Esprit Trunk Area Blasphemy

[actwon]

Ok all.. Listen to this one..

I went to remove my trunk area and guess what I found?!?! Someone caulked down (guess to waterproof the trunk area) the trunk boot with clear bathroom tile waterproof caulk! What the hell?!?!?! What is the proper waterproofing/sealer agent to use when replacing the trunk area?

This is horrible. I was shocked that someone could do this to an Esprit. It needs to be reported!! There needs to be an Esprit Abuse hotline.. 1-800-Esprt-Abuse....

What type of things have you found after you purchased your Lotus? anything crazy like this?

Edited August 8, 2005 by actwon

[Jussi]

I thought I found mushrooms and some weird white powder from the trunk area

Then I was hoping to make a big money for those (especially from white powder)but they were just leafs from the trees

[Paul C]

Just use a black or clear silicon sealant.

This can make it fiddly (and messy!) when bolting the boot back in...

...I made a bead of sealant around the boot floor edges only, let it dry,

and then bolted the floor back in. So it's like a gasket.

[actwon]

Just use a black or clear silicon sealant.

This can make it fiddly (and messy!) when bolting the boot back in...

...I made a bead of sealant around the boot floor edges only, let it dry,

and then bolted the floor back in. So it's like a gasket.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Guess it's off to Home Depot for a caulk gun and some caulk..

[WayneB]

I find that bathroom caulk is good to use instead of the factory head gasket.

It also takes care of all those annoying leaks on the exhaust manifold and oiling system.

You can also put your windscreen in with it and fix punctures in your ZR rated tyres

[actwon]

I find that bathroom caulk is good to use instead of the factory head gasket.

It also takes care of all those annoying leaks on the exhaust manifold and oiling system.  

You can also put your windscreen in with it and fix punctures in your ZR rated tyres

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wayne,

You are a clown!! A poor man's fix-a-flat.. LOL..

[WayneB]

Me a CLOWN ! I dont think so!

[Guest Troy Halliday]

Believe me when I say that Lotus has already used several tubes of silicon all over your car. When I stripped my car it took me ages to cut through it all, and even longer to clean it all of ready for painting and yep you guessed it new silicon

[actwon]

Believe me when I say that Lotus has already used several tubes of silicon all over your car. When I stripped my car it took me ages to cut through it all, and even longer to clean it all of ready for painting and yep you guessed it new silicon

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm quite sure... I'm pulling out the boot this weekend. Have to do a shift linkage adjustment. Guess I will need to go to Home Depot ot get a caulk gun and some clear silicone..

[Guest esprit geoff]

If anyone has taken the dash-pod out you'll have found silicone implants everywhere - black guey stuff. Lotus must have shares in the stuff.

Geoff.

[Mysterae]

I presume you're talking about the areas I've marked in red lines.

Why bother? I thought!

I've taken my boot tray out so often in over fours of ownership, and so has the garage that services it. To a have to remove and replace silicone each time would be a pain. It makes a bit more difficult and time consuming the next time. IMO make sure it's bolted down well and put a bit of diy draft excluding seal (that you get for doors etc, sticky on one side) if you're worried about a seal.

Anyone think this is a good / bad idea?

[WayneB]

Hot Tip

Put the Silicone right to the trunk area.

Fill trunk area with water.

Invite Bikini bird over to frolic in your Esprit hot tub

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

Nice girl but... is that a strectch mini?!?!? (sorry for even noticing!)

[Guest Troy Halliday]

God you've got good eyes I couldn't see that just by looking at her

[fflyingdog]

Hi All

Top tip ,if you are going to use silicone sealant in your boot area then coat one surcface with silicone and the other in vaseline or something greasy,then put the two together and you will have a good water tight seal and be able to part the two surfaces when needed..........................

Nick S4s (worryingly sounding like a nerd )

[WayneB]

I dont bother with sealant in my trunk.

It all has to come apart every couple of years

Have driven in rainstorms and never noticed any water ingress

Not planning on trying to get car to float

Edited August 11, 2005 by WayneB

[actwon]

I dont bother with sealant in my trunk.  

It all has to come apart every couple of years

Have driven in rainstorms and never noticed any water ingress

Not planning on trying to get car to float

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's good to know. Personally I think it's a bit tacky for silicone sealant to be anywhere on a car.

[Mysterae]

That's good to know.  Personally I think it's a bit tacky for silicone sealant to be anywhere on a car.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's only tacky when it's wet... I'll get me keys.

[tinywillyuk]

..erm.. oh dear.. my boot floor was sealed nicely with silicone.. so when I put it back in, it erm, got sealed the same again.

Also found masses of the stuff behind the sidewalls when I removed them to get the fuel tanks out..

So, erm, I put it all back.

It gets quite exciting in hot places as it smokes until fully cured. Nice for raising blood pressure..

Then again Im the king of bad things - sealed the area behind the sunroof tongues with expanding foam and used self-amalgamating tape on the top of the channel drains in the boot.

Still.. I still get wet when it rains..

[Guest teigan]

can't do any work on the lotus without an extra trip to the diy store. just to wash the car, i use alluminum foil insulation tape over the rear side window edges to keep water out of the fuel tank area. the neighbours all ask nosy questions. i make up a different answer each time to avoid repetition.