My Esprit V8 project

[espritmania]

I presume that your  luggage will get wet then??

[V8-ESPRITS3]

No going to put another floor on top

[V8-ESPRITS3]

Buddsy,

I don't know why but my guess is the lack of cold air/flow and the fact that its all a tight fit? I am not happy with how hot it gets! the fibre glass boot area near the exhaust sections gets hot like too hot to hold your hand on for more than a few seconds, also the tailgate glass also gets very hot to touch? the engine is very wide with the TVR manifolds so that's also very close to the fibreglass engine cover sides, it just gets all too hot and not happy just living in denial and hoping it will be ok? maybe I am going over board but its better to have some nice air flow and keeping every thing cooler, its not really costing much to do just time. Plus the turbo also has the air intakes at the side skirts I wonder how much they help cool the engine bay?

Rob

[DaveyT]

What's your running temp Rob, and how hot is the exterior of the block after a run?

I can't see mention in this thread of the rad you're using, but IIRC Lotus had a fair bit of trouble cooling even the 4 pot well enough due to the angle and position of the rad at the front.

I'm sure you'll have covered this one off, but the rear glass getting hot, that would worry me too.

Btw, seen the recent thread on Lambos :-))

[mdw]

The heat wants to go up  so why not get rid of glass back  put in a louvred tail gate like on the Essex. Rather than trapping it with the glass and trying to pump it elsewhere.

[V8-ESPRITS3]

What's your running temp Rob, and how hot is the exterior of the block after a run?

I can't see mention in this thread of the rad you're using, but IIRC Lotus had a fair bit of trouble cooling even the 4 pot well enough due to the angle and position of the rad at the front.

I'm sure you'll have covered this one off, but the rear glass getting hot, that would worry me too.

Btw, seen the recent thread on Lambos :-))

water temp is ok stays in the middle but hot fulley tested in a traffic jam yet! still work to do on the rad going to get it re-cored and made full width of the car, my rad is near flat due to the air suspension dropping the car really low and the rad is the lowest part of the car much lower than the chassis. I have 2 fans also fitted. Will look into the lambo thread do you have a link? thanks

The heat wants to go up  so why not get rid of glass back  put in a louvred tail gate like on the Essex. Rather than trapping it with the glass and trying to pump it elsewhere.

yes looking into that also as already mentioned in my thread, but the glass removal is risky and making the louvre is more work for me at the moment, will be doing it but not yet would like to get an old nackered tailgate to work on first. Some of the heat was trapped due to the bodywork covering the exhaust, my manifolds are high in the bay where as the lotus and many other v8 installs the manifolds are low and get some air flow.

Edited September 12, 2014 by V8-ESPRITS3

[mdw]

Sorry the essex louver is a ridged  plastic / fibre glass ridged black thing ( not sure if it went on other cars).  I thought you were looking to make  the whole thing in glass slats that openend and closed. I may have got the wrong end of the stick though.   I don't know if there was anything under the louver or just the engine.

[V8-ESPRITS3]

yes also the tailgate structure shape under the turbo louvre is different, I believe the glass is structure in the S3 hatch and when the glass is removed it will flex. So not a quick easy job to do, my car is outside with no cover so I don't want it missing the rear glass for days while I make the louvre. Ideal would be to have a scrap old hatch to work on first as a jig to get it all sorted and working then attack my hatch when I have a finished louvre to fit.

[Bibs]

Have you thought about wrapping the manifolds and exhaust?

[Wilf]

Manifolds and down pipes already wrapped looking at the pictures. Air scoops under the engine may help as well whilst moving?

[CharlieCroker]

Looking good Rob, hope this solves the overheating issues, should do the trick all those fans!

[V8-ESPRITS3]

Not much done to the Esprit lately, I have been too busy with other projects (Lamborghini Gallardo replica) and having a major clear out of engines, parts, and projects just too much to do and no space or time to work on them!!

 

 

So sick of this rain and my Esprit getting scratched by the kids on their bikes! Just can not find a garage to rent near me over winter so have brought an outdoor Carcoon. Not cheap! But could be worth every penny if it does what the makers claim, time will tell……..

 

[eddie lotus nj]

This is a great and informative thread. Im currently working on fitting chevrolet 283 to the citroen trans on an 84 turbo chasis. Nice to see the citroen seems to be holding up ok. Im figuring if i dont drive it like a drag car, the trans will hold up ok. Love the pictures and the way the exaust was wrapped.

[V8-ESPRITS3]

Ok it’s been a while? Yes I still have the Esprit and progress has been very slow! Have been tinkering with some bits and bobs and some parts have been removed/changed re-fitted, removed and some things are new to the project.

Have had some down time well in fact had a mental break down! which never helps and took a couple of months to get back to wanting to do anything with life and cars……..life sucks at times and things go to shit.

 

The Carcoon was a bit of a disappointment I still had a damp interior and mold was growing again! But it did help keep the car paint and bodywork clean and protected, so its worthy of being used but shame it does not do what it’s claimed to do.

