Paul Coleman 517 Posted October 8, 2007 Report Share Posted October 8, 2007 (edited) I got my engine back from the engineering company that were checking it out for me. The previous owner of the car (a series 1) had had an 'engine job' done on the car 10,000 miles ago so I didn't expect it to be too bad - how wrong can you be!! I was expecting a quick polish of the crank and a hone and away we go The liners need replacing as do the pistons, rings and shells (so that's Edited October 8, 2007 by Paul Coleman Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to post Share on other sites
Tony K 128 Posted October 8, 2007 Report Share Posted October 8, 2007 Hi Paul, If I were you, I'd either: - buy a used running engine and put it in the car for now and hold on to the original engine for now to do it right later on, or - buy a used running engine and use it for parts to rebuild the original (including swapping the head) - find a shop that can recut the valve seat pockets in the head. Personally, I don't worry about having a non-original engine. I think it is great to have it, and I would do everything in my power to keep the original engine with the car, but I would have no problem putting another 907 into the car and keeping the original oiled up and in storage. Just get a running engine in the car so you can ENJOY it -- you can always swap the original back in there as time and money permit. - Tony . . . . . . . by the way, IIRC, the newer (Goetz?) head gaskets are slightly thicker than the original Coopers gaskets, which should afford more valve clearance if the head needs to be skimmed more. Quote Tony K. Esprit S1s #355H & 454H Esprit S2.2 #324J 1991 Esprit SE Link to post Share on other sites
Malc Holmes 2 Posted October 8, 2007 Report Share Posted October 8, 2007 Youve got to keep the car Paul, S1's are becomeing as rare as a rare thing these days. You will kick yourself very soon if you sell up. As Tony says, just get yourself a second hand engine at the moment, keep the origional and re-build as and when you can afford it. Call Mike at lotusbits.com. He will run an engine on a test stand for you before you buy if you like and he does not ask crazy prices for 907's. Don't give up! Malc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
giorgio67 185 Posted October 8, 2007 Report Share Posted October 8, 2007 Paul, keep the car. I know that the originality it's important for you but... Put a good second hand engine and enjoy it!! Your work on the chassis it's a masterwork so..with time and patience you shoul be able to find engine parts to do the work without spending too much money. KEEP THE CAR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmybondi 4 Posted October 8, 2007 Report Share Posted October 8, 2007 KEEP IT! KEEEEEP IT!!!!!!!!!! Quote Ciao, JB '88 Excel SE - monaco white '99 Elise 111 - azure blue � '87 TurboEsprit - calypso red '02 BMW 325ci convertible - diamond black http://excelregister.lotusexcel.de Link to post Share on other sites
peteyg 344 Posted October 8, 2007 Report Share Posted October 8, 2007 Ditto above! Mike at lotusbits.com, he's your man for engines!! An Esprit is an ongoing project whatever the condition, I think most will agree! Since I've owned mine it's been rebuilt from scratch and I've still had to spend Quote Pete '79 S2 LEW Miss September 2009 Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Coleman 517 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 (edited) Thanks all for the advice/tips. The guy who checked the head for me did mention a 'head saver shim' which is basically a laser cut shim 20 thou (or so) thick which is bonded onto the head. This just makes up for what's been removed already and you still use a normal head gasket. He wasn't aware of one being available for this engine but said he'd check. Has anybody ever used such a thing? He also said he'd had difficulty find the datum point to measure the thickness of the head and actually measured it in some other way? Does anybody know if there is a datum point? I'd just like to double check his measurements. Cheers, Paul. Edited October 9, 2007 by Paul Coleman Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Troy Halliday Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 I have a head here if you are interested. It is a Garry Kemp head, Cam Covers are black powder coated and seats are I bought it for Penny before I fitted the HC engine and went mad with a dremel Here are the details tha Garry sent me a while ago on it. Lotus 2.2 / 2.0L cylinder head and cams - this head has been fullly cleaned, gas flowed and rebuilt. The head has been reconditioned with the valve seats cut to 3 angles and the valves modified with a 30 degree back cut for improved flow, then re-lapped. Each valve has been engraved with a number indicating it's position (1 to 8) for future reference. The ports are matched to the inlet gasket and the short side radius reprofiled; the valve throats are enlarged and blended in to the valve seat. The cam covers were checked for straightness then powder-coated black and the tops milled to expose the alloy again. The powder-coating is very hard wearing and does not chip like the old crinkle finish. You will have to use the cams out of your old one as I stole the 104 cam to fit in Penny. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Coleman 517 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 Thanks for the offer Troy I will bear it in mind If it's at all possible to keep the original head then I would prefer to go down that route so I'm going to spend a bit of time exploring the options. Cheers, Paul. Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to post Share on other sites
