williamtherebel 446 Posted January 29 Report Share Posted January 29 I would have thought this problem has been discussed on here before but I cannot find anything. Its a very true statement that you should run your Lotus regularly. I have driven my Eclat for over 30 years as my everyday driver with no problem. However since getting my S1, the Eclat has not been driven as often and has been sitting in a (damp) garage. Exacerbated by covid restrictions of course meaning I cannot drive either of them as often as I would wish. I thought I had better give the Eclat a run out seeing as it hasnt been out since November. She started up ok, but I couldnt select ANY gears. Im presuming the clutch plate has 'fused' onto the flywheel with rust. Ive tried 'shocking' it off by putting it in gear before starting the engine, then tried to start the engine. The starter motor is turning over and the car is moving (jerking) but it wont free up. Ive tried on a number of occasions but no luck. Ive also tried waiting until the engine warms up and pushed the clutch pedal up and down a few times but still no luck. I dont really want to have to remove the engine again so has anybody any more ideas how to free it? Cheers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Dan E 1,596 Posted January 29 Gold FFM Report Share Posted January 29 I had this in the Esprit last year got in couldn't get it in any gear tried several times during the day, i had driven it the day before and it was fine. Eventually I phoned up @Sparky he said ring him back on FaceTime and show him the issue, so I turned the phone to show him the gear lever and it started working and has been fine ever since!!! I think it must have been the linkage got its knickers in a twist, as i say the problem has never returned Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Sparky 2,958 Posted January 29 Gold FFM Report Share Posted January 29 I have a premium rate line for such repairs. Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to post Share on other sites
Popular Post williamtherebel 446 Posted January 29 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted January 29 ----- Premium rate? ------- Show him you 'gear lever'. Are we talking about the same problem? I have a problem with my car!! 1 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Sparky 2,958 Posted January 29 Gold FFM Report Share Posted January 29 To be fair, it's a blurred line. Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to post Share on other sites
Gold FFM Sparky 2,958 Posted January 29 Gold FFM Report Share Posted January 29 But seriously, it does sound like a seized plate. Will it select OK without engine running? I would persevere with exercising the pedal and using the starter; it should eventually let go. Worst case, towing it may help. Carefully! Quote British Fart to Florida, Nude to New York, Dunce to Denmark, Numpty to Newfoundland. And Shitfaced Silly Sod to Sweden. Link to post Share on other sites
williamtherebel 446 Posted January 29 Author Report Share Posted January 29 Yes, it selects all gears ok without engine running. Ill go down and have another go with starting it in gear and also pumping the pedal. Hadnt thought of towing. Might be a good idea. I do have a bit of a run. Ill try that if no luck before. Thanks for the suggestion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
drdoom 447 Posted January 29 Report Share Posted January 29 Hi Lez, This issue troubled mates and I, both with Esprit and Elan. We found that the clutch disc was so stubbornly bonded to flywheel with rust as to require rather brutal measures to remedy. I'll never forget the image of either car with one rear wheel hoisted clear of pavement, engine started with trans in 1st gear, then using throttle, brake and clutch simultaneously to wrench the bloody thing free. This, of course, is viable only with an open diff otherwise both rears would need to be aloft. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
williamtherebel 446 Posted January 29 Author Report Share Posted January 29 Wow. Does sound brutal. Im going to give @Sparky 's idea of towing it and see how I get on. Thanks for the suggestion. It may come to that! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
exeterjeep 340 Posted January 29 Report Share Posted January 29 2 hours ago, williamtherebel said: Yes, it selects all gears ok without engine running. Ill go down and have another go with starting it in gear and also pumping the pedal. Hadnt thought of towing. Might be a good idea. I do have a bit of a run. Ill try that if no luck before. Thanks for the suggestion. I had that loads of times with one of my eclats, the car was usually parked front in to the garage so I usually tried reverse in case the car jumped forward even though the wheels were blocked. One time it spun one of the brick wheel chocks across the garage floor. I think I also tried different forward gears but cannot recall why. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pompey ice 5 Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 Hi there ,my cure for same problem over the years is to hand brake off engine off wedge clutch pedal down or get some one to depress select third gear and jog car backwards a few times if nothing happens jog it forward keep repeating until you hear it release and car free wheels hope it works for you Cheers Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
williamtherebel 446 Posted January 30 Author Report Share Posted January 30 Hi Ian, Many thanks for your remedy. Talking to a mate yesterday, he has said exactly the same thing word for word! Im going back to the garage next week so will try it out. Finger crossed. I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks again. 👍 👍 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
drdoom 447 Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 I acknowledge the brutality of the method described. Perhaps it would be better to hoist both rears clear so reducing the wheels' rate of rotation once the clutch cracks free, given the differential effect. Front wheels damned well chocked, of course. Rather than lift the car's arse skyward putting the rear suspension in full droop and axles at severe angularity I chose to very carefully block under the hub carriers just enough to have 1 inch of clear space beneath the tyre. The operation does tend to impart a bit of a lurch to the vehicle with only 1 side hoisted. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
williamtherebel 446 Posted January 30 Author Report Share Posted January 30 duly noted!!👍 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Clive59 123 Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 I had my S1 Elite clutch same as yours, and found that after a long idle period getting fully warmed up, may be half an hour, it finally let go. It had been not run for maybe 2 months , so similar to you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
williamtherebel 446 Posted January 31 Author Report Share Posted January 31 Thanks @Clive59. I did let it warm up but not for as long as half an hour. I will try that as well when I go down to the garage. Thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Popular Post williamtherebel 446 Posted February 1 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted February 1 Hi Guys, Good news! I went down to the garage today to have another go at getting the seized clutch plate to free up. Started her up and waited half an hour as per @Clive59. I maybe left it a bit too long because it started boiling and overflowed out the header tank! Anyway, after that little setback, tried the 'put it in reverse gear (I was in the garage) then turn the starter motor over' method. After jerking it out of the garage, it finally let go and I could drive it properly. Big relief. I didn't really fancy taking the engine out again. I gave it a small run round the block and everything was OK. Note to self DONT leave it so long before giving it a run. To be fair, its only because of lockdown and getting the Esprit on the road that the Eclat has been neglected. I will have to divide my time more evenly in future. Anyway Many thanks for everybody's imput. I now have a good list of methods if this ever happens in the future. As the Esso ad used to say "Happy motoring". 10 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
exeterjeep 340 Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 Glad you got it going, I was always worried something nasty would break and I would be left with a bigger problem. I then tried to remember to operate the clutch pedal every week in the hope that would keep it ok. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
drdoom 447 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 On 01/02/2021 at 13:26, exeterjeep said: Glad you got it going, I was always worried something nasty would break and I would be left with a bigger problem. I then tried to remember to operate the clutch pedal every week in the hope that would keep it ok. I'm quite confident working the clutch pedal would be unlikely to prevent this. I suspect it's best to run the car about a bit so as to buff away the corrosion. Cheers 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Denis247 29 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 A similar thing is leaving the handbrake on for long periods, probably more so with drum brakes. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doris the dog 85 Posted February 19 Report Share Posted February 19 Oh my goodness!! The elite I’m restoring hasn’t moved for over a year!!! Something to look forward too. 😞😞 1 Quote Tony Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.