Lotus in November

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Wed Dec 02, 2015 5:16 pm

Long time and no updates, mostly because not much has been happening. I have been busy building a funky planter/door for our rebuilt deck. Worked out very well and wowed my builder. Now I can store my trailers under my deck, sweet!

After that, I got back at the Europa. I pulled the tranny back out due to oil leaks. The Torsen diff I put in had narrower sections on the axle where an o-ring sat. A thicker sectioned o-ring solved that leak. An o-ring also sorted a persistent drip from the speedo drive. Mostly back in now and no drips. At the same time I'm replacing the shock bushings. Zero miles but a bad batch has them splitting just sitting there. Factory sent me new ones for free. I also flushed and replaced the coolant. I had used high-zoot waterless coolant but it just leaked everywhere. I had hoses so tight they were being damaged and it was still leaking. Filled with BMW blue coolant and all is well.

Next I drop the engine oil pan because a porous casting is causing a very, very, very slow leak in the bottom of the pan. I have some special epoxy paint that should fix it after a thorough degreasing.

Then back onto actually finishing the work left to do. Spring should see it on the roads.

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Thu Dec 03, 2015 9:40 am

Wow! And I thought it was annoying to have to maintain and repair licenced cars that are on the road!!!

But seriously, it's good to have a soft break-in to identify all those little trouble spots, caused mainly (it seems to me, at least) by the vagaries of bespoke parts fitting together in this re-engineered update of the old S1...

Hope to see any of you who make it out to Victoria or Salt Spring this winter!

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 7:50 am

Pulled the pan, degreased it, painted it with special stuff, baked it for an hour @ 250F, put it all back together and it still has a slight weep. I haven't had a close look yet but maybe if I up my daily alcohol allowance, it will fade in significance?

coyoteran · Post by **coyoteran** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 8:17 pm

I find that fault-finding technique works wonders for me. Maybe a little hard on the liver but I can always grow another one right? Right?

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 9:03 pm

Dunno but I just had an ounce of the Crown Royal Northern Something-Or-Other Rye that people have been raving about (Thanks Angelo!). I have to say I like it! Very smooth and long on the tongue -- though I know less than nothing on the subject.