TheBard's daily drive

[TheBard]

Thanks for the good reads, very interesting stuff.

Now to find a quiet back road on my drive in to work tomorrow to try some progressively hard stops from 50mph (the law round these parts) to 5mph.

[TheBard]

Passed a milestone in the car yesterday, when the clock rolled through 60,000miles.


I've now enjoyed 33,000 miles of Elan-ing over the last 2years and 7months, now what is the next miles stone, 100,000 miles?

[TheBard]

Following the 60k service all seems well, or as well as usual.

I still can't lock the brakes unless the road is very slippery, and even with the EBC discs and thermoquiet pads the braking is only a marginal improvement over how it was with knackered original discs. Also in the last week I've noticed a slight tug to the right that feels like it begins just behind your hips (yes, I drive by the seat of my pants). Sure enough upon investigation at both my outbound and inbound commute today the right rear wheel feels marginally hotter than the left rear, and both fronts feel about the same! This is exactly how my last proportioning valve failure started out, so I'm guessing it might be that again.

So I'm looking for proportioning valves once more, hopefully I'll find some before the car goes in for its State Inspection and Emissions tests. Not to worried about the emissions, even without the cat the car whistled through the last one, and since the 60k has been giving a steady 30-31mpg (US gallons).

Does anybody know of an easy test for a master brake cylinder leak while we're at it? Because once the rear brake issue is solved I want to be able to lock the front wheels in an emergency, or at least feel I can stop a bit quicker than I do currently. Having replaced discs and pads I'm left thinking ballooning hoses (which I hope is unlikely since they show no visible sign of extreme behaviour) or an MBC leak leading to soft pedal and a distinct lack of stopping.

Post your thoughts...

Cheers,

Ian

[tweetdriver63]

Ian,
Except for the rear problem, I have the same setup as you, and that same "I hope I can stop" feeling. I've tried to lock up the wheels several times, with no success. I've never had a car that couldn't do that. I've been looking into real upgrades, like the Wilwoods, but I'd really just like to get good action without having to spend at least $800 to do it. Currently, I'm thinking maybe the calipers/sliders need a refurb. I'm likely going to try that before anything else.

I don't really know, but I think if you can't get the stock proportioning valves, you can get adjustable ones. Wilwood makes them, for example, and there are some on ebay for about $40. Then you just need to find out from somebody like bobbrown how to properly adjust them for the elan's setup. I think Bob is probably the most knowledgable brake guy on here, and he seems to think that, although they may not have as good "feel" to them, the stock brake setup, in good condition, will stop the car every bit as well as the upgrades everybody is doing, and in some cases, where the front-rear balance is thrown off, better.

[Doug]

Ian, given where you live I would suggest you entertain the thought of the rear calipers gumming up and not sliding well--that and the handbrake mechanism. I'd think these much more likely than the prop valve. Heat build-up is likely from the pads not releasing off the disc properly and that would be from the sliders--heat could build up from more pressure in the line during use, but I would expect you would not find the disc hotter, as the time on brakes is so little in overall driving.

[TheBard]

Tweetdriver - thanks for the suggestions. I'd replaced the front slider pins when updating the front end and the brakes are very even (except for the current rear issue). This is why I'm suspecting the MBC.

Doug - I'd pondered that as I'd had the rear clunk a few times on moving off after having the handbrake on. The reason I reckon it is the valve though is that on a sudden hard stop the dive and pull sensation is very strong, but with gentler braking the reaction is almost unnoticeable. The car also tracks straight and true when not braking, and I'd have expected it to drift if a brake was binding. I'll definitely give the rear sliders and assembly a good check and overhaul before going back to the valves though, thanks for the suggestion!

[tweetdriver63]

I came across this write up on rebuilding the proportioning valve. Might be useful.

[TheBard]

Doug, yet again I find myself facing the distinct possibility that you may be right. Again

After a few days of no heavy braking on the commute, and no significant sign under regular braking I thought I'd give the pedal a stomp and see what occurred. So with everything nice and warm I stomped, and got a nice curving arch pulling me to the right, but not the heavy tank slap of the proportioning valve failure before. Here, thinks Ian, it feels like a stuck front slider pin but happening on the rear wheel

With tropical storm Hanna blowing through today and the car wrapped in tarps the investigation will have to wait. However I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Doug has come to the rescue again!

[TheBard]

So Doug was right, the rear calipers were frozen. A small bag of parts later they're fixed and the car is all working again.

Then the rear section of teh exhaust drops on my daily commute. Suddenly I drive what sounds like a diesel tractor and get a nasty clunk from the rear where the pipe is now nestled in the suspension. Straight to my regular mechanics who say they can't fix it as I need a new piece of pipe bent to refix the rear to the mid section. They can't help me, but they know a man who can and after a short hour at Piper Motorsport I'm back on the road with the car sounding normal, and a quote for a 2.5inch full stainless system tucked in my hand for next years budget!

