Lotus Elan Central

by **NIL8379** » Sun 13.11.2005, 21:04

About 2 table spoons of oil was apparent on the garage floor when I started the car and backed it out of the garage. Car's been laid up since July but I have run the engine about every 2 to 3 weeks.

The oil was noticeable around the oil filter area with plenty on the drive shaft bearing support.

After driving car back into the garage and removing the off side wheel and getting my head under with engine running only a small drip now seemed to be dripping.

Any ideas guys???

by **Candles** » Sun 13.11.2005, 21:18

I'd say it will be coming from the oil filter seal. The combination of the lay-up and the change in the weather (Are you in the UK?) have probably made it shrink a bit. If you planning on changing the oil, then that'll fix it, or just wiggle it loose and re-tighten. Golum arms needed.

Candles.

by **NIL8379** » Sun 13.11.2005, 22:10

I think that makes good sense, being as the leak almost stopped after a short while. I do hope that's all it is.

I have a new filter ready to fit and have been wondering how tight the old one may be. If I can manage to get my arm/arms to it I'll change it.

Thanx for a speedy reply Candles and I'm located in Staffordshire.

by **Mike Y** » Tue 15.11.2005, 11:45

There is a tool you can buy to make tightening and loosening the M100 oil filter easier. It is a cup that fits over the end of the filter (like a socket) with a hex head on it for you to get a spanner or ratchet onto it. I bought mine about 1year ago from SW Lotus for £3 I have not used it yet so I cannot comment on how good or bad it is. As it sounds like you are going to be doing your own service work this might be a sound investment.

Regards Mike

by **Exbury** » Tue 15.11.2005, 12:46

To change the oil filter I had to get under the car (was on ramps) and reach from the inboard driveshaft bearing on the drivers side to the back of the engine block. Due to the oil around on the mechanical parts, I had oil/grease up to my biceps (tip-use a very long glove). I also found I needed very strong fingers as it was not coming out without a struggle. not sure if you can get a tool in there without removing stuff, but next time I know I will be using a lot more barrier cream!!

Best of luck - J

by **Sy V** » Tue 15.11.2005, 12:46

I agree with Mike, but that's OK if you buy the same (I think Mike's implying Lotus original) filter each time. I buy whatever one fits and is on the shelf at the time and I have a set of ten of these 'filter sockets' because each make seems to have a different number of flat faces on it.

by **chris.t** » Tue 15.11.2005, 19:33

If the cars been laid up for a while an oil change would be in order just in case condensation has built up and mixed with the oil

by **Doug** » Tue 15.11.2005, 20:44

agree with above.

find a filter you like, but 10 of them and the right 'wrench' to go over the end of the filter. Using the wrench with your hands or a socket is helpful for the proper grip to torque and untorque the filter properly

FWIW, a top tip here is to put some tape markers on the top of the filter wrench (like each quarter turn)--this way you have a visual as to how far it is turning once the gasket seats (as you lay on your back under the car) -- 3/4 turn has never let me down thus far . . .

by **Enright** » Tue 15.11.2005, 21:55

I did mine at the weekend, and you have my sympathies - it's a messy and frustrating job indeed!

As far as filter wrenches are concerned, I have a couple of tips - one is a sort of universal tool made out of a handle with a tooth on it and what looks like a bit of bicycle chain. Oh soddit - it's FAR easier to simply attach a pic...!

All you do is wind the chain round the filter, hook it onto the tooth, and rotate the handle anti-clockwise. It tightens onto the filter, biting it at the sme time and hey-presto. It's a bit fiddly to begin with (especially on an Elan), but is a "one size fits all" tool and has served me well for years on every car I've owned.

The other alternative, and a tip I got from "Car Fix-It" many moons ago, is to ram an old screwdriver through the side of the filter and use it as a lever. But beware, this a serious butchery solution, and if the filter is solid the screwdriver can simply tear the outer casing, leaving you completely immobilised.

by **Sy V** » Tue 15.11.2005, 22:02

Yeah, then you just bodge the screwdriver through the new one and put it on to the engi...aagh! :wink:

by **muley** » Tue 15.11.2005, 23:24

In my experience it should not be necessary to use any tool to put an oil filter on. Recently I discovered that if I wrap some duck tape round the filter this can give a good enough grip to turn the filter by hand to get it off - this works on our daily drivers.... BUT there is not enough room to do this on the Elan - I use a chain type jobbie that fits on a 1/2 drive to do the Elan. Managed to do it an oil and filter change in under an hour last time !! (40 minutes of that was getting the sodding filter off..

