Clutch too heavy for you? V8 Fou has the answer

[B1 RMA]

When attending the recent Lotus Festival I had a chance to meet V8 FOU and many others from different forums I have been in conversation with over time. Paul has a very clever conversion where he has put a small servo on the clutch, I tried it and I am really impressed with it, it is so light even my wife could use it not that i would ever let her as fast cars and booze are wasted on her. I also experienced Paul's tickover conversion and again have to say it works very well. I did start the car up and try these modifications and they are without doubt well worth looking into.

[jonwat]

I'd love to see a diagram/pictures of the clutch servo as I hated the very heavy clutch on the S4s I owned, I had the clutch assistor spring fitted which helped but it was still tiresome after a journey though traffic.

[Rich H]

More info please!

[B1 RMA]

I think you had better contact V8 FOU yourselves, Paul is a member of the forum and his forum name is V8 FOU.

[Günter]

he tried to offer his 'idle conversion' ..but it ended only with discussions and guesses

So I wounder how heavy you think the twin-plate AP-clutch is actually ?

.. as I came from an 1.4L/60HP car with manual shift and cable actuated clutch ..and yes, the feeling with the V8 was notable heavier on the first couple of months. But was just a question of "training" after all

-it is a real gentle'mans' car in some aspects, and I even know a real Lady who drives her own V8 ..so why should there be a problem ?

[B1 RMA]

Well I can assure you that one I drove to Brands Hatch in my V8, when I started Paul's V8 to try the clutch conversion it was so light it did not feel like the same clutch system. Two when I blipped the throttle it revved quickly but rather than 'hang' at about 1200-1500 rpm it dropped as quick as it revved. Nothing more to add to that, both seemed to be working exactly as they don't on mine or probably yours.

[Günter]

no problem with the clutch actuation ..as I'm not a small guy ..and I have 'massive legs'

Think there are other, more usefull points to 'upgrade' the 918 or the whole car in general ..his 'idle mod' maybe one of the more practical things, but a clutch so soft that you do not know it is actually there and working or it is not

-not sure if I would like to have this.

[B1 RMA]

Myself I think the clutch assistance is very good thing. The first thing people said to me when I had my Esprit for sale on Pistonheads was 'wow thats clutch is heavy isn't it' That was not just one potential buyer but every one. I'm used to fairly heavy clutches so it doesn't bother me but if you do by any chance use your car in trafic on your daily commute or just don't particularly like the heavy clutch it's a no brainer.

[Günter]

the first three years of ownership it was a 'one car only' situation for me, so day by day ..summer & winter, I had to used it in city traffic as well as on country roads .

After all it is just an twin plate clutch without any damping, so for sure it needs some practise to find and hold the point where it grips for the right moment of time to shift and run without stalling. For now I'm just not old enough to see a need there, but good to know that something is out and available

Edited August 26, 2012 by Günter

[jonwat]

A heavy clutch is more of an issue with four cylinder Esprits than twin plate V8s, the V8s I tried had feather light clutches compared to my S4s.

[B1 RMA]

I must be a bit of a wimp then

[jonwat]

The first V8 Esprits had very heavy, single plate clutches which were all changed, free of charge, by Lotus to twin plate clutches as they were just too heavy.

If your V8, twin plate clutch is appreciably heavier than a normal saloon car clutch I'd suggest there's something wrong with it & I'd get it looked at before it breaks & you have to drive home clutchless.

[B1 RMA]

I'm sure it's o.k. as it was replaced by Bell and Colvill no more than about 20,000 miles ago

I'm sure it's o.k. as it was replaced by Bell and Colvill no more than about 20,000 miles ago

My point is that the conversion done by V8 FOU seems to me to be a very good idea

[Iconic Ride]

Are you sure you're not pushing on the brake pedal, Dave?

If it'll make you feel any better, my initial impression was that the V8 clutch was mos def on the "firm" side, but I attributed that to an engineering desire for "performance" gear shift engagement capabilities. Ironically, it turns out (as most well know) that the Renault box does not cotton to overly rapid shifting habits. "Deliberate" is the euphemism I like to use for the selection process, particularly for the 1st to 2nd change. In any case, like Gunter (and many others) I have grown used to the slightly machismo effort required to activate the clutch pedal, and do not find it objectionable. Nonetheless, I have elected to cancel my gym membership, as I find it a redundant expense.

[B1 RMA]

As I've said I can live with the clutch, it's just both mods make it a much nicer car

[V8 FOU]

Ah, fame at last!

I measured my clutch pedal effort before and after the conversion and it now has approx 40% reduction in effort. I need this being disabled with a very poor left ankle. I guess as a conversion I would charge about £300

There was much debate and fault finding about the idle conversion on here. It has been on my car for around 4 months now with no problems. The main benefits are a quicker gearchange due to the revs dropping faster (bit like the effect of a lightened flywheel), the car is less likely to stall on pulling away due to the more stable idle, and it doesn't irritate with a slow idle decay! No stalling with a/c or pas loading etc. I could fit the same set up for about £300 with fully adjustable temperature of cut in of the second iac.

Also, I have fitted some very high quality rod ends to the gearchange cables from the oem manufacturer which are the ones that Lotus should have fitted! These are about £100 / pair as opposed to £12 for the oem ones! Fully sealed with no slack.

Made some switch covers too!

So if anyone is interested, let me know. Just trying to help!

I also have full alignment gear too......

Almost forgot. Thanks David. Good to see you!

Edited August 30, 2012 by V8 FOU

[jonwat]

I measured my clutch pedal effort before and after the conversion and it now has approx 40% reduction in effort. I need this being disabled with a very poor left ankle. I guess as a conversion I would charge about £300

If I still had my S4s I would have been more than happy to pay that for the reduced clutch effort.