Garages in East Midlands

[G UK]

Does anyone have any recommendations on garages that know the Elan in the East Mids area (Nottingham, Derby, Leicester)?

I've been neglecting her recently and so want to get a good service and a full check over sorting lots of bits that need doing.

[Rambo]

I've heard there is a good one in Arnold, Nottingham called ENRIGHT'S

[Enright]

Oi, I resemble that remark!

Leyton Motors in Radford is very good.
Alternatively, what sort of things Graham? Go on, share the list!

[Rambo]

Sounds like it needs a lot doing Neil. I think Graeme remarked on the Silverstone Classics thread that if he were going it would need to be trailered there

[G UK]

Go on, share the list!

Go on then. Some of this stuff has been waiting for quite a while.

Diagnose intermittant issues with:
- Possible running rich
- Poor Starting (Either slow to fire or bangs and then misfires for a couple of minutes)
- Very occaisional coughing under boost
- General "not feeling right" sometimes

Just noticed after taking her out today that after turning the engine off I could here coolant boiling so that needs investigating.

Full Service and adjustments
- Change all fluids (Oil, Gearbox, Coolant etc)
- Change all filters
- Spark Plugs
- Timing
- Adjust gear cables
- Check if anything else needs doing

Interior
- Fix Drivers seat base
- Re-adjust roof and patch worn/wearing bits
- Fix sticky electric windows


I know I could do most of these with the exception of the diagnostics but I've just not got the drive to get my hands dirty.

[G UK]

Sounds like it needs a lot doing Neil. I think Graeme remarked on the Silverstone Classics thread that if he were going it would need to be trailered there

It's not that bad!! At least not yet. She still runs OK a lot of the time, I just cant help but feel something is not right and really needs sorting. On top of that she needs a good service and tlc.

I could drive her down but then I would have to tent it, I much prefer the camper van for sleeping comfort.

[Rambo]

Doesn't sound too bad Graham - a good sevice might sort out a lot of the problems. Not near you I know, but what about dumping the car off at Gerald's at Newmarket for a few days. I have heard good reports about him from fellow LEc'ers

PS Did you PM Muley re Silverstone ? I think he has something that may be of interest to you

[G UK]

Yep, exchanged PM's with Muley and sorted tickets out thanks.

Gerald is a bit far unless I get a trailer, before I do that though I need to get my driveway extended so I can fit everything on and get a towber on the van.

[Rambo]

Rambo and Muley are looking forward to a Silverstone breakfast in your camper van.

They're getting very common these days - I hear on the LEC grapeline that even Dico, the silver Beast, has got one

[Enright]

Go on, share the list!

Go on then. Some of this stuff has been waiting for quite a while.

Diagnose intermittant issues with:
- Possible running rich
- Poor Starting (Either slow to fire or bangs and then misfires for a couple of minutes)
- Very occaisional coughing under boost
- General "not feeling right" sometimes

Just noticed after taking her out today that after turning the engine off I could here coolant boiling so that needs investigating.

Full Service and adjustments
- Change all fluids (Oil, Gearbox, Coolant etc)
- Change all filters
- Spark Plugs
- Timing
- Adjust gear cables
- Check if anything else needs doing

Interior
- Fix Drivers seat base
- Re-adjust roof and patch worn/wearing bits
- Fix sticky electric windows

I know I could do most of these with the exception of the diagnostics but I've just not got the drive to get my hands dirty.

OK, in that case I could use a little motivation as well.
Perhaps a few quick wins on someone else's car will convince me to pull my finger out on my own one/s!

You could take a drive over to mine and then let the car cool down after work one evening.
While it's cooling we could patch the roof with some old bits of seatbelt, get the seats out and swap the bases so that the less worn one is on your side, and repair the one which would now go over to the passenger side at the same time (or leave it to do during another session/at your leisure).
Then we could do an Elanscan run from cold, along with a gas test to check the emissions.
That would be plenty for an evening, wouldn't cost a bean, and doesn't even involve getting particularly dirty!

If you wanted to spend the bare minimum you could bring a thermostat, some coolant and some plugs, and we could give it a good flush out to help cool it down. Chuck in an air filter for good measure - you'll need one sooner or later anyway. I may even have one lying around. If it's after pay day or you're just feeling "flush" (pun intended) then put in some engine flush before you set off, and bring some oil and an oil filter too.

If time or darkness is any excuse, then the clocks go forwards this weekend so we'll have an hour more of light from Sunday onwards. I can do Mondays & Tuesdays from about 5pm, or Thursdays from 6 onwards.

That should tick a load off the list and restore a bit of mojo!

[G UK]

You've shamed me into having a look myself although I need to pick filters and things up to do anything more than clean things up and give everything a check. On checking the plugs I've just noticed that the gap looked big, I cant gap them properly as I need to pick a set of feeler gauges up but there is no way they are 0.8mm which is what they were meant to be preset at (NGK BKR6E). They looked more like 1.2mm

As to your offer, what are you doing Easter week.

Edit: I'm now wondering if they are actually BKR6E-11's which are preset to 1.1mm, I'll have to check again tomorrow.

[lotusflasherman]

You've shamed me into having a look myself although I need to pick filters and things up to do anything more than clean things up and give everything a check. On checking the plugs I've just noticed that the gap looked big, I cant gap them properly as I need to pick a set of feeler gauges up but there is no way they are 0.8mm which is what they were meant to be preset at (NGK BKR6E). They looked more like 1.5mm

As to your offer, what are you doing Easter week.

I smashed my right thumbnail as a kid and it grew back 0.7mm thick. Very useful for checking if gap is close or long way out... before I bother searching for feeler gauges. As long as it slides in and doesn't go up and down much I'm happy..
Check yours with a vernier or micrometer when you get the chance and you'll always have a handy reference.. - oh, sorry about the pun!

[Enright]

Graham, I'm in Hucknall tomorrow and you can borrow a set of feeler gauges, but as Flasherman says the thickness of a thumbnail is about right and I usually use mine too.

I've got the Friday, Monday and Tuesday off - not planned anything yet but would be good to start getting busy with the cars.

[Rambo]

As long as it slides in and doesn't go up and down much I'm happy

Not what my better half thinks