1977 Esprit S1 Fuel System Question

[Urraco454]

Hello,

I recently purchased a 1977 S1 Esprit (148H) off BAT and I’m hoping I can get some help from the community to get it back on the road. Unfortunately a number of missing parts were omitted from the description of the car in the listing. I’m currently missing LH filler neck, filler hose, LH tank, fuel pump, flow lock and a number of hoses. Because I don’t have the old tank as a reference SJ is having trouble letting me know what is the correct tank to purchase. Also apparently the filler neck is no longer available. Does anyone know where I could purchase a used LH filler neck? Also does anyone have diagrams/pictures of the fuel line routing and fuel pump mounting? With all the missing parts I don’t have much to go on. I understand some fuel pumps mount behind the left seat and some behind the right seat. I don’t see any mounting brackets or even holes for brackets so I’m not even clear where the fuel pump should mount. Any would be greatly appreciated!

[williamtherebel]

I may be able to help with your LH filler neck. Trouble is Im in the UK. Let me know if you don't get fixed up in Canada. Regards. Lez

[drdoom]

Welcome, @Urraco454!

Will pitch in wherever I may be helpful, nothing to offer in regard to these first questions, I'm afraid.

[LOTUSMAN33]

Here is the correct LH tank

https://www.sjsportscars.com/parts-and-accessories/D079L4001F.htm

I have a good original I think but in the U.K.

The SU pump mounts next to the RH tank, I’ll do you a photo at the weekend. 🙂👍🏻

Can’t help with the filler neck.

Dave 
 

 

[Urraco454]

4 hours ago, drdoom said:

Welcome, @Urraco454!

Will pitch in wherever I may be helpful, nothing to offer in regard to these first questions, I'm afraid.

Thanks! Happy to be here! Brand new to owing an Esprit but I have always loved them and super happy to have one sitting in my driveway finally! 

52 minutes ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

Here is the correct LH tank

https://www.sjsportscars.com/parts-and-accessories/D079L4001F.htm

I have a good original I think but in the U.K.

The SU pump mounts next to the RH tank, I’ll do you a photo at the weekend. 🙂👍🏻

Can’t help with the filler neck.

Dave 
 

 

A picture of the RH mount would be super helpful. I’ve found pictures of the left hand mount but can’t seem to find any for the RH. My wiring seems to be on the RH side for my pump so I’m assuming that’s where it goes. Anyone know why some cars have the fuel pump mount LH vs RH? 

[LOTUSMAN33]

The later S1’s had the pump mounted low down on the LH side just inboard of the tank crossover pipe, it was mounted on a bracket on the bulkhead.

I have 182H so your car is as per mine 👍🏻

[LOTUSMAN33]

Heres an older pic before I stripped the car to restore it, the pump should be a SU so this was added by a previous keeper in the US.

[JonSE]

Hello Urraco, is that another vehicle you own?

You can run the car off of one tank for the time being if the balance system is removed, range would be approximately half of that with 2 tanks 🙂 but it might be an option to get you going again.

If you have the take off dimensions and a rough cardboard box mock up, a local fabricator could produce you a copy from images I expect, and you can rig up a new filler arrangement from aftermarket parts. Ask them to put some larger mount holes in to allow for a custom tank to line up.

Depends how close to factory you want to go back to, it’s not so difficult to get the tanks in and out with an early esprit with the engine in situ.

If you can’t find the neck, a larger balance pipe and a second fill shortly after the first will fill a second slave tank almost, I had a failed filler tube on a previous car and isolated it but continued to use it in the above manner. You can only ever fill the remaining space half full at any time, but it proved OK for a while while I sorted a replacement.

[Urraco454]

3 hours ago, JonSE said:

Hello Urraco, is that another vehicle you own?

You can run the car off of one tank for the time being if the balance system is removed, range would be approximately half of that with 2 tanks 🙂 but it might be an option to get you going again.

If you have the take off dimensions and a rough cardboard box mock up, a local fabricator could produce you a copy from images I expect, and you can rig up a new filler arrangement from aftermarket parts. Ask them to put some larger mount holes in to allow for a custom tank to line up.

Depends how close to factory you want to go back to, it’s not so difficult to get the tanks in and out with an early esprit with the engine in situ.

