todays problem/question

[MattDon]

this weeks i have been mostly suffering from... a slipping clutch. i believe ive found a clutch plate, so what else do i need and what else would be wise to sort/replace while this work is being done?

also have one headlight doing some crazy things, but i think that might just be down to an poorly fitted bulb, by me. can you fit them upside down??? the light seems to be everywhere.

oh and i got the bill for fitting the exhaust £120!!! if things dont settle down soon i may run out of money to run my baby

on the plus side, no noisey tappets or loss of power, touch wood.

[Paul.P]

oh and i got the bill for fitting the exhaust £120!!! if things dont settle down soon i may run out of money to run my baby

WHAT , £120 just to fit , thats daytime robbery Matt, on a grand scale, should of been £50 max, suggest you get quote before you take car anywhere else. I think some people see the Lotus badge & double there rates.

[GeoffSmith]

Try a few local exhaust fitting place, Friday afternoons are usually quiet. I had a chat with the manager of my local one and explained what the car was and my concern about how it would be handled, so he told me to phone and check it wasn't busy on Saturday afternoon. I went down and he did it with me. It was well worth £20 cash.

[rip]

should i start porting now and fit the pce when it comes?

I cannot remember what a PCE is. Please refresh my memory.

Porting the wastegate is a turbo off job. All those rusted nuts & studs around the turbo/exhaust manifold make sure this is not a quick job.

Jack.

[ailwyn]

I cannot remember what a PCE is. Please refresh my memory.

Pre-Cat Eliminator

[MattDon]

i live out in the sticks kinda and there isnt a "local" kwikfit, i did try ats but got a very short no, so went to my local, wouldnt mind but i had a look underneither while he had it jacked up and im sure i couldve done it myself still need advice on the other subjects. clutch plate has been confirmed, so i just need to know what else i need and what else is worth doing while thats being done, is a clutch an engine out job?

the plan is to throw myself at the mercy of a local inderpendent lotus mechanic, had a bit of work done there and he seemed like a decent bloke.

im going to express my displeasure with the local garage, its an agricultural outfit which i deal with quite alot as part of my work. i was quoted £30 an hour, so i was expecting £60 tops.

[Monty]

Matt,

The clutch only needs the gearbox out, but if your doing the clutch you want to fit a full clutch not just the clutch plate.

Someone just bought a full cutch kit form RockAtous in the USA for £200 bargin

[Sy V]

That actually makes it worse IMHO. I could change an Elan exhaust one-handed in less than 4 hrs!

Here you go; from the LOTUS ELAN Service Labour Times (the document to which Lotus Dealers must adhere) - Page S-1, Complete Exhaust System (less downpipe) - Replace - 0.8 of an hour!

[mickmick]

Matt,

where in yorkshire are you, i'm in doncaster and got my PECO fitted for 40, he only wanted 30 for it but i thought he deserved the extra 10, plus now i know i can go back again if i need other work doing.

it'd be nice to meet up with a fellow elan owner in gods county

mick

[MattDon]

lo mickmick, im just down the road from you mate, im in hambleton just outside selby, would be cool to meet up. (not sure of the etiquet so aplogies just incase) but have you thought about joining nyloc, seem like a realy good bunch, i'll be joining in march as thats when the membership starts, its only £20 with monthly meetings. you any good with a spanner mate? lol

just talked to purelotus who have given me a rather reasonable ball park quote for a clutch and fitting so the panic has just turned to mild terror.

thanks again to all for your advice, i'll still be ordering the parts, but if the engine doesnt have to come out then i guess they can wait a little while until my bank balance recovers.

[mickmick]

used to fix helicopters in the army so i can swing a spanner yeah.

have looked and its only a 25 mile trip between our villages, i live in harlington, dn5 7jd, cant meet up just yet as my missus is going into hospital for an op, but will be A ok in about 3-4 weeks i hope, all better again.

also Ray D from the forum lives about 5 miles from me, so we are slowly starting to get a clan elan together now.

etiquette?????? WTF is that, i'm an ex squaddie, i dont do polite too much, say what i mean and swear when i scrape a knuckle off.

will look into the nyloc thingy, too much on atthe mo tho, and march is a little way away yet, it wats to be cos i'm getting married then too.

erm, waffed a bit, PM f you want my number so we can arrange a meet some time

Mick

[MattDon]

atleast you can spell etiquette lol was worried about mentioning other clubs on the forum. handy with a spanner you say... pm is on its way

[MattDon]

not had much chance to drive recently with needing a new clutch and having to use the van alot and no time to get to the garage, but ive driven my elan the last two days coz the van needed work and the noisey tappets are back and there are persistance, i know changing the oil is a good start and i'll get the garage to sort that while im getting my clutch fitted, hopefully in time for donny.... oh i cant wait, wouldve been nice to have all the mods done in time but next year perhaps. anyway i digress, apart from oil, what else could the noisey tappets be down to and is it likely to break my bank? (my bank means very limited funds)