USAndretti42

Thanks for posting that, John. First driving impressions of the Kia that I've read. Seems like a good car.

I stand corrected. Thanks, Tim.

Not willing to stick up for Boris but I'm sure I read that the GB/UK thing was a UN ruling, not ours.

Definitely the same car (same registration number). Now sold according to the Paul Matty web site. Paul Matty ad

Sold for £9,999!

Great post, Thomas. That's a much clearer version of what I was trying to say in my bumbling way.

It's over 10 years since I worked on my S2's headlamp motor circuitry so my memory is a bit fuzzy but this is what I remember. The headlamp lift motor has a pinion on the end of it's driveshaft. This engages with a "crownwheel" like in a differential. This "crownwheel" has the pivot and lever connected to it to move the lamp. On the back of it is a cam and in the housing are two sets of contact points, one for raising the lamp, the other for lowering it. When the lamp is fully down, the raise the lamp set of points is closed under spring pressure of the contact and the lower the lamp set is opened by the cam. Likewise, when the lamp is fully raised the cam opens the rasie the lamp contact and the lower the lamp is allowed to close. The changeover relay switches the 12V feed between the contacts. The relay has a NC and NO output, i.e. it switches the 12V output between the two when energised. Thus, with the lamps down and switched off, the raise the lamp side of the relay is open and the lower the lamp contact has 12V. The motor does not move because the cam has opened the contact in the lift motor. Turning the lights on energises the other side of the changeover relay and, as the raise the lamp contact in the motor is closed, the motor runs to raise the lamps until its contact is opened by the cam. Turning off the lights puts 12V to the other output (NC) of the changeover relay so the motor runs to lower the lamp until the cam opens the lower the lamp contact in the motor. There are diodes to prevent the supply back feeding from one to the other side of the motor. Sometimes a contact in the motor welds itself shut so the headlamp cycles up and down like a mad thing. Sometimes they get dirty so the lamp won't go up or it won't go down depending upon which contact is affected. I hope that helps.

The Autotrader artice says, "Citroen, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Peugeot, Renault and Volvo. Renault Group also confirmed that all upcoming Renault and Citroen cars will have a top speed of 112 mph to increase safety." How does that increase safety by a significant amount? How many fatalities are through cars crashing at over 112 mph? It's like our local Post Office van which has a 70 mph speed limiter according to a sticker on its rear. Not very reassuring when it spends most of its time in a 30 mph limit.

It would be a surprise to me if Lotus were to ditch support for the Esprit. It still is a halo car for the company and a huge part of their image.

It's not a big job to remove the cam carriers. Just remember to hold the tappets with magnets so they don't fall out when you lift the carrier and mix up the shims. With the cam carriers off you can check that there's nothing in the bottom end preventing the engine turning and it makes it easy to see if a valve is stuck open.

You can buy ignition timing meters which also show the engine speed.

I don't know what it is about where I live but when I walk the dog around the block I usually see a VW Jetta, 2CV, Escort MkIII or IV (I can't tell the difference), a Ford Probe, a 205 GTI and a later CRX (del Sol in the US). The Jetta, 2CV and Escort are all in daily use.

Well done! Time for some Lotusing.

Hmmm. I think the vents are vacuum operated so, if there is a leak on the system, they may be closing as the vacuum drops and, with the increase in vacuum on the overrun, opening up again and allowing more air through.

Welcome back, Dan. I've wondered how your car was. Is the engine out? QED amd Paul Matty spring to mind but I would have a look in Absolute Lotus magazine and see who's advertising the relevant service in there.