'91 Esprit Turbo SE is our school shop project

[t70]

Hey Andrew.. I'm pretty sure it's clevite brand bearing lube. I use it for everything... Any time I need something to maintain lubicration for an extended period or even just to get something lubricated in general, I prefer using it over using motor oil, or grease.

[andrewp1989]

Thank you all for input (especially Mark T-C). Mark . . . long time no hear.

Today -after a long interval of doing unexciting term work- the Lotus finally got worked on again. One student and myself measured all the various necessary bolt lengths needed for the side mounted oil pump. Because I find the OEM bolts to be, well, weak crap . . . I always install new/improved versions. Lets just say that Spae-Naur of Kitchener, Ontario does A LOT of business with me with grade 8.8 and 10 fasteners. The original Lotus oil pump gasket was so thin that the paper buckled and distorted inside the unopened engine gasket package. There was no way I could trust stretching it out and not tearing it. So rather than wait 2 weeks to order a new one, we did what every cash-strapped mechanic would do. We cut a new one out of quality gasket paper ourselves. That took 1.5 hours of nerves with a scalpel, ruler and vernier caliper. It worked great, however. One trick is to use a Dremel and a tapered grinding stone to "smooth" inner gasket window corners and enlarge the bolt hole apertures, as a scalpel makes a pretty jagged small radius.

Tomorrow we start stripping the cam covers and plenum box. Since I am told that I have "too many" Esprits, I purposely strive to make each rebuild that little bit unique. So the '89 has powder-coated engine bits in gloss fire engine red (hey, I was younger then). The '97 V8 uses a crackle finish dark grey instead of the red (note the the DPO re-did the red via a Canadian Tire spray can; bolt heads and all). For this '91 I haven't yet decided on an engine colour scheme other than knowing it will NOT be the orange crackle finish from the factory. I may strip, bead-blast and polish these to a satin alloy. Powder painting prices in Edmonton are, in my opinion, nutty.

Cleaning and detailing the throttle bodies comes next. For sure the alternator also needs a rebuild. We tested it in the last few minutes of class and the multimeter indicated the unit makes a negative voltage (!?!) when spun (both CW or CCW). Could this be a bad diode or cracked diode plate? The clutch, flywheel and throw-out bearing are all new so these went in beautifully. It was a good day.

AP

[ramjet]

As fas as I know Andrew, car alternators are AC output. It is the rectifier on the back that turns it into DC current. Hence why you get the same reading spinning the alternator in either direction. I would suggest you have the meter wires crossed.

But hey, I consider electrickery to be exactly that.

[andrewp1989]

Okay, I'll buy all of that except when we tested both a Ford and an AC Delco unit they produced a positive voltage - both CW or CCW. The Valeo Lotus unit produced a negative voltage using the same leads (negative on the case and positive on the the large threaded stud).

What am I getting wrong here?

AP

[ramjet]

Electricity is akin to voodoo my friend. I would just take it past one of those auto elec joints and ask a favour.

[andrewp1989]

Decided to leave the alternator alone (for a short while at least). Fort McMurray lacks a stand-alone auto electrical shop.

Instead we separated the rear hubs from the wheel bearings. That operation was a head scratcher - at least for the first few tries. Significant problems existed at virtually every step. On every hub carrier at least one internal hex-head bolt has to round/strip. The necessitates drilling the head off the shank to release the bearing and then easing the bolt(s) out with a combination of penetrating oil, oxy-acetylene heat and vice-grips. The '91 had both rear wheel bearings dry, pitted and rusty . . . but why? Turns out the shallow pressed stainless steel grease deflector between the hub and the bearing had been pounded/pried on by previous owners or their uninformed mechanics. Thus with every wheel revolution grease could exit the bearing and water/dirt leak in. We pressed the hub out from the backside (luckily we have a huge shop press) to liberate the hub BUT the inner bearing race always remains firmly attached to the hub. Oxy heat plus a chisel/hammer will not budge it. I tried.

During my lunch, it took me a few tens of minutes to figure out that widely slotting this race with an angle grinder and cut-off wheel would allow a bearing separator enough grip to capture the race and press off the hub. This way we salvaged every hub even though they where pretty banged up and chipped by some weird previous prying (both on the flat back side where it mates to the CV joint and in the bearing grease deflector area).

