1982 Eclat Riviera restoration......

[Tony D]

Sender comes out very easily with a flat bar across the tabs on the retaining ring. Once out you can see inside the tank quite well. If it looks anything other than completely clean and solid, I'd use a tank reseal kit from the likes of POR's. (search on eBay).

Tony

[Benco]

Thanks, I’ve had a look in the tank and there is slight surface rust above (where I assume) the fuel level was before I drained the tank, so I’ve ordered the POR kit (which I think will be good for also refurbishing the little coolant expansion tank).

Now I’m onto the engine and I’m looking at places to strip and rebuild it. I’m prepping it by the removing the ancillaries and manifolds. 

Ok before I go rogue on the exhaust manifold bolts. All of the nicely accessible ones at the front and the side have loosened, well the studs are turning anyway as the bolts are completely rusted. Now the ones behind the manifold, that are difficult to get to, are rounded and impossible to get a socket onto.

Any suggestions on best way to remove these, will I need to just cut them off? (carefully 🙂). 

[Benco]

Well, of all of the places that I wasn’t expecting the new tank coating to seep out - it definitely wasn’t around the spot welded fuel level sender boss on top of the tank. Could explain the very persistent smell of petrol in the boot as it’s not seam welded like the tank ends. Hopefully now completely sealed

[Gray14]

I've got the petrol smell in my Eclat boot too. I'll check this location.

I found a 5mm pipe coming from the underside of the SU pump pushed into a hole in the boot floor. Anyone know what this is for.

Terry, can you please tell me where your air admittance valve with the 6mm pipe is routed and exits the boot area. I found the valve and a bit of pipe loose in the boot.

Many TIA

[Benco]

Hi Graham, the fuel pump on my car was replaced, so it’s a newer pump that only has an in & out. The only tube going through the floor of the boot is the main fuel line from the pump. I can see that there is an unused small tube still clipped above the fuel pump, that runs across/above the fuel tank, round above the battery location and then down behind the rear bumper.

I’ll take some photos tomorrow 👍

[Benco]

Hi, here’s the run of the vent pipe. It starts from the main filler neck, runs above the fuel tank (near the boot ‘springs’), then down and behind the battery and finally behind the aerial and across behind the bumper.

… there is also this small ‘legacy’ pipe that I presume used to be connected to the fuel pump.

[Benco]

Refurbished / recoated fuel tank is back in and for the first time in 2 years the body is back on!

 

[Gray14]

Thanks for the pics Terry, I'll check that route. I just stuck my head in the boot and was almost knocked out by the inhalation of petrol fumes, so I'll seal around the sender unit and see if that solves the problem. 

Graham

[Benco]

Hi, quick spot of advice needed.

 

I fitted foam on the rear cross member, and it’s such nice foam that it’s preventing the rear body fittings coming down onto the chassis. 
 

So, I guess that I should trim the thickness of the foam down, rather than shine the difference between the mount and the chassis? The gap is about 2mm.

[EXCEL V8]

Mine was exactly like yours!  I filled the boot to capacity with as much weight as I thought was safe - and waited!!  Over a couple of weeks the foam slowly compressed for the body to just touch the chassis.  You could also fit the nuts and bolts and slowly nip them up as the foam compresses - jut to encourage it!

Pete

[Benco]

Thanks Pete, I shall do both to help bring it down. Nice to know that it will go that way and knowing that the rear is really well supported across the chassis!

[Benco]

Ok, took a big gulp and have started to disassemble the engine….and so far it’s not been as painful as I thought.

Appreciate some mid disassembly pointers:

• I’ve been measuring the shims as they come out and making sure that they are staying with their respective cam follower. All of the followers look ok and we’re a smooth fit in the cam tower. 
• Most of the shims have a smooth spot in the middle where they have been up against the valve stem, some have a step there….so presume that those with any step should be replaced?
• The camshafts aren’t showing any kind of tracking or wear patterns…so presume they will be good to carry on with.
• Any other things that I should look at, at this point before taking the head off?

thanks

Terry

[Benco]

Well I was on such a roll, I carried on and removed the head, and built some very homemade looking liner clamps. Should I make 4 clamps or use 2 as it shows in the manual?