Jeanvm 105 Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 Thanks for the offer Troy I will bear it in mind If it's at all possible to keep the original head then I would prefer to go down that route so I'm going to spend a bit of time exploring the options. Cheers, Paul. Hi Paul, With an other head like Troy's offer is not a bad thing and with some sharper cams can be wild. If your cylinder head need to be welding you better take an other. Cheers, Jean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AJay 1 Posted October 9, 2007 Report Share Posted October 9, 2007 Hi Paul I have a head saver shim fitted to my S3 turbo Chargecooled engine it works great. The company that made it used the new head gasket as a pattern and laser cut a shim in stainless. I was worried at first but it was a question of cost, my head needed welding and skimming and was below serviceable limits to start with. That was Three years ago a couple of track days a boost upgrade a chargecooler and a rolling road session. She still runs just great.....Its worth a try.. from memory it was about Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Coleman 517 Posted October 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 Hi Paul I have a head saver shim fitted to my S3 turbo Chargecooled engine it works great. The company that made it used the new head gasket as a pattern and laser cut a shim in stainless. I was worried at first but it was a question of cost, my head needed welding and skimming and was below serviceable limits to start with. That was Three years ago a couple of track days a boost upgrade a chargecooler and a rolling road session. She still runs just great.....Its worth a try.. from memory it was about Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to post Share on other sites
bigsi 0 Posted October 10, 2007 Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 paul, i appluade your need for originality, however i would personally go for that head off troy. it seems like such a more sensible thing to do, and we all know what mr kemps work is like , very good. i would see it as a means to an end, the thing is at the end of the day you will have anly a small part of the engine thats not the original part, and while re building it your going to be putting many new upgraded parts on anyway. i would just go for the head, get it fitted, and get your car up and running, its a major part thats out the way and one less headache, and as said before the other head can then be sorted out in your own time and you have a spare then also. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AJay 1 Posted October 10, 2007 Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 The shim is bonded to the head with welseal (not sure of the spelling).... The shim was organised by a local engineering company to me in Portsmouth called Banda Engineering. They did the welding and skimming. Banda Engineering Herbert St, Mile End, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 4QR Tel: 023 9282 8224 They have specified them in high output Ford cosworth engines to lower the CR, so i thought it was worth the gamble.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
winners 16 Posted October 10, 2007 Report Share Posted October 10, 2007 Just seen your post, Glad you're keeping it. Mark Quote Look what Q's brought us. Isn't it nice! Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Coleman 517 Posted October 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2007 Andy Thanks for the info Wellseal... isn't that the same stuff that the two halves of the block are joined with? Is it just like a liquid gasket? Mark Yes I am going to keep it - my deep depression didn't last very long!! Although it's a major setback it's not insurmountable Simon As a 'Lotus virgin' I've never heard of Gary Kemp - I thought he was in Spandau Ballet!! Whoops, I'm showing my age now. Cheers, Paul. Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire Link to post Share on other sites
USAndretti42 311 Posted October 25, 2007 Report Share Posted October 25, 2007 I think you're doing the right thing in keeping the car, Paul. You would get hardly anything for an S1 in pieces. Certainly not nearly enough to cover what you have spent and the tie you have put into it. I don't think it's important to keep the original head. An engine is bit like a janitor's broom where all the part get replaced over time. At Honda we would rebuild an IRL engine replacing the block, pistons, liners, heads, crank, rods valves and it would still have the same number. After all, they are just lumps of metal. Quote S4 Elan, Elan +2S, Federal-spec, World Championship Edition S2 Esprit #42, S1 Elise, Excel SE Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Coleman 517 Posted October 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2007 (edited) Hi Trevor I bought a secondhand Elite head for Edited October 25, 2007 by Paul Coleman Quote Lotus Esprit [meaning] a 1:1 scale Airfix kit with a propensity to catch fire 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.