fjmuurling

Hello, I dissolved a piece of aluminium 2 days ago in one of the couplings with a Sodium Hydroxide solution (NaOH). This only eats the aluminium and not the steel coupling or hose. Do not use acid, this will also "eat " the coupling. Freek.

I think SJSportscars have the right oilcooler for an S4 at 149 pounds ex VAT.

Hi Simon, good to see you back in business again. Freek

I'm back again for an update. This one is about some Stainless Steel brackets which I made. These pictures show the new reinforcment plates being made which are going to replace the very rusty old ones which were in the undertray. These brackets are the ones which bolts the spoiler to the bumper and the bumper to the car. The old ones were also corroded. The last picture shows all the new brackets nest to some old ones (not all I just found out that I need to make 2 more brackets they were still in the car). The only thing which need to be done is the welding of the various nuts and bolt (already done but no pictures). Prior to making new ones I measured each one and put all the dimensions on paper. As for the drilling of the holes I used Cobalt drill bits, furthermore you have to keep the speed low and apply a fair amount of pressure and some oil. Freek. More to come ...................

Bibs, I had the same problem and like G

Another possibility is that the ECU measures the current through the sensor as it keeps the voltage across the sensor constant. In order to do so the current needs to change if the resistance of the sensor changes due to a change in temperature. Freek

Here is some more, Here you can see the expansion vlave (= TX Valve) which needs to be removed. In order to expose the connections on the TX valve and the Evaporator unit you have to remove some black (tar like) tape which acts as insulation in order to prevent condensation on the various components so everything stays dry in the footwell. The right picture shows the pressure (flare nut) sensing connection and the temperature feeler (clipped to line) of the TX Valve. At this stage I also removed the hoses in the passenger compartment namely the suctionhose from the Evaporator to the Compressor and the dischargehose from the compressor to the condensor shich runs over the wheelarch. The bumper/spoiler needed to be removed as well due to broken/sheared bolts etc. Some of the nuts which needed to be undone where very hard to reach for me but fortunately I have a very special spanner size 10 which I use for those hard to reach places (many thanks Michael (he is my 13 years old son)). The undertray was in some desperate need of repairs as the picture shows. In the corners between the various layers of glasfibre some steel reinforcement plates were bonded, however these were heavily corroded and subsequently expanded causing some serious troubles. Before I commenced the repairs i first made a Jig. The jig was made of simple white laminated 18mm thick panels. After the Jig was finished I started the removal of the old reinforcement plates, once these were removed I mounted the undertray on the jig. The above pictures show the remainings of the left (tray is upside down) side plate. The one on the LH was in a little bit better shape and could be used as a semi template for the fabrication of the new ones. In the end my trusted Dremel made some serious overtime again. The Saga continues next time ................

Bibs, if I'm right the part is bolted to the metal beam on which the dash is mounted. (Lotusposition) Freek

Hi Mark many thanks for your words of encouragement, it really is a big project. Below is some more. Finally the Radiator/CondensorCharge Cooler "package" is down, under normal circumstances be carefull not to put too much strain on the AC Condensor hoses, however for this job I di'dn't care to much as the hoses and the consensor will be renewed. The other picture shows the assembley removed from the car. My radiator looks almost the same as other ones shown here on LEF. In order to separate the Condensor/Chargecooler from the Radiator you have to undo four clips (2 left and 2 right) and two bolts from below. Afterwards you can undo 4 bolts (2 on the left and 2 on the right side) in order to remove the radiator from the undertray. In the end 3 out of the 4 radiator bolts broke. The removal of the Fanshroud is a delicate task of cutting, twisting and drilling out of some very rusty and stubborn screws and rivets and in the mean time taking care of not braking the shroud. I also started on cleaning some parts namely the undertray and the oilcooler ducting parts in preparation of some repair work. The Fans removed and at last a picture of the new AC compressor. Stay tuned for more ................ Freek

Here is more, About half the number of bolts, screws and nuts which needed to be undone were stuck due to corrosion and needed to be ground and/or cut in order to remove them. When I was lucky they just broke. My Dremel made some heavy overtime. The above left picutre shows the RH OilCooler ducting which needs to be removed, the above right picture shows some of the piping for the cargecooler which has to be removed and which I used for draining the system as well. Some of the bolts look bad but actually they were not the worst one to undo. The above pictures show one part of the LH Oilcooler ducting undone and a broken bolt on the RH Oilcooler ducting. This sheared off bolt (with some others as well) is responsible for a lot more work namely the removal of the front bumper and spoiler later on. Next came the removal of the Oil Coolers. On the RH Oil cooler I was able to undo the two hose without damaging the oilcooler, however on the LH Oilcooler I only could undo the top oilhose connection the lower one wouldn't bulge (I tried every trick in the book but zero result). In the end the two oil cooler were removed but also destroyed so two new oilcooler were ordered from SJSportscars. LH Oilcooler hanging by a thread, about to lose but it didn't go without a very hard fight. There is still one small piece of the aluminium stud remaining in the steel hose connection which still has to be removed, which I will do with NaOH (thanks to a tip of a fellow forum member). Also the foglights need to be removed, they are in the way when you want to remove the radiator undertray. I couln't undo the mounting screws so I removed 4 clips on each light as well as disconnecting two wires and was so able to remove the aft part of the light (reflector etc). to be continued...................... Freek

