Smithy111

Excited! Cant wait to see it at one of the local meets!

Just an update to this thread for anyone having similar problems with the electrical side of the a/c system these seem to break a lot in the same way. Ive repaired my acu control unit completely for less than £5! Bought a new correct resistance range and type potentiometer and led and repaired the pcb and housed it in a junction box. Now operates the compressor clutch and fans and have a working led. Now just to see if it will hold gas (I’m not confident in this!)

Mines always connected and nearly always on a ctek, but then my car rarely goes undriven for more than a week or two all year round

same behaviour on mine too, must be a tadts. Curiously my alternator doesn't have the little surpressor? gadget on the back of it?

Makes no difference whether the a/c system is charged or not the electrical part of the system is still functional. Later models had a low pressure cut out on the electrical circuit which would prevent the compressor and fans operating when insufficient charge in the ac lines

From what iver determined from the wiring schematic and have seen from operation in my car, when the a/c is turned on electrically regardless of it having gas or not the acu control unit attached to the a/c control knob on the dash sends power to the compressor clutch and all thress of the main radiator cooling fans so if your fans are running when they should't be then is you a/c knob in the on position? Or has the acu shorted or check the fan thermostat?

The fans will still turn on though as their fed from the same switched output as the compressor clutch. But if that's been engaged without gas hence without oil, the compressors probably fubar but that's besides the point as your issue is why the fans are coming on.

Money no object go for the lotus refresh stuff but it is well overpriced. Original oem bushes or lotac or the ones pnm do. I went orignal on my G turbo for springs and shocks but stupidly fitted the split poly bushes and am not happy with them and now have to redo it all with oem rubber

Id like to know as well, although low on my list of priorities i do need to fix the non functioning electric mirrors. Also have the ones on the right.

yes air con control knob switched on compares temp of evaporator to setting and then sends power to the relay for the fans (to pull air through the condenser and rad and sends power to compressor clutch, you may have a knackered compressor if its been running without gas unless yours has a low pressure cut out switch, mine doesn't (84)

Does your car have a/c? Is the a/c on or maybe a fault with the switch/control unit as that will make the fans run with ignition to one click on.

Ah thanks Fabian! Ill let you know when i start on that task!

The blue and brown wire were just bits I made up to test the pcb. I believe the potentiometer is not original as it only switches on and off so it’s been bodged up at some point in the past. Looking at replacing the whole control unit now

Here’s the module removed, the control knob is just an on/off switch not variable so must just look at the thermistor from air through evaporator and turn the compressor on/off as necessary? Now what I would need to know is the resistance reading at ambient air of said thermistor as this is a very simple switch circuit. Also if faulty could the whole hing be bypassed so the knob switches the compressor on and off? /edit I’ve just linked out the thermistor plug and applied 12vdc on the ground and red and it now switches power to the green as it should do if I’m. Or mistaken? So suspect the thermistor is faulty?

Ok another unusual question, can anyone tell me how the acu control module in the dash work as my ac switch does not send 12v round to the fan relay i get a blip of power to the relay and the fans twitch as I turn the knob off, it looks like it been bodged in the past and how many wires should come off the control knob? Lols like 4 from wiring diagram. also how the hell do you get the heater and flap control knobs off to remove the graphic panel? I’m getting seriously miffed at the design and construction of this car even for lotus standards.

Ok so the consensus is ive been badly advised by sj and should switch back to some nice new oe rubber ones (lotac too expensive). The car currently has purple powerflex arb bushes (only option was told think these are fine), black front poly bushes and purple rears (this is what sj sent me and when questioned colour they said their all the same!?). My next question is will i be able to press the metalastic bushes in using a nut/bolt/threaded bar and washers as ive heard people have had success with (assuming heat the arm and freeze the bushe overnight?

I rebuilt all of my suspension a year ago and have done little mileage in that time and thought i must get the front and rear tracking done by someone who knows what their doing. I used all powerflex split type poly bushes as advised by sj sports cars and seemed to make sense even though i had intended originally to replace with new oem rubber ones. Ive spoken to a few of the other knowledgeable specialists that we know and trust on here and ive been told they are total crap and suspension alignment cant be done with them and i should first replace them with oem rubber or lotac poly bushes. What say you all? I was thinking of ripping them out and sticking rubber back in.

Used JBC mot in byfleet in the end, very good service and importantly she passed!

Thanks, Ive booked in with a place called JBC Mot in Brooklands. They do all the cars for my Local lotus Specialist and looks like they have a good clean facility and know how to check and lift our unusual plastic bath tubs!

Classic Mercedes parts place in Belgium, £84 with postage not sure if they have any more left?

Classic Mercedes parts place in Belgium, £84 with postage not sure if they have any more left?

Well I’ve fitted the correct water pump return hose now and reducer and cut down the bottom hose and elbow to suit and replaced the cut through heater hose. What a mate of job that was down the front of the engine! ive managed to obtain one of the very few original remote stats but was wondering if I should flush with the old stat in or just fit the new one and then flush??

Can anyone recommend a friendly mot place in Surrey to do my Esprit? Needs to be while you wait none of this drop the car off crap. Somewhere that will be very careful and won’t fail on stupid stuff.

After much research ive found the best quality oil filter to be the K&N hp-2004. Has the anti drain back valve and filters more particulates. Its also got a nut on the end of the casing making fitting and removal easier. Also Castrol 10-60 supercar oil is highly recommened (same as bmw m cars use)

Can anyone tell me how the heater hose return connects to the water pump? Is it a strait hose or should it have an elbow moulded in? The strait one fitted has been rubbing on the water pump pulley and sliced through the hose as it sits very close and pulled to tight in a curve around the pulley: