New member with a Pacific Blue SE

[Blaster]

Hi

Into my first week of ownership and just finding all those niggling little faults. Always wanted a Lotus since seeing an Europa on my paper round some many many years later ambition fulfilled.

I am located in Hertfordshire UK

Tony

[TorqueHorse]

Welcome, and congrats on your new addition! Looking forward to seeing photos of that Pacific Blue.

[Dave Eds]

You may have seen a yellow one occasionally parked near the village shop!

Saw yours a couple of nights ago. Glad you have a cover for it

[Blaster]

As requested. I need to do some proper ones for the insurance.

[TorqueHorse]

Photos, yay! Is that a matching blue fabric top as well? And those calipers pop - fun!

[Rambo]

Welcome to LEC Blaster

Looks lovely Just check you don't have a small coolant leak from the bottom of your rad. (small damp batch FNS ??) Or it might be due to condensation if you have air con ??

Your front pads look like EBC Greenstuff and I have found over the years that they are great when really warmed up but a bit iffy from cold so just be aware

[Blaster]

Not a coolant leak it's an oil leak . It is the oil feed pipe to the cooler and is running along the front but mostly dripping from the drivers side. Now where is the best place to get a replacement.

[Rambo]

Yes, oil cooler leaks are usually on FOS

I think SJS stock the pipes but they will be quite expensive. Does it look like this ? https://www.sjsportscars.com/parts-and- ... K0032F.htm

I'm sure Pirtek made one up for me many years ago. Maybe there is a branch near you ?

[Blaster]

That's the one. I was looking under engine not cooling. I think it is new one looking at it so it did not last long, about 2000 miles.

[Rambo]

Are you sure it's not the actual oil cooler ?

[Blaster]

Nope it is the hose. Top end is easy to get to but what is the easiest way to get to the oil cooler end.

[dapinky]

If you haven't already got the wheelarch liner (off side!) out of the car, that is the first step (well, second I suppose, because jacking up the car and taking the wheel off would be first )

That will give you a clear view of both oil cooler hoses.

I would suggest that if you are needing to do one, it is a good idea to do both - if one bursts (which has been known to happen to a few owners) the oil will come out very quickly and engine damage is quite likely - especially if you are pushing on a bit and the turbo is spinning.

Anyway, to get back to your question, you should be able to see the hose connection to the oil cooler - it is a simple banjo fitting onto the top of the cooler, so just find a spanner the right size and undo the bolt, then lift away the pipe. The other end is a screwthread fitting (which seems to be pretty unique to Isuzu and isn't a common size).

Any hydraulic hose repair place should be able to re-use the metal end fittings and swage on a new rubber pipe.

[Rambo]

That doesn't look too bad. At the moment ! Maybe Pirtex can braze on some new fittings for you once you have removed the pipe. Or both of them (feed and return)

Have a look here in the service manual for removal https://d4pinky.wixsite.com/m100-documents

This was recently added to the Wikilec by Dapinky (Dave Pink), one of our most experienced and knowledgeable LEC owners. This, and Wikilec, are invaluable sources of information for us M100 owners

[Rambo]

Talk of the Devil

We both posted at the same time Dave

PS its the old fittings that Pirtek, or similar, will need but they will need the whole pipe, or pipes, to get the length right

[dapinky]

So it appears..... but I think your description of me is too kind - there are many on ehere who are more experienced and knowledgable than i am..... I simply have the free time to write a lot!!!!!

[Rambo]

Praise where praise is due Dave. Anyway Blaster, come to Castle Combe next year and you'll no doubt see Dapinky's spannering skills in action in the car park and then you can make up your own mind. There is usually something that has gone wrong, broken down etc... with someone's M100

And he makes a good cuppa

[Blaster]

The pipes were new when the engine was rebuilt but that was 9 hears ago but only 2000 miles. I have a pirtek not far from me.

[Dave Eds]

Nice to meet you the other evening Tony.

Car looks superb, especially the re-upholstered seats and door cards.

Hope Dave has helped you, just as I said he would

[Blaster]

The pipes off trip to Pirtek tomorrow.

Had to dig out my imperial spanners

[dapinky]

Had to dig out my imperial spanners

There are a few imperial fixings on these cars..... off hand I think the most got-at ones are the bolts which hold the rear calipers to the brackets (5/8" AF)... the bolt which holds the handbrake lever to the same calipers (11/16") - probably not surprising as the caliper is from the USA GM 'parts bin'..... oh, and one of the bolts holding the lower suspension arm to its support bracket at the front of the car - but only 1 of the bolts!

TBH, I didn't know that the oil cooler used imperial bolts - I changed mine years ago!