SimonE

Hi there Yep it is me that has it for sale - sadly I'm not able to finish it for a number of reasons. I sincerely hope it goes to an Esprit enthusiast - I am going to leave it on here for a week before advertising elsewhere. Cheers

The Aussie one?

You really wouldn't want to see it Chris

I've bought a spare wet sump engine for my Esprit (just in case ). For some reason the previous owner fitted a rather grotesque oil filler cap... Does anyone know whether the Lotus Twin Cam (from the Elan, Cortina) three eared oil filler cap fits? - as Burton Power sell them.. - or is there another source? Thanks Simon

Cheers Dave - nice to make this rather exclusive list Simon - just out of garage after a cold night of Esprit fettling

Have to admit that I am rather fond of Lotus cars in black having owned 3 JPS Europas and a WC S2 Esprit in times gone by! - OOOO'ER

He has just rather rapidly turned down my best offer

My that looks absolutely stunning!!!! - totally convinced! What colour red is that? - looks a little darker than the Calypso Red??

Many thanks all for the wheel information and the kind offers to take them off my hands - I never realised their rarity!

Are 4 studs good? - I didn't realise. The chap who sold it to me was rather pleased of his 'washer modification' - not so sure myself I think it will be going back to standard including the colour coded bumpers and window frames (which I don't mind :)) - I am a bit of an original spec man, but not obsessive

A quick picture of the Esprit

Many thanks Barry for your kind offer, but it's not in my nature to foist my problems on others - I will labour on I just can't believe how Esprit values have risen in the interim 6 years....

Cheers Dan - will take some pics this weekend - if she starts up!! If I recall the cambelt was circulating the oil spray around the front of the engine - my hunch may be the front crankshaft seal - as this was the only seal I didn't replace, as it looked ok, when I rebuilt the engine - flawed logic!.

Well 6 years on and not a lot has changed.. After she started up - I noticed an oil spray was coming from around the front of the engine circulating around the cambelt!!, front crank oilseal or leaking oil pipe I thought? But life got in the way and the Esprit was pushed to the back of the garage where she has languished ever since - but I wheeled her out over the weekend, dusted her down and am enthused again - right first thing is where was that pesky oil coming from?

Yay - she lives - my S3 Dry Sump Turbo - fired up first time today 18 months after I bought her with a blown engine - sounds as sweet as a nut - many thanks to all who have offered advice on here and a special mention to PNM Engineering - am a rather happy chap now

Engine turning over like a good un - will be cranking in earnest hopefully this w.e. - fingers crossed

Thanks John I live back in the stone age I reckon - many thanks for your post - I have just checked the starter (off the car) and as you correctly diagnose by also applying a live current to the solenoid spade connector indeed the starter seems to work correctly - it seems like an immobiliser has been fitted at some stage between the ignition and the solenoid preventing current reaching the solenoid when key turned to start mode - an evening's detective work with a multimeter beckons. Again thankyou Cheers Simon

Cheers Chaps Well starter motor seems to require a bit of attention - bridged solenoid and for some reason it spins but won't engage the starter ring - removed it from car and it just spins when livened up from spare battery Blimey new ones arn't cheap are they Going to let the local auto electrician have a lookie first

Hello All - been rather busy all summer but finally got around to trying to fire up the rebuilt dry sump turbo today - without luck - starter wouldn't engage (dead). Before I start looking for the reason I thought I might ask a few questions - sorry if some of them seem a tad daft My Esprit is an '81 Dry Sump Turbo - looks pretty standard, electronic ignition - do they have an immobiliser fitted? - the rad fans are not connected up yet - do they have a failsafe device on them? - solenoid has 2 wires going to spade connectors - one is yellow and seems to go towards the ignition, then there is a thicker black one that connects to a little black box on the inner O/S wheelarch - I didn't take a note of which wire went to which spade connector - fuel pump sounded rather noisy too? Apart from that everything looks fine Any suggestions would be most welcome Cheers Simon

Hi Tim - sorry been away for a couple of days - contact is Andy 07792 131640 Best of luck Simon

Tim, I have total empathy with you - fibreglass doesn't rust, but all the fixings do!!!! - I must have been dremel's best customer for the first 2 months of my rebuild What started out as a couple of valves to replace became an oddessy - once the engine was stripped down - it was, well errr, totally beggered, 2 weeks to part the exhaust manifold from the head. Then there's the' I might as well replace this whilst I'm here' position - so what started as a couple of week's project has taken a little over a year. But once I've got her back on the road the bodywork will no doubt have to be reviewed for next winter - but every so often during the rebuild I took time to stand back to admire that beguiling, sexy bodyshape and remembered why I got seduced in the first place into throwing my time, money and affection at her

Thanks Scott was hoping to take it to Snetterton on the 20th but looks like I'll run out of time Just connected up the new exhaust system - looks like a work of art in the engine bay now Just have to reconnect cooling system. electrics and reinstall rear brake calipers and driveshafts now. Think battery may need a recharge too after a years sabbatical - lol btw - havn't got a burroughs gauge but tensioned the timing belt between inlet sprocket and auxilliary shaft sprocket by the usual 'twist' method that I use on the k series - anybody got any view/opinion on this? - there's a lot of money invested in there and I would welcome any comments Am getting rather excited now Cheers Simon

Tim - Scavenge pump was dismantled and all - phew - was ok - I have a contact for bits if you need one - will post some piccies when running John - to date all my engines, twinks, k series have fired straight on the button after rebuilding them - must confess the 910 engine (or whichever one it is) has been the most complex - have been most careful tho' Anyhow back out into the garage!!!

Its been a long time but D day approaches fast - engine now successfully reloaded in the Esprit after a total mechanical rebuild, complete with new head, liners, bearings, pistons, turbo, wastegate, manifold etc, etc - should be attempting to start in the next week, hmmn now did I tighten all the bolts up correctly - listen for a triumphant roar or watch for the raising of a white flag

Just about completed my W reg Dry Sump Turbo restoration - engine was totally destroyed about a year ago. Hope to fire up the engine in the next week - listen for the shouts of joy or despair Hang in there Tim it will come together in the end