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[lotusles]

After awhile of not owning an Elan, I had the new one delivered today.

Previously I purchased a red car that in hindsight was rather tatty and had been got at with a chip and dump valve. I had every intention of doing the car up and even fitted the gear cable set but never got around to fitting the timing belt kit that I sold with the car.

This time I have what looks like a standard SE Turbo, but its in white. Now the fun begins to find out what has been replaced etc.
The car seems to have completed 88k in the first 8 years and only 10k in the last 15.
Just been out for a run and it seems as quick as the last one that had all the extras, (apart from the previous annoying dump valve) so I might be back to square one.

Is there a quick check I can do to determine:
if its been chipped
If the gear cables are the modded ones

Also, is there any mod for the nearside sun visor that is ion the permanent down position, the rubber band around the hood handle suggests its been a previous problem.

Does anybody within the forum keep a log of cars and history, I have a comprehensive file but only until 2000.

Les

[Candles]

Quick things:

To check for a 'chip' the quickest way would be to plug it into Elanscan. Otherwise, follow these instructions to locate the ECU and see if the seal has been broken on it:
ealanach.co.uk/elanchips/instructions/installation-of-v4-chip.html
Otherwise, some people have installed hardware to overboost the engine: look for any unusual plumbing to the BCV which is a gold-topped thing just behind the air filter.

As for the gear cables; my kit has a lever and mass on the end of the selector arm on the gearbox. So, if you look under the coolant header tank with a torch, you'll see the mechanism. Any hint of a shiny arm with a cylindrical lump on the end is a short shift kit. To see other types of cable mod, you'd have to start pulling things apart.

I removed both my sun visors years ago. Best mod ever!

Candles.

[lotusles]

Thanks, good tip for the visors

Is it possible to determine the RPM - Road Speed - Turbo Boost to determine if std?

Just been out and discovered handbrake does not hold car on a slope and rolls backwards, and n/s high beam did not work, but discovered the bulb and robber grommet had fallen out. There are clearly no clips to hold any of the headlamp bulbs in place and they are only held by the rubber housing, is this another mod simply because how difficult it is to access the bulbs?
They must have been in place and handbrake working (albeit with wheels in forward motion) to pass the MOT.

[Candles]

The amount of boost available is a complex result of engine RPM, load, throttle position and the time at these conditions (lag). Therefore, the best test of whether your car is stock is the absolute max boost you are able to obtain: Test conditions should be something like: car fully warmed up with no fault codes, 3rd* gear up a hill, nice high RPM (5500) and have been pulling hard at wide-open throttle (WOT) for a long time (>5s). The max attainable boost should be 0.62Bar and it should hold at that pressure (under control of the ECU). Despite the stock gauge looking fairly cronky, mine used to be fairly accurate (I changed it a few years ago), but the best readings are taken from Elanscan which also would allow you to record the run and upload the file here for some friendly LEC-geek to analyse.

The handbrake arrangement on the car is a wonder of poor engineering. The latest trend is to go for these:

www.pnmengineering.com/lotus-elanm100-brakes.html

Candles

*Assuming this is a legal speed - if not then I did this on a private road with a professional driver.

[tweetdriver63]

You can tighten up your visor easily. It's a common problem. The metal bracket that attaches it to the car is supposed to be a tight fit inside the visor, but it gets worn over time. Remove the little black plastic cover over the screws that hold the two visors up in the center. Remove the screw holding up the sagging visor. You can then pull the metal bar out of the visor (the piece that the screw was through) and just put a bit of vinyl electrical tape on the end of it and stick it back into the hole in the visor. It should feel a lot tighter now. Just reattach it with the screw and you should be good to go.

[lotusles]

Just gave the car a squirt and noticed the front brakes aren't particularly good either.
Discs look slightly worn, callipers are yellow and what looks like brand new pads are green. I need to be able to stop this car!

Really enjoying the thrill of driving this car, but must concentrate on trying making it bullet proof and look at timing belt and gear cables.
All the pals think it looks "cool" in white, I really always wanted Green with a yellow stripe.
Has anybody ever styled a white one?

Les

[Danevansgolf]

I have a White one. Living near cardigan west wales. Haven't styled it yet, always thinking about it, or should I keep it looking pretty and original. I have though, upgraded the braking system, at least I can stop now. Looking to do the seats one day. Going to give it a full spray job this winter. Keeping white but not sure weather to keep the same paint code or go for another shade of whiter than white.

[tweetdriver63]

I was always partial to the pearlescent white on the Esprits. Don't know how it would do on an Elan though.

Brake upgrade is a must. There are several options, depending on budget. I personally did the one using the Saab Calipers and Subaru/Vectra discs, but you need a couple of custom bits to do it. Stops like a champ, though.

[lotusles]

Hi, just checked the gear cables and they don't look particularly new.
Its a bit embarrassing really as I fitted a set with short shift to my last Elan but cant remember what they looked like. I do remember buying the kit form somebody on this forum, does that opportunity still exist?

With regards brakes, don't want to go too special, can anybody recommend the after market ones from ECM?

I also have a SIGMA M series alarm fitted that works ok but I only have one fob and don't know the code and cant find the stickers advising the code numbers. Any ideas if I can buy a new fob and get it programmed to the car?

Thanks
Les

[Brit-Car-Nut]

You can get the newest version of the uprated shift cables and short-shift kit through this posting: viewtopic.php?f=48&t=22461#p310690

[rip]

I was always partial to the pearlescent white on the Esprits. Don't know how it would do on an Elan though.

I've seen one & it looked good...but then the Elan seems to look good in any colour.

[lotusles]

I was always partial to the pearlescent white on the Esprits. Don't know how it would do on an Elan though.

I've seen one & it looked good...but then the Elan seems to look good in any colour.

Agreed but I am from an era when Avengers, Hunters, Imps and Alpines looked good with go faster stripes.
I remember meeting the late great Ron Hickman at my friend Richard Parkers funeral with a Rochdale Olympic in bright Lotus Yellow with stripes saying, "that looks good" so there you go sometimes stripes looks good.