Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[LOTUSMAN33]

I am not sure the flange on the new wastegate will cover the original hole, another plate may be required with a smaller hole to match the new one. Looks like a good plan though and if it works I will check mine and follow your lead if required. 

Dave  

[Lotusfab]

Yep, the only way to tell is to get one and try. You get a kit with it. The ring seats the wastegate, then the flange and gasket. The flange increases the material width where it joins the manifold. Easy engineering job to make another bespoke flange if needed.

[Lotusfab]

Turbo

rebuild complete! Was very easy, however it is untested and if it isn't perfect I've wasted my time! The most difficult bit was cleaning. Two grades of blasting media, petrol and compressed air! You need a gator type socket to hold the turbine end. The compressor wheel nut tightens in the normal sense so there is a big risk of it undoing. In my opinion you must use thread lock. I had Loctite on hand. The original bearings were really worn there is much reduced play now. You should also use assembly lube and follow the priming guide I put a link on here to so that the bearing have oil when you fire up. Look forward to testing this awesome machine once the wastegate mod is done and I've fixed the gear change and fuel system! ???

Forgot to say getting the Turbine shaft in is tricky as the piston ring needs to compress without snapping. No alternative but to take you time and persist until it slips in. The bearing clips must be in correctly otherwise it won't last very long!

[Dan E]

Fabian, hats off to you Sir I changed my wheel centre caps today and indicator lenses which is maybe a level above what you are doing but we all need to stay in our comfort zone 

i am really enjoying your thread keep it coming my friend, don't paint bronze 

[LOTUSMAN33]

Good effort Fabian, I have no doubt others will follow your lead including myself if it works well including the wastegate mods. ?

Dave  

[Lotusfab]

 Thanks. Progress will slow till the wastegate stuff arrives and the new bumper brackets, coming direct from Lotus. It's a bit cold at the end of my garden to do anything on the car apart from strip bits off and take them somewhere warmer to work on!

 

Compomotives

eventually need to put these on if I can get some. Are they PCD 100, 4 bolt same as the S1? If so how is the hub converted on the turbo? Are these stats correct?

[Rolls]

2 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

new bumper brackets, 

Would you mind posting deets when these arrive. I also need a set and I'm curious if they are compatiable with the S2?

[LOTUSMAN33]

Yes 100 PCD for the comps, the sizes look okay as well without measuring. Not sure about the hubs but Lotusbits do sell them now.

[Andyww]

The comps need different rear suspension arms as well as different hubs.

Big undertaking, even if you could find some. Personally I think the BBS are a better wheel. The rims can be polished if you wish (although I havent).

[Lotusfab]

Yep, of course your correct. The problem for me is the FYEO car had four bolt Comps. I'm the sort of person who can't relax until it's perfect. The mod like everything is easy to do, just costly and difficult to source parts. Nothing can be worse than the S1.These turbo cars were produced in bigger numbers and are still being broken.  When I'm rebuilding I always use the correct parts, which pushes the price up. Don't know how some people manage to achieve a minuscule budget. Most of the parts you have to buy from only a handful of suppliers so it's a complete monopoly. My postage costs to S and J were astronomical for the S1. I probably could have bought a set of Comps with the postage money! This time I have to be on a budget. Going ok so far a proper Turbo rebuild with genuine parts £90!

The other thing I find when you do something yourself you can spend as much time as you wish and ensure its done correctly. Just keep repeating the job till its correct. Companies can't afford to do this unless you are willing to write a blank cheque.  How many companies would rebuild with copy parts? How many just put the nut on and not use thread sealant? How many would not clean it out properly? The front window in my S1 is as good as it can possibly be on a Lotus but it took months to get right! If it was a business I would have gone bankrupt over the screen fit. Good job I'm enjoying sorting this Turbo.?????

[Lotusfab]

Has anyone tried Image wheels? They make three piece split rim wheels?

[Andyww]

This is exactly what its all about, I completely agree, which is why I enjoy this type of thread and reading about your work being done right.

When I bought my current Turbo from a friend who always had it looked after by a dealer, I have found and listed around 50 items on the car which were wrong and I have put right. It makes the whole thing worthwhile doing things the right way.

To get a car to concours standard you have to be exacting to OCD levels. My Ferrari missed out on winning class twice, the second time was simply because the breather hoses on the engine were nylon braided instead of cotton. This was despite spending hundreds of hours going through the entire car replacing, cleaning, restoring. Using yellow zinc plated fasteners as those were the original type, not BZP, 3D printing parts, Changed the hoses and this year won Best in Class and Platinum. Being parked in the winners enclosure next to a 250 GTO worth £12 million is a great accolade!

