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Roy Lewington

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Posts posted by Roy Lewington

  3. Route OZ rim 16x8.5 A082G6053F

    in Suspension/Brakes/Wheels/Hubs/Steering/Geo

    Posted

    Need some help here.  Following pot-hole damage I am trying to replace a bent rear rim.   Tried all the usual suspects (7 at last count) plus a few breakers but no luck so far.   The experts assure me that my rim can be repaired and even welded if it cracks but I would prefer to replace it if possible.     

    If anyone out there has one (or even a pair) they are willing to sell  perhaps you could let me know.   Thanks Roy 

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  7. Have we all been starting our classic Lotuses incorrectly? Interesting expert opinion.

    in Esprit Chat

    Posted

    Iain Tyrrell, this guy is a legend.  I think we are missing the point here.  It is not about how to start your particular engine.  Basically what he is saying is spin the engine over 5 or more revolutions to get oil pressure and circulation throughout the engine and don't allow excess neat fuel to flood the bores of a cold engine.  How you do it is up to you.  It is very easy to wire  a separate push button switch direct to the starter solonoid meaning you can crank it without ignition.  The same can be achieved by an on/off switch to the ignition coil which could also act as an anti-theft device.    Roy.

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    Cambelt---current advice.

    in Engine/Ancilliaries

    Posted

    I've done a few cambelts on my X180 and this is how I do it.  It's been mentioned before but stands repeating.

    Line the marks up to check all is well.

    Slowly turn the crank whilst cutting the belt in half longways with a sharp Stanley knife. Remove the cut half.

    Slacken the tensioner and half push on the new belt.

    Cut the rest of the old belt off and push the new one fully on.

    Tension and check the marks.

    Job done apart from the annoying requirement to drain off some of the coolant and disconnect hoses.    Roy.

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1

  12. Cambelt---current advice.

    in Engine/Ancilliaries

    Posted

    Cambelt is due for a change.  It was a Lotus belt fitted Feb 2018 and has done 3000 miles.   So what are the current change recommendations?  There seem to be plenty of belts available going from £45 to well above £100.  Lotus and non-Lotus.   I do not want a blue belt on my car.  'Lotus Bits' advertise a German-made belt and I quote 'Made from the same HSN material as the OEM Lotus one, allowing generous change intervals potentially as much as 50000 miles'.

    So what is the current advice.  My gut feeling is to go with a genuine Lotus belt and change it every 4 years.   Any thoughts?  Roy.

  15. Starting issues

    in Engine/Ancilliaries

    Posted

    My X180  Starting from cold, full choke, no pedal.  Starts and idles (lumpy) until I can pick it up on the throttle.  Choke returned as soon as possible.

     Warm or hot, a bit of throttle, starts first time.

    I would guess the service does not involve anything on the distributor so remove cap and clean, especially the pickups for each  ht lead.  make sure all ht leads are pushed firmly home.  Check the ignition advance be twisting the rotor arm on the shaft against the springs.  Check the vacuum advance by sucking on the tube.  Roy.

    • Like 1

  17. Gt3 oil pressure gauge reading

    in Engine/Ancilliaries

    Posted

    Oil Temp.   I fitted a sump plug from Matt Lewis Racing (Dorking) which takes  a temp. probe.  Probe thread is 1/8th npt although I think an M10x1.0 is supposed to also fit.  Plenty of gauges online, I fitted a KOSO unit under the dash which is easily removable if a future owner didn't like it. Works fine.     Roy.

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  20. MOBIL 1 10/60------Contaminated oil?

    in Engine/Ancilliaries

    Posted

    Looks like Phil has the answer here, needle crystals.  I did put some in a metal dish in boiling water for 5 minutes but no change.  I guess if Mobil put a warning on the container that this could happen you probably wouldn't buy it.  Just to be on the safe side I have drained it off.  

    On a slightly different note the oil I drained and filtered looks good again.  Should I use this in my daily run-around or is it no longer a 'complete oil' with these crystals missing?   Roy.

  21. MOBIL 1 10/60------Contaminated oil?

    in Engine/Ancilliaries

    Posted

    So there I am changing the oil in my Esprit, pouring it slowly into a smallish funnel to avoid any spillage.   Having poured in about 2/3rds of the container I noticed some residue and saw crystals trapped in the funnel.  I filtered some of the remaining oil and the pictures show about half of what I recovered.   Compressed between thumb and finger the crystals  feel like grit and do not seem to break down.   This was a previously purchased new sealed container with a made date of 01/12/16.   I am very disappointed to have poured this stuff into my engine, disappointed that it could have damaged my engine had I not spotted it and quite annoyed (apart from the cost) that I have to do the whole job again (not with Mobil).

    Did this  pass quality control? If so a bit of a concern.

    Is this a feature of additives in full synthetic oil separating over time?   If so a big warning should be on the container.   Surely oil should not degrade in 5 years.

    Mobil,  an American Company, has proved very difficult to contact in the UK.  Phones not answered (one UK 0800 number had me talking to a person in Czechoslavakia), email addresses no longer in use and not monitored. When I did manage a conversation the mantra was basically 'take it back to where you bought it'. Not really the answer as it clearly left Mobil with this problem.  I did fire off an email (with pictures) to their Techdeskeurope and what did they say? Absolutely nothing, no reply.  I also emailed  Customercare  who acknowledged receipt (auto response), but no reply from them either.

    In a lot of years of oil changing I have never come across this before.  I think in this case I was unlucky.  The thought of having to filter fresh oil seems faintly ridiculous.

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    • Confused 2
    • Sad 2

  22. Summer coolant

    in Engine/Ancilliaries

    Posted

    I have used Evans Waterless Coolant to great effect.  Ok it is expensive but how much is no corrosion worth?   Also it doesn't boil, it doesn't freeze, no pressure on the hoses, no corrosion, no problems in todays heavy traffic, it never needs changing.  What's not to like?  Roy.

    • Like 2

  24. How many ounces of R12 in an Esprit?

    in Interior/Exterior/Lights/Glass/Alarms/ICE/HVAC

    Posted

    Workshop manual for my 1988 Stevens X180 turbo gives  a charge for refrigerant 12 of 1.4kg (3lbs). 

      

    The quick check procedure using the sight glass advised:

    Continuous bubbles -------   system low on charge

    Sight glass clear for more than 45 seconds after switching off  before foaming and settling away from glass--------system overcharged

    Foams and settles away from sight glass in less than 45 seconds after switching off-------system correctly charged

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