removing the head and cam towers

[bigsi]

thanks..

thing is it wasnt on my lap i was cleaning some parts and the ting caught and ripped out of my hands, it wrapped into my crappy jeans and tore through them and hit my leg, when i grabbed it, it then ripped into my damn thumb.

[AJay]

Si

It's worth carrying on...... the old girl is 24years old now, there aren't many cars that old on the road. there is going to be corrosion on thin walled ali pipe after 24years. But by the time you have finished your car will be more reliable than most, think of all us unfortunates that carry on regardless with all these time bombs waiting to go off.

I have been let down on runs by loss of water etc, wish i had the time to do it.

Keep up the fight you will win eventually........

[bigsi]

thanks andy.

its hard work.. i have to admit at the moment harder than i would like, im trying my best i really am but im getting so diheartened now.

Everytime i take something off that needs cleaning up or bits replacing im finding more things that need replacing, theres only so much i can do.

I get so tired now just by only doing a slight bit of work and its never been like that before, and i cant get used to it.

im going to look around for an engine hoist again next week to see if the block and gearbox can come out so ican get to the frame work and other pipes and clamps i cant see that will most likely need to be replaced.

the worst thing is that looking at the service history the last major c service that was done, parts on the 'c' service list that were supposed to have been fitted new actually have not, there is no way they could be this corroded and damaged if they had been replaced.

So im left owndering if the parts detail were indeed repl;aced in thier entirity.

sorry for the moan i guess im a little down at the moment and dont know where to turn, the enthusiasm seems to be slipping away from me now.

[Simon350S]

OUCH!!!!

Not done anything on the car this week as I've been away.... downed a litre of whisky between 2 of us Friday night along with 2 bottles of wine, generous helpings of port and 4 beers....... LOL

Saturday was pretty much out of the question!!!!!

Skin will heal!!!!! BE CAREFULL THOUGH!!!!!!

If my thermostat is still intact and working your welcome to have it...... Got a new one in my upgraded cooling kit from the sale...

Not sure how much they are to buy.... seems a little daft that you have to replace the complete assembly!!!!

Expecting exactly the same from my ally hoses as my car had been seriously neglected for about 6 years and I'm guessing never had any decent coolant in it in that time!!!!

Keep plugging away dude!!! You'll get there.... no rush!!!!

Simon

[fenton]

CHEER UP SI, I READ ALL OF YOUR POSTS AND YOUR AN INSPIRATION TO ME.

I HAVN'T STARTED MY RESTORATION YET AS I'M STILL TRYING TO GET MY GARAGE FINISHED. BUT I'M SURE I'LL BE FINDING SOME NASTIES JUST LIKE YOU HAVE. JUST THINK OF THE PLEASURE YOU'LL HAVE DRIVING HER IN THE SUMMER.

REGARDS SHANE

[WayneB]

Hey Big Simon, cheer up mate!

Ive been messing with old cars for 30 odd years , this is all par for the course old car fixing stuff. (I bare the welding burn scars to prove it)

Any idiot can borrow X$ and buy a new car, it takes guts, stamina and a modicum of intelegence to repair a classic vehicle back to its former glory (after its had years of abuse and neglect from lazy, tightwad ,moronic former owners)

First time you take that Esprit out and you see the passerbys gawping at her it will all seem worth it. B)

Edited January 28, 2007 by WayneB

[USAndretti42]

I know it must be disheartening to keep finding more and more that needs doing but you have done so much now and would get so lttle for the car in its present, dismantled state that you ould be forever kicking yourself if you have up now.

Have a break and rest then you can get back to it with renewed enthusiasm. As the others have said, it will be worth it in the end and you will know that you have one of the best Lotus Esprits on the planet.

[matk]

I can apprecaite how demoralising this is, but if it's any help, your efforts are secretly inspiring me and god knows how many others to have a go. I normally send mine to Pete at PNM for everything, but just lately I'm considering stripping the engine out and doing a "ground up" like you. That I'm even considering it is purely down to your efforts and seeing the results you're getting.

Keep your chin up!

[bigsi]

forgot to add i cleaned up the vacum rail balance pipe also so i can re-caot that when i can get round to it.

[Simon350S]

Hey dude

Having got me turbo off the car today.... eventually....!!!! remebered this pic of yours and the thought that I had that your impeller blades looked bent on the outer edges....????

Compare them to mine..... which are straight....

Thought I'd point it out... maybe worth investigating????

Simon

Edited January 31, 2007 by Simon350S

[bigsi]

you know what i think that if the turbo is fooked then thats going to be the icing on the cake and i might as well let the bloody thing rot in my drive.

i have been royally stitched over with this damn car, all im finding is thing swrong with it everywhere i look.

i cant afford to keep throwing cash at the car, and not seeing a return on the damn thing.

added: guess what, theres side to side movement in the shaft, when i hold the impellors ewither end i can move it side to side, i dont know if its enough for the ends to touch the sides and cause them to bend as theya re already bent.

oh this just gets better and better..

Edited January 31, 2007 by bigsi

[AJay]

you know what i think that if the turbo is fooked then thats going to be the icing on the cake and i might as well let the bloody thing rot in my drive.

i have been royally stitched over with this damn car, all im finding is thing swrong with it everywhere i look.

i cant afford to keep throwing cash at the car, and not seeing a return on the damn thing.

added: guess what, theres side to side movement in the shaft, when i hold the impellors ewither end i can move it side to side, i dont know if its enough for the ends to touch the sides and cause them to bend as theya re already bent.

oh this just gets better and better..

SI don't panic....

