Considering an Esprit advice needed

[TrevS]

46 minutes ago, Chillidoggy said:

It depends if you're doing it yourself, and how far you go.

If it's off the shelf, SWLC have a bargain basement offer on a rebuilt V8 at the moment. £10,500 down from the usual £15.900. Plus labour to remove and fit, one would assume.

Does off the shelf mean engine replacement?

What exactly is the failure cause for the v8, is it an issue with the cylinder liners sealant or are there multiple failure points? If it’s the liners does anyone offer a rebuild service to remove and install new/better liners that you could do as a preventative measure. 

Trev

[Chillidoggy]

Yes, “off the shelf” means a rebuilt engine ready to be fitted.

It really needs a specialist, someone like @mike_sekingerto explain do’s and don’ts of V8’s.

[mike_sekinger]

Hi Trev,

The SWLC engines are typically offered on an exchange basis, meaning engine swap.

The 918 engine is not a fragile engine !

The liner sealand issue is unlikely to be a problem on any current running engine. It was only relevant to the early produced engines and could be triggered by an overheating event.   The majority of other issues can be associated to either poor maintenance, use of poor aftermarket parts, poorly rebuilt or ill advised tuning options.  The 918 is an interference engine and is not designed with indexed half-speed idlers or cam pulleys.  These are held in place through bolt clamp forces.   If insufficient clamp is applied, the engine can fall out of timing and result in damage.

You do see quite a few failures as a result of oil pressure issues, either from the PRV or blocked galleries as a result of too much sealant being used.  Those kind of failures would kill any engine.

Being turbocharged (but not chargecooled in standard form), greater power can be released with a simple increase in boost pressure.   As the engine components are selected for the designed output, it is easy to overwhelm the cast pistons, BE shells and cooling system.  As the engine is not chargecooled, the 918 puts a massive amount of heat into the oil.   There are twin oil coolers, but it is natural that higher inlet temps will result in higher oil temperature.

I build upgraded 918s, but being based in Germany means that there would be some additional cost associated because of Brexit.

You can go crazy with the specification, but typical options are engine chargecooling, hybrid turbochargers, ductile iron liners, upgraded BE shells, forged rods and forged pistons.

In any case, I am happy to provide remove support or answer any other V8 questions that you have.

[TrevS]

Mike, fantastic response and insight into the v8 so thank you for sharing your knowledge.

It sounds like the best advice is to not be put off by a v8 but look out for unmodified cars that have been owned and maintained well. Mike, do you or any specialists offer any Pre purchase inspection service?

Trev

[mike_sekinger]

There was a model specific Buyer Checklist created a while back by Lotus Esprit World.  Attached is an example performed by Northwest Lotus.  That should give you a reasonable idea of what to check for.

Depending on where the prospective car is located, you may be able to find a local specialist that can help you with that.

Lotus_Esprit_Checklist_V8_-_V78SBW-1.doc

[Tim H]

Hi Trev,

I have owned a V8 for 17 years and can say it has been reliable and a real joy to drive. As with any car, if it is driven and maintained correctly it will be fine. Do the homework and checks and if you can get a specialist would be a bonus.  

Enjoy the hunt to Esprit ownership👍😁

 

[Essex Metallic]

Hi Trev,

I bought my first Esprit this summer.  I wasn't specifically looking for a V8 but wanted a late model which left me with a choice V8 or GT3.  I took me close to 3 years on and off to find the right car with the right comprehensive history but it's been worth it.  The V8 is a great engine that is surprisingly refined at cruising speeds.  It makes a great GT car as well as a great sports car. 

The four cylinder cars are fantastic too and I suspect a fair bit cheaper to run and maintain.  Drive a few and see what suits your needs.  Good luck.

[Zulu10]

Hi Trevor,

I’ve got a 1997 GT3, which is an early dash model, and is a bit of a garage queen having only done 21,000 miles.

It’s not for sale, but if you’d like to come and clamber all over it then you’d be very welcome.

There are two downsides: 1) is that I am in north west Hampshire, and; 2) the car is now SORNed for winter.

[Barrykearley]

On 28/10/2021 at 21:10, TrevS said:

It sounds like the best advice is to not be put off by a v8 but look out for unmodified cars that have been owned and maintained well. Mike, do you or any specialists offer any Pre purchase inspection service?

Don’t be afraid of buying a non runner 🤭. 
 

https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/buyers-guide-lotus-esprit-1987-2004

 

[Mightymetro]

I was in exactly the same dilemma.  I had had a 4 cylinder years previous and I narrowed it down to a 1997 onwards with the revised interior but with the bodykit so I had no other choice than to buy a V8.  The engine was not a consideration at the time as it didn’t matter to me.  

I purchased my V8 about 4 years ago and the engine let go after 3 weeks.  This was a failure of a rebuilt engine by an ex Lotus dealership where they had used too much sealant on the sump which had caused blockages of the oil galleries and complete engine failure rather than a design problem.

I decided to upgrade and rebuilt the engine which cost around £20k.  The figure is high but it included a new billet crank, forged pistons, forged rods, ARP studs + Mike etc so although I nearly had to remortgage the house it was my choice, I think it could have been done for around £12k standard.

 

my engine was rebuilt by MikeS and now spends its time happily dealing with daily driving duties and also spirited weekend runs.  It’s an absolutely great car which I use as much as possible.  Having the confidence in the engine means a lot to me and it has proved to be extremely reliable.  As has been said earlier, it is a rapid car but is sometimes disguised by how refined the V8 engine is.  It sometimes doesn’t feel overly fast in isolation but if my wife is in her 981 boxster the Esprit absolutely leaves it for dead.  Also if we are going out anywhere the esprit always feels such an occasion to use, even if it spent the day just driving to work and back.

 

if your anytime around Yorkshire your more than welcome for a cup of tea and a chat and a run out in the car.

[mike_sekinger]

8 hours ago, Mightymetro said:

... As has been said earlier, it is a rapid car but is sometimes disguised by how refined the V8 engine is.  It sometimes doesn’t feel overly fast in isolation but if my wife is in her 981 boxster the Esprit absolutely leaves it for dead.  

It`s going to get a lot faster once you have your Proalloy chargecooler system and optimised ECU installed 🚀

[superdavelotus]

Hi Trev,

What's your budget for a decent late V8 with then? Prices have gone up but nothing like all the other marques which have shot up even more!