markw996

Good luck, let us know how you get on. I'ts going to be tricky looking downwards through that top hole if you needed to I just fitted the blanking plug and HT lead bracket. Be careful not to push it in too hard when inserting the blanking plug.. I oiled the O ring first but it was still a bit tight. I almost pushed it too hard and it disappeared right into the hole, but there was just enough lip to lever it back out a touch through the top hole. Just two quick points 1) I have quite small hands so I found it easier to install the blank and HT bracket with my arm down the gap and looking down the top hole (photo 1) 2) The bracket from S J Sportscars (A910E2425F) is the same shape as the one from WC Engineering that is no longer available. You can drill out the pop rivet and pop rivet the plastic part of the HT lead holder onto the new blanking plug retaining bracket

I've not seen it done this way before so I thought I'd start a thread in case it helps someone else in the same situation as myself. For all I know this may be the official way, all I know is it was a lot easier than reaching around and under the intake manifold. This way of removal might involve removing the boot floor first. This may be easy for some, or not worth the trouble for others, but I had mine out to do the gearbox linkages and replace my rusty coolant header tanks anyway. It might be possible to do it this way with the boot floor in place, I won't know if you'd have enough room to do it until I refit mine. I decided to remove my chargecooler pump and fit an electric pump that I've had in the garage for years and never found time to fit. Bear in mind it's April 2020 and the world is in lockdown due to coronavirus so I now have plenty of time to do this mod. If you shine a torch through this gap you can clearly see the single bolt holding the chargecooler pump. You are going to need a long extension to reach the M6 bolt that has a 10mm hex head. It's a direct route to the bolt if you feed it along the top of the gearbox casing the way I have in the picture below The below photo is looking through the gap and shows my 10mm socket on the M6 bolt. If you are fitting a blanking plug you can also remove the bracket that holds the HT leads in place. There are plenty of other threads showing alternative ways to hold the HT leads, I'll be using a bracket bought from SJ Sportscars. The below photo is the same view but from the back of the engine. I had my magnetic tool already touching the socket in case I dropped the bolt or the washer. This tool has a really powerful magnet, I don't think there was a chance I could have dropped the bolt or washer. The bolt is now removed and I gently separated the pump from its housing using a long flat blade screwdriver. I wasn't able to undo the hose clips as they had rusted badly, so this is how I removed the pump. It took a lot of wiggling and I unplugged a connector just inside the hole on the left to make more space. I also removed the other ends of the chargecooler hoses, and unplugged a few loom connectors. I should say that I had already disconnected my battery as I always do if I'm leaving the car for any length of time. And finally she is out! This is the hose orientation, I only took the photo in case I ever choose to reinstall the mechanical pump. I think we can see why I couldn't get the hose clips undone with the pump in place The good news.. the impeller is in one piece so there aren't any bits stuck in the system anywhere. The bad news.. the impeller is broken and the middle part just spins. No idea how long it's been like this.. I've had the car 7 years and this is the first time I've checked it I may update this thread to show how I fitted the blanking plug and electric pump, but it's mainly just to show another... and in my opinion easier, way of removing your chargecooler pump. Especially if your hose clips look like mine and won't come off. It also means you won't need to remove your oil filter. Good Luck.

It's pretty easy to do if you have gauges, everything you need to charge it up is easy to access. I bought all the kit to do mine myself.... including a vacuum pump & a 6kg bottle of R12 (very lucky find!) but mine needed repairs, not just a charge. Your biggest issue may be getting the gas (especially if it uses R12) as certainly in the UK it's a regulated industry for environmental reasons.

Hi Bernie, Welcome to TLF I used to own a 1985 Porsche 928 (S2) but that was about 24 years ago. It was an incredible car to own in my early twenties while all my mates were driving Novas and Corsas..... 12mpg wasn't so much fun though Mark.

I'm hoping to pick up a late model Lamborghini Gallardo LP (or maybe an early Huracan) towards the middle of this year once my parents house gets sold, then a factory visit will definitely be on the cards (It's been a miserable couple of years with losing both my parents, so a supercar should make life a little bit more enjoyable from this point on). Still keeping the Esprit though

See you there!

I didn't realise so I've just Youtubed it! It's a shame, but I think the other 20 or so bikers I'm meeting there would be a bit perplexed if I turned up in a car!

Not much help, but I'll be doing it in June on a motorcycle, multiple times! (Staying in Cortina d'ampezzo for a week, about 100 miles from it).

I'll be at Bicester on Sunday with my Esprit... but parked up with PH

Hoping to be there this time

#Metoo Esprit right at the start 33 to 35 seconds!

Sorry to hear that, I did wave back when I saw you parked there, but it was a bit last minute! (Relieved to hear it wasn't an accident)

On Saturday morning I'm planning to leave Flitwick, Bedfordshire at 6:00am and head up to the factory to arrive around 8:30am via the following route: Baldock A505 Royston A505 Duxford A505 (should be passing here about 7:00am) Thetford A11 I'm sure I'll meet plenty of other Lotus cars along the way so may join into someone elses convoy

I'll be going up Saturday morning from Flitwick (nr Millbrook) direction, happy to convoy up or meet people along the route (A507, A11)

Order complete too! Thanks Bibs (I only remembered 2 of the 4 digits correctly, and they were in the wrong order.... must buy a pen)