Turbo overhaul query

[Specky]

The story continues...

It wasn't SJ's who sold me the studs, it was SWL...

As a point of note the Lotus/Isuzu studs are M10, 1.5mm thread on the short manifold end , 1.25mm on the long nut end.

Sooo all five were wrong....

A quick trip down to SES Autoparts in Swindon and a trawl through there consumable bins gave me some usable studs.

BSL-258952 Exhaust bolt, 62p + the VAT = £3.66 for five studs. (I guess it's a Bosal Pt No and they made the Turbo exhaust, so that's good enough for me)

Theses appear correct, but they have 1.5mm threads either end, which considering I had previously bought 1.5mm threaded S/S nuts is a result.

Lets crack on...

TTFN

[Specky]

Next question...

I think everything is pretty close on the turbo, but I have a reservation or two, how much movement is there when you actuate the linkage on the wategate arm (fully connected, moving by hand)

Is the hole on the bottom of the wastegate capsule only for preventing an airlock etc or is it a visual aid?

When the wastegate opens, does it basically just unseat the flapper valve by a few mm?

I know the wastegate doesn't open to it's fullest extent.

TTFN

[bobbrown]

To get full flow through the port you would need the valve to open about 6mm measured in the middle as it is normal for a valve to open 1/4 the diameter of the port for full flow.

Bob

[Specky]

Cheers Bob, had a chat with Gerald at GST and he said you should have about 10mm throw on the rod. I've got that now by taking it all back to pieces and spinning the cartridge a degree or so.

I had run out of adjustment on the compressor housing, no one told me the oil pipes and lower air pipe steal most of the available movement.

Anyway I think that side of things is done.

Now I'm on to trying to fit the Stiffy, and that's a whole other story...

Basically it's so out of line it's untrue, I reckon if I tried hard I could get the bottom and top to join, but the bracket and holes are way off...

I must do some reading as I think Enners had a similar issue.

TTFN

[bobbrown]

Gerald to the rescue, not much he hasn't done on an Elan as he worked on them when they were first made including the press release cars.

[Specky]

Found it... It was Monty, Candles... In fact everyone.

But the best bit, there's a solution that's simple, cut the bracket in two, cheers F1 lotus where ever you are.

TTFN

[Specky]

Finishing off today post the head gasket change, turbo rebuild, stiffy fitting, wastegate porting...

I decided to go on to phase two... Elanscan and CO2 emissions...

I know my car hasn't moved much in the past few months, but this is taken the Piss



TTFN

[Specky]

Finishing off today post the head gasket change, turbo rebuild, stiffy fitting, wastegate porting...

I decided to go on to phase two... Elanscan and CO2 emissions...

Everything seemed OK, but the emissions were very high.

So I thought bugger it, let's get the MOT done...

On my return to the test centre I went into the viewing area, the car was still there undergoing it's inspection. The examiner shouted up from the pit, sorry we're late, but your emissions were terrible, we had to do the long test and it failed that....

His helper gave me what looked to be an 18" long till receipt. I looked at the figures and paused...

I looked then through again...

And again....

Then I saw it...Élan Closed loop

Lamba fail, catalyst fail

I said you've used the wrong test mines open loop, it's a 1990, not a 95.

But what about the catalytic converter?

It doesn't have one, and the Lamba fail, guess what... It ain't got one

And 3.5 is the limit and mines just under.

Sorry sir...

Anyway I got two advisories for worn tyres, I wouldn't really mind but they are my knocked winter tyres, the Toyo's are back in the garage.

And I got flashed by an Elise on the M4

TTFN

[tigerdog]

Amazing what happens when you grade the test using the correct criteria! At least here in California, the details of what to check on the Elan are not spelled out in the procedure and my inspectors have never seen another one. And they're car enthusiasts themselves. So as long as it passes the rolling road/tailpipe test and there's nothing glaring (like a manual boost control) then all is good.

Three cheers for the rebuilt turbo!