LGM Elan

[Doc Fizzix]

I have been reading up on this and just came accross this statement:

Higher compression or boosted engines generally require a smaller plug gap and a higher ignition voltage.

I think with the increase boost you should go smaller on the gap

[Elanlover]

I remember when you first did this, I thought it was a great mod' then, and I'd imagine very popular if you are able to offer this as a bolt-on kit
Another weapon to fight the Elans' cooling issues

Yes please. I'll take one!

[ratman]

marie, do you have a pattern of the flange between the original upright and the brembo brake caliper?? it's sufficient a drawing with the reference planes and the position of the holes.
thanks, F.

[lotusgirlmarie]

Sorry for the Late post. I've been in calss for the past few days at SkyWest's training facility here in SLC.

Ratman, I actually still have the wood mockup of the brake bracket as well as one aluminum one just about finished. Unfortunately I'm in a different time zone than my workshop right now. It will be a few weeks til I get back to San Francisco.

Right now Kjeld has the only other oil cooler setup I made with the fan control. I think he still needs to install it so maybe copying down the part #'s would help and getting the correct AN fittings as well. It really does make a difference when upgrading the turbo to keep the oil cooler and more lubricating.

Sorry guys but its time to get back and hit the books...

[Dave M]

I have been reading up on this and just came accross this statement:

Higher compression or boosted engines generally require a smaller plug gap and a higher ignition voltage.

I think with the increase boost you should go smaller on the gap

FWIW I've noticed no issues with missing at the stock .034 gap @ 20 psi.

[lotusgirlmarie]

I'll have to try that when I get back home.... I don't really remember why I changed it.... Maybe better torque if I remember and I think I changed my timing abit as well.

[lotusgirlmarie]

Hey ratman, still interested. I remembered in my scrounging around for lotus bits that I have half of another set of brackets machined. I'm trying to set up some more time off in Nov. I can try to find it and send it out... NOw that I think about it I still have a wood mockup of the bracket. we need to talk.

[ratman]

Hi Marie,
It would be fantastic if you could make some photo shots of the bracket in order to copy its shape and matching with the reference planes, the position and the diameters of the holes.
Do you know the reference number of the Brembo callipers? And the disc bell has the same offset of the stock one?? What is the disc diameter?
Thanks a lot!!!
Ciao, F.

[Elanlover]

Marie, with all the work you've done on the dash, I was curious to know if you've considered doing a new fascia? I'm interested in doing one myself and installing an LCD display for GPS use. But, I think I'd need to source an entirely new set of fan and heater controls as that large module takes up too much space.

If you've looked behind there would you have any thoughts on if replacing those components is possible? Easy to source a new set of smaller AC and hazard switches.

[tweetdriver63]

Marie, with all the work you've done on the dash, I was curious to know if you've considered doing a new fascia? I'm interested in doing one myself and installing an LCD display for GPS use. But, I think I'd need to source an entirely new set of fan and heater controls and that large module takes up too much space.

If you've looked behind there would you have any thoughts on if replacing those components is possible? Easy to source a new set of smaller AC and hazard switches.

I'll bet if you really wanted to, you could keep the OEM AC/Haz switches, and move them down to the center console. One on either side of the e-brake, for example, behind the window switches, would probably work.

Are you thinking of a separate LCD, or an all-in-one unit, like one of the pioneer AVICs, with the stereo and nav together? In the area below the oem stereo (behind the upper row of switches) there may not be enough depth. I remember when I was putting in my cupholder there, that something got in the way (I can't remember if it was a bracket, or something bigger, but I think it is something substantial) of putting it centered in the space where the 3 upper switches were. I had to install it all the way over to the right in order for it to go in.

[Elanlover]

Not enough room for them there. They're pretty big afterall. Easy to source really simple, smaller switches for those funcitons. I'd put in an Alpine LCD display to match up with the Blackbird I have. Not part of the stereo. Single DIN, retractable LCD panel head units are available but the sound quality is average on most of them (already have a high-end head unit) and the panel blocks the vents when up. Would have to recess the panel a bit to reduce glare with the roof down.

Its that bulky heater/fan control module that's got to go.

[tweetdriver63]

I hate the retractable LCDs myself. I think they look crappy. The pioneer AVICs are a double din unit that looks a lot more like a factory option.

Here's one on ebay.

