New V8 owner with Gearbox paranoia!

[markh450]

I've just finished fitting the PNM (lightly) silenced centre exit kit along with De-cat and the car sounds much nicer, though still definately not what you would call loud. as you say it does sound consierably louder on the outside. 

[braziers]

well i was unlucky.... i blew my second gear out of the dartford crossing traps. i now have a gto quaife gearbox and it will take full power in all gears. its nice to be able to open it up without clenching ones ars cheeks waiting for the bang !

[Bibs]

Did I see your car up for sale Steve?

[BobG]

Hi all, having just read this and  thought I would add my recent experience.

 

I own a silver 2001 Esprit SE for four odd years. Car has been great and I have loved it, not used in winter and mainly dry roads in summer, done about 39k miles. I have had the usual exhaust manifold studs, stuck waste gates and tick over issues all pretty much resolved and I fitted last year the PNM centre exhaust kit.

 

Engine is standard and the box has never been touched (yet).

 

Well last Sunday, lovely sunny morning accelerating up through the  gears and not full throttle (I discovered last year that the ninth and tenth injectors stick open if you do that!) into fifth and got to about 60 mph when BANG, revs went immediately sky high and lost all drive.

 

Discovered once had come to an involuntary stop that the gearstick was stuck in fifth and there was no drive. Ignominious return home on the AA truck.

 

So I didn't realise that fifth gear was THAT fragile!

 

What to do now- going to trailer car to Salisbury to let the guys see what has happened-  I gather fifth gear is at the back and can be accessed without box removal.

 

So be careful with your lovely new yellow beast!!

 

Cheers B

 

 

[Andy Esprit SE]

I read on lotus esprit world there used to be an upgraded box, its a shame time, money and volume stops these engineers keeping these modifications available to us all.

[Fueltheburn]

The conversation I had recently with aomeone about the v8 Esprit was that it went into The Lotus dealership with a Renault box and came back with a volvo box...

The page I think you are looking for on esprit world is this one - see below link.

http://www.lotusespritworld.com/EGuides/EModifications/Gearbox.html

[braziers]

indeed bibs i love the car but just dont get the time to use her so i put her up for sale. if she sells fine, if she doesnt i still get to use her.  she has done less than 1600miles in 4 years.  to many cars not enough time

Edited May 31, 2015 by braziers

[dave excell]

GTO engineering do the upgraded box internal as well as an ATB diff unit. I believe they are manufactured by Quaife. GTO will rebuild the boxes a well. see link.

www.gtoengineering.com

[jonwat]

I think you'll find it's actually gtoracing.co.uk that you want.

[dave excell]

You are correct. Got it wrong again, gtoracing.co.uk  it is.

But it was early morning!!

[swindon_alan]

You are correct. Got it wrong again, gtoracing.co.uk  it is.

But it was early morning!!

 

Any idea how much these boxes are? Just within a few thousand, obviously...

[dave excell]

I got mine when GTO had an offer on. I would expect they are about £3,000 now. That's for the parts only. Give GTO a ring for a quote.

[CHANGES]

£3K  inc the VAT is fairly close, but that will not include the ATB, put £1K on to cover that..

[steve930]

So do gto sell exchange built transaxles, or do they just sell the internals ? 

[Alex Carter]

I've given mine large in every gear and not had a problem yet like most will tell you enjoy the car and drive it well . If it breaks fix it and go again .

[Jexsi]

I cannot see the logic in spending nearly 5k on a new gearbox unless your original one has problems? Save the money until it's needed or spend it on something a bit more sexy... , my 96 v8 has the original box apart from regular oil changes and is fine, the occasional grinding from first to second and it gets plenty of stick everywhere I go, enjoy the car for what it is, if it breaks then fix it, that's part of the challenge.

[Vanya]

I cannot see the logic in spending nearly 5k on a new gearbox unless your original one has problems? Save the money until it's needed or spend it on something a bit more sexy... , my 96 v8 has the original box apart from regular oil changes and is fine, the occasional grinding from first to second and it gets plenty of stick everywhere I go, enjoy the car for what it is, if it breaks then fix it, that's part of the challenge.

This is pretty much  how I intend to roll as well. I'll use 5th, and I'll enjoy the rest of the gears too. If it dies, it dies. 

 

Although if truth be told I'd be hard pressed to see how one could knacker 1st and 2nd - the V8 goes through them so quickly they're hardly ever in use... 

[jonwat]

There's a V8 Esprit on ebay.co.uk currently (reg: V8 EEE) with a GTO Quaife box & ATB diff that cost 6 grand.

[BobG]

Noted the excellent comment on a better stronger box and where from, sadly since my incident of stuck in fifth and no drive the Esprit has languished outside the house with a cover over but must sort this before the winter.

 

As I’ve got to go to the cost of getting the box removed and fixed as the least expensive option it has to be the best time to consider the stronger box and I agree with those who said don’t spend cash til it breaks!

I will make enquiries on latest news and prices/availability etc and advise

Cheers

B

[swindon_alan]

Hmmm. I don't know what is going on with GTO Racing but their http://www.gtoracing.co.uk/ web site just comes up with a Russian holding page?!

 

GTO Engineering's web site is fine, they are in a similar location and must be associated as they have the same logo (but are a Ferrari specialist).

 

I hope it's just temporary...

[swindon_alan]

On 06/08/2015 at 11:27, swindon_alan said:

Hmmm. I don't know what is going on with GTO Racing but their http://www.gtoracing.co.uk/ web site just comes up with a Russian holding page?!

GTO Engineering's web site is fine, they are in a similar location and must be associated as they have the same logo (but are a Ferrari specialist).

I hope it's just temporary...

Site back up for info.

http://www.gtoracing.co.uk/

[stugilmour]

The UN1 and Esprit pages still seem to MIA. 

Stu 

[paul1972]

Well it looks like the sites down again as its back to the holding page