According to my searches, Lotus DOES NOT sell that stainless steel grease deflector alone. Usually you need to spend about $500 Canadian to get a whole new rear hub complete with the deflector. However, here's a good tip: A 1991 Dodge Monaco uses an identical front wheel bearing (though their hub differs; it has 12 mm bolt holes). Dodge sells that grease deflector for $11 Canadian or $6 US, allowing you to salvage an Esprit hub with a mangled deflector. But good luck finding one . . . Dodge no longer supports that car. You could try the Eagle Medallion or Premier (they have the same set-up) or, in Europe, look for all manner of Renaults (from 18 on). After buying the last pair of these from a Chrysler dealer in Middle River, Nova Scotia, I am told that Chrysler Canada is, now, out of that part. First freeze the hub and then warm the grease deflector ring (say, in boiling water) and I "hope" the two with mount without issues. Understand that I can't afford ruining too many of these.

Now, we are awaiting the arrival of the deflectors.

AP

[ramjet]

Andrew,

Are you talking about the outer race of the cup cone bearing staying in the hub? If that is what you are talking about, there is a simple way to get them out.

[andrewp1989]

Okay, I'm game (outer bearing "cone" of the rear hub bearing = a race). What is the easy way?

[ramjet]

It sacrifices the race, but as you are generally changing them, that's no loss. You get an arc welder and run a bead of weld the entire way round the inside of the race and then let it cool.

The weld shrinks and will pull the race in and generally the race will just about fall out.

When I did my time as a mechanical fitter, I never saw this method fail.

[andrewp1989]

Yes, I have seen and heard of that method. However, our welding teacher was gone by the time I started my hub repair. Maybe next time.

Couldn't the heat or welding splatter damage the thin stamped SS grease deflector? It is so fragile that I doubt it could be pulled off without destroying it.

[ramjet]

Can you post up a pic of what you are talking about?

[Mesprit87]

Hi,

I used to have the same problem on my VWs, I used a dremmel or a grinder to open a groove.

I would then it the groove with a big chisel to snap the race open.

I'll agree that you have to be carefull no to go completely through, that's why I use the "big" chisel, to make sure it wont be able to open it enough to notch the hub...

Good luck

Luc

[andrewp1989]

Sorry about the immense delay . . . I have been coaching/trouble-shooting our "F1 i n Schools" team.  We develop the car from scratch each and every year.  A rather troublesome approach.  Hope to do well in the Canadian Nationals this year (in Michigan, USA!) on May 11,12.

 

The Esprit got a replacement frame.  It came from a small-time scrapper in Portland, Oregon (a Russian guy named "Salva" on eBay).  Really reasonable actually.  He has a bit of bodywork remaining from a red S4.  The front clip.

 

No time in the school shop to do this swap (or anytime soon).  Swapping out an engine on a mystic blue Mazda5 and doing bodywork on a Merkur XR4T1.  By-the-way, I love the Mazda5.  I think all of you should own one . . . seriously.

 

I will -slowly- return to the Esprit after "F1 in Schools".

 

AP

[andrewp1989]

It has been A LONG, LONG WHILE . . . but, hey, I am back.  

 

F1inSchools was big our second year and even bigger the third year; but both of us teachers got wholly burnt out and it has been cancelled for this school year.  With that decision I am both disappointed and relieved.  But I will return with a slim and trim junior team of (so far) only boys and plan to compete in April of 2016.  Their car is being drawn and virtual aero-tested on SolidWorks presently.  Trust me, it will be a unique technical solution . . . my lips are sealed as to how, however.

 

A replacement frame from "Salva" in Portland Oregon graces the shop garage and we are soon to swap the old with the new one.  This year I have a small team of more dedicated senior students in block 4.  Yesterday they voted to work on the Esprit exclusively until the school year end.  That is 6 weeks away.  I hope to supply photos to those who are interested.

 

AP

[Bibs]

[ramjet]

Post them up on here because everyone will be interested.

 

As Bibs said earlier, if you have specific problem questions, you may wish to post them in the appropriate titled areas. They will get mush faster attention that way.