Lotus Alloy Oil Filler Cap

[JohnB]

I had the same problem as JonJon, I couldn't locate a supplier for these to fit the M100.

Hi Jeemy,
An amazing amount of work you've done, the car is looking great, can I ask where you got the oil filler cap ?

It might be of interest to members that these are now available from here : -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301035757170? ... 1497.l2649
I just bought one and it fits perfectly. They are the same fitting as the K series engine.

[lotos]

Our cars use a Honda thread pattern I believe so this may not work. Plus it looks like it may just be a shiny sticker for the Lotus symbol? Not sure how well that'll do in the underhood heat.

[Jeemy]

Its definitely "just" a shiny sticker.

I laughed about it when I put it on, its a bit of a finishing touch but I couldn't resist chucking it in the engine bay (I'd probably have lost it otherwise!).

But in fact these kinds of materials are VERY heat-resistant. Even the cheap chinese things. And if it fails, they aren't expensive. But generally these things are pretty resistant.

[lotos]

Oh okay, good to know. I assumed the heat would keep the adhesive in a constant state of melting and drying and wear it out in short order, to say nothing of the appearance of the sticker itself. I know it can get pretty warm under there, like 175+ F (80+ C)

[Jeemy]

Generally these domed things are cut from 3M sheets with some ridiculous spec like -40 to +200. Cheaper stuff does exist but its not cheap enough to make it worth making different glue to save a buck.

[lotos]

I'm sure you're right.

That said, where cost is concerned, I would bet on anything I buy being the cheapest possible regardless of logic. I recently bought a propane burner for way too much money. Considering it's a propane valve, some welded steel, that's been painted. And it's mass produced. Anyway, the first time I use it, within 2 minutes the paint has completely peeled off. I ask online and everyone says "Yeah happened to me too, I brushed off the ash and gave a quick coat of high-temp spray paint, cost like $3 at the store for a can". So I'm left thinking, why the hell doesn't the company just use a decent paint in the first place? They're PAINTING IT ALREADY. And I'm certainly not the first customer who was pissed off to see bare metal instantly appear after turning the thing on. Why? Because shiny black paint costs them $0.08 per unit and high temp paint would cost them $0.23 per unit. (Made up numbers) On a thing that retails for 1,000 times the difference in price, they cheaped out because they could, against all logic. <end rant>

[JohnB]

Our cars use a Honda thread pattern I believe so this may not work.

I just bought one and it fits perfectly. They are the same fitting as the K series engine.

It does work with the Isuzu engine.

[JonJon]

Our cars use a Honda thread pattern I believe so this may not work.

I just bought one and it fits perfectly. They are the same fitting as the K series engine.

It does work with the Isuzu engine.

I have this on my watch list, if you say it fits I guess I'll go ahead and buy it, I wonder if it will fit the Esprit.

[Jeemy]

Esprit (I don't know) I believe is different. The one I bought said it would fit Esprit and Elan and it didn't fit. Might be wrong on that.

I recently bought a propane burner for way too much money. Considering it's a propane valve, some welded steel, that's been painted. And it's mass produced. Anyway, the first time I use it, within 2 minutes the paint has completely peeled off. I ask online and everyone says "Yeah happened to me too, I brushed off the ash and gave a quick coat of high-temp spray paint, cost like $3 at the store for a can". So I'm left thinking, why the hell doesn't the company just use a decent paint in the first place? They're PAINTING IT ALREADY. And I'm certainly not the first customer who was pissed off to see bare metal instantly appear after turning the thing on. Why? Because shiny black paint costs them $0.08 per unit and high temp paint would cost them $0.23 per unit. (Made up numbers) On a thing that retails for 1,000 times the difference in price, they cheaped out because they could, against all logic. <end rant>

Don't get me started.

I buy a lot of equipment, a lot of print, a lot of sound equipment, a lot of cables, power supplies, and its not just that you buy cheap - you can't buy anything else!! The quality manufacturers for something like a quality power supply would be £200, a Chinese one is £30 - so now, quality power supplies for audio don't exist.

