Finally, Restoration Begins!

[LOTUSMAN33]

Brilliant stuff, once primed they seem okay as had lots of old Lotus cars which have been laid up for years which fire up fine once serviced and checked over.

Good luck with your first runs and keep us posted.

Dave  

[giorgio67]

Little update with terrific delay due to Covid 19 nonsense..

Done all the engine wiring, fitted the coolant etc.. ready to cranking to build oil pressure before attempting the first start, well, things are not always as expected so ZERO oil pressure and now the saga begins..

actually I've de-assembled oil cooler adapter plate, removed distributor and valve relief pressure to check it and everything is working properly but everything is also completely dry, no signs of oil...

so thanks to Matt advice I'm starting again the procedure to re-prime the oil pump assembly with vaseline and I will try to crank again without the oil cooler assembly connected, finger crossed, really don't want to take off the sump to check oil pick-up assembly etc... My patience with this beautiful car is nearly at the end...😩

[drdoom]

Giorgio, perhaps you may take some comfort in knowing how many of us are travelling much the same journey as yourself. We need the greatest patience and determination, sometimes it all seems too much but we always have the capacity to pause and refresh our point of view. You are so very close to realizing your dream of driving a very special automobile.

Cheers

[Lotusfab]

41 minutes ago, giorgio67 said:

Little update with terrific delay due to Covid 19 nonsense..

Done all the engine wiring, fitted the coolant etc.. ready to cranking to build oil pressure before attempting the first start, well, things are not always as expected so ZERO oil pressure and now the saga begins..

actually I've de-assembled oil cooler adapter plate, removed distributor and valve relief pressure to check it and everything is working properly but everything is also completely dry, no signs of oil...

so thanks to Matt advice I'm starting again the procedure to re-prime the oil pump assembly with vaseline and I will try to crank again without the oil cooler assembly connected, finger crossed, really don't want to take off the sump to check oil pick-up assembly etc... My patience with this beautiful car is nearly at the end...😩

Hi Giorgio, I am an expert on the consequences of no oil pressure! What ever you do dont start the engine until you have oil pressure. Im sure you have checked the pressure relief is closed. Did you fill the filter with oil? You migh5 be able to pump oil into the gallery through the oil pump pressure outlet? Pack the pump with graphogen then attempt to crank. Have a beer and be patient. You will get there soon and be able to drive it! Most of us have had this problem. The next one will be getting all the air Out of the cooling system!

[giorgio67]

AHAHAHAHAH Fabian, air out of the cooling system???  Fitted coolant yesterday and as expected no more than 8 liters goes on, I think once started and leaving the cap off the air will go out of the system, and yes, oil filter full of oil, pressure relief valve free of movement and closed, dizzy o-ring mounted correctly etc... tomorrow I will pack everything with vaseline jelly, and I will try again... 

...You migh5 be able to pump oil into the gallery through the oil pump pressure outlet, what's the best way to do it?

Update soon...

 

[Lotusfab]

9 minutes ago, giorgio67 said:

AHAHAHAHAH Fabian, air out of the cooling system???  Fitted coolant yesterday and as expected no more than 8 liters goes on, I think once started and leaving the cap off the air will go out of the system, and yes, oil filter full of oil, pressure relief valve free of movement and closed, dizzy o-ring mounted correctly etc... tomorrow I will pack everything with vaseline jelly, and I will try again... 

...You migh5 be able to pump oil into the gallery through the oil pump pressure outlet, what's the best way to do it?

Update soon...

 

Yes air will come out with the cap off all will appear fine then suddenly the thermostat will open and the coolant will piss out everywhere!😄😄😄😄😄,
Nothing to worry about this is normal for a Lotus! My solution. Jack onto nose take off hose to cylinder head and fill with coolant.I think a  lot of the coolant problem is caused by the thermostat not opening at the correct temperature. It opens far too hot and then the air on the other side rapidly expands and pushes the coolant out! 
I connected a pump to the turbo feed line and pumped oil into the gallery. Should be able to do the same through the oil pressure connection. This is the oil gallery. Check the oil level after and drain some off. Its messy. I would try the Vaseline first. If you havnt already packed the pump it might work. When I have built this Turbo engine 8 will devise a priming method and list all of the procedure including flow rates. 

Good luck and well done you nearly there pictures please when your cruising the streets. 

[giorgio67]

Update...

oil pump housing and gears fully packed with vaseline jelly, oil cooler sandwich plate removed and voilà!

After 15 seconds of cranking a smile appear on my face, I have pressure!

Gauge are reading 50 just with the cranking speed so everything goes well this time, now I need to sort out a little leaking from fuel pump connector and than I will try to start it after 10 years of sleeping.

😀😀😀

 

[giorgio67]

UPDATE guys,

after 3 attempts the beauty has started after 10 years of sleeping 😀😀 , first two attempts have been wrong as I have  stupidly routed the dizzy cables 180°out....🤣🤣 but (thanks again Matt...) routed again in the right way the engine start immediately, what a sound!  Perfect oil pressure, no water leaks from pump and pipes, no tappet sound, everything is just perfect, it's a Swiss watch!

