Newbie with 1991 SE in Hatfield, Hertfordshire

[Alan_C]

Hi all,

Recently got my first Elan SE, 1991. A bit tatty but mechanically seems pretty much OK, had alot of work done to it fairly recently so happy with what I paid for it. Still got quite a few things I'd like to fix, the seats are booked in for recovering, the wheels will shortly be resprayed, I have the radiator to change and the fans/electric pump to figure out why they don't work. I also have a crunch with up or down changes to 3rd gear, will give an oil chnage a go, then re-torque the nuts, but I do have a spare gearbox too, should I need it.

Must say congrats to LEC for heaps of info, and also to the members for everything they have submitted, I'm wading through it all slowly!

Once Geoff gets back to me about the ElanScan lead, I'll better be able to see what the engine is upto, I have a slight missfire too.

Cheers for now,

Alan

[ektrolleyboy]

The third gear change is normal. Most cars are fixed or drastically improved by over-hauling the oil in the box... Mine certainly has been cured and you do learn to use the box a little less vigorously than you might in other cars.
See threads if you do a search on this site.

What are you doing with the leather? Make sure you provide pic's and check out Holty's car for inspiration. I'm keeping my car cosmetically OEM inside and out (excluding brakes), but I am gagging to re-trim a la Holty's!

[Alan_C]

The car is in red with very dark grey leather seats with the red stripes on them. I'm having them recovered in a similar dark grey leather for the facings, vinyl for the backing and sides, losing the red stripes but having red piping. Should look alot less 80's! I know some like the red stripy seats, but they're not my taste. I'll post pics once they're done, be a few weeks yet. I'm staying with the original alloy wheels, I'll respray them in a slightly darker silver though. I can spray 2K paint so hopefully they'll come up nice.

I'm learning to change gear s-l-o-w-l-y, but I still crunch 3rd occasionally, will change the oil and see if this helps.

I've just received the low temp thermo switch from the States, I've then got to figure why there is a manual fan switch been fitted to the dash and this only powers one fan, the other doesn't run, though it free to turn, so not seized. Shorting the thermo switch wire to earth causes a relay somewhere to click and that's it. Need access to an electrical manual........

Also got the N/S window to look at, the motor clicks loudly and slips, and needs hand assistance to raise, bit of a prob if it's all the way down......

Alarm needs attention......

There'll prob always be a list of things to do to this car, and I was hoping it wasn't going to be a project car, ho hum! I think it's also been Superchipped, I have a receipt but not checked the ECU yet, once I have ElanScan running I'll check the PROM and get an Everest chip fitted. More for the list!

[ektrolleyboy]

The alarms are pretty pants and old in my opinion. I ripped mine out after two days of ownership!
I've got a TOAD Ai606 and I can recommend it if you go down that route. Lots of options available for the Toad systems...

I love the stripey leather! It pains me that you're changing it...

[Alan_C]

It's got a £600 Clifford alarm, the receipt is dated about 9 years ago. It all seems to work except the sounder no longer sounds, so no alarm noise when set off or chirp when armed/disarmed. I've not located it yet, except I found a proximity detector control box under the hand brake bit of carpet, cut into the console. Don't know what this bit even does yet! Hope it's not one of those that tells you to stand away from the car when too close!

[ektrolleyboy]

I would imagine it's a tilt sensor??? It's in the right place for one... It would be a plain plastic box usually with a couple of wires.
Or possibly some part of the interior sensor (put your hand in and the alarm goes off-that bit).

[Dave Eds]

Welcome - another Red not far from you to the east - any help you need shout up. I got the electric manuals somewhere too and an Elanscan lead (non USB)you can borrow 'til Geoff pops up.


GET YOURSELF TO THIS!

[rip]

Welcome.
I completely agree with ek about 3rd gear. Mine crunched too but this has been improved immensely with fresh oil.
I don't agree with ek about the red striped leather however. I dislike mine & replacing it is on my list of things to do.

[keithlard]

Hi! BRG SE in Finchley here. I'll keep an eye out for you on the A1(M) and give you a wave!

Also I should be at the Ace Cafe this month if you're up for that.

[dapinky]

Alan,

The alarm system - is it a concept 650 ?

If so, it is what is fitted to my blue one, and i'm pleased with it.

The box in the centre arm rest is either a microwave sensor or a proximity sensor (either option was available), and it should chirp if someone goes within about a foot of the car (when set) - the distance is variable on the alarm settings.

If you need a copy of the instruction book for the alarm, then it is downloadable from the internet (free) or I can send you a photocopy.

I am happy to try and answer questions on the alarm, but would rather do so by PM than on open forum, as security of the car is of high importance to me, and i wouldn't want 'Them' to get hold of specific information on how MY alarm is fitted and works!

[Alan_C]

Also I should be at the Ace Cafe this month if you're up for that.

Is that the 16th September meet, TVR + Lotus + Ginetta + Noble? If so, I'm supposed to be on night shift, I will be driving right past on my way to TV Centre, so could stop off there for a bit and meet up.

[Alan_C]

Alan,

The alarm system - is it a concept 650 ?

The box in the centre arm rest is either a microwave sensor or a proximity sensor (either option was available), and it should chirp if someone goes within about a foot of the car (when set) - the distance is variable on the alarm settings.

If you need a copy of the instruction book for the alarm.....

The alarm is a Concept 300, at least that's the instructions I have. It's fitted behind the glove box, siren in the engine bay. The box in the arm rest is a Proximity Detector III, there's a sensitivity adjustment on it should I need to fiddle. The system all appears to work, can even remotely flash the lights and wind up the windows (if the motors would work properly!), but there's not a chirp from the siren on arm/disarm/full alarm triggered, the indicators flash and that's it. The immobaliser works fine, though I've not tried the valet code via the buttons on the dash yet. There's a socket on the arm rest for a PC to plug in for programming, but I don't have the lead, I do have the software CD though.

[RayD]

Alan,

I think you’ll find there’s a “silent setting” for arriving home late at night ... it will just want de-selecting.
I presume the sounder is working ... it goes off when you trigger the alarm?

Ray

[Alan_C]

Hi Ray,

The siren makes no noise at all, even when the alarm has been triggered. To activate silent arm or disarm, there's a combination of button pushes on the remote according to the instructions. Digging through the interweb, it seems that the siren is battery backed up with nicads and after a few years they fail, stopping the siren working. Normal fix is to get a Clifford installer to replace the siren module at £79 + labour, but I'll have a go at getting the batteries out first and make a new pack.

Alan

[RayD]

A bit of a long shot Alan, but I have a hidden switch in the siren wiring to turn it off.

Initially it was for the rare occasion when the battery was disconnected to save it sounding as the power was restored.

Now I have a switch on the main power to the alarm to save drainage on the battery when the car is stood in the garage so the siren switch is used every time the alarm is turned back on... usually every day.

Ray