Hello everybody, In the first week of January I started the AC renewal/converting project on my 1990 SE. A presssure test in the past (on the non working system) revealed a leaking compressor and a leaking condensor. Repairing was not really an option as the system was an R12 system. The compressor could repaired but repairing the thing is almost as expensive as a new one which is suitable for R134a. Maybe the condensor could be repaired but a new one was very cheap in one of the Louts Parts sales, so I bought one just in case I needed it. After a lot of thinking, researching and postponing the inevitable I started the project. In December 2008 I bought a new AC Compressor, the old one is a Sanden SD508 and the new one is a Sanden SD5H14 which is made for R134a and has the same dimension as the old one, only the hose connections are different but new hoses will be custom made. The project is still ongoing, I'm almost finished with the removal of everything and I'm even in the process of fabricating stuff. Passenger chair and Sill Panel removed in order to expose the Aircon Hoses. In order the remove the Sill Panel the carpet needed to be removed carefully (old glue) and rivets needed to be drilled out. Also the Glovebox is removed. Don't forget the seatbelt. After the above jobs the car was put backwards into the garage and put on my makeshift lift. In the process of reversing the car into the garage I nearly suffocated my wife (at least that is wat she said) while she was giving directions. (normally the car goes in front first). My garage has it all namely central heating, a fridge (filled) and a stereo (still to be installed), only the space is a little bit limited. Some tools are also present. Stuff (Drier, headlight motor etc) to be removed on the RH front, on the LH side the headlight motor, the windscreen washer fluid tank and the airhorn compressor have to be removed also. Some things could be left in place but then disconnecting the oilcoolers will almost be impossible so remove what can be removed. One (actually two) AC component(s) removed namely the Drier with the pressure switch. To be honest the compressor is already out of the car because I needed it when I bought the new one last year (no piccies of the removal) More to come .............. Freek

Simon thx for the answer, luckily there is only one small piece of aluminium remaining in one of the steel couplings. Freek

Malc thanks for the info, I will do the repair with polyester. Freek

I recently bought two oilcoolers from SJSportscars (they were 149 pounds each excl VAT) as I destroyed mine in an attempt to remove them. My car is a 1990 SE but I believe the GT3 uses the same oilcoolers. Freek

Simon what chemicals did you use for dissolving the aluminium piece inside the coupling ?? Freek

Thanks for the answers, mine is fiberglass for sure however but i'm not sure about the bonding resin. The problem is that if polyester resin is used originally you can use polyester resin or epoxy resin but if the undertray is made of epoxy resin than you have to stick to epoxy resin only. The conclusion comes to mind to use epoxy but it is much better to use the same stuff. Freek

I need to do some repair work on the Radiator undertray (part of the AC Renewal process) and therefore I would like to know if a polyester resin or an epoxy resin was used so I can stick to the same type of stuff. Anybody has any idea ?? Freek

Hello Justin, hopefully the picture is of some use, sorry for not posting this earlier but just started today with the removal of the black stuff (is insulation in order to prevent condensation) and the removal of the TX valve itself. One of the thin copperlines (the one with a coil) is mounted with a clip and the other one is mounted with a "nut" to the suction pipe of the evaporator. Freek

Check this link Esprit Suspension Fitting out. Freek

thanks for the additional info Ralph Freek

Ralph, as requested my belt is a Gates one for a Lotus Esprit Turbo SE. The following information is on the belt reading from left to right: The gates Logo, PowerGrip HTD, made in UK, B9126697F and at last some white numbers xxx 6 248DS, The numbers on the place of the xxx are 222 to 230 in increments of 1. Hope this helps Freek BTW: I weighted the belt again and the outcome was 150gr.

The weight of the new HTD belt I have is 150 gr. (accuracy 1 gr.). Freek

Oil cooler number 2 is underway from SJSportscars, they are a straight replacement for the ones in my 1990 SE, so my oilcooler problem is solved now, however I may have to replace 1 of the oil hoses (if so I will do the two of them) because a piece of sheared off aluminium (ex old oilcooler) remained behind in one of the couplings and until know i haven't been able to remove it. Freek

Hello Scott It happenend to me once but the leafspring was not broken but the whole spring came loose from the aluminium frame. I removed the small remaining rivet stub on the frame and drilled a hole through the frame. I then used a stainless steel bolt, ring and a selflocking nut to complete the repair. Freek

Thanks everybody for all the information, A new oilcooler with additional parts is underway now from SJSportscars. I hope I only need one cooler number 2 still has to be removed that is one bolt and one thin nut, the hoses came off without any problems. I hope to find out next week. Freek David: thanks for the tip. I did't blow my oilcooler I just tried to remove it.