Lotus Elise S1 Honda Conversion Build
Discussion
Bought this almost a month ago, having sped up my search considerably watching the prices of S1 Elise's skyrocket almost over night:
Good spec, recent full respray, non-category car, with Probax seats, S2 suspension, larger throttle body etc etc. I've had an S1 Elise before, and don't think I'd have been able to pay considerably more what I'd sold it for to get another. Luckily this fell within budget.
It's a purple colour, but looks black in photos, unless the light is shining on it:
Here's the previous Elise which was sold to buy a Boxster S, (as my girlfriend hated the Lotus for it's lack of comfort):
Unfortunately the Boxster has an engine made from cheese, and it blew up within 4,000 miles!
More good luck with cars for 2016 continues...
Was out for a run in South Wales 5 days later, when the alternator light came on. Pulled over and hadn't noticed the camshaft pulley bolt had came out. Taking the camshaft pulley with it. And then as it was idling the cam belt came off. Game over.
Fast forward a few days and I'd sourced an MG TF 160 with 37k on it. Full S/H and head gasket changed. All was well, until 10 minutes after purchasing and this happened:
Some conversation with the understanding seller and I was back on a train home with (most of) my money back! Less than half an hour of boredom on the train resulted in a Honda K20 engine being purchased. Thinking this has to be the answer to the Rover K Series unreliability and low bhp/litre. The Honda conversion was always on the cards, but didn't think it would be this soon after purchase.
So off came the rear clamshell. Very easily in about 2 hours!
And me looking pretty proud that the engine/gearbox was free of the car:
As far as spannering usually goes, to get to this stage has been a breeze. No fights with components, and all straight forward.
Good spec, recent full respray, non-category car, with Probax seats, S2 suspension, larger throttle body etc etc. I've had an S1 Elise before, and don't think I'd have been able to pay considerably more what I'd sold it for to get another. Luckily this fell within budget.
It's a purple colour, but looks black in photos, unless the light is shining on it:
Here's the previous Elise which was sold to buy a Boxster S, (as my girlfriend hated the Lotus for it's lack of comfort):
Unfortunately the Boxster has an engine made from cheese, and it blew up within 4,000 miles!
More good luck with cars for 2016 continues...
Was out for a run in South Wales 5 days later, when the alternator light came on. Pulled over and hadn't noticed the camshaft pulley bolt had came out. Taking the camshaft pulley with it. And then as it was idling the cam belt came off. Game over.
Fast forward a few days and I'd sourced an MG TF 160 with 37k on it. Full S/H and head gasket changed. All was well, until 10 minutes after purchasing and this happened:
Some conversation with the understanding seller and I was back on a train home with (most of) my money back! Less than half an hour of boredom on the train resulted in a Honda K20 engine being purchased. Thinking this has to be the answer to the Rover K Series unreliability and low bhp/litre. The Honda conversion was always on the cards, but didn't think it would be this soon after purchase.
So off came the rear clamshell. Very easily in about 2 hours!
And me looking pretty proud that the engine/gearbox was free of the car:
As far as spannering usually goes, to get to this stage has been a breeze. No fights with components, and all straight forward.
With the Honda K20 Engine there's some future proofing required, to ensure you don't have any engine out jobs to do once it's in the Elise.
First of which is replacing the timing chain.
It can stretch over time and probably has an interval of around 100-120k before it's needing done. Being Honda, it doesn't just go bang, but a warning light will come on with a code relating to this. It's a hard job to to in an EP3 Civic Type R. I didn't fancy it in the lotus, so I've taken the necessary precautions of a new genuine (has to be genuine to ensure the quality of chain is assured) Honda timing chain & tensioner.
The strip down of engine to get to the timing chain is very easy, taking off the cam cover, and front plate of the engine. Undo all the bolts for the chain tensioners and the chain is off. Pretty simple so far. Once at this stage you can compare the length of chain to see if the old one has stretched. Mine had, but by less than 10mm. I've seen photos of much longer ones, and the automatic tensioner corrects this to some extent.
To time it you simply line up the dots, and marks, and different coloured chain links and fit the tensioners. Very easy!
Timing chain changed:
First of which is replacing the timing chain.
It can stretch over time and probably has an interval of around 100-120k before it's needing done. Being Honda, it doesn't just go bang, but a warning light will come on with a code relating to this. It's a hard job to to in an EP3 Civic Type R. I didn't fancy it in the lotus, so I've taken the necessary precautions of a new genuine (has to be genuine to ensure the quality of chain is assured) Honda timing chain & tensioner.
The strip down of engine to get to the timing chain is very easy, taking off the cam cover, and front plate of the engine. Undo all the bolts for the chain tensioners and the chain is off. Pretty simple so far. Once at this stage you can compare the length of chain to see if the old one has stretched. Mine had, but by less than 10mm. I've seen photos of much longer ones, and the automatic tensioner corrects this to some extent.
To time it you simply line up the dots, and marks, and different coloured chain links and fit the tensioners. Very easy!
Timing chain changed:
Here's hoping with the Honda engine!
Thanks for the positive comments!
In order for the engine to fit, the driver's side lower suspension arm needs the brace cut and welded back in place closer to the balljoint:
Worth noting that in this photo I'd braced it externally, which wasn't correct. It needed the washers on the inside to bring it back out to measurements required.
Friendly garage welding the brace back in place for £20:
It's now been painted in anti-corrosion paint and back on the car.