Jim B

by **Doug** » Tue 15.11.2005, 23:50

well it is about the hardest filter to change in all the automotive world (maybe something noteworthy not in the Mark Hughes book!). I too have seriously contemplated the screwdriver technique on the Elan before. Even the filter wrench is fiddley, but with practice and patience it gets the job done well. The only way to avoid the Valdez spill with the filter is to put in a remote filter with better access!

by **Enright** » Wed 16.11.2005, 00:19

Hey, if you think that's bad, then you should hear the tale a few of us heard at Stoneleigh at the weekend about changing the battery in a 340R:

Apparently it takes 9 hours - the body has to come off because Lotus made the aperture too small! :oops:

I bet WillB's glad he never kept his that long.

Even more amusing was the REAL reason that opera-glass headlamps were discontinued on M100's... :lol:

by **Doug** » Wed 16.11.2005, 00:42

Enright13 wrote:Even more amusing was the REAL reason that opera-glass headlamps were discontinued on M100's...

oh the suspense is killing me :shock:

by **Enright** » Wed 16.11.2005, 00:47

Put it this way - you never want to be following an Elan equipped with them on the motorway when it flashes it's lights, or you could end up wearing them!!!

Ah, great design cock-ups of our time - it happens to the best: A friend of mine was telling me about a guy (who he knows personally), who bought a new Boxster. Anyway, he tried to operate the electric roof without detaching the manual clips at the front first - and the motors promptly tore the roof in half!

by **Doug** » Wed 16.11.2005, 01:56

Enright13 wrote:Ah, great design cock-ups of our time - it happens to the best: A friend of mine was telling me about a guy (who he knows personally), who bought a new Boxster. Anyway, he tried to operate the electric roof without detaching the manual clips at the front first - and the motors promptly tore the roof in half!

Nice

Funny thing is they know Porsche drivers are so lame that they put a sign up that says "detach roof clips before stowing hood" -- they didn't figure the putz couldn't even read :roll:

Probably got it fixed under warranty

A lady I know is now going for her 4th engine for her boxster - none under warranty -- when will she figure out how much this is costing her!! All 5 people I have know that have owned boxsters have had engine failures . . :smt109

by **Enright** » Wed 16.11.2005, 04:51

Doug wrote: Probably got it fixed under warranty

Actually you're dead right - he did!

by **Dico** » Wed 16.11.2005, 22:43

Latex glove to remove filter, bare hand to tighten.... Simple!

by **jordizr1** » Fri 25.11.2005, 08:56

Browsing a bit I discovered that the KN gold oil filter #HP-1004 is compatible with the Elan, it is a great quality filter and it comes from the factory with a nut welded to the top of the shell thus making removal easier. The specs are in KN's website, could anyone confirm the size and that this filter would fit? I would buy several of them.

the specs are here

http://www.knfilters.com/search/product ... od=hp-1004

by **Sy V** » Fri 25.11.2005, 09:25

Well, it lists it as compatible with:

1990 ISUZU IMPULSE 1.6L L4 F/I - All
1990 GEO STORM 1.6L L4 F/I - All

...and cross refers with these:
Manufacturer Part Number
AC PF1127
AC PF1230
AC PFH1014
AC PFR3004
FRAM PH2871
FRAM PH3593A
FRAM PH3917
FRAM PH4870
FRAM PH6811
MOBIL1 M1104
MOTORCRAFT AFL27A
MOTORCRAFT FL799
MOTORCRAFT FL810
PURO L14459
PURO L24458
WIX 51334
WIX 51568

And given that the Impulse used a DOHC 1.6 L (1588 cm³) I4 engine which produced 130 hp (97 kW) or, in turbo form, 160 hp (119 kW).

General Motors, who owned nearly half of Isuzu, also owned Lotus Cars at the time. Our Elans got the Impulse's engine, and in exchange, the Impulse got Lotus suspension tuning. This included a passive rear wheel steering system (aparently) which adjusted the toe of the rear wheels with a clever bushing compression design.

The Impulse was also sold as the Geo Storm from 1990 to 1993.

So it looks to be good for us...

Lotus Elan Central

Oil on garage floor after starting up???

Oil on garage floor after starting up???

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