Total newbie wanting advice

[Escape]

I can imagine going through the trouble to try ans wash the ethanol out of regular E10 fuel is very much not worth it!

Totally agree the brakes on VAG are almost binary. Merc seems to be a lot better, haven't driven a recent BMW but I expect they'll be OK too, given their sporty reputation.

A 15% saving in fuel consumption would be a huge leap, 5% seems more realistic and 10% would be a very good result. Electronic ignition is easy and cheap enough (123ignition for example, which even retains the stock look). EFI is a different game. You'll not only need the ECU, but also all the sensors to feed info to it and most importantly a different intake manifold with injectors, fed by a higher pressure fuel pump. It's an interesting project for sure. You've made a few references to Land Rovers, so I take it you know of MegaSquirt as well? For many years the preferred way of fitting or improving EFI on a Rover V8, though lately Haltech etc have become popular as well. We did a couple of MegaSquirt conversions, usually already starting from an EFI V8. If starting from a carbed engine, it's easy enough to find all the EFI parts. Not so with Lotus, there are not that many 9xx engines around and luckily most are kept running and not broken up for parts, unlike a Rover V8.

I'm quite happy with the 300 mile usable range of my Excel. It's certainly not holding me back when taking her on a road trip. And we do have the advantage that all petrol stations around here have the option to pay at the pump, so no queuing. I'll admit that's something I don't particularly enjoy when visiting UK. 😉 

[Failing2Excel]

Washing the ethanol out isnt that bad, if you know youve got to do it in advance and have some time/space to do it. Trying to do it 1 gallon at a time, running backwards and forwards between home and the petrol station... thats not fun, especially when you dont know how far youll have to go before you can get E5.

Yes, vaguelly aware of megasquirt, same sort of thing as speeduino, ME221 etc, popular for good reasons, cheap and simple. My Land Rover is a 3.9 V8, broken so badly that nobody can fix it, partially due to electronics, but may also have had very bad bore wash. Waiting for some nice weather to investigate, since I've no garage.

As for EFI-converting an Excel, it may not be a great idea, since the standard carbs produce great power. Just doing the internet equivelant of thinking aloud, I presume since the standard carbs are worth quite a bit, theyd be worth selling (or putting to one side to make the conversion reversable) so then some ITBs would be needed (or a single, but that would probably reduce power, so whats the point), a throttle position sensor, a MAF sensor, crank and/or camshaft position sensor, and probably a few others that I cant recall. The fuel pump and injectors are cheap, Id guess that an early Toyota item might be a direct fit, but thats a long shot. Injector placement is tricky, either a new inlet manifold, or drill holes in the standard one, but thats hardly optimal. Then all the tuning to get it running well, increased insurance premiums because its modified (Im only 21!) All that hassle and expense for 5% fuel savings? Definately not worth it.

The problems Ive got with making the leap are 1.) Prices have gone up a fair bit, and 2.) The MX5 fastor - this is the term I use to arbitrarily compare "fun" cars that arent MX5s to an MX5, because when I had my SS1, everyone told me I was a moron for not buying an MX5 (Despity the SS1 being 100kg lighter, almost entirely rustproof, far more unique, etc etc). And looking at Excel prices, for the less money I could get a really nice MK1, MK2 or MK3 MX5, with money left for mods when the desire for more power inevitably strikes. The other quite similar, very temping car at that price range is a TVR 350i, now Ive never driven either, but from what I know and from what Ive read, the Lotus appears to be the better car, its galvanised, its got a solid roof, 4 seats, etc. On the other hand, the TVR has a Rover V8, so parts are cheaper and options for increasing power are plentiful.

As tempted as I was to buy someone elses unfinnished project Rover V8 engined Excel, I still think Id better wait for a running driving example. I presume that a Rover V8 engined Excel is worth far less than one with its original Lotus engine? Anyone selling?

Edited March 28 by Bibs

[tom kilner]

I've been looking at sold prices on these Lotuses for a few years and I'd say originality isn't massively improving value.

  A current mot, good paint and interior seem to have the most effect on value -

But to hit 5 figures I'm sure you'd need the original engine.

And to have spent 5 figures on restoration and maintenance🤣

Lotusbits do a fuel injection kit for 9** engines - given how many they have done, and how long for,  its probably worth a look.