I can't see properly from the pics, but the impeller vanes on turbos vary quite a lot.. yours or simons may have been rebuilt and a different impeller used.. if all the vanes look the same chances are they are alright and are not damaged. when they go the damage is normally quite obvious.

With regard to the play, all turbos will have play, the oil pressure is what keeps then in line and you have just tested yours without any. It may be worn, but if it was not smoking before you took it off the road and you were happy with the performance why worry now. One day it will require a rebuild but it is easy to get at and can be removed without too mush grief.

Don't be lead down the concourse path (if you don't want to) all cars wear as soon as they are started at the factory, as i said before your car is 23 years old that is a lot for any car.

Do as little or as much as you want then get it back on the road and enjoy it, it will break down again' but thats half the fun (i think!!!!!!!)

Andy

[bigsi]

i want the engine bay spotless and the rear framework painted up also.

im sorry mate im just so frustrated, i cant get anything done, i cant find a damn hoist anywhere, im on crappy meds all the time, i cant get any help with this, im bored beyond belief and i hate daytime tv.

i cant keep calling the guys up on here moaning all the time or i will send them to a shrink.

its hard mate as there is no-one around here to just converse with about anything. so the car is all i have.

all i want to do is work on the car, anything is that too much too ask?

i just want it back on the road and to be able to enjoy it, but im getting no where as i cant do it on my own

i have never had to beg for help before.. prehaps thats what it takes.

im not loosing faith im just impatient, i have always worked all my life and this is hitting me hard doing nothing all day long.

could you handle seeing you lotus fall into a state of disrepair in front of your eyes everyday?

by the time i want ot have finished it, there should be no need for it to break down.

[punky]

Hi Bigsi

I am having a bit of a guilt trip here as I am only down the road and have an engine hoist.

The problem I have is,

I have no means of transporting it and its bloody heavy and needs at least two to lift it.

I am using it quite alot at the moment as you can imagine from my recent posts.

As its not mine and was kindly lent to me,I don't feel I'm in a position to lend it out to somebody else.

Also would feel a bit irresponsible lending you heavy lifting equipment when I'm of the understanding that your suposed to be taking it easy at the moment and I might incur the wrath of your other half.

I know your a big guy and able to protect me,but she is a woman after all and will be able to bestow upon me

"The guilt of a thousand wrong doings"From a single stare at fifty paces or maybe even one hundred paces if she is waring glasses

However have you tried a hire company? If you could hire one they would deliver it and pick it up and I am more then willing to come over to yours and lend a hand,and if you can get another bod to help you could just point and shout and operate the lever

Edited February 1, 2007 by punky

[bigsi]

did a bit today, just removed all the crap i ahd left in the rear of the car, took off some more of the corroded jubilee clamps and corroded pipes., my braided fuel line needs replacing so i will get some this week, also some bolts and washers too.

didnt do too much and by the end of it i am truly tired and need some sleep, so it a shower and rest for me.

[Simon350S]

Hold fire on the fuel lines Simon

I'm getting a complete set for my car from my mate.... it you want new ones I can get two sets made up...

Give us a call tomorrow if you want to discuss

Simon

[bigsi]

havent done much today as im barred from doing any work, i had a bit of a turn last night as i had overdone it yesterday, so im not allowed to do anything today.

however.......

went to see my friend with the engineering place and got a ton of new nuts,bolts and washers to replace what i took off the car. I also got a load of jubilee clamps thrown in as well.

i then went to pick up my latest addition to the dvd collection, a new boxed set of the old buster crabtree flash gordon complete series, so thats this afternoon taken care of!!

[Splashout]

HaHa

Sounds like you got a better afternoon than me mate working like a one armed papper hanger!

Anyway I have got something new to try for cleaning my carbs that are now off the car will let you know how it goes if its good

[bigsi]

Hold fire on the fuel lines Simon

I'm getting a complete set for my car from my mate.... it you want new ones I can get two sets made up...

Give us a call tomorrow if you want to discuss

Simon

simon these are the hose finishers i was on about, if your mate has them in red adonised i want 4 of them please, aeroquip make them also.

[bigsi]

all i can say is....

FINALLY!!!!!!!!

[bigsi]

i have looked at my turbo and the blades sit up the shaft a way so they look like they are supposed to be like that, wierd i know but they are supposed to be that way it seems.

a different impellor prehaps?

Hey dude

Having got me turbo off the car today.... eventually....!!!! remebered this pic of yours and the thought that I had that your impeller blades looked bent on the outer edges....????

Compare them to mine..... which are straight....

Thought I'd point it out... maybe worth investigating????

Simon

[bigsi]

right i have just woken up after really overdoing it today, woman found me working on the car when she came home. needless to say she went nuts and im in her bad books.

well today i thought i would just replace some corroded bolts and washers holding the rear bumper on thats all, some were bad so i ended up doing the lot and more....

rusty bits....

which led to this...

which led to this..

which led to this..

and then to this..

needless to say when she came home to find the rear end of the car lying on the floor and me half under it, things sort of went south!!, after a clean up, shower and my medication i basically went into a deep sleep and woke up now, so i dont know how many hours have gone.

now shes hidden my keys from me so icant do anything else...... bugger!

[DBredS4]

quite a labour of love, albeit a frustrating one.

stick with it fella, fascinating read.

where abouts are you? South Wales doesn't sound far from me.

[bigsi]

Group: Members

Posts: 504

Joined: 26-November 05

From: abergavenny monmouthshire

Member No.: 1,040

Car: s3 esprit turbo 1983

Name: simon

[Splashout]

tut tut si you gotta take it easy (although I can understand the frustration mate)

Take care

Glyn