There are also single din units that can use a separte GPS box input, like this one. I thought about getting one like this a while back for another vehicle, but ultimately went a different direction. The one I was actually thinking about back then was just like this JVC. The reason I went a different route was money. I already had a portable GPS system and I decided to just keep using it.

[lotusgirlmarie]

Not to rain on your parade entirely but you do realize tthat the switches are not all "easy " to find replacements for as the turn signals also go through the hazard switch. I had thought about doing another dash entirely like that of an Esprit but opted not to as my whole build thus far is modernize the car yet still leave it in a realm that the factory would have come to had the car still been in production. Putting a huge double din radio, though it would be kinda neat would not leave the dash looking very Lotus.

I have an Alpine IVAD 900 flip out unit in the car currently with navigation and am quite happy with the results. My only dislike is that the color of the buttons is green instead of amber. A quirk that may eventually get fixed if I feelI have the time to do it. I've already done what i wanted to do with the dash in removing the 2 blanking switches and suede covering the fascia. The dash looks cleaner and less cluttered + being that it is now wrapped in real suede it has the look and feel of a really high end automobile and I feel the dash finally lives up to the Lotus badge on the nose.

[tweetdriver63]

Not to rain on your parade entirely but you do realize tthat the switches are not all "easy " to find replacements for as the turn signals also go through the hazard switch. I had thought about doing another dash entirely like that of an Esprit but opted not to as my whole build thus far is modernize the car yet still leave it in a realm that the factory would have come to had the car still been in production. Putting a huge double din radio, though it would be kinda neat would not leave the dash looking very Lotus.

I have an Alpine IVAD 900 flip out unit in the car currently with navigation and am quite happy with the results. My only dislike is that the color of the buttons is green instead of amber. A quirk that may eventually get fixed if I feelI have the time to do it. I've already done what i wanted to do with the dash in removing the 2 blanking switches and suede covering the fascia. The dash looks cleaner and less cluttered + being that it is now wrapped in real suede it has the look and feel of a really high end automobile and I feel the dash finally lives up to the Lotus badge on the nose.

I completely agree. Yours is beautiful, and a double din would be problematic at best, unsightly at worst. I do like the JVC I linked to in my previous post. It's got all the bells and whistles of the double-din or the flip-out screen all-in-one Nav/stereo unit, but in a single-din package. I just personally don't like flip-out screens. It's just me, but I think they really clutter things up when they're out, and don't look like they belong there.

[Elanlover]

Not to rain on your parade entirely but you do realize tthat the switches are not all "easy " to find replacements for as the turn signals also go through the hazard switch.

I had a good look at the two switches and their electrical diagrams. I also pulled them apart. The AC switch, which I thought would be the most difficult, was actually pretty easy. Simple on/off with a contact to light it from behind. The hazard was more difficult. Most replacement switches out there don't have enough contacts for a straight plugin swap. Still, I think one could be sourced. Although, if I could get may hands on a smaller unit for the temp/fan speed/fan direction controls I probably could reuse the existing ones. Or relocate them some where on the new fascia.

[lotusgirlmarie]

6 days left til I get to go back to me Elan and finish the last of the engine upgrades. New Injectors are in Ekapol's posetion as well as a new MAP sensor. These coupled with the Greddy Profec B boost controllerthat is already installed and the new turbo should give me my last fix of "reliable" horsepower I want from the engine. Photos of the install to come when I get back to SF. now I really can't wait.

After this just the finishing touches in the interior and the last of the bodywork and she's done. A beautiful machine with just enough power to put her in supercar territory and looks to keep her the envy for quite some time. She may soon have a twin in Ekapol's green machine as well considering he is also going down the same engine route.

[Ekapol]

Hey I can see that they are in there

[tigerdog]

Marie - I'm interested to hear your experience. I get a momentary misfire approaching full 16PSI boost in the 3000-4500RPM range. Our setups are similar (RC550 injectors, 3bar sensor, stock ECU?) so I'll be interested to hear if you have a similar issue.

[lotusgirlmarie]

None as of yet, but I haven't fully tuned it to 16PSI yet. What kind of boost controller are you running?

[tigerdog]

None as of yet, but I haven't fully tuned it to 16PSI yet. What kind of boost controller are you running?

Top End performance MBC and judicious right foot. MBC is visible in photo:
http://www.lotuselancentral.com/forum/f ... ne_105.jpg