Next up is the LSD I picked up in Manchester last week:
Wavetrac LSD
...With free gearbox, that is said to be hard to shift, but came from a 350bhp turbo charged civic. The seller said it may have uprated carbon synchros. When I strip it to remove the LSD I'll compare the condition of the gearbox I have, and this one swapping any parts that are in better condition. I'll replace any parts that are worn out at this point too.
Interestingly you can tell the difference between a gearbox with and LSD and one without by looking through the differential outputs. If you can't see through = LSD.
Most Honda Elise builds seem to miss out an LSD, probably on the grounds of another additional cost on already out of control budgets. Mine was a lucky find for £350. I want to have the option to supercharge this, and the extra traction off the line that an LSD provides will be fun.
In order for the engine to fit, the driver's side lower suspension arm needs the brace cut and welded back in place closer to the balljoint:
Worth noting that in this photo I'd braced it externally, which wasn't correct. It needed the washers on the inside to bring it back out to measurements required.
Friendly garage welding the brace back in place for £20:
It's now been painted in anti-corrosion paint and back on the car.
Next up is the LSD I picked up in Manchester last week:
Wavetrac LSD
...With free gearbox, that is said to be hard to shift, but came from a 350bhp turbo charged civic. The seller said it may have uprated carbon synchros. When I strip it to remove the LSD I'll compare the condition of the gearbox I have, and this one swapping any parts that are in better condition. I'll replace any parts that are worn out at this point too.
Interestingly you can tell the difference between a gearbox with and LSD and one without by looking through the differential outputs. If you can't see through = LSD.
Most Honda Elise builds seem to miss out an LSD, probably on the grounds of another additional cost on already out of control budgets. Mine was a lucky find for £350. I want to have the option to supercharge this, and the extra traction off the line that an LSD provides will be fun.
Good luck with the build and that's a great colour for an Elise.
Ref 350hp, if you intend to chargecool too then maybe you'll get close however with just the JRSC I think you are probably looking at high 200's maybe 300bhp, no doubt you've been on SELOC, if not there are a lot of knowledgeable people on there willing to help.
Ref 350hp, if you intend to chargecool too then maybe you'll get close however with just the JRSC I think you are probably looking at high 200's maybe 300bhp, no doubt you've been on SELOC, if not there are a lot of knowledgeable people on there willing to help.
TheRocket said:
Good luck with the build and that's a great colour for an Elise.
Ref 350hp, if you intend to chargecool too then maybe you'll get close however with just the JRSC I think you are probably looking at high 200's maybe 300bhp, no doubt you've been on SELOC, if not there are a lot of knowledgeable people on there willing to help.
Cheers! Looking forward to it all being back together and running.Ref 350hp, if you intend to chargecool too then maybe you'll get close however with just the JRSC I think you are probably looking at high 200's maybe 300bhp, no doubt you've been on SELOC, if not there are a lot of knowledgeable people on there willing to help.
Yeah, I'll either need a charge cooler or (maybe an aftercooler will do it?) to get close to 350bhp.
I'll improve it over time anyway, as once you've owned a car for a while you tend to get used to how quick it is. The JRSC kit provides a good platform for future upgrades. Whether that is a twin screw charger or whatever.
Will_S said:
Cheers! Looking forward to it all being back together and running.
Yeah, I'll either need a charge cooler or (maybe an aftercooler will do it?) to get close to 350bhp.
I'll improve it over time anyway, as once you've owned a car for a while you tend to get used to how quick it is. The JRSC kit provides a good platform for future upgrades. Whether that is a twin screw charger or whatever.
May want to check it will fit with the stark mounts. I believe as the mounts place the block closer to the bulkhead than most conversions it makes a sc install difficult. Yeah, I'll either need a charge cooler or (maybe an aftercooler will do it?) to get close to 350bhp.
I'll improve it over time anyway, as once you've owned a car for a while you tend to get used to how quick it is. The JRSC kit provides a good platform for future upgrades. Whether that is a twin screw charger or whatever.
Good luck with the project. I enjoyed building mine.
Looking good 
I can't see any mention so far, will you be removing the rear sub frame and checking for corrosion and applying a anti corrosive coating? Not sure if the S1 elites had this problem but i know of some later cars and VX's that were showing quite bad corrosion in this area.
I can't see any mention so far, will you be removing the rear sub frame and checking for corrosion and applying a anti corrosive coating? Not sure if the S1 elites had this problem but i know of some later cars and VX's that were showing quite bad corrosion in this area.
MrGman said:
Looking good
I can't see any mention so far, will you be removing the rear sub frame and checking for corrosion and applying a anti corrosive coating? Not sure if the S1 elites had this problem but i know of some later cars and VX's that were showing quite bad corrosion in this area.
Yeah, the subframe is steel, so can corrode. This one is in very good condition - no corrosion:I can't see any mention so far, will you be removing the rear sub frame and checking for corrosion and applying a anti corrosive coating? Not sure if the S1 elites had this problem but i know of some later cars and VX's that were showing quite bad corrosion in this area.
Painted it anyway:
Looking good!
The corrosion I mentioned was between where the subframe mounts to the tub, not sure if S1's suffer but i know the S2/vx's do but it's not until you part them that it becomes clear just how bad it can be.
I'm not trying to be negative just know my VX had started going here and while you're so close to being able to split the two and check thought i'd mention it.
The corrosion I mentioned was between where the subframe mounts to the tub, not sure if S1's suffer but i know the S2/vx's do but it's not until you part them that it becomes clear just how bad it can be.
I'm not trying to be negative just know my VX had started going here and while you're so close to being able to split the two and check thought i'd mention it.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff