carrierbywagon

Very reluctant sale of my Excel, hoping it goes to a fellow enthusiast. https://www.lotusforsale.com/ads/lotus-excel-1988/

https://www.lotusforsale.com/ads/lotus-eclat-s2-2/

Thanks, this reproduction is probably my best option now! I’ll see if it is still available... Never knew there was a google drive version - I had embarrassingly taken a picture of every page of my manual to have it electronically 🙈 Thanks very much - bookmarked now.

Good afternoon all, I am, as always, after something obscure - does anyone on here have a Lotus Excel Worshop Manual or can point me in the right direction? I always see Eclat / Elite ones on eBay (and own two) and I’ve seen SJ have new £160 Excel ones, but was hoping for something a little less pricey! Cheers, Ben

I’ve already tried that - it didn’t turn out well!

Good evening all, It’s a serious long shot but I’m looking for the centre tunnel trim part in leather (vinyl) from an Eclat or Elite S2. I know there are slight differences between the two but I can make it work! I’ve tried the usual sources like LotusBits, seems like it’s a rare part with the mounted window switches. Cheers, Ben

Success! I had noticed that when I looked closely, both the carbs had been leaking from the pump jet diaphragm area. One of these was leaking onto the distributer! Two rebuilt carbs later, new dizzy cap and spark plug gaps set correctly and the car is running again! During the rebuild I also noticed that one of the fuel mixture screws was seized and I nearly destroyed it getting out! I think it was a combination of these problems that stopped it from starting, not just one. Thanks for all your help.

Thanks, I’ll have a look next week and keep you all updated!

Hi Richard and Lez, I have assumed plug leads are good since I get a strong spark at every spark plug but may try some other ones as I’m getting desperate! I had tested cranking whilst putting easy-start in at the carbs - again nothing. Once or twice the carb might spit out but not sounding like it would start. Regarding the fuel filter, that has been recently replaced. I’m definitely getting fuel to the carbs and after a period of cranking I can see fuel on the spark plugs so clearly it is getting to the engine. Back to the compression test - I can’t do a warm one since it won’t start! I still think having such low compression in cylinders 3+4 may be my problem but it seems strange I’ve had it running before! Ben

Hi all, I’ve been busy over lockdown getting my 81 Eclat in good order but I’m now having an issue with getting it started. Before I drove it into a new garage a few weeks ago it wasn’t running that well. I had attempted to tune it and it was running better before I parked it in there. However now it refuses to start. I’ve had issues on and off with getting it started - including when I first bought it from the auction - it refused to start when I came to drive it home! Sometimes it has just flat out refused to start over the past 6 months but could eventually start it. Below are the things I’ve done that I thought each time had solved it as the car would come back to life: 1. New battery 2. New starter (hi torque but with extra wire put in for cold starting) 3. New spark plugs 4. Reset timing to 9 degrees BTDC 5. Reset carbs as in Hamill’s book 6. Checked for spark at each plug 7. Fixed small fuel leak in carbs 8. Tested and checked coil and dizzy cap Sometimes one of the carbs would backfire but the engine wasn’t close to starting. Now I had been tearing my hair out thinking how it still won’t start when I decided to compression test: 1. 180 PSI 2. 180 PSI 3. 115 PSI 4. 110 PSI So my questions in summary are this - have I missed anything obvious or have I got some sort of engine issue such as possibly a head gasket issue between cylinders 3+4? Is there any other test I can do before I tear off the head? Any help would be much appreciated! I look to post a restoration topic once I’ve got the car back running of what I’ve done! Thanks, Ben

You can just see in the top picture that the large bolt isn’t quite straight, but still does the job fine! **So the bolt that the eye screws into.

Hi, the previous owner on my car fitted this system which would look neat if it hadn’t bent. However it does work, the towing eye just screws on.

Evening all, My Eclat which I introduced a few weeks ago has a few issues. But issue number 1 is that it grates the wheel arches on full lock and a little less. I have had a good look underneath and think the suspension is in reasonable condition. However I found that the front where it is connected to the body is damaged on both sides. When I pull the body up it makes a big creaking sound. I only managed one photo in the light but it is the same on the other side. Looking at the book there are more more mounting points but I believe the front is why it is low. Has anyone else had this issue before and is it an easy fix with the fibreglass? Thanks Ben

Thanks for the replies everyone, I feel welcomed already. As as some of you have mentioned - these Lotuses are always ‘done soon’ but it never seems to be the case! Photos incoming this weekend of the red one.