Elise S1 Millennium Edition, 1 owner from new...
Discussion
Overdue an update!
Pure Speed (formerly Pure Lotus) had a look in my engine bay. The petrol leak was due to totally perished filler and breather pipes. They were completely buggered! On top of that the oil-filled engine mount was leaking too.
Parts duly ordered ... only to find the mount is out of stock with Lotus. So we wait ... and wait ... and wait. After almost 4 weeks, I was starting to worry I was going to miss the MotorPunk trackday I'd booked on the 1st of May. In desperation I started ringing around other specialists and with massive relief found that Foulds Motors in Honley had a shelf full of the things.
Fixed just in time for a superb day out at Blyton Park.
MotorPunk trackday 2015 by giveitfish, on Flickr
Next stop ... Le Mans!
Pure Speed (formerly Pure Lotus) had a look in my engine bay. The petrol leak was due to totally perished filler and breather pipes. They were completely buggered! On top of that the oil-filled engine mount was leaking too.
Parts duly ordered ... only to find the mount is out of stock with Lotus. So we wait ... and wait ... and wait. After almost 4 weeks, I was starting to worry I was going to miss the MotorPunk trackday I'd booked on the 1st of May. In desperation I started ringing around other specialists and with massive relief found that Foulds Motors in Honley had a shelf full of the things.
Fixed just in time for a superb day out at Blyton Park.
MotorPunk trackday 2015 by giveitfish, on FlickrNext stop ... Le Mans!
Thanks for the kind words guys. I need them right now. The ratio of days out driving vs. days off the road needing repairs is skewed the wrong way this year.
It spent the sunniest days of this year awaiting parts, now this morning it failed it's MOT on emissions - but only just. So I dump a bottle of injector cleaner in the tank and go for a 30 mile blast, then back for a retest with my fingers crossed. But the emissions were still no better, and then while the tester was holding the revs and watching the computer screen there was a big cloud of steam and water all over the floor.
Bugger. Looks like the head gasket has gone. There's traces of gunk on the expansion tank cap, and after refilling the coolant and idling a couple of minutes it pushed water out again with the temp gauge just at 93 degrees. So the RAC were called and it was recovered back home.
It's booked in next week with an MG Rover specialist I trust from my time owning a ZT 260. He's seen more K-series head gaskets than I've had hot dinners. This engine has already been rebuilt once though, £2500 worth of worth of work 4 years/20k miles ago for the previous owner. Will it be fit for just a new gasket or is it going to be more serious than that?
It's now 2.5 weeks before departure for Le Mans...
It spent the sunniest days of this year awaiting parts, now this morning it failed it's MOT on emissions - but only just. So I dump a bottle of injector cleaner in the tank and go for a 30 mile blast, then back for a retest with my fingers crossed. But the emissions were still no better, and then while the tester was holding the revs and watching the computer screen there was a big cloud of steam and water all over the floor.
Bugger. Looks like the head gasket has gone. There's traces of gunk on the expansion tank cap, and after refilling the coolant and idling a couple of minutes it pushed water out again with the temp gauge just at 93 degrees. So the RAC were called and it was recovered back home.
It's booked in next week with an MG Rover specialist I trust from my time owning a ZT 260. He's seen more K-series head gaskets than I've had hot dinners. This engine has already been rebuilt once though, £2500 worth of worth of work 4 years/20k miles ago for the previous owner. Will it be fit for just a new gasket or is it going to be more serious than that?
It's now 2.5 weeks before departure for Le Mans...
Cheers Wevster. I don't know how it was for you, but my time owning a Smart Roadster has kind of inoculated me against car niggles, they're just something I expect now.
Anyway, the good news is I have the Lotus back home now, one week before I head to Le Mans!
By all accounts it was as straightforward a job as these ever are, although Darren at M&G had a few words to say about the quality of the (expensive) rebuild done 20k miles ago for the previous owner. For instance it had previously been rebuilt with plastic dowels which Rover had binned as a bad idea way back in 2001.
Happily it's sailed through an MoT test and it starts and idles much more cleanly and smoothly than it ever did before. I wonder if there had been a bit of a problem all along?
I've said it before when I had my ZT but I can heartily recommend M&G in Bradford. It's a proper mucky little old-school indy garage, but they know their stuff, they're keenly priced and they go the extra mile. He's worked on plenty of Elise's and had just started on his 2nd K-series gasket of the week in an MG TF when I picked mine up.
My car just needs a few gentle drives, then a deep breath before I aim it south for 500 miles. Wish me luck...
Anyway, the good news is I have the Lotus back home now, one week before I head to Le Mans!
By all accounts it was as straightforward a job as these ever are, although Darren at M&G had a few words to say about the quality of the (expensive) rebuild done 20k miles ago for the previous owner. For instance it had previously been rebuilt with plastic dowels which Rover had binned as a bad idea way back in 2001.
Happily it's sailed through an MoT test and it starts and idles much more cleanly and smoothly than it ever did before. I wonder if there had been a bit of a problem all along?
I've said it before when I had my ZT but I can heartily recommend M&G in Bradford. It's a proper mucky little old-school indy garage, but they know their stuff, they're keenly priced and they go the extra mile. He's worked on plenty of Elise's and had just started on his 2nd K-series gasket of the week in an MG TF when I picked mine up.
