TBD 781 Posted August 29, 2019 Report Share Posted August 29, 2019 I've always had the fear of a potential gearbox or clutch failure at the back of my mind, which is why, for example I've never used the launch control or done hard starts. And, in fact, I've never had any actual gearbox issues with the car, it's always been near perfect. Nonetheless, after a long drive beginning of August I woke to see a puddle of gearbox oil under the car - gearbox oil. Went off to my local garage where we opened the undertray to find this. Obviously the case has cracked and is leaking gearbox oil. Strange thing is, the case seems to have fatigued in an area without mechanical stress, the fins showing nothing, but the surfaces showing multiple fatigue cracks. We concluded (together with Komotec) that the car was not fit to drive, so it has taken a bit to organize transport. The car finally got to Komotec yesterday and the issue is obviously a guarantee case, but it looks like EX460 be off the (french) roads a bit longer. S Quote If you have the choice between a Stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell don't forget the Nomex®! Captain, Lotus Airways. We fly lower! Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM C8RKH 6,436 Posted August 29, 2019 Gold FFM Report Share Posted August 29, 2019 Ouch! Quote Alcohol. Sex. Tobacco. Drugs. Chocolate. Meh! NOTHING in this world is as addictive as an Evora +0. It's not for babies! The first guy to ride a bull for fun, was a true hero. The second man to follow him was truly nuts! Link to post Share on other sites
chumaxa 97 Posted August 29, 2019 Report Share Posted August 29, 2019 (edited) How can you actualy crack the gearbox like this ? Sorry for you. Edited August 29, 2019 by chumaxa Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ramjet 1,090 Posted August 29, 2019 Report Share Posted August 29, 2019 Interesting that all three cracks seem to line up in a sort of semicircle on the box itself. I have never seen anything like that before. I'd be going with a casting fault. It would be interesting to find out whether the cracks coincide with a machining line or something like that on the inside. Quote All we know is that when they stop making this, we will be properly, properly sad.Jeremy Clarkson on the Esprit. Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, some just stink more than others. Link to post Share on other sites
TBD 781 Posted August 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 10 hours ago, ramjet said: Interesting that all three cracks seem to line up in a sort of semicircle on the box itself. I have never seen anything like that before. I'd be going with a casting fault. It would be interesting to find out whether the cracks coincide with a machining line or something like that on the inside. This is exactly what I'm thinking. Quote If you have the choice between a Stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell don't forget the Nomex®! Captain, Lotus Airways. We fly lower! Link to post Share on other sites
ramjet 1,090 Posted August 30, 2019 Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 Is that on the gearbox input shaft casting? Quote All we know is that when they stop making this, we will be properly, properly sad.Jeremy Clarkson on the Esprit. Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, some just stink more than others. Link to post Share on other sites
TBD 781 Posted December 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2019 I finally picked up the car after 4(!) months, three of them waiting for Lotus to deliver the replacement bell housing. Turned out the real culprit was a disintigrating differential, where the axle hat pulled. It was then probably the unballance that caused the housing to fail. Komotec spent a few hours cleaning the geabox from metal bits and pieces. It was such a rare fault that Lotus specifically asked that Komotec return the broken differential for analysis. On the upside, I did get the Quaffe installed instead of the stock diff - heavily subsidised by Lotus. 1 Quote If you have the choice between a Stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell don't forget the Nomex®! Captain, Lotus Airways. We fly lower! Link to post Share on other sites
trcm 125 Posted December 24, 2019 Report Share Posted December 24, 2019 Intriguing failure mode, glad you caught it before it did any more damage, even if it did take four months! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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