Elite/907 engine variants?

[Mystery Machine]

Hi there,

Does anyone know if there were any variants of the factory 907 engine in the Elite or were they all identical?

Also, is there any way of finding out the spec of an engine from the engine number? Things aren't all that they seem with my latest purchase!

[Herc]

Bruce,

They seemed to fiddle with the tuning almost every year. Some info is listed on page 25 of: http://www.lotusbits..._your_lotus.pdf

The workshop manual gives more details. There are 9 different distributor/ timing specs listed there.

The engine was named the 'torqueless wonder' in the early days, but by about 1977 the magazine reviews seemed to suggest this had been largely sorted out.

Yes, you can work out the details from the serial numbers. It is listed in the manual, or if you post the numbers online I will try to decode for you.

Herc.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Herc

[Mystery Machine]

Many thanks for the info. The engine number is D907E0050Y (cast into the block behind the starter) which is different to the engine number shown on the chassis plate and original sales document.

Externally the engine looks awful, the alternator is completely seized along with the AC pump and cam belt tensioner and the engine is completely covered in a layer of aluminium corrosion. However, there is a very large difference between this engine and the one in my other Elite. This one has a large lump of ribbed ally bolted to the carbs!

I didn't know there was such thing as a Turbo'd Elite?

If anyone knows anything about this type of turbo'd engine I'd really be grateful to find out more?

Many thanks,

Bruce.

[Herc]

Bruce,

D907E0050Y looks more like the part number format, not an engine number. I couldn't find it in the parts manual, but maybe the block casting?

The manual says the engine specification is "stamped on the right hand rear of the cylinder block, above the starter motor. It is on the VIN plate too, but obviously you can't be sure these match.

This has the format something like:

D C 907 76 06 12844

Early engines have only a single letter before the 907.

And

76 = the year

06 = month

12844 = the serial number.

There are a lot of letter prefixes, depending on if A/C, PAS or auto box were fitted. For a '76-80 UK car it probably starts with a letter D. The second letter is then one of

C = standard, D = A/C, Z = PAS, L= A/c & PAS, R =Auto, S = Auto & A/C, T = Auto & PAS, M = Auto & A/C & PAS

Herc.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Herc

[Mystery Machine]

Hi Herc,

Many thanks for that. We managed to find the engine number hidden in the surface ally corrosion. It turns out the engine is the original one after all, just with a turbo fitted to it.

On further investigation it seems someone has spent some money on this. Despite the external (very scruffy) appearance of the engine it looks very much like its had a complete rebuild and never run since. Brand new pistons, valves, valve guides, cams...you name it. As well as that it's got a freshly ported/polished head and the turbo itself is brand spanking new!! I never expected that.

As for the engine code it's DL907790716709 which I guess makes it a 1979 engine which certainly matches the age of the car and all the supporting paperwork. Many thanks again for your help, it's really appreciated.

[frommerstop]

Does it have the actual turbocharger mounted off the exaust manifold, or does it simply have the intake runner from a turbo Esprit mounted on the carbs? I can't imagine there's enough room for the turbo between the bulk head and exaust manifold on an Elite for such an installation. I've been thinking of running a 2.2L Turbo in my Elite, but if I do, I expect to replace the turbo, with a small supercharger (Paxton, most likely) geared to put out aproximatly the same boost as the stock turbocharger.

It seems most likely, your car has a non-turbo engine that someone has added a turbo intake to, for visual affect. If it has been rebuilt for a turbo (or is a doner from a turbo Esprit), than without boost, it will be a real pig! I've descovered looking at the space available on mine, that a turbocharger wouldn't fit without cutting into the footwell (passenger side for you at lest - not even possable for my LHD version). Cam timing, and compression ratio are uniquely set for boost, and without it, it will not perform nearly as well as a stock enigine. Could you try to post som pictures of the exaust manifold side, near the bulkhead, or maybe where the intake is coming from?

Cliff

[Mystery Machine]

It seems most likely, your car has a non-turbo engine that someone has added a turbo intake to, for visual affect. If it has been rebuilt for a turbo (or is a doner from a turbo Esprit), than without boost, it will be a real pig!

Hi Cliff,

I can assure you it very much has a turbo and the inlet plenum certainly isn't for "visual effect". An IHI turbo (brand new) was lurking in a cutout/boxed in section in the passenger footwell area.

At first a few of thought there might be something special about this Lotus when we spotted the really neat wiring routes, the beautiful heat shielding etc....and even considered that it could be some kind of Lotus development car. Hence the purpose of the thread trying to establish if anyone knows about variations of the 907 engine.

I only got the car on Friday evening so it's early days and I'm still finding things out about it. I will at some point try and establish the stroke of the engine to see if it may have been made a 2.2? All I know at the moment is that is definitely is a turbo'd engine and that all the internals and the turbo itself are brand new. I'll be checking the carbs too because I have a feeling they also may be new/fully refurbished. As for what spec the engine is, I currently don't have a clue but will start investigating that when I get time.

Could you try to post som pictures of the exaust manifold side, near the bulkhead, or maybe where the intake is coming from?

I'll be taking LOTS of photos of everything at some point soon. I will be pulling everthing apart to investigate it properly and want to make sure I know where it all goes when I put it back (i.e. pull all the wiring out and refit it once I've worked it all out) although I probably won't be fitting it all back in this particular car, it'll probably be going into my other Elite. That one doesn't have a terminally rotten chassis unlike this one (when I say terminally rotten, I've never seen a vehicle in my life with this much chassis rot!)

I assume from your comment that there aren't many turbo'd Elites out there?

[frommerstop]

Well it's certainly the first I've heard of! I doubt it was a factory development car, because it has a slightly later intake plenumn (with cooling fins) that was not introduced until the Esprit Turbo was already into production... seems likely at that point any development would be done on Esprits, or at least Ser.2 Elites. I look forward to seeing how much of the foot well was modified to make room for the turbo, and if there was sufficient sheilding to keep passenger's feet from toasting. Should be a heck of a fun ride though! Like I said, I've been considering options to put something (of similar power) in my Ser.1 Elite, and I'd prefer to stick with Lotus, rather than using a Rover V8 - just on principal.

Cliff