Time to start explaining

[Barrykearley]

Throttle cable on - that was easy to fit.

for anyone who’s never threaded wires down conduit before I can understand - just pull some nylon draw tape through if you need to - but piece of cake job.

ps - you do need to drill out the end of the pedal cover to get the sj nib through though. 6.5mm drill down the end piece

[Clarky5150]

Put a walk thro for the mirror repair on my resto blog Barry.

[Barrykearley]

Alun rung to say he’s done the rear box mounts. Can’t believe it - perfect timing - I’ve done the front abs sensor and the throttle cable.

 

now - a small tweak needed to the pipe to get the line up just right. Cue farmyard exotics tool of choice.

now left to cool down while dinner is dished up

[Barrykearley]

Exhaust is on. Driveshaft roll pins fitted and siliconed in. Gear oil filled. 

Drives nice and boosts like a demon - really pulls very hard - even harder than the S4.

however - I’m getting a strange issue where an erratic speedo, a flash of cel, reduction of power - Speedo works again - and powers back on. I’m certain I have a speed sensor issue on the rear drivers wheel. Back in the garage after the drive and no cel errors stored. 

Abs light is off - and is all working as it should now the front sensors been swapped.

[Barrykearley]

On 31/03/2018 at 19:09, Barrykearley said:

 Either which way you look at things - my priorities simply aren’t car related 😢

Looks like I may have fibbed slightly after managing some time today

[Barrykearley]

I now have a complete set ready to send off for refurb. 

And - all thanks to the great folks on here 👍👏

[swindon_alan]

I hope those are steel toe capped trainers Mr Kearley. Watch your toes mate!

[Barrykearley]

The car is out of the garage.

I have given the exterior a quick - and I mean Barry quick rinse off. Hoovered and cleaned the interior - evicted the dead mouse and his nest from the glove box - sprayed and cleaned that with some kitchen cleaner. Given the leather a go over with some leather conditioner.

tax now applied - car is now sat on the road while I’m awaiting a dinner in a pub with my eldest.

with the new chip installed - I’ve smashed 30 miles on her this morning. Much much better - and pulls wonderfully.

snagging list growing - the link pipe between the tanks fell down earlier 😂

and I must thank the PO for the hardcore dance cd that was in the car - that’s aided the run out this morning.

id like to have made hilltop this morning - but I’m sorry @CHANGES I was simply too chicken to run her that far from home on her maiden “real” outing.

new Tyres to be ordered later on

[stephenwhyte]

Great news Barry - more photos required......once the Futuras are fitted

[cbclotus]

As above .Must be a very good feeling ....Mike

[Barrykearley]

1 hour ago, stephenwhyte said:

Great news Barry - more photos required......once the Futuras are fitted

That’s gonna be a while away - Tyres first - refurb the Saturn’s for them and then send away the futuras I think is the order of the day.

32 minutes ago, cbclotus said:

As above .Must be a very good feeling ....Mike

Like you wouldn’t believe mate - I’ve stuck about 140 miles on her today.

had a really nice run - ub40 on the stereo - a real blast back to my youth - and the stereo in the car sounds great. Got some new work trousers I’ve never been able to fit in - they fit now I’m not so fat. Life was feeling brilliant.

clutch was biting at the very bottom of the pedal and I had that down to the master not having a big enough bore. In Wolverhampton this afternoon clutch became non existent. I had to turn the engine off - stick it in gear and restart just to get going. The clutch wouldn’t fully disengage. Always you can rely on an Esprit to bring you back to Earth with a thump.

i picked my lad up from the pool and went home the motorway - the traffic lights before getting on - I was pumping the clutch pedal and being somewhat aggressive with it - something felt like it clicked. Got off motorway - clutch just fine - bite point in the middle.

who knows what that was - but it works and works just damn nice.

car now in the garage - done a dump off the Ecu - there’s a couple of errors - cel not on - and I think this is down to needing a new Speedo sensor as that has been doing haywire things now and again - cleaned it and the rings yesterday.

[cbclotus]

well done Mr K .....Time to put your feet up .....Mike

[Barrykearley]

New Tyres ordered today. I’m going to refurb the Saturn’s for the short term for them to go on.

It would seem the futuras are costly to refurb - so I’m taking my time on these and getting it right. Think I shall replace ( keep and polish the originals of course ) the dishes with new stainless ones. It’s a job for me to fettle away with in the background as and when time allows. But I need new rubber now - I must rack up some mileage on the car 👍

[Barrykearley]

Saturn’s refurbed - now in the van with a nice new set of tyres on them.

jusg letting dinner go down and I’m off out to fit them 👍

[swindon_alan]

Well you are some way back towards getting a V8 again.

Good man. You are in denial Mr Kearley...

