82s3

Recommend Audi 6 calipers and new flexible hoses.

Are Lotus 900 Series engines compatible with E10 fuel which is scheduled to become standard from 2021?

I have been searching for ages for a tailgate louvre as fitted to S3 Turbos but have drawn a blank. Any ideas? B

How about just keeping things simple with traditional handbrake cables. Less to wrong! Bob

OK, ... how much do you want for them? Bob

Actually bleeding the calipers wasn't the problem that I thought it would. Bob

If you are inclined to sell them can you please email me on bob.silk@hotmail.com Bob Email me and I'll be delighted to make an offer. Bob

If you are inclined to sell them can you please email me on bob.silk@hotmail.com Bob

Your Veglia dials are for sale? Bob

Audi A6 Bob

Hi Giorgio. No, I haven't had to buy new hoses because my rear hoses are stainless braided items with reusable banjos. I have therefore simply bought some replacement banjos (eBay) and fitted them to the existing hoses. Things to note are, 1) The Audi calipers take an M12 x 1.00 thread banjo bolt. 2) You therefore need to buy a couple of M12 banjo's. Best to buy items that come with the compression fitting and olive as this saves buying parts piecemeal. 3) The Audi calipers are a direct replacement for the original Girling units - no modification necessary. Note though that the left hand Audi caliper is fitted to the Esprit's right hand side and vice versa. 4) The right side handbrake cable runs up the side of the engine bay and then and then down past the cooling system's expansion tank, to the caliper. 5) The left hand side handbrake cable run up over the top of the bell housing and then down to the calliper. It runs a bit close to the exhaust and so it's best to wrap it with some heat resistant sheathing. The calipers cost - £45; brand new units from eBay. Brake pads - £20. Brake hose banjos and banjo bolts - £50. Total cost £115 which is about a 1/3rd of the cost of PMN's "kit". I think that covers everything save to saw that the handbrake operation is far better than Girling units. Bob

I read this post several times a while back, thought about it and decided to have a go, because my handbrake has always been a bit naff. In case it did'nt work, I've initially bought just a nearside Audi A6 caliper (brand new & only £20 on eBay) which I've found you need to fit on the offside in order place the bleed nipple uppermost. There's a bit of a knack to getting the calliper in place because there isn't much space - the rear chassis loop that runs under the gearbox gets in the way. This loop also runs very close to the bleed nipple, so bleeding the rear brakes may be easier said than done. Anyway I got the calliper in and then fiddled a new set of A6 brake pads into place and bolted it up, no problem and it slides without fouling the carrier. The bracket on the calliper that retains the handbrake cable outer ferrule needs to opened up a little so that it will slide in. Once this has been done, the cable fits and works as normal. I opened it up with a conical grind stone in a drill. Routing the nearside handbrake cable is up the side of the engine bay, past the coolant header tank and the down to the caliper. No problem. Last job is the brake line. This is a different fitting at the calliper end - it needs a banjo. I'll call PNM tomorrow to see if they'll sell me a set. Bob

I read this post several times a while back, thought about it and decided to have a go, because my handbrake has always been a bit naff. In case it did'nt work, I've initially bought just a nearside Audi A6 caliper (brand new & only £20 on eBay) which I've found you need to fit on the offside in order place the bleed nipple uppermost. There's a bit of a knack to getting the calliper in place because there isn't much space - the rear chassis loop that runs under the gearbox gets in the way. This loop also runs very close to the bleed nipple, so bleeding the rear brakes may be easier said than done. Anyway I got the calliper in and then fiddled a new set of A6 brake pads into place and bolted it up, no problem and it slides without fouling the carrier. The bracket on the calliper that retains the handbrake cable outer ferrule needs to opened up a little so that it will slide in. Once this has been done, the cable fits and works as normal. I opened it up with a conical grind stone in a drill. Routing the nearside handbrake cable is up the side of the engine bay, past the coolant header tank and the down to the caliper. No problem. Last job is the brake line. This is a different fitting at the calliper end - it needs a banjo. I'll call PNM tomorrow to see if they'll sell me a set. Bob

Fixed it! On removing the carbs in order to the clean them out on case something was blocked, I found that a couple of the inlet manifold o-rings had swollen and weren't seating properly, causing an air leak. Cleaned the carbs, replaced the o-rings - sorted! Bob

And it's not the Accuspark unit either because I replaced it this afternoon and it's still misfiring. And yes, the timing is spot-on. ...am completely stumped! B