I have build engine temperature to see if the fans works and reached just below 90 they goes on immediately, I have not calibrated anything on the carbs but they are running very well and the idle is stable at about 900 rpm.

What can I say?

 

 

 

[Lotusfab]

Well done mate!

[markt]

[drdoom]

If you please, Giorgio, could we have a photo showing how the upper radiator hose is positioned vis-a-vis the chassis? I have my re-cored, re-tanked rad back from the shop and am trying to determine where in the pod to locate and then how to support.

Cheers

[giorgio67]

I will take some pics for you but would be Monday. 

[LOTUSMAN33]

Nothing more satisfying than starting your engine for the first time hearing it spring to life knowing you did that 👍🏻
Fantastic work, now the fun bit fettling the carbs to achieve perfection😉

Dave  

[Paul Coleman]

On 21/05/2020 at 15:13, giorgio67 said:

My patience with this beautiful car is nearly at the end...😩

I always end up nearly selling every car I restore at least twice before I finish it!

[giorgio67]

Update guys,

fitted the tailgate chrome trims, I was a bit worrying about but has been easy, checked with care the corners fit before putting seal on and the result is very good.

Also fitted the passenger carpets and seat and trying to make the handbrake lever warning light working as with the new carpets and the new rubber lever there was very few gap to make the contact on microswitch. Next would be the windscreen and have the Speedline wheels sandblasted and painted, very happy, this car is coming beautiful!

[Lotusfab]

Looking really nice!

[gvy]

fantastic job so far Giorgio,

Are you sure about sandblasting the speedlines. Those are, may I say,delicate aluminum rims and you should be carefull with sandblasting. If you do not want to use chemicals and sandpaper ( this is a lot of work) then at least consider some other  type of mediablasting ( not sand)

Inform very well with your specialist about this. I did restore and spraypaint mine myself and I even did polish the outerparts to aluminum highgloss (without paint or lacquer on it) and only painted the centerpart in aluminium spraypaint with a final coat of automotive 2 stage lacquer. they came out very nice.

It did took me a lot of scuffing with different stages and grits of sandpaper.

IMG_20151013_214633 by gvygvy, on Flickr

Edited June 27, 2020 by gvy

[drdoom]

Hello Giorgio,

I have one of your photos saved which shows your radiator and fans in place, and 2 black braces for the pod laying on the floor. Looking at my own set-up I can't figure where those braces would attach at either end. Perhaps you might advise on this?

Cheers

[giorgio67]

Sorry Steve, I forgot about that. 

I will post pics today of the rad assembly and rods.

Giorgio

[giorgio67]

Here the pics for you Steve, sorry not very good as the Phone camera is gone. As you can see the two rad stay are bolted on chassis and rad cow as for the Lotus Manual specifications.hope this helps.

Giorgio

[Lotusfab]

Any pics of your car on the road?

[giorgio67]

Still not on the road due to a leaking water pump just taken out... also car is not registered yet and I don’t know if it would be as here in my region we cannot drive anymore Euro 0 cars even if “classic” .. idiot politicians. So could be for sale soon if things does not change.. 

[Fridge]

1 hour ago, giorgio67 said:

Still not on the road due to a leaking water pump just taken out... also car is not registered yet and I don’t know if it would be as here in my region we cannot drive anymore Euro 0 cars even if “classic” .. idiot politicians. So could be for sale soon if things does not change.. 

Was it the pump in the end? Last I looked at this thread I wasn't sure if it was just a hose that needed tightening up, or the bolt hole was leaking or something? Though the bolt doesn't go into the water jacket as far as I remember.

[drdoom]

2 hours ago, giorgio67 said:

Still not on the road due to a leaking water pump just taken out... also car is not registered yet and I don’t know if it would be as here in my region we cannot drive anymore Euro 0 cars even if “classic” .. idiot politicians. So could be for sale soon if things does not change.. 

Unbelievable and appalling! Bloody idiots should be respectful of their own history, the car was designed in Turin and still stands iconic 50 years on! As if the comparatively few true classics would have any material impact on air quality, especially with so many 2-stroke scooters and diesel lorries oiling their way around European urban centres. As electric automotive technology continues to evolve there will be ongoing improvement of air quality as lorries, scooters and automobiles increasingly become zero output.

Thanks indeed for the pics, Giorgio, just can't imagine you losing the car over such a petty perspective. 

[Lotusfab]

2 hours ago, giorgio67 said:

Still not on the road due to a leaking water pump just taken out... also car is not registered yet and I don’t know if it would be as here in my region we cannot drive anymore Euro 0 cars even if “classic” .. idiot politicians. So could be for sale soon if things does not change.. 

I can’t believe this so stupid. Its a worry though this idea might spread and these car could be finished in the future. Very sad.