If you can’t find the neck, a larger balance pipe and a second fill shortly after the first will fill a second slave tank almost, I had a failed filler tube on a previous car and isolated it but continued to use it in the above manner. You can only ever fill the remaining space half full at any time, but it proved OK for a while while I sorted a replacement.

Thanks for the info! I might end up trying that until I can scrounge the parts I need. I had a Lamborghini Urraco P250 about 20 years ago. The sound of that 2.5 liter V8 was out of this world!

[Urraco454]

3 hours ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

Heres an older pic before I stripped the car to restore it, the pump should be a SU so this was added by a previous keeper in the US.

That picture helps a lot! Thanks! Just some I’m clear what I’m looking at: fuel pump with flow lock in front, inertia switch to right, rely then fuel filter at top? Unfortunately I’m missing everything there. Below is what I’m dealing with.

[LOTUSMAN33]

Thats pretty much it, you can negate the Evap system if that’s missing although I do have it if needed.

What carbs are you running?

[Urraco454]

43 minutes ago, LOTUSMAN33 said:

Thats pretty much it, you can negate the Evap system if that’s missing although I do have it if needed.

What carbs are you running?

The only part of the evap system I have is #18 so I was thinking of deleting it. Carbs were switched over to the Dellorto 45’s at some point. I wish I had more history on this car. Someone looks like they did a lot of work to it and then it was parked for several years. Looks like the engine was out, it has brand new engine mounts, timing belt looks new, custom exhaust, lots of shiny new bolts and new looking gaskets. 

[GavinT]

Hello Uracco, looks like you have an interesting project. Huge amount of knowledge on this forum. Just glancing at the BaT listing photographs, I noticed the engine number starts as B7403. This is not an Esprit engine but an early 907 engine from a Jensen Healey. B prefixes were for engines fitted with Stromberg carbs and the 74 is the year built(1974) and the 03 is the month(March). Is there any paperwork documenting an engine swap?

It wasn’t uncommon for the early Esprit engines to develop issues resulting in a rebuild. My car, 165H, had a rebuild in the very early 80’s. Swapping out the engine for a good used one from a Jensen or an Eclat/Elite was not unheard of.

[Urraco454]

27 minutes ago, GavinT said:

Hello Uracco, looks like you have an interesting project. Huge amount of knowledge on this forum. Just glancing at the BaT listing photographs, I noticed the engine number starts as B7403. This is not an Esprit engine but an early 907 engine from a Jensen Healey. B prefixes were for engines fitted with Stromberg carbs and the 74 is the year built(1974) and the 03 is the month(March). Is there any paperwork documenting an engine swap?

It wasn’t uncommon for the early Esprit engines to develop issues resulting in a rebuild. My car, 165H, had a rebuild in the very early 80’s. Swapping out the engine for a good used one from a Jensen or an Eclat/Elite was not unheard of.

Hello, the engine (or at least the block) swap was not mentioned in the BAT listing but a knowledgeable person did point it out in the comments. My understanding was that finding S1 Esprits with swapped engines is pretty typical, so I wasn’t overly concerned. 

[jtmco]

Urraco-

Welcome!

I bought a Facet fuel pump and mounted it on the outside of the frame inside the left rear wheel. 
 

Depending on how original you want to make the car, that is an option. 
 

I also have a block from a Jensen Healey running Dell’ortos. Once I got the right jets and bought new o-rings (between the carbs and intake manifolds) to stop the vacuum leaks, it runs a treat!  The carbs sound amazing. 
 

Good luck. Lots of good info here. 
 

Jim

[Urraco454]

5 hours ago, jtmco said:

Urraco-

Welcome!

I bought a Facet fuel pump and mounted it on the outside of the frame inside the left rear wheel. 
 

Depending on how original you want to make the car, that is an option. 
 

I also have a block from a Jensen Healey running Dell’ortos. Once I got the right jets and bought new o-rings (between the carbs and intake manifolds) to stop the vacuum leaks, it runs a treat!  The carbs sound amazing. 
 

Good luck. Lots of good info here. 
 

Jim

Thanks for the advice! You’re right - definitely lots of great info on this forum!

[WestyDMC]

Try these vendors here in the usa. RDENT in PA, great people. JAE parts, incredible guys. THey can find you what you need or send you to someone. Ive ordered many stuff from sjs as well, sometimes its built well, sometimes not. ALso theres a long wait time. Id try usa state side places first. Sports car world in texas is decent too for parts, and prepared by claudius.