It was me...

[directordanw]

[directordanw]

[Fueltheburn]

There is nothing wrong with knowing that you have done work and have sprayed everything as you would want it.

If nobody else appreciates the unseen work... At least you know it is there.

Building a car is like building a house as you go up the chain.

The first one you build for an enemy.

The next you build for a friend

The last you build for yourself.

If you always build for yourself, you know the quality is there even if you or nobody else can see it. 

[directordanw]

Fresh from the oven, get 'em while they're hot!

[directordanw]

And it's out! Despite all the warnings - or perhaps because of all the advice on the site! - the differential floated down from its home supported by a transmission jack that I picked up off eBay for a song. It really made to job easy (yes, I said easy!), the only slight hold up was when I discovered rather than just strapping the diff to the jack I'd managed to strap it to most of the chassis - and then couldn't work out why it wouldn't lower. Doh!  The jack was seriously a godsend however, it's now living in North London if anyone wants to borrow.

Pictures to follow but I'm still struggling to upload them! Is there a limit on the site?

 

Edited March 29, 2017 by directordanw

[directordanw]

[silverfrost]

That looks a cracking bit of kit Dan,  Glad it made the job easy for you.   

[directordanw]

Maybe it was my confidence yesterday that's messed me up but today the diff has thrown up a couple of snags that I would welcome any and all advice to solve. First up the drain plug is completely rounded off and before I start going at it with a drill I'd love to know if any one has any tips for getting it out. I don't mind mangling it, I have a new one standing by.  And secondly one of the bottom studs won't shift at all - I've had to cut off every component to get this far, everything is welded on with rust. Once again, any thoughts welcome!

On the plus side a first degrease has made the diff look much less sorry and I've got the brake cylinders off for a clean and rebuild - they were manky! New gasket, a coat of paint and some fresh oil and it'll look good as new. If I can solve these two issues...

[oilmagnet477]

Dan, I feel your pain. I suggest gallons of WD40 and time + a good blast with heat. It does all look manky at this stage but a good strip down, clean and dose of kurust will make all the difference.

I bought myself a new gas torch MAPP gas with an auto click nozzle - much hotter than standard butane.

Are you taking out the output shafts? Read my thread if you are nb the bearings/collars

Good luck - Ant

My filler stud was very stiff as well - I suggest filing down the edges to get as big as you can spanner on it (I think I ended up using a massive adjustable!). Again, plenty of WD40 - not sure about heat with the diff oil still in?

[Dunc]

I suppose you could try welding an old spanner onto it, heating around it with the torch then turning?

 

[phoenix]

Hello Dan

There is a tool called an induction heater. This looks like a soldering iron with a ring attachment to the end. You simply place the suitably sized ring end around the plug and allow the heat to expand the outside which should free the plug. These tools are used by professionals and are effective but the downside is that they are expensive. 

The old fashioned way of welding a bolt to the old plug is an excellent way without having to go another way professionals use, which is to drill into it and insert a counter rotating bolt to be able to get a grip on it. 

I have had excellent results freeing up things like this in the past by the use of a small Dremel cutting disc. It's time consuming, but if you manage to get a nice cut through the plug, some heat, WD40 and a large screwdriver might work. 

Whatever you do, keep the mindset 'persistency pays'.

I have great admiration for what you're doing.

 

[mikeeech]

The nuts is brass. Since you have the diff out i would simply file it square again and use a smaller spanner! Your backing plates look pretty bad. 1st time they've been off?

[directordanw]

First time the diff has been off to my knowledge. There's been some work on the suspension - mainly removing bits the PO didn't think important from what I can tell! - but most of it has been just waiting there for me since 1981. The back plates look bad but they're solid. Nothing a bit of rust converter and some epoxy paint won't cure!

[oilmagnet477]

Just noticed the L shaped 'breather'? above your filler/level plug. Is this a 2.2 speciality - my S1 doesn't have this?

[directordanw]

I was hoping someone might be able to fill me in on this breather because I'm convinced my S2 Eclat didn't have one. And the only picture I can find of a diff is from the parts manual - which shows an S1 differential. I had always assumed they were the same, all the other components are but perhaps it's a ratio thing.

When this Elite came off the production line (the 2nd S2, the first publicly sold!) it was an automatic. It was then returned to the factory and recommissioned as a manual car, with a new VIN. However the Lotus archive has no record whether the diff was changed from the lower automatic ratio to the standard manual Elite one when the switch was done. I'm hoping with the serial number now Andy at the archives can give me a bit more info. 

[oilmagnet477]

Albeit a S1, @clivef38 has an auto box so may be able to confirm if it is common to all autos. Otherwise, no Idea.

[clivef38]

Hi Dan. I had my diff out a couple of years ago so cant remember. I will have a look tonight when i get home and let you know. Keep up the good work.

Clive

[directordanw]

Thanks guys, and I'm going to email Andy and find out if he can tell me anything about it. I remember him mentioning something about serial numbers starting D - but that might just have been that all diff serial numbers start with a D. 

Weather not so inviting today so I'm going to spend a bit of time at the bench cleaning up these fellas. 

[clivef38]

I would fit new ones there cheep enough. 

[clivef38]

Sorry i meant cheap. Its not Easter yet.

[directordanw]

If I have to I will but I've had a rebuild kit sitting on my shelf for a while so I'm going to have a look at them first. Any money I can save is money I can spend elsewhere. In truth of course any money I save is money I will be spending elsewhere. Or already have spent elsewhere. But it helps me pretend this process won't bankrupt me!