Lotus Elan Central

by **dans** » Wed 21.09.2005, 10:30

Hi all,

I am thinking of getting ambitious and trying to replace the clutch in the Elan. This partly due to the cost involved for labour and also many of the Lotus specialists seem to be busy for months ahead at the moment. I also would love to get more hands on with the car (famous last words!!??).

I have done bits on cars before so am not completly new to it, I also have a couple of mates who are pretty mechanically savvy and willing to donate a weekend of helping out for beer tokens.

Question is, is the clutch too much?

I have read up on all the info I can find in the service manuals and on here (couldn't find too much though?).
Does anyone have any further info and tips for this job?

I am also planning to change the alternator at the same time, as theyboth need doing and I understand it makes sense to do both as once.

Thanks alot,
DAN

by **Doug** » Wed 21.09.2005, 20:28

hang in there, Dan, there are enough people who have done these to give you all the pointers you need -- sounds like a fun job, filled with 4-letter words . . .

by **dans** » Wed 21.09.2005, 20:50

4 letter words?? you mean like h-e-l-p and c-a-s-h :?:

by **Dico** » Wed 21.09.2005, 21:25

And a couple more...... skin, lack, ofit.

Go for it! I shall be atempting engine and box removal next year.
Will be good to get to know the car and save some dollars in the process!

by **Dave M** » Fri 07.10.2005, 18:44

Having recently removed/reinstalled the entire engine and having removed only the the transmission (twice) in the past, my $.02 is that it is easier to just remove the trans alone. Not by much, but there's a lot more connections to bung up by removing the whole engine. Engine left in doesn't help you much with alternator access, but after removing the front crossmember and both drive axles to get the trans out, you should have decent access to the alternator.

Tips?

1) Things are easier to remove than work around. When in doubt just unbolt something. Fair game is anything to the right of the engine that could get in the way (header tank, intake, transmission mount/damper, etc)

2) Label all bolts/nuts that come out of the car and hoses/wires that are disconencted. There aren't too many things that are involved here, but masking tape is your friend. :wink:

3) Depending on where the car is located (lift or front on jack stands) may determine how to get the trans out.

Front jacked-up (how I did it) - Have a number of jack stands to strategically place in order to jack the engine up. I had to move mine once or twice as I jacked up things and removed engine mounts. You'll only have the left side engine mount to attach it to the car. You'll want some sort of engine lift to lower the trans to the floor, then slide it out from under the car.

On lift - Not sure how you'll support the right side of the engine, but I'm sure it can be worked out. Borrow/rent a transmission lift to lower it out.

It's really not that bad if you take your time. Ask away on any questions you have - we'll be more than happy to help out.

by **Dave M** » Fri 07.10.2005, 18:53

http://lotuselancentral.com/repair/alternator.htm

Check this for other alternator tips.

by **Exbury** » Mon 17.10.2005, 17:06

However, by removing the engine, you can also replace the cam belt and other belts at the same time with relative ease saving a few hundred £££'s from a dealer.........you could then clean and paint the engine, paint any down pipes, paint the gearbox, paint the brackets, check the wiring harness, renew the fuel lines, check the hoses, test the fans.........

by **Enright** » Mon 17.10.2005, 21:46

Crikey I think we have a new contender for the title of "king of project creep"!

by **Monty** » Mon 17.10.2005, 22:23

Enright13 wrote:Crikey I think we have a new contender for the title of "king of project creep"!

Yep and Dico will be the next one next year :lol:

by **dans** » Mon 17.10.2005, 22:42

by **dans** » Fri 11.11.2005, 16:55

well, having planned on buying the clutch and alternator with Novembers pay package and then working on the ar during the darkest winter months..... the car has had other ideas!!! :evil:

Clutch has given up the ghost now so I am not gonna make stoneleigh this weekend and I don't think I'm gonna have to time to get it repaired myself.... cue expensive garage trip :shock:

by **dans** » Mon 21.11.2005, 10:55

Got the car in the garage last week and they have changed the alternator and the clutch now. They said it was a nightmare as everything they tried to undo put up a fight... which translates into £££ on the labour billl

But does feel like a different car now with a proper low biting point!!

Shame about the faulty new exhuast and the reversing Range Rover scrape marks that appeared in the front ovre the weekend then........

by **ab2cv** » Tue 06.06.2006, 22:24

Dans,

Dare I enquire how much the bill was for your clutch replacement? I've just been told that mine is on the way out, so I need to start saving.

Do you know if it's an engine out job for the garage or can it be done in situ?

..and to all, given that my cambelt needs looking at would it make sense (i.e. be cost effective) to get the garage to do this at the same time?

Alan

by **dans** » Thu 15.06.2006, 10:12

I think that the labour for me to have the Alternator and clutch done came to about £500- £600 in the end........ I think the garage actually said it took them 17hrs :shock:

in total due to fighting with seized parts. They even considered giving up!!! They didn't charge me for all those hours thuogh... apparentyl!! I can try and dig out the paper work later in the week. I don't like looking at it too often though.......

It's not an engine out job but it does seem to involve taking a lot of bits off underneath to access the gear box. Which is why i chickened out in the end. It is all detailed in the manuals i think.

Good Luck!

by **Russc** » Thu 03.08.2006, 09:32

Mine is in the garage at the moment with gearbox/clutch problems and they have said it`s easier to take the engine out before they do the work. Looking at about 600 labour first

by **Monty** » Thu 03.08.2006, 11:16

Russc wrote:Mine is in the garage at the moment with gearbox/clutch problems and they have said it's easier to take the engine out before they do the work. Looking at about 600 labour first

If I can take a gearbox out on a slopped drive then they should be able to do it with ease :roll:

If u need a gearbox i`ve got one for sale. :wink:

by **Dico** » Fri 04.08.2006, 14:43

Russc wrote:Mine is in the garage at the moment with gearbox/clutch problems and they have said it's easier to take the engine out before they do the work. Looking at about 600 labour first

No way is it necessary to remove the engine to look at a gearbox problem :shock:

Tell em Monty and Dico said :wink:

edit- but if they insist get the cambelt done at the same time... and the stiffy and the gearcables and.......

by **Russc** » Fri 04.08.2006, 15:16

Hmmm time to have a word with them then. Thanks

by **ab2cv** » Thu 21.06.2007, 11:33

I just asked my mechanic to try and quote me for a clutch replacement but he wasn't prepared to do so because of the potential unforseen problems in trying to remove rusty/seized old nuts and bolts.

Is it true that the 'raft' has to come off in order to get to the clutch? Is this the suspension he is talking about? (I felt too stupid to ask). In which case is it worthwhile replacing anything on the susppension at the same time like bushes, and are there replacement bolts I can buy in case he has to drill or hack old ones off?

Also (how many questions can you ask in the one post?) am I just as well going for a standard clutch or is there an uprated alternative worth considering? (I have no intention of increasing HP beyond perhaps an ESM chip to add to my Peco exhaust)

Alan

by **Monty** » Thu 21.06.2007, 18:48

Alan,

The suspension raft doesn`t need to be removed but the prongeron (cross member) does. The hubs need to be remove to remove the driveshafts and thats were the problem could start as the balljoint nuts can be a Barstardo to remove if they`ve not been of in a long time, on pinky1 i had to use a nut splitter :twisted:

The stock clutch is fine for Chip & exhaust and easyer to live with than uprated version (just ask Sy)

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