No, it's definitely not a lean mixture. Bob

It won't the float levels. Max of Max 500 sorted the carbs for he earlier this year when I was having a hot running problem. Is it possible to check an Accuspark unit with a multimeter? Bob

Well, it's definitely not, > The ignition timing because I have checked it again. > The new parts because it was mis-firing before I replaced them. > The valve timing, because I have just checked that too and it's fine - the cambelt has not slipped. .... this just leaves the Accuspark unit or the fuel pump, I think. If it's neither of them, then I all out of ideas! Bob

Damn car! BACKGROUND 1982 S3 NA - starts ever time but misfires,, particularly under load. This is what is definitely NOT causing it. > Coil, ballast resistor, plug leads, distributor cap, rotor arm, plugs - because they are all new. > Compression - because I've checked it; pots 1-4, 155, 150, 140, 150 psi respectively. > Ignition timing - because I have checked it. > Vacuum takes-offs for the heater box and brake servo - because I have checked them too. > Inlet manifold, carbs/ mixture, etc. - fully rebuilt by Max 500 a few months ago. I doubt that it's the alternator because the gauge on the dashboard shows it's output is OK. Can't be valve clearances because that would have showing up on the compression test. What this leaves as far as I can see is the fuel pump, ignition module (Accuspark), valve timing (could the belt have slipped by one tooht - tension is OK though)? QUESTION What have I missed; any ideas? Bob

So, I have got the car back and it runs like a dream. Max didn't find an obvious fault but suspects There was an issue with the choke circuits in one or both carbs. Anyway, in exchange for two thousand seven hundred quid this was the work carried out; Compression test & cylinder leakage test. Checked the entire ignition system. Stripped & rebuilt carbs, re-set mixture and balanced. Checked the ignition timing. New cam belt & tensioner. Stripped and rebuilt rear brakes as they had seized up during about 12 month of non use. Replaced all gearchange bushes and seized cross gate cable, ... which has completely transformed the gearchange. Labour was near as dash it fifteen hundred, the rest was parts. Bob

Who did the respray and, if you don't mind me asking, how much did they charge you? Bob

Try replacing the flexible hoses? B

Thanks for everyone's input; appreciated. Having tried everything and become exasperated with it, The car is now in th care of Max 500 in Guildford who comes highly recommend. I hope to be able to collect it in a few days and will let you all know what he found and how he fixed it. Bob

Thanks for your feedback guys. Responding in no particular order. 1) I haven't not taken the car on the road for quite a while as it has been out of MOT. I have however started it regularly and run it up to operating temperature. I was about to take for it's MOT when this problem cropped up. It'll drive OK around the garage complex where it is kept. 2) All of the components, etc. that I have renewed have been a response to the problem and none of the bits and pieces that I have replaced/ work done have eased it. I do not therefore think that I have replaced anything with a component that is faulty out of the box. 3) The fuel pump seems to be working OK as I can see it pulsing fuel through the fuel filter. Then again, there's no harm on checking it. 4) Between "2" & "3" it runs fine. It only when you turn the engine off when it is hot, leave it for a while and then try to turn it on again that it runs badly. Perhaps I'll go back to basics, check the float heights again and set the mixtures with a Colourtune. Mind you I don't understand how that will fix the problem when on first start up it runs OK right through the temperature range. Bob

I own 1982 Lotus Esprit S3 N/A which runs very poorly when hot. The symptoms are as follows: 1) Starts from cold relatively easily and picks up well on the throttle with no flat spots. 2) Continues to run well up to temperature and also when the fans cut in, albeit as the temperature rises the idle drops from 1000 revs to about 850 revs. 3) Turn the engine off and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes and it is then difficult to restart, runs poorly and eventually dies. And so something is breaking down in some way due to heat. I have checked and or replaced the following: a) New speak plugs. b) New distributor rotor arm. c) New electronic ignition module (Accuspark). d) Distributor cap, HT leads and plug caps are less than two years old during which time the car has covered less than 2000 miles. e) New ignition coil and ballast resistor. f) New inlet manifold gasket. g) Carburettors ultrasonically cleaned. h) Carburettors balanced with Morgan Carbtune. i) Compression checked 170 psi for each cylinder +\- a couple of psi across the four cylinders and so I do not think that the engine has worn piston rings, cylinder bores or a blown head gasket (no “mayonnaise” in the oil filler cap). j) Vacuum hoses from the inlet manifold do not seem to be leaking. k) New fuel filter. So, I have now run out of ideas. Question, .... what have I missed? Bob Silk