[Barrykearley]

Fitted - and I’ve smoked em up the road for a run out.

now that has made a real difference  - less road noise, less bumps and clanks, much smoother and most importantly it sticks to the road and goes in the direction it’s pointed 

21 minutes ago, swindon_alan said:

Well you are some way back towards getting a V8 again.

Good man. You are in denial Mr Kearley...

Nope - won’t have another - I suggest you try a 4pot Esprit - I think you will be surprised.

now all I need are some brakes that don’t have a questionable delco abs skitter to them - now I wonder 🤔 shall I opt for drums or try a nice servo conversion 

[Sparky]

Drums mate.  Word is, the conversion supplier is a bit flaky.

[Giniw]

3 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

Nope - won’t have another - I suggest you try a 4pot Esprit - I think you will be surprised.

I may be a bit off topic, but in a nutshell, how would you say they compare? Do you feel the weight difference that much, or is the 4 cylinder engine just more lively/fun for some reason for instance? Of course I know it's all very subjective, I am just curiious as I have never driven a V8 ^^ (not that I have driven the S4s that much so far, but anyway, that should change soon! )

[Barrykearley]

V8 is an effortless speed demon and for me not very engaging. The bigger wheels make it feel more planted than the S4. The S4s feels very much the same on the road as the V8. It feels quicker as well with the single big turbo.

Id stick with what you have, try a v8 for sure - but be aware you need to remortgage your house when ( not if ) it breaks

Next job tonight is to try and get the drivers electric window to work. Oh and the passenger one now I’ve swapped the switch from side to side.

[Giniw]

Thank you very much, this is interesting to read that from someone who actually has already seen, sat in, and driven the cars

It was just out of interest actually, I do not plan to sell my S4s, that's for sure ^^ (I must admit I like the V8 exhaust sound though ^^)

 

5 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

but be aware you need to remortgage your house when ( not if ) it breaks

(this is too interesting to read, from someone who actually does the job himself ^^)

 

[Barrykearley]

Quick run out tonight - small job list

I really need to bolt the boot floor down. 

Fix electric windows

drivers mirrors a bit floppy - I need to get some more robust steel trimmings - a stainless jubilee clip cut up and shaped isn’t strong enough.

speed sensor - I will order tomorrow 

boot rams - again - I will order them tomorrow.

wheel centres - I need to fettle and fit them.

nice oodi went past as I came out the shop

[stephenwhyte]

Quite like the Saturn’s without centre caps.......and I hate Saturn’s😃 I bet Quattro man nearly broke his neck when he saw your Esprit😎

[Giniw]

There are quite a lot of unusual cars there! =)

[Steve V8]

16 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

V8 is an effortless speed demon and for me not very engaging. The bigger wheels make it feel more planted than the S4. The S4s feels very much the same on the road as the V8. It feels quicker as well with the single big turbo.

Id stick with what you have, try a v8 for sure - but be aware you need to remortgage your house when ( not if ) it breaks

Next job tonight is to try and get the drivers electric window to work. Oh and the passenger one now I’ve swapped the switch from side to side.

@Giniw Barry is the wrong person to ask about the V8, he's so deep in de-nile that after paddling through Egypt he somehow lost his canoe in deepest Sudan.

Trouble was Barry dropped a clanger he went and bought a banger, the only differences between the S4s and V8 are that fantastic engine and Delco Moraine ABS system which is renowned for being rubbish on the 4 pot, (Kelsey Hayes ABS fitted to the V8). If you read fully through Barrys thread it becomes apparent that there were no issues with the engine or brakes, just those things that are common to both cars. In fact, I happened to be parked opposite @Barrykearley at the Lotus festival a couple of years ago, never have I seen man and machine in such perfect harmony, he even polished it persistently, he may tell you otherwise but he loved that car, and I'm sure the only reason he sold it was because the number plate was crooked, but now it's gone and the green eyed monster has been released, he can't bare the thought of anyone else having one.😁😁

You need to try one Giniw, it is an adrenaline rush to drive, the exhaust note to me is nothing special, and yes, should you be unlucky enough to have an engine issue then it will get expensive, but the V8 is detuned from a potential 500BHP to save the gearbox, so isn't under any stress in standard form, whereas the S4s is at its mechanical limit. 

[Barrykearley]

6 hours ago, Steve V8 said:

@Giniw Barry is the wrong person to ask about the V8, he's so deep in de-nile that after paddling through Egypt he somehow lost his canoe in deepest Sudan.

In fact, I happened to be parked opposite @Barrykearley at the Lotus festival a couple of years ago, never have I seen man and machine in such perfect harmony, he even polished it persistently, he may tell you otherwise but he loved that car, and I'm sure the only reason he sold it was because the number plate was crooked

whereas the S4s is at its mechanical limit. 

I did indeed love that car. Driving it away from Brands and hearing the engine thump on the loose engine mounts was a bit concerning though. I fitted new nylocks the next day.

I do hope the S4s is at her limit - not that I ever drive it hard you understand - I like to pretend she’s delicate