My car just needs a few gentle drives, then a deep breath before I aim it south for 500 miles. Wish me luck...
Edited by moribund on Thursday 4th June 00:10
Thought I'd report back after Le Mans. Just under 1,200 miles in the long weekend, didn't miss a beat 
Had the roof off for around 600 miles and it sounded great in the tunnels.
Unfortunately got beer sprayed over the interior on Mad Friday but it all just wiped off at the campsite so no long term harm done.
Now needs a proper clean and a coolant flush, then I need to get on and start driving it more. Have done 12,000 miles since I bought it but far too much of that has been on motorways.
Le Mans 24, June 2015 by giveitfish, on Flickr
Le Mans 24, June 2015 by giveitfish, on Flickr
Le Mans 24, June 2015 by giveitfish, on Flickr
Had the roof off for around 600 miles and it sounded great in the tunnels.Unfortunately got beer sprayed over the interior on Mad Friday but it all just wiped off at the campsite so no long term harm done.
Now needs a proper clean and a coolant flush, then I need to get on and start driving it more. Have done 12,000 miles since I bought it but far too much of that has been on motorways.
Le Mans 24, June 2015 by giveitfish, on FlickrLe Mans 24, June 2015 by giveitfish, on FlickrLe Mans 24, June 2015 by giveitfish, on FlickrThe luggage space IS tiny, and it's very noisy. Worth thinking about if you have designs on going touring - unfortunately touring in mine just isn't an option as far as my OH is concerned 
My car is continuing to run beautifully. After a coolant flush all has remained good and the header tank has stayed clean.
Got up a 5am to enjoy a fantastic few hours in the Yorkshire Dales today.
My car is continuing to run beautifully. After a coolant flush all has remained good and the header tank has stayed clean.
Got up a 5am to enjoy a fantastic few hours in the Yorkshire Dales today.
Grrrrr, first sunny day for weeks so thought I'd take the Elise to work - but it thought otherwise!
It turned over fine, but didn't fire at all, not even a cough.
So, checked it over this evening and it turned out to be the fuel pump fuse. In typical Lotus fashion this was most the most awkwardly sited fuse ever, needing the removal of carpet and 2 bungs, then me practically lying on the car with my head in the boot and a head-torch on to find it.
It was obviously knackered and now it's swapped all is good again
It turned over fine, but didn't fire at all, not even a cough.
So, checked it over this evening and it turned out to be the fuel pump fuse. In typical Lotus fashion this was most the most awkwardly sited fuse ever, needing the removal of carpet and 2 bungs, then me practically lying on the car with my head in the boot and a head-torch on to find it.
It was obviously knackered and now it's swapped all is good again
Earlier in the thread I mentioned adding a "cabin air filter" in the form of the foot off a pair of tights....well, today was time to change the filter...
I'd noticed the airflow with the fan on wasn't what it used to be. There's an awful lot of crap in there which would normally be all over me and the rest of the interior, so I think it was a worthwhile mod!
I'd noticed the airflow with the fan on wasn't what it used to be. There's an awful lot of crap in there which would normally be all over me and the rest of the interior, so I think it was a worthwhile mod!
Just had my best ever weekend with the Elise, 1170 miles lapping the far north of Scotland. Typically just before it goes up for sale, but that's why I went.
On some of the more intense single-track roads I was totally lost in concentration for 30 mins at a time. Utterly absorbing. If anyone questions why a car with only 120bhp and no driver aids is worth driving I have the answer burnt into my memory now.
Scotland April 2016 by giveitfish, on Flickr
Scotland April 2016 by giveitfish, on Flickr
More here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskyYrTkT
On some of the more intense single-track roads I was totally lost in concentration for 30 mins at a time. Utterly absorbing. If anyone questions why a car with only 120bhp and no driver aids is worth driving I have the answer burnt into my memory now.
Scotland April 2016 by giveitfish, on FlickrScotland April 2016 by giveitfish, on FlickrMore here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskyYrTkT
Good question. That's what I'm going to find out in the next couple of months!
I'm finding it hard to know where to pitch it. In my opinion I think mine is mechanically perfect for road driving without losing its original essence. The Geo in particular feels spot on in terms of balance.
However although the mechanics and interior are great the bodywork isn't perfect.
Elise's in general seem to have jumped 20% - 25% since I bought mine, but mine is a car for drivers not investors.
Be interested to hear your thoughts.
I'm finding it hard to know where to pitch it. In my opinion I think mine is mechanically perfect for road driving without losing its original essence. The Geo in particular feels spot on in terms of balance.
However although the mechanics and interior are great the bodywork isn't perfect.
Elise's in general seem to have jumped 20% - 25% since I bought mine, but mine is a car for drivers not investors.
Be interested to hear your thoughts.
Edited by giveitfish on Friday 6th May 00:26
giveitfish said:
How practical are these for larger blokes. Is there enough room for 6'4" well built types (no directorships unfortunately).
I also live in the "Rhubarb Triangle" and I'm sure I've seen this car about the place every now and then.
We are just in the process of getting planning for an extension, I'm very tempted to tag and extra bit to the re-mortgage and get something like this. If the prices stay firm, or keep rising it could actually end up being a free loan, I think.
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