The Excel Diaries!

[JayEmm]

The interior I think may be saved by a good restorer. But it would be good to get the contact details for your guy in any case.

I'll get in touch with Gerald and see if he ever wants to see the car again!

My OS/R light cluster is a bit dodgy - when you turn it on the light doesn't work, a gentle tap and it works. I assume that's a bad contact somewhere in the unit.

I don't think my lights pop up until you're in the fourth/final position on the stalk. I've only ever put 20-25l in it at a time to avoid the fuel leak issue. 

 

My main items to sort at present are the rev counter, and the fan fail light. The fan light keeps buzzing (I assume it's attached to an alarm) and then going off quickly - I thought it was something rattling initially. I expect something has corroded or gone wrong somewhere and is triggering it. @Kimbers had an automatic fan installed which works perfectly and the temperature gauge has only ever gone a few degrees over 80, so I know the fan's definitely working (and you can hear it).

[Kimbers]

Yes mate Gerald did it as the previous owner had cocked up by fitting a manual switch. Maybe the fan fail is linked to that? which has been disconnected and the wiring disposed of.

As for the tyres, I think I had them quite low but upped them for faster driving to go down to brooklands. I think they are set at 28. That front does look a bit low, but it may have been taken on a slant. The tyres are all brand new and for what is classified as a "medium quality" tyre, they are excellent! I chose a tyre with a high speed rating and the only difference in rating against the most expensive tyres was wet driving was C instead of B, so one level down. but I never intended to drive it in the wet anyway!

The interior I have already been told can be fed and made to look almost new but the drivers seat needs restitching on the bolster. 

The car is a dream to drive, it is soooooo smooth at speed and the gearbox and steering is spot on (had the steering joint replaced while it was having the mechanical Resto.

Lastly, as for the window frames, the drivers side is actually quite good, but I seem to remember the passenger side was in the early stages of corroding. The door beams need doing ASAP as they are part of the crash protection and tensile strength of the car. They also need to be done to get at the passenger door window motor and drivers side lock that was fixed then fell into the door thanks to my heavy handedness.

In other news........can I have her back? I seem to have a gap on my drive!

[JayEmm]

@Kimbers you can, and only at a modest profit ha ha!

The OSF tyre was down to 16psi, but the rears were both at 33 when I checked them (about five miles away from Hethel).

I can confirm once "on song" and warm she is an absolute joy to drive. I wouldn't be surprised if you're right about the fan fail being linked to that switch. I might even just get the alarm disconnected as the auto fans are doing their job just fine. It's been baking hot on a few of her journeys but she has been rock solid. Sounds great too - really lovely burble when pootling along.

[ChrisJ]

@Kimbers Didn't you put Vredsteins on them? If so, they are very good in the wet. Gerald recommended 205/55 for mine rather than 205/50. Speedo slightly over-reads at 30-40, under-reads at 60-70.

My Fan fail doesn't make any noise. It comes on when you turn on the ignition and then goes off after 5 or 6 seconds. However in good old Lotus fashion it also has another use in that it is an indication of low coolant, so if it remains on check your levels.

The external door handles are the only weak Toyota part - I've replaced both mine

I make sure that I drive with a light foot to properly warm up the engine before starting to give it any beans. - do the same with my Esprit as well.

 

 

 

[Kimbers]

Keep an eye on that front @JayEmm. But if it is losing some air it isn't much as it was last pumped up several months ago! 

I may have over inflated the tyres as I put them up for high speed log distance running (by high speed I obviously mean 70mph). Yes she sounds absolutely gorgeous and really shifts! 

[JayEmm]

I thought the picture of a sword in a swimming pool was the low coolant warning?

[ChrisJ]

I think that's low oil. Fan Fail is definitely low coolant, I've had it come on.

[JayEmm]

It's never been on for more than a second and flickers at most, so I am going to assume it's an electrical issue somewhere. But I'll check the coolant when I work that out just in case.

[Steve V8]

On 18/08/2016 at 23:50, JayEmm said:

I thought the picture of a sword in a swimming pool was the low coolant warning?

Tis the wizardry and witchcraft warning lamp, Excaliber thrown back to the lady in the lake, warns of impending doom, will flash intermittently when spells have been cast,  and stays on whilst driving through Avalon! 

