Lotus Elan Central

by **Rogerf** » Mon 22.01.2007, 18:52

Can anyone advise me on the best way of keeping the 'pods' up and the lights out.
Is it just a case of pulling a fuse or disconnect the battery?

The reason is that i want to spray the inside of the pods.

Hope it makes sense!

Roger

by **Gazza** » Mon 22.01.2007, 19:01

Roger

I'm sure you can manually wind them up from underneath the pod.

If you over wind them past there maximum height they instantly fall back down so watch fingers.

Gary

by **Monty** » Mon 22.01.2007, 21:21

Switch headlights on and unplug the wiring loom for the motors then u can turn the headlights off and the pods will stay up. Just done this lately as the offside dip bulb had blown

just going off topic slightly this is a warning to others I struggled to get to the blown dip bulb (inner) and decided to remove headlight but what a bastard to do :shock:

locating screws were rusty as hell. Eventually i got it removed but all the metal brackets are rusty (all ready did the O/S full beam last year) so most Elans must be in the same state, come summer think i`ll remove all lights, strip, clean and paint the parts and get some stainless screws.

by **Paul.P** » Mon 22.01.2007, 21:26

Good point that Monty, i found that when rebuilding Blacky , cleaned & greased all moving points !

by **Rogerf** » Mon 22.01.2007, 23:49

Thanks guys,
i'm replacing the screws for stainless aswell.

Roger

by **ailwyn** » Tue 23.01.2007, 00:14

Monty wrote:and get some stainless screws.

I think Monty just started a group buy

A.

by **Monty** » Tue 23.01.2007, 00:21

Don`t even know the size etc (may be nitroman does?)

It`s a job for the summer, but if i can find a place that`ll do them i`ll see how much a box is :-D

by **DeeAitch** » Tue 23.01.2007, 00:26

Stainless screws? I'm your man :wink:

I'll add this to my ever growing list of things to do this winter!

by **Sy V** » Tue 23.01.2007, 09:02

You don't have to disconnect anything.

Just use the emergency wind mechanism behind the pods (one each side with a nurled top). Wind either way and eventually the pod will rise and, when it reaches its highest it will wind back down.

:roll:

by **Monty** » Tue 23.01.2007, 12:05

Already know that, but my way is quicker :-D

Dave, once i find out the size of screws needed i`ll PM u.

by **muley** » Tue 23.01.2007, 12:07

Monty wrote:Switch headlights on and unplug the wiring loom for the motors then u can turn the headlights off and the pods will stay up. Just done this lately as the offside dip bulb had blown

just going off topic slightly this is a warning to others I struggled to get to the blown dip bulb (inner) and decided to remove headlight but what a bastard to do locating screws were rusty as hell. Eventually i got it removed but all the metal brackets are rusty (all ready did the O/S full beam last year) so most Elans must be in the same state, come summer think i'll remove all lights, strip, clean and paint the parts and get some stainless screws.

Roger, you can wind the pods up manually to work on them.

Monty, as for the screws - been there, done that. Mine were a complete swine to get out (I was trying to remove a lamp that one of our Lotus independents had installed UPSIDE DOWN - had to drill the heads off and wind them out from the back with copious amounts of Plus Gas and the use of mole grips.)

They ARE M4 screws - although it was hard to tell as they were extremely rusty - I replaced mine with stainless steel button head cap screws from here;

http://www.modelfixings.co.uk/cap_screws.htm

They were exceptionally helpful. Usual disclaimers

Jim B

by **Monty** » Tue 23.01.2007, 12:14

Cheers Jim,

There`s 2 sizes, ie the bolts for fixing lamp in place to the pod and then u`ve got the screw type for adjustment of the beam.

So would imagine the M4 are the fixing bolts but what about the screw type and can u remember the length?

by **muley** » Tue 23.01.2007, 12:31

Monty wrote:Cheers Jim,

There's 2 sizes, ie the bolts for fixing lamp in place to the pod and then u've got the screw type for adjustment of the beam.

So would imagine the M4 are the fixing bolts but what about the screw type and can u remember the length?

Monty,

I didn't replace the adjusting screws - if I recall correctly they work into nylon so not so bad. The button heads I used were 20mm. long - modelfixings ref was MF-BH48S. In practise you could probably use shorter ones. I had to retap the mounting ring as it was extremely rusty ..

Cheers

Jim

by **Sy V** » Tue 23.01.2007, 13:20

Roger

Please ignore mine and Lotus' advice. Use Monty's method as his is quicker.

P.S. If you break your ten+year old plastic plugs through continued connection/disconnection, I'm sure Hethel will listen sympathetically to you when you phone for a replacement and find out they're obsolescent... ;-)

by **Monty** » Tue 23.01.2007, 17:10

Oh Sy u naughty boy, :roll:

lol Pinky is coming up to 17 years old and nothing wrong with my plugs. mice/rats could be a different matter :smt019

But I do use both methods :-D

Jim,
Yeah would like to change all to SS, i`ll pull one off those screws from the full beam unit and see if I/Dave can match it up.

by **DeeAitch** » Tue 23.01.2007, 19:46

i'll pull one off those screws from the full beam unit and see if I/Dave can match it up.

Monty, Don't disturb your beam alignment - the screw is listed in the parts list as No8 x 50mm long. There are also 2 lengths of M4 listed, 15mm & 20mm.
36 screws in total :shock:

I'll get them priced up but suspect most will end up on the shelf as getting the old ones out,as pointed out by Muley, will be a real pain, unless you have to. (or are lucky enough to live in California

)

by **Enright** » Wed 24.01.2007, 14:37

Can you break them down by exactly how many of each type are required?

We stock M4x20 SS button head here at work, and M4x16 (surely 1mm won't make any difference, but I'll give them a try anyway).
I can grab handfulls of the things and bring them to Donington.

Just don't tell the boss

What is a No8x50mm?
Is there a metric equivalent that we can use?
If so may be able to "obtain" those too.

by **dapinky** » Wed 24.01.2007, 15:38

Neil,

Yes please for a set (if you can assure me that they're not stolen goods ;-)

)

Does the '8' refer to a BA thread perhaps?, I'd be surprised if there was a great mixture on the car, but with a GM parts bin available, anything is possible!

This page will give you an exact comparison of threads, and if it is an 8BA, it will equate to a metric 2.2 mm!

by **Monty** » Wed 24.01.2007, 17:19

Dave wrote

There are also 2 lengths of M4 listed, 15mm & 20mm.

IIRC There is another 3 bolts (per headlight unit) which hold the metal ring on the back of the headlight so these must be the 15mm ones

but i found these to undo ok

The original 20mm bolts IMO are way to long. So i`d say go for the 15/16mm.

The 50mm ones are not bolts but a screw type (don`t know if thats the correct name)

Per headlight theres
3 beam adjustment screws (50mm ones)
3 bolts for fixing to pod (15mm should do)
3 15mm bolts for the rear of headlight (not neccesary to replace.

if u replace all that`ll be
9 bolts/screws per headlight
Total would be 36 (as Dave said)

by **dapinky** » Wed 24.01.2007, 18:09

Monty wrote:The 50mm ones are not bolts but a screw type (don't know if thats the correct name)

That makes sence for the sizing then, it'll probably be a 2" size 8 self tapper!

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