Sad to say that the dealers cut corners not only owing to the reason you mention, pure economics and the fact that every hour costs money, but also out of laziness and sometimes pure incompetence. On my car I found things which were inexcusably wrong and not high-cost items to fix. They were so bad that I have been tempted to name and shame the outfit but resisted this. 

[910Esprit]

Fabian - Have you decided your approach for the pressure pipe from the turbo to the wastegate?    As you know, the original is a metal 'plumbed in' pipe, whereas all the generic turbos seem to use barbed fittings for flexible pipe.  I assume it will be possible to use a barbed adaptor from the turbo, but I'm not familiar with the thread systems used in these types of applications.   What's your plan?   

[Lotusfab]

Andy! Well done, must be an awesome 328! 

Steve, have been looking into this, either is possible. There a company in Isleworth that does all sorts off pipe and fittings. Was thinking of a black pressure pipe, then a barbed fitting on the turbo. This is the easiest method. The Wastegate connection with the exhaust will gave to be welded, it's s very tight area.  Just need the valve to arrive. Dave is working on blanking plates, have just sent him a template. By modifying the wastegate the setup will not be original so might as well use a flexible pipe.

 

[910Esprit]

8 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

The Wastegate connection with the exhaust will gave to be welded

Can't think what you mean here?   Do you mean a mod to connect the exhaust pipe back to the wastegate outlet?   

[Lotusfab]

Sorry! Yep, the exhaust connection onto the wastegate outlet is obstructed by the adapter casting. A flange comes with the wastegate for exhaust pipe welding. Potentially a tight fit, will post more when I get the wastegate and trial fit all the bits.

[Lotusfab]

Compomotives New identical to James Bond FYEO made by the chap who made the originals.

I have found a company who will make exact compomotives copies to James Bond spec. It's better than that, he was the first employee at  Compomotive and made the wheels for the James Bond car! All of you out there who want these wheels at a reasonable price the problem is solved if I can get Orders for five sets and borrow a front and rear wheel to copy. The rims will be anodised and the edges rolled. The cost would be £1500 + VAT + carriage! But an extra £100 to anodise. A real bargain when you compare with £3k upwards for a used set. I need to find four others who want a set and some wheels to borrow. If you interested please PM me for more info.

[stephenwhyte]

Wow.......you've done well young Turbo Jedi!! 

One Question Fabian - do they have to be to 4 stud spec or can he produce 5 stud too if a set can be provided. I reckon a few later model owners would go for a set of Compomotives if they could them at that money.

Jonny is going to love you when he see this.......

[Lotusfab]

Hi Stephen, I will ask Harry at Image wheels whether both PCDs can be drilled outbfrom the same casting.

[stephenwhyte]

26 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

Hi Stephen, I will ask Harry at Image wheels whether both PCDs can be drilled outbfrom the same casting.

Just a thought Fabian - can't see me looking for a set (I say that as I've always seen my car as a BBS car.......but I do like Compomotives and might fancy a swap one day) but some others might benefit Terrific news for all you early Turbo restorers......well done!!!

[TAR]

Wow, that is some great detective work Fabian.

Do you have the hubs, radius arms and rear upper and lower links? These are all required to fit the Compomotives?

If it were only the cost of the wheels, I would have been interested. 

 

[The Pits]

That stuff isn't very expensive anymore thanks to me, Lotusbits made jigs of all the Essex suspension links at my expense! Peanuts compared to the wheels.

[Lotusfab]

Hi Tim, I don't have any of the bits so will have to get them. As with all things the more orders the cheaper the price. So possibly could get a team deal on these also? 

I believe the early Turbo cars are an excellent investment and are still undervalued compared with other classics. I think that will change as time goes on and see these wheels as a sound investment.

[Lotusfab]

Does anyone know the front and rear wheel offsets for the BBS wheels so I don't have to measure them? Thanks.

[Lotusfab]

Well after being distracted by wheels I'm getting back on track!

Wastegate

the new wastegate has arrived. im not an engineer but placing the wastegate valve in contact with the adapter in the middle of the hit gas flow is probably not the best option! So let's fix it. Remove the valve from the inside to the outside of the adapter to keep it cooler. If it's not trying to operate at hundreds of degrees Celsius it may prove more reliable! This is what you get.the plan is to mount the new wastegate as shown block of the lower port and weld the exhaust to attach it to the upper port.

A little bit of engineering work will be needed to make the collar fit the exhaust adapter so that it seals correctly. The metal ring ensures minimum heat transfer to the wastegate. The whole thing sits about one inch lower that the original. Will have to fit it and see if there are any problems. The kit comes with a collar to weld the exhaust section onto.

I have decided to use rigid pipe to attach the wastegate to the manifold. Flexible pipe just doesn't see Lotus so will have to make a section up!