So big thanks to Jon and Steve at Curry's Sterling branch for the rapid diagnosis and the pointing in the right direction, and especially to Mitch Piper who sorted me out in record time, top work gents!

[TheBard]

3 years, 10 months, and about 27 days since I first experienced the joys of Elan ownership the car finally broke down and couldn't get me home! Not a major issue hope, the fans failed to cut in and the engine got close to overheating. Fortunately I could pull over and cool things down, but even after a couple of hours it heated up very quickly as I attempted to limp home and common sense made me have it towed to the garage.

So I'm now working with Curry's in Chantilly (they've closed their Dulles shop which has severed me well these last 3 years) to get the problem resolved. I'm guessing a new fan-switch (Rodney's website to the rescue) and possibly a new thermostat. Any thoughts folks?

-Update-
Part ordered from Rodney, with a new pigtail, and should arrive Saturday/Monday. So fingers crossed!

[Bolsom]

From what? - Your money.

[Doug]

the old "thermostat failed in the closed position" problem

just put in a new t-stat -- you could do this roadside with only a few tools and some water to get the car running again . . . (you can even drive with the t-stat out to get home and then put a new one in)

-D

[Dave Eds]

which has severed me well

You took it to the Butchers?

Doug is right - even I've changed a thermostat!

[TheBard]

Ah, another Lotus life lesson. Next time I'll carry a spare and fit it myself!

It isn't so much Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious as Learn Options To Ulterior Savings

[TheBard]

Just had the oil changed and asked for the usual "and give it a look over and let me know if you spot anything" to my helpful mechanics. The car came back with a clean bill of health, except for the failing paint So all being well I just need to save up the coins to pay for a new stainless exhaust. Already been quoted $800 for a fully custom pipe, 2.5inch, sports muffler, mandrel bent by a race-prep firm out in Sterling. I reckon I'll give them a try once the money is saved up!

So if I increase the exhaust from 2.25 to 2.5 do I need to do anything else, other than question how they'll manage it without the squish in the pipe (they did say "no problem" when quoting). A quick check of the forum seems to show no major issues, but as always any thoughts/links/comments gratefully received!

---UPDATE---UPDATE---UPDATE---

Right, having trawled the Exhaust section I reckon i'm going for the 2.5 stainless as soon as I save the cash!

[Enright]

So if I increase the exhaust from 2.25 to 2.5 do I need to do anything else, other than question how they'll manage it without the squish in the pipe (they did say "no problem" when quoting). A quick check of the forum seems to show no major issues, but as always any thoughts/links/comments gratefully received!

See if they can incorporate a flexi section (most popular place for that is where the downpipe passes under the sump), and also remove the honeycomb filling from inside the pre-cat.
Better still, get a Pre-Cat Eliminator (see pictures of the Piper one in the Federal Stiffy thread) to dispense with the bottom half of the pre-cat altogether for luvverly unrestricted flow.
Only thing is, then you'll need to get your turbo off to port the wastegate as you're almost certain to experience boost creep and overboost.

[TheBard]

Thanks for the tips Enright, unfortunately the exhaust plans are on hold now while I investigate the latest problem...

The car has developed a "hum". At between a marked 46 and 50mph in any gear (and even with the engine off) there is a vibratory hum from the front ?left? that is severe enough to be felt through the wheel and pedals. It is louder with the hood up and windows closed, and if I stick my head out the window (opening it first) it gets lost in wind/road noise.

The noise happens with the engine off coasting clutch in down a suitable 48mph slope. It lowers in frequency until it cannot be felt at lower speeds. I did some car-park circles but didn't get any strange clunks or low speed vibrations. With the engine on the vibration is exactly the same, just mixed in with engine noise/vibration.

So my thoughts run to:

1. Check tyre pressures, although it isn't a bouncy 'low pressure' vibration. Checked 2 days ago, but then did remove some pieces of metal stuck in tread and so may have introduced a slow puncture.
2. Check calipers - DONE and replaced the sliding pins yesterday. also just been serviced and given once over by professional mechanics who "found nothing wrong with the car".
3. Think wheel bearings and expect a big bill from the garage to fix.
4. Think drive shaft, and expect a big bill from the garage to fix.

Now off to read the wheel bearings section. What does everybody think? Anybody had this before?

[Doug]

wheel bearing or CV joint springs to mind ...

[TheBard]

So the front left wheel bearing was in need of replacement and got itself sorted care of Piper Motorsport.

Now we're a few months later and she goes in for a service, the annual inspection, a new exhaust, and new rear wheel bearings. This may be a pricey visit but it'll keep the car on the road for a fair bit longer. Be good to get it all done before the damper months and the ice of winter hit northern Virginia.

[TheBard]

So the rear wheel bearings are done, and the exhaust changed. My what a difference! The car is much more enjoyable to drive with less rumble and roar from the back and more get up and go to the acceleration.

The new exhaust system, 2.5inch to 4inch tip, high flow cat and magnaflow silencer.

Thanks again to Piper Motorsport for brilliant service.