So, cylinder 3 has had one of the exhaust valves on it (see picture) and interestingly the shim thickness on that valve is much bigger than the rest of the exhaust valve shims, 0.108” vs av of about 0.101, is that likely to have made the difference? That valve is also not seating properly (see photo).

The waterways are pretty clean, except for gunk underneath cylinder #4 h see photo).

 

Most of the rubbish seen on the piston crowns was loose debris that could be hovered up easily. The bores look clean and apart from the valve witness on cylinder 3, they just look a little oily, which does wipe clean.

[EXCEL V8]

Good work Terry!  Sounds like you may have a bent valve stem.  What do the valve springs on that valve look like - either one broken?  I don't think the shim thickness indicates anything.

I've never seen that sort of engine mount before - is it part of the sump casting?

Pete

[Benco]

Hi Pete, thanks for the feedback, the valve springs are all ok from a first look.

Yes the engine mounting is part of the sump casting, an extra kwing’ on either side.

[Benco]

Took the plunge and had the head checked out, pressure tested. Not too bad, I need all new exhaust valves and new guides, recut seats etc.

So I’m doing some of the other jobs:

• master cylinder refurb kit arrived, and that’s now back on the car. Just need to make up 2 new link pipes for the front and rear brake lines and the I can actually see whether the brakes perform (expecting some leaks)
• after days of paint stripping the cam covers are free of the old paint, they’re now being painted outside in this lovely weather
• leaves me with the old radiator fans. They are quite a lump, is it worth replacing them or refurbishing them? If replace, any recommendations? I’ve acquired a third one from somewhere (orange plastic fan) vs the two metal ones.

[jonwat]

29 minutes ago, Benco said:

is it worth replacing them or refurbishing them? 

I'd replace them, technology has moved on a long way since Lotus used the cheapest fans they could find 

[Benco]

Thx, any suggestions on replacements out there from anyone who has made the change?

[soldave]

Spal make some good fans by all accounts. Don't have them on mine (am far too much of a cheapskate!) but when I was upgrading a previous car they were always the go-to for fans.

[Bibs]

I had Kenlowe fans on my Esprit, they were ace

http://www.kenlowe.com/

[JonSE]

Try Lotus bits also for the latest generation fans, you tie wrap them through the radiator for the Esprit. Make sure they are running the right way for your car via the electrical connections….

[Benco]

Well…. They took up far too much time to do….. but I am really pleased with the result!

 

[Benco]

I’m in the electrical hole …. 😆

So I’m really starting to get stuck into the electrical system and what a deep dark world I’ve entered 🙂. I’m tracing all the wiring against the wiring diagram and highlighting those wires that are connected.

• It all starts with the ignition switch and as it wasn’t working at all, I’ve ordered a replacement.
• Maybe like other cars, the fan relay/circuits and fan fail module have been bypassed
• The glovebox light works! But sadly no other internal lights yet
• … and so much more to fix….

Maybe someone else has had this problem: 

• I must have a bad earth somewhere, when I switch the internal fan to a proper connected position, things start lighting up wrongly (like both indicator lamps on the dashboard)
• When in a neutral unconnected position, then more things work (like the internal clock)
• Can someone tell me where I can find the earthing points in/around the dashboard and controls?
• … and sorry for a really straightforward question…. Controls like the fog light / Light switches etc - are they in the ‘off’ position when they are switched ‘up’ or when switched  ‘down’? 

 

 

 

 

[soldave]

On 17/07/2022 at 19:05, Benco said:

• … and sorry for a really straightforward question…. Controls like the fog light / Light switches etc - are they in the ‘off’ position when they are switched ‘up’ or when switched  ‘down’? 

Do you mean the switches in the centre console? Switched up (as in top half of switch is in) is off; switched down is on.

[Benco]

Thanks Dave, just another quick question….have you ever removed these switches from the centre console? Maybe I'm being too cautious but I started to take some out but found them resisting and I didn’t want to pull them too hard.