Oh Bugger it...

[Jonathan]

Bloody rad has popped

1st failure on that car for 2 and a bit years so not too much to moan about.

(my GT2 has a radiator gown and so did the Elise I had before LOL - they're all catching something)

Pissing fluid out all over the shop - are there upgrades etc to be had or is this just a bog standard replacement ?

Tricky or easy job ?

Was going to have the whole front end off to do the grills / lights, stone chips and armourfend.

Anyone done this before, pics would be right handy.

ta

Edited October 15, 2007 by Jonathan

[esprit350]

I had mine changed at my C service when they were doing my oil coolers, they sent it away to be re-cored took about 10 days, Chris Neils said it was no longer available as a new part.

[Splashout]

if its just the core that has poped you could always look at getting it recored some places can upgrade in a number of ways for example adding extra cores etc.

Glyn

[98GT3]

are there upgrades etc to be had or is this just a bog standard replacement ?

Jon, there were some writings on this one on here somewhere! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Custom-Radi...2QQcmdZViewItem

Phil

98GT3

Edited October 15, 2007 by 98GT3

[dave excell]

I replaced mine on the V8 with an exchange unit. Pig of a job, you remove the oil coolers (bolts rusted in) Remove the cowlings (bolts rusted in). This gives access to the Rad cowling. Remove this (bolts rusted in). The whole unit then drops out, its heavy so watch out as it includes fans and air con condenser. Now you can remove & replace the rad. Replacement is reversal of the procedure using new (preferably stainless nuts & bolts) Estimated time - 2 Days to remove, 2 hours to replace.

All the best

Dave Excell

[Vulcan Grey]

Easy job, can do by yourself. Just don't break the bolt off in the oil coolers!!!!!

http://vulcangrey.lotuscolorado.com/galler...umName=radiator

[Winter]

Easy job, can do by yourself. Just don't break the bolt off in the oil coolers!!!!!

http://vulcangrey.lotuscolorado.com/galler...umName=radiator

Characteristically excellent images from Travis. Dave Excell's description is probably closer to UK experiences. Rust, rust and rust.

I chickened out when I had mine replaced and had my local Lotus agents do it for me. I had had the rad recored but the company who did it put the core in upside down. They rectified that FOC. It took nearly a week and it is a pig of a job. However, everything now runs nice and cool.

The fundamental problem is that to get at A, B has to be removed. To get at B, C has to be taken off and to get at C, D has to be dismantled - and so on. At each stage, seized and difficult-to-reach fasteners have to be confronted.

Twenty or thirty years ago I would probably have tackled the job myself. However, although not impossible without one, a hoist makes life much easier. Moreover, presbyopia, less agile limbs than used to be, the agents being just across the road from where I work and a less stretched bank balance have changed my decision-making considerations.

Best of luck!

[Jonathan]

Bloody heck Travis, what haven't you done on that car ?

Great photies - would have a crack at it myself but I can see what's going to happen - I'll find rusty stuff and start cleaning it up and painting it and so on. We'll see - looks like you need to have the front up nice and high.

Ali rad looks kinda neat too - have to see when I have some more time and quotes through.

[th4neuk]

If you have a ramp it can be done in just over a day.

Pig of a job though as every bolt will be rusted to death!!!! (No change there then)

Good luck

Cheers

[Vulcan Grey]

Bloody heck Travis, what haven't you done on that car ?

Great photies - would have a crack at it myself but I can see what's going to happen - I'll find rusty stuff and start cleaning it up and painting it and so on. We'll see - looks like you need to have the front up nice and high.

Ali rad looks kinda neat too - have to see when I have some more time and quotes through.

I haven't taken out the dash yet...

Aluminum rads might be good, but copper conducts better, and the nose of the Esprit diesn't really need to be any lighter. Only reason to go Alu would be to add more cores IMO.

[formatc]

Got my rad done earlier this year along with the charge cooler rad.

Got the main rad from SJ sportcars =

[Jonathan]

...Yet...lol

We'll see how it goes, might give cars a rest for a while, lay it up over the winter and crack on with it here and there.

Front needs to be worked on anyways, scratches, grilles and stuff.

Thanks for the advice all.

[Tentenths]

When I was over at Gerald Turner's earlier in the year he was halfway through replacing the rad on armynick's GT3. Apparently, on paper it's a relatively easy job in that the oilcoolers should just pivot out of the way, allowing access to the drop-out 'cassette' that holds the rads.

In practice Lotus's use of steel-to-alloy (or it might have been aluminium) connections on the oilcoolers means that in the majority of cases the joints have completely seized. Consequently they often sheer when any attempt is made to loosen them, thus adding replacement oilcoolers to the parts list.

That's certainly what had happened on Nick's car... as it does in 7 or 8 cases out of 10.

[esprit350]

happend on my car too, I only had one leaking when I took the car in, but by the time they took it off it was shot

[Jonathan]

Hmmm - taken most of the covers off and looked at it, it's a pig and a half to get at.

All of the 6 fixing bolts are well tucked into the body and underneath ancillary kit such as the ABS so it's all gotta come out.

They say the coolers dont have to move off but the rad cowling goes over them so they have to be swiveled at least to allow the ducting to drop.

Luckily ony 2 screw breaks (the ones to the rad support arms !) - I remember the PO had the 2 oil coolers replaced so they should be ok too.