I've lost count of the amount of times I buy something and straight out the box, its fuxxored. So you send it back, get another one - it works, then you need to research and look into what components are GUARANTEED to fail - and replace them before it screws up mid-project.

I'd say that if its not 80%, its 90% of everything I buy now has something wrong with it, straight out the box. Quality American gear still exists. Some quality UK stuff is still being produced.

But its a hell of a world we are living in where a government can't be bothered to import-tax poor quality goods to protect their internal base of workmanship.

[JonJon]

I always though it was my bad luck, always buying the duff item. I'd say 50-60% of everything electrical I buy goes back to the shop

[JohnB]

I have this on my watch list, if you say it fits I guess I'll go ahead and buy it, I wonder if it will fit the Esprit.

A picture is worth a thousand words!!

[alan e]

I have ordered one there is a listing on ebay for a m100 cap same cap as on the link also you can get it in black on the m100 page

[JohnB]

I have ordered one there is a listing on ebay for a m100 cap same cap as on the link also you can get it in black on the m100 page

The seller didn't know whether it would fit the M100 so I took the risk and bought the cap not knowing for sure if it would fit. When it did fit, I emailed the Ebay seller (mgmanialtd) to let him know that it was also suitable for the M100. He didn't waste any time did he!!!

[JonJon]

A picture is worth a thousand words!!

Well done that man, I've just ordered one for the Elan, I'm also looking at this one from the States, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200919206297?ss. I'll try the Elan cap on the Esprit when I go over to it on Sunday.

[Jeemy]

Further on the subject of things not working out the box, I bought a Christmas tree for my little boy yesterday with built in lights so he can't pull them off. It lasted one hour. The replacement bulbs are only available from the manufacturer and 5-7 day shipping time.

I called the shop who grudgingly exchanged the whole thing this morning, they were refusing over the phone so I had to drive down and whine loudly by the tills until they replaced it.

Happy Xmas everyone!

[inkitin]

I called the shop who grudgingly exchanged the whole thing this morning, they were refusing over the phone so I had to drive down and whine loudly by the tills until they replaced it.

Well done! This is a great tactic which I've used many times in the past. I actually quite enjoy it!

My own tactic is to firstly make sure the shop is very busy. Then approach an assistant and start off in a quiet and measured manner explaining the problem. I keep to the measured manner but continually ramp up the volume the further I get into resistance from them to do anything. The critical point is when other shoppers start taking notice of you (quite loud by this point! ) because the shop then comes under intense pressure to shut you up and get rid of you and the easiest way for them to do that is to satisfactorily resolve your problem.

Sorry to go "off topic"

[lotos]

Are many stores in England small and locally owned? The only place to buy anything like that here are from billion dollar mega corporations like Walmart or Target, and they take anything back without so much as a nasty look.

[alan e]

Got my filler cap today it don't look to bad for the money

[epipete]

I called the shop who grudgingly exchanged the whole thing this morning, they were refusing over the phone so I had to drive down and whine loudly by the tills until they replaced it.

Well done! This is a great tactic which I've used many times in the past. I actually quite enjoy it!

My own tactic is to firstly make sure the shop is very busy. Then approach an assistant and start off in a quiet and measured manner explaining the problem. I keep to the measured manner but continually ramp up the volume the further I get into resistance from them to do anything. The critical point is when other shoppers start taking notice of you (quite loud by this point! ) because the shop then comes under intense pressure to shut you up and get rid of you and the easiest way for them to do that is to satisfactorily resolve your problem.

Sorry to go "off topic"

Still off topic: my admiration to you, I only have two settings, the default is mild and conciliatory the other is somewhat harsher, I was born without the rheostat that allows me to gently ramp it up from one to the other!

But, anyway, what really brasses me off is the inability to purchase bulbs for my incandescent christmas lights and being coerced in to buying these wretched led thingies!

Anyway, I too shall buying one of these blingy filler caps, great find

[RayD]

Still off topic: my admiration to you, I only have two settings, the default is mild and conciliatory the other is somewhat harsher, I was born without the rheostat that allows me to gently ramp it up from one to the other!

E.L.A.N Alert


...