the body, so presumably I'll need to grind out the old one, prop up the body, laminate a new one in, etc, etc. Has anyone done one of these before? I'd appreciate any words of wisdom. Thanks, Ben