[JayEmm]

I'm really enjoying getting to know the Excel. There is a definite and slightly worrying "knock" happening from the front though. It's not the Ackermann nonsense. Sounds like someone hitting the suspension with a spanner. Happens sometimes when going slow, had it a couple of times on quick b-roads today. Only get one bang, that's it. Can't quite work out what it is, but definitely coming from the front. Sounds like the nearside.

[Steve V8]

Possibly the top mounts sticking, or even a broken spring.

[JayEmm]

Given the size of the bill I have here from GST for the work @Kimbers had done, I'm hoping not a broken spring. Top mount sticking sounds plausible.

[andydclements]

Worth jacking it (safely with trolley jack etc) and look for witness marks / distinct lack of dirt on a particular area.

I'd guess at worn bush.

[Kimbers]

It was MOT'd 2 weeks ago and passed without even an advisory so highly unlikely to be a spring or bush as these were checked. I did notice it a couple of times on full lock coming out of my drive but because it was on full lock I was assuming it was something to do with being at the end of it's gator and maybe "jumping or catching" on something. Had the same with my Esprit and never got to the bottom of it, so didn't bother investigating!

[phil flash]

I had a harsh knock from the front of my Eclat start occurring on full bump some while after I'd fitted Spax Gas adjustable dampers. (I know Excel components, picture attached, are Toyota sourced and not same, but physical arrangement similar.)

). 

My problem turned out to be the bottom bush in the damper was too soft and the damper was contacting the lower link it sits inside. It's hidden from view inside the lower link and can only be seen when dismantled and MOT wouldn't have picked it up as it only happened on big bumps. My clue was damage to the yellow paint on a fairly new damper. 

Anti-Roll Bar triangulates the lower front suspension so is working to control braking, turning, bumping and cornering forces, so it's worth giving it a good tug to see if there's any unwanted movement in the bushes - but the MOT man usually checks those with his crowbar,

Think you must be a Jonah when it comes to front suspension noises...  hope the seats don't start creaking ...

 

 

Edited August 23, 2016 by phil flash

[JayEmm]

Seems my car has a history at Lotus! A quote from the archivist's search:

"The car was a Lotus Cars Ltd. company car for Mr. Colin Gething, who was in charge of sales and marketing, registered F740BNG"

[Royal]

James, congratulations on your acquisition. I had two Excel SE's. First was white with magnolia interior 1989. Second was identical to yours and 1990.

I took the white one back to South Africa in the 90's and have seen it since in a place called Plettenberg Bay, sadly a bit of a wreck. Recall getting 36 mpg using the aircon on economy

mode. I loved them both and had to sell them very reluctantly, due to moving overseas at separate times. Brilliant all rounder as Anthony's father will attest to.

The blue one I had was Pacific Blue, so colour could well be the same as yours.

[JayEmm]

@Royal yep its pacific blue, magnolia and sand interior full leather, no ac

[Kimbers]

So FECK is a private plate? Can I have it back?  

[JayEmm]

4 hours ago, Kimbers said:

So FECK is a private plate? Can I have it back?  

Like anything, at a cost

I haven't done a DVLA search to see when it got put on, it's obviously been on there a long time though

[Kimbers]

Hope she's going ok and being used!

[Hawaiis0]

On 8/12/2016 at 21:28, JayEmm said:

 

Does anyone know if the dash was ever available in a not-wood finish, or a dark wood?

 

There are several owners who have gone off wood,  this link is to one carbon fibre look  page 23  http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6388&hilit=ethel&start=330

[ChrisJ]

On ‎20‎/‎08‎/‎2016 at 00:59, Steve V8 said:

Tis the wizardry and witchcraft warning lamp, Excaliber thrown back to the lady in the lake, warns of impending doom, will flash intermittently when spells have been cast,  and stays on whilst driving through Avalon! 

@JayEmm @Steve V8

I think Steve might be right here as this is the relevant page from my owners manual - a blank light and number 32 is missing from the list

[JayEmm]

As per the advice of literally everyone, I gave Gerald at GSTPerformance a quick call to ask if he'd mind doing the rest of the work on the car, he said he would be happy to as they've previously worked on it. Will hopefully get it with him over Christmas for some of the remaining smaller jobs

[JayEmm]

I took the car out today for a bit of filming: