How to split the rear boot floor 86 Esprit

[slewthy]

Its time to get the S3 up and out again.

To do so, I need to do some clutch adjustment, so,. (having no lift) I need to remove the rear boot floor and separate the box of electrical mystery attached to it, engine side.

No biggy but I recall someone here talking about this issue and the solution being to split the floor. But I'm not sure if this is the same reason to do it or not.

Also not sure how I might safely go about it.

Any advice/memory etc gratefully received - I did search but failed.😐. I might have done a 'man look' of course......

[Sparky]

A very simple test is to check whether the pushrod can be moved or rotated.  Just get a hand to it from underneath or via the RHR wheel well.  If you can move it at all, it's not preloaded.

[snowrx]

On my 85 turbo the boot floor section just unbolts, it may have had some sealant or foam tape at the lap joint, but just some M6 screws around the edge.  Of course from there it goes all Lotus in that the wiring harness to the "box of mystery" does not have a connector to separate it from the car, so you just move it out of the way of what you're under there for.

[Sparky]

Ummmm, clutch adjustment?  Please clarify.

[Barrykearley]

@slewthy this really isn’t an adjustable thing. It either works or doesn’t. You sure it doesn’t just need bleeding ?

[slewthy]

Well,

I replaced the clutch master and slave last year, all seemed well but towards the end of my final run last year, I got the impression the clutch was not fully disengaging. Figured I needed to take a relook at it all and , yes bleed.

Just thought, 'whilst the boot floor is out'......

[Sparky]

There's no adjustment there other than bleeding, and that's perfectly possible with boot floor insitu.

[jonwat]

2 hours ago, slewthy said:

towards the end of my final run last year, I got the impression the clutch was not fully disengaging.

What was the weather like? If it was hot the problem could have been "red hose syndrome",  assuming the red plastic hose connecting the master & slave cylinders hasn't been replaced with a SS braided one.

[slewthy]

Thanks chaps.

I said disengaging. My bad I meant engaging!!

I replaced the old red hose when I first got the car with a PNM braided one, perhaps 10+yrs ago. It was a very hot day though....

When I replaced the slave cylinder, I think I may have 'fiddled' with the push rod distance adjustment as the rod was quite floppy - my thought was that it may now be too tight, so not fully releasing the plate.

I need to check the measurement, 22mm I think it should be. I'm sure its all doable without removing the boot floor.

[jonwat]

2 hours ago, slewthy said:

it may now be too tight, so not fully releasing the plate.

Being too tight would do the opposite, more likely to make it slip.

[CarBuff]

1. I've seen Esprit slave pushrods wear down from use. Always good to apply a bit of grease to either end.

2. Also Good Practice to flush/bleed the hydraulic fluid periodically.  I do ours every 2 - 3 years.

3. In the future, if you want the boot floor out of the way without disconnecting stuff, just unbolt it and hang it from the 'bullet' latches on the hatch. You need a hatch prop or GOOD gas support struts for this!

[slewthy]

Nice Atwell!

Unfortunately, my S3 boot floor is different. It is shaped around the rear engine bay and is difficult to remove without damaging the paint around the inner hatch mouldings, hence my desire to obviate the need to remove the engine bay part in the first place. it wont lift up in the way you have illustrated. I wondered if a split floor would solve that.

I might get a new pushrod and then I will know its correct.

I think the confusion earlier in the thread comes from our different definitions of clutch engaged or not. JonWat is correct - its clutch slip I have experienced. In my understanding, this means lack of clutch engagement but that not be everyone's interpretation.

this means that, for whatever reason, the clutch actuator system remains engaged when it should be completely slack.

It could be that my push rod is worn but that I have over compensated at the adjustment on the fork. this is what I will look at.

[slewthy]

Thanks everyone.

Yes indeed, push rod tight so preloaded. Adjusted and can now be rotated. Will go out for a trial once I retax.

And, quite right, easy to get without disconnecting anything.

So does this mean there is no real need to split the floor?

[jonwat]

14 minutes ago, slewthy said:

So does this mean there is no real need to split the floor?

Never heard of anyone else doing it.

[Sparky]

Excellent!  You will indeed get clutch slip if you've adjusted that nut well up, as that's exactly what it's for - to prevent flywheel damage when the clutch is thin.  Adjust it to spec and leave it there, and all should be fine if everything else is within limits.