ARGGG....GAK! Part 2

[Kimbers]

OK, My mechanic reliably informs me that my car will fail it's MOT next month as it's brake lines are corroded very badly. He's replaced the ones leading to the calipers but says that he doesn't know the car enough to do the rest.

So whats going to be the damage?

How long does it take?

I'm thinking about getting Glenn at the factory to do it using our LEF discount (

[mr.oogieboogie]

not having too much luck on the braking front. i would have thought about

[Splashout]

Tony this is something that even you could do with a bit of time and patience it is simply a case of bending copper pipe to fit, then take it to have the flare put in at any motor factors (the flaring tool is a tad expensive for a low use tool).

I would imagine it will be quite painfull to have someone do it due to the time involved, if the parts are still available pre bent from Lotus then that will make it alot easierand possibly not to bad.

Not sure where they all go but a look through the parts mannual will show you where they are. They usually run along chasi members held by clips so a case of remove clips take out pipe fit new pipe.

First port of call would be to find out if pre formed ones are available and take it from there.

Glyn

[mr.oogieboogie]

if you can get the old ones off quite a few motor places will make them for you either same day or while you wait, get your hands dirty and save some money.

all the best

[gumin]

Had mine done last year at the local garage and it didn't cost much at all. When I spoke to the mechanic and said I could get the pre cut and ready bent pipes for him we compared the prices and he said he could do it for less and he would prefer to do it to get the fit right. Very pleased with the results.

[Splashout]

Serriously what markup must there be on those then!!

I know Lotus parts are expensive usually but to be able to pay someone to make them from scratch and fit them for less than the cost of the part from Lotus is plain bonkers

[andydclements]

Kimbers the brake lines aren't too bad, probably the worst bit will be coming from the front compartment to the underside of the car through the area where the steering rack is. That isn't too bad with the car up on a ramp.

I would offer to make up the pipes but I guess your mechanic could do that .

Would it help if he had a workshop manual / parts list showing the pipe routing? If so I'll drop one in (or pass it though the car windows on the B1108).

Andy

[Kimbers]

I give up. My oil leaks getting worse from just above the exhaust manifold and my mechanic has told me I can't drive the car. If I leave it overnight there is a visible amount on the exhaust and he's worried about the car going up in flames if it gets hot enough. He's had a look at it and suspects it's the head Gasket.

I had to put a liter of oil in it since Christmas Eve and it's only been to work and back (14 miles).

FOR SALE One pristine perfect S4...may require a little work.

[mr.oogieboogie]

bugger. im sure that you wont sell it though, just get it done. at least you know it will be reliable once the bits are done. perhaps there is something in the tale that if you drive them on a regular basis you get less problems?

all the best

[Kimbers]

Trouble is I can't drive it if it's off the road!

[iainskea]

Tony, if the oil leak is above the manifold - wouldn't it be the cam cover gasket, not the head gasket? - These are easy and cheap to replace.

I looked up my brake line replacement and it was 3 hrs @ $65 AUD and $5 per fitting or so. A nice neat job for not much money (and I don't have any money too).

Chin up mate,

Iain

[andydclements]

I agree with Iain re leak source.

If you haven't driven it much it would be hard for it to be the head gasket. They can only leak oil when ther's oil either being pushed out unde pressure or returning down the galleries. If it's lost 1l in that space of time, it must be seaping out at other times. The oil in the cam carriers sits there against the gaskets nearly all the time, so can leak even when the engine's not running/ run recently.

Andy

[matk]

Kimbers

Mine was doing exactly the same and losing the same amounts of oil. Just to reiterate all the above it was the cam cover gasket NOT the head gasket. It leaks because the engine is canted over at an angle and oil collects in the cam tower after switch off and then leaks out past the gasket.

It's a relatively simple job to replace the cam cover gasket.

[Mark Blanchard]

Kimbers, had a chat with Geoff at Esprit Engineering and he recons the cam carrier to head has a leak and not a head gasket.

I'm getting my brake pipes done too, with new copper wire. He recons a day's work, so a few hundred quid.

Good luck .

[Splashout]

I tend to agree it could be one of the two places mentioned in my mind.

Give it a really good clean up and then leave it and see where its coming from if its the tower cover thats easy peasey and a five minute job. If its the tower itself to the head then thats a bit more involved.

Get it cleaned and find out where its coming from.

[fjmuurling]

Headgasket is very very unlikely as it is below the exhaust manifold. It is either the camcarrier to the head were the leak is or the covers of the camcarrier (or both). I suggest give it a very good clean and check later where the oil is coming from. Don't despair after i had my car for a couple of months it started leaking in various places (exhaust camcarrier to head, exhaust camcarrier cover, front camshaft seals etc. which are now fixed). The camcarriers and the top of the head have some recesses and due to the engine being tilted to the left oil remains in those places after the engine is turned of. If you look in the parts manual section 40 you can see why. When I renewed the gasket of the cover of the exhaust camcarrier it took me 3 tries in order to stop the leak after ruining 2 gaskets I found out that the cover itself was the crulpit, altough perfectly straigt and not warped some idiot (not me) had shaved of some material of the mating surface of the cover in one corner. This explained also why the old gasket was mounted with some glue type liquid gasket material. I took me almost all afternoon of sanding the cover straight again. (I put sandlinen on a glass plate in order to create a flat surface on which i could sand the cover). Oh before I forget my camcarriers where also mounted with silicon(probably by the same lunatic) instead of the proper anaerobic sealant.

So don't give up Kimbers once everything is fixed you forget all the troubles you had before.

Freek

[Jonathan]

Bah mine leaks onto the manifold too and it's 1/2 the mileage and 1/2 the age - its most likely the cam towers or the seal on the end of the cam shaft, no big deal.

Not being funny but who's the mechanic - would it not be more wise to take it to Lotus or Stratons around there ?

Before you start throwing the towel in take a few pictures and lets have a look and take it 1 step at a time.

They can be bloody annoying but if you wanna keep it you might as well stick with the devil you know and get it sorted.

Brake lines, depends on whats gone - again need pictures but it could be something REALLY simple and you're worrying over nothing.

If the head gasket has gone you should be able to see from the water if it is emulsified or the oil itself (usually in the filler cap) and or losing water.

[rocket63]

Have to agree with Jonathon Tony. Give us some pickys and dont get frustrated. Its all part of the ownership.

I have just had to, actually I am still doing the exhaust manifold on my S4. I have found many many other jobs to do as well.

Dont give up big man. When its all done and you drive it again, you will realise why you percevere with the red bugger

So. get pictures, Get posting, ask questions, get advice, get more pick me ups (if Needed) and hopefully we will guide you to satisfaction.

[Kimbers]

Bsted thing. The problem is that it is driving lovely! it's smooth with no rattles or squeeks, brakes are now Sooooooo much more responsive and even the oil temp guage has started working again (though it's sparodic).

Car goes into be MOT'd next week. Seriously considering biting the bullett and just getting everything annoying done at once. So who's starting the Kimbers charity drive?

Oh yes the brakes. The problem was all the seals had gone on the calipers and the pistons had seized solid. We've freed one up the other still siezed. I'm going to offer them for free to anyone who wants some to repair.

[Advantage]

Tony, with all due respect to your guy who's doing the spanner work on your car (if I had a Civic, I'd be happy for you to recommend him) but cut your losses now.

Take it to a Lotus Esprit specialist.

You mentioned using the factory (combined with your LEF discount) earlier on in this thread. Pick up the phone today and book it in. I'll happily trundle up to you with a trailer and transport the Esprit up the road.

[MGFCrasher]

Don't give up ,although I DID!.........................

I've lost count of how many leaky can cover gaskets I have had to replace.Fortunately in reality you don't hear of that many head gasket failures on these cars unless the engine is really sha@@@D! And by the sounds of it it drove fine when it was leaking anyway.

I always think that the corroded brake pipes failure is like the aligning headlamps thing for MOT testers ...Its something they come up with if there is nothing else they can find as they know no one will say no to having them done.......

Hang in there ,there are less and lees great S4's out there in my opinion and it sounds like you have he makings of a great one.

Of course maybe they do need replacing Better safe than sorry....That'll be

[Kimbers]

Tony, with all due respect to your guy who's doing the spanner work on your car (if I had a Civic, I'd be happy for you to recommend him) but cut your losses now.

Take it to a Lotus Esprit specialist.

You mentioned using the factory (combined with your LEF discount) earlier on in this thread. Pick up the phone today and book it in. I'll happily trundle up to you with a trailer and transport the Esprit up the road.

The "Guy" i use is non other than Roger beckers son. And also I get charged

Edited January 18, 2008 by Kimbers
I was blathering on in self pity

[rocket63]

Ok T. Same here mate. Less disposable income for most i would expect. I started off with a

[Mark Blanchard]

My first bill, after 2 weeks of Ownership was

[Splashout]

Hold in there and it will be worth it. This is coming from someone who has had his car for 7yrs now and within the first year had to face a complete rebuild when the engine shagged itself to the point of bending the crank!!

That bill came to just under