Phil_B

A certain level of waste can be good. Let me explain. I work (hypothetically - just in case) at a place where, in years gone by,

My favorite drift corner is the last one in this sequence from Gigi Galli. Love it in slow motion. You just can't work out how you would do this without at least 20 tries (even then Iwouldn't be able to do it without considerable luck) http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sg0cW6GDd3I Phil B

At the present moment the Lotus sits outside (just moved house and haven't built a new garage yet). It is used regularly (every third day say), but on really damp mornings after a cold night it is sluggish to start, with the normal low battery indicator (ie lamps popping up and down when started). Other than grease around the terminals of the battery, anybody got any top tips for better cold/damp weather starting. I now have a spare battery and jump lead permenantly in the boot ! Phil B

I think all of what has been said has truth in it. I have had (year and a half ago) a major engine rebuild, and when opened up the liners had clearly degraded. BUT I did have an overheat. The blow off cap failed and whilst sitting in traffic the temperature went up, and didn't stop going up. I pulled straight to the side of the road. From that day on the car seemed fine, but started using water (which it had never done before) and then started using more, and so I took it in. Since the rebuild it has not used ANY water. The problem is that Lotus are completely correct in saying that whilst operating under normal conditions the liner sealant is not an issue, which it is not. If however you have something that causes an overheat (which can be as cheap and as trivial as the blow off cap failing to pressure the system properly) then it is like driving with a sword of Damacles over your car. If your engine overheats for any reason whatsoever then odds are you may have developed this problem with the old standard of sealant. The comment was also right that the new sealant is not a wonder cure, it just means that the engine (sealant) is a bit more tolerant of elevated temperatures, and so can whithstand failure in the cooling system a bit better. The problem with the Esprit, is no matter how much maintenance goes on, you cannot stop mechnical failure completely (actually any car). You end up driving along watching the temperature gauge (not good). By the time the light has come on it could be (and probably is) too late. My advise. Buy either a later model, or one that has had an engine rebuild and has the new spec sealant. Cars that have not had the problem probably haven't had any cause to, as they have not overheated (have suffered no problem with the cooling system). However that does not preclude anything happening in the future, and you are then susceptible to this liner problem. I bought mine when the wisdom was that pre 99 cars had the problem and after this was OK. Actually this was when the problem started to surface, but they still had loads of engines built and kept using them until mid 2000. So my MY1999 was on the old sealant. Beware, or you face multiple k rebuild costs (actually whilst my engine was out you come to the conclusion, dependant on milage, that you may as well replace clutch and belts and auxillaries etc etc etc, and so you end up with a very hefty bill indeed. It just means I am keeping my car forever ) Phil B

Cobra Alarm, 1999 V8 GT. Anybody have any ideas about what model this is. I have the certificate somewhere, but have just moved house and can't find it anywhere. I want to get another remote key sorted out but when I go to the cobra dealer I want to be armed with info on what it is. Phil B

Must have been covered elsewhere, but here we go. I am soon to move house. The Lotus sits very nicely in a garage I built for the purpose at the present place. However when I move the car will have to stand outside for a few months until I can build a new garage. We were hoping this would be over the summer (both for the sake of the car and the sake of the build) but the house sale dragged on and on, and we now find ourslves moving in the start of the depth of winter. What do people think about car covers to protect their car. I have never been a great fan, but I am thinking about it at present. The car gets used a couple of times a week (all the way through the winter - keeps it reliable - honest), but with the harsh winter I am wondering whether I should invest in a cover. If so what one fits the Lotus nicely. Any recommendations? Phil B

Haven't seen dead mans shoes, but from the tone of the comments it sounds a bit like Twin Town (set I think in Cardiff). Odd film with one of Rhys Ifans early performances. Very memorable end. With all disney/kids films, the problem is some of them are really really good (Monsters Inc, Toy Story, Shrek, etc etc but if you have kids you can relay every word of the script even when drunk and falling asleep, you have to watch them so many times. As for Musicals - I shall leave all parents with the nightmare that is Beauty and Beast and the Little Mermaid. Great films, great scores, great scott but I've seen them too much. What did people think about V for Vendetta. I have seen such mixed emotions/revues about this, and yet I thought it wasn't bad. (I was a fan of Alan Moore's comics). After Holywood killed Judge Dread, I was more than a little wary about V. I Like Notting Hill (I'll get my coat) Phil B

Re Alan Parsons Project. I actually had Ammonia Avenue, which was a great album (Only on pre-recorded tape unfortunately). Don't answer me was from this album I seem to remember. The title track was great. The whole point of them was that it tended to be a different set of session musicians each time didn't it, and the common thread was Alan Parsons himself. I seem to remember Colin Blunstone (sp?) was the vocalist on Ammonia Avenue. This is a bit like one of my all time favourite bands (sounds like a crap DJ talking), and that's The Divine Comedy. The line up changes, but the common thread is Neil Hannon, singing and writing. Phil B

And the original coleman ball which was "And now Juantorena opens his legs and shows his class" (Mexico olympics 800m I think - commenting on Alberto Juantorena) Wasn't there also the jonners one "and there's Botham standing in the slip with his legs apart looking for a tickle" Phil B

What more need be said Phil B Have just changed it so people will wonder whats the point of the last two mails

I have a similar problem, and was always under the impression it was the ICV (idle control valve). When cold it starts and idles (on choke effectively) fine. It also starts and idles ok when starting from hot (ie afyter filling with petrol say). But if I leave it for an hour, to cool, but not get cold, then I have th eproblem. It can be embarressing in par parks as you end up revving for a little while to get the engine warm again, or you end up revving like mad whilst manouvering, which just makes you look silly. Phil B

As the title suggests. I passed (going south in my blue V8 GT) what i think was a sport 350 going north on the m6 (High wing right at the back). I think I was above Manchester, but I can't quite remember now. Phil B

Right then, Jeff the clever dick was right. It lasted about five months and it has come away again. I shall be getting some tiger seal and will take the whole thing off this time. Grr. Phil B

Yep I agree here. After having my engine rebuilt, I have not used a drop (not a bit - none). Which was a bit of a shock for me, after putting in coolant on a (fairly) regular basis and deluding myself that things were OK. Phil B

Had exactly this problem recently. Had a new one fitted at Paul Mattey, and tey didn't know how to do it easily. In the end the chap actually made up a bepoke tool to hold the oil pressure switch on a long arm to locate and screw in. No way you could do it otherwise without removing the engine and a lot of ancilliary bits. I was starting to use a bit of oil with the leak (however when you think about it, it is only a thimblefull on the garage floor, but still worrying). If you are near to PM then take it in there. They have the tool now so should be a quick job for them! Phil B