 

The air ride is still fitted and has been upgraded with a computer based control system which lets me store 3 ride heights into memory and can be remotely changed with a key fob (can’t wait to catch people out when it’s parked!) This works really well as I was having issues trying to set the front at a consistent height and having issues with tracking/bump steer. Now it can be set accurately every time with just a press of a button.

Once I get some more miles done and found the ride height I can live with I plan to get it all setup as its not right at the moment steering feels like a hyper sensitive go kart at 60 mph and the slightest input/movement of the steering wheel is exaggerated to dangerous levels! The heavy steel air tank has gone and I have a twin pair of alloy air tanks.

 

Have extended the side ears around 15mm and made both just air inlet now, as the stock setup had the lower part inlet and upper outlet? The tailgate now has locking bonnet pins instead of the original catches, they kept undoing and the tailgate would open which was really annoying as the tailgate stays upright fully open when you get up to speed! I got stopped by the police and was oblivious to the fact the hatch was fully open while driving around! I can now lock it place (open a jar) to allow heat out.

 

Front radiator has been removed and in the process of fitting a bigger 60mm core Cosworth alloy rad, also changed the angle/rake of the rad. Engine bay boot floor area again has been ripped out and being redone, I think the issue with the rear hatch catches failing was due to the rear body flexing? I have made a steel frame to support the rear body, and rethinking the boot area again, was never really happy with the finished look so still working on that. Started to fit the new carpet, the hand brake gator is a total ass and just does not fit too good? These carpets are not cheap and never worth the money.

 

Will do a proper update soon with some pictures and more info.

Edited June 14, 2015 by V8-ESPRITS3

[johnpwalsh]

Hi Rob, wodered what happened as you have been so quiet. Glad to here she is still a work in progress though and that you may at last have managed to solve the overheating issues. Sorry to hear you were under the weather for a while as well but now back and into the fight. Keep me posted on how it eventually turns out.

[Barrykearley]

Keep at it Rob......

Very interesting thread ......even if your a purist.......

These things have got to be done - just so you can say they have been.

Look after yourself - and enjoy the sunshine we are gonna have today

[cbclotus]

As above .you have done a great job .take it easy ....Mike

[CharlieCroker]

Nice to see you back on things and hope you can iron out all of the teething problems. I look forward to seeing in action the new air management system. Btw, I really appreciate the advice you've given me on my air bag install, they are nearly in, just waiting on a new bracket (being laser cut as we speak) and I should be back testing by the end of this month.

Edited June 14, 2015 by CharlieCroker

[V8-ESPRITS3]

thanks guys ready to start back getting it finished........

 

Here are some pictures of the stock Esprit rad and the new alloy Cosworth rad, it’s a bit bigger and the core is much wider so I will gain more water capacity and hopefully improve the cooling.

 

Fitting fans to the new rad is easy as it has more brackets unlike the original item

 

Picture of how I had the original Esprit rad laying near flat due to clearance issues with running a low car.

Edited June 16, 2015 by V8-ESPRITS3

[Advantage]

 

Picture of how I had the original Esprit rad laying near flat due to clearance issues with running a low car.

 

 

I'm confused by the airflow management in this set-up. 

[V8-ESPRITS3]

the fans suck air? air flows over the top of the rad? picture angle probably makes it look odd? dont have any more pics as its all took out now. Was nearly the same as the stock setup fans behind the rad and rad on a slight raked angle.

[V8-ESPRITS3]

Mounting the rad is simple with the stock Cosworth side lugs, I just made up some mounts from alloy U section. Not yet finished, have some spare time today so hope to get it done today.

When fitting the rad I have decided to change the angle and have it sloped forward as apposed to backwards I have seen other cars like this? Not sure why it may work better? this actually worked out better fitting the hoses and fans with it angled forward, I cut the front lower floor to gain more room and to enable the rad to stand up a little more to increase the amount of air forced into it.

Also checked clearance for fitting the A-Frame and made sure it fits wouldn’t want to remove the rad every time I towed it! Yes I expect break downs! The car has given me no reason to trust it to be reliable………its still an old Lotus with Lucas and British Leyland parts at best. I still love it and still get a buzz from seeing it every day which is why we do it.

[V8-ESPRITS3]

 

 

 

 

While I was under the car at the front I noticed a little leak from the small hose feeding the heater matrix, the joining tubes were rusted to hell and the other just fell apart when I tried to remove the retaining clips. That was a lucky escape catching that in time as that would have caused a major break down with all the coolant pumping out! All fixed now with stainless tube and new stainless hose clips.

I think the angle you have set the new cosworth one is much more like the original set up. The air flows through the rad when driving with the fans sucking air through when stopped.

 

Buddsy

maybe on the turbo? mine was tilted at the top backwards? also my S1 had the rad tilted top backwards?

[Advantage]

Indeed, yes. The more upright the rad the less you are trying to fight against physics. This new layout seems to be potentially more efficient. Keep going!

[steve930]

All looking good. Just another thought, what about doing something Elise style with the front bonnet ?