Timing Belt broke and Engine repair cost on my S4

[Howiiieee 0]

As most of you already know, my 1995 Esprit S4 timing belt broke and I was stranded on the road on Sunday July 25, 2010. There was a strong peer pressure from the Esprit community wanted me to have it fixed right, not fixed cheap. Therefore, I towed the car to the Lotus specialist that everyone recommended in Southern California, Viking Motorsports, to get it fixed. The shop owner Harry inspected my car and told me the bad news – all sixteen valves were bent. Usually only a couple are bent when the belt breaks. Harry thinks only one or two teeth were gone initially so the engine was still running and car was still moving, but off sync. Finally all the valves were bent, the engine seized up, and the timing belt won’t turn anymore. Well, too bad I found out afterwards. My assumption on the 100K rated belt was “dead wrong”. The bad omen of license plate ending with “444” (which rhyme with Chinese “dead dead dead”) did haunt me.

After all, it is a 16 years old car and many things on the car do need service on top of the belt and valves. Here is the list Harry told me is needed to be done on the car:

1. Removed the engine from the car for easier access.

2. 16 valves and some new valve guides.

3. Machine work to repair the cylinder head.

4. Top engine gasket set.

5. JAE blue timing belt.

6. All the auxiliary belts.

7. Water pump.

8. Thermostat.

9. Cam towers bolt.

10. Replace all the engine coolant hoses with new silicone hoses.

11. New coolant.

12. New water wetter.

13. New engine oil (synthetic) and filter.

14. New transmission oil (MT90).

15. Other parts if needed.

The current estimated total, around US$7000 (and may go up more). Time needed for the repair, 2 weeks.

I was hoping to just skip one mortgage payment to pay for it. Now it is more like 3 mortgage payments. Foreclosure time!!! Even though my wife and I can sleep inside the Esprit, where am I going to put my daughter in a two seater?

There is a saying that you don’t really own a Lotus until you pay for the first repair bill. I guess I need to be initiated into a “real ownership” now. I need to get a loan or split the payment into 2 or 3 credit cards. Wait a minute, the $500+ I just spent on the subwoofers and Amp is still on one of the cards. Anyone want to buy an Esprit S4 so I can pay for the repair?

I try to rationalize it this way – There are about $3000 worth of work I should have done anyway after I bought the car (new belts, water bump, hoses, C service), so this is just a $4000 lesson (how did the 4 gets in here again). Since I wanted a 4 cylinder model and S4 is the best, I guess I will have to live with some 4s (but the license plate has to be changed).

Any comments on what’s been done and what else needed to be done? May be I can make it a $5000 lesson instead (lots of TO and too tire to drive the car afterwards).

Howiiieee

95 Lotus Esprit S4

Southern California

(PS: I’ve asked Harry to take some pictures on the damages and the repairs, maybe I can post them afterwards for all to see.)

[mr.oogieboogie 114 1 Vehicles]

while the engine is out get them to check the exhaust manifold that will be be another 1k

[fflyingdog 34 1 Vehicles]

Also dont forget to get the turbo checked,

.Best of luck

Nick S4s

[andydclements 593 2 Vehicles]

9. Cam towers bolt.

Are you sure it's these and not cylinder head studs you need (they are supposed to be a use-once item although I've always re-used them)?

While you are doing the water pump, put a cap-head bolt in place of a standard head bolt in one position, it's the one where the sprocket of the axillary shaft occludes it. Although not an issue as you are replacing the pump, it does mean any pump change in the future is easier.

[Mike6 11]

Isn't it cheaper to buy a new engine. They cost around £4k and then you would have shipping costs but at least you would know everything was brand new.

[Bibs 9,621 4 Vehicles]

Remember an old one will need to be removed and shipped back as a core and then the new one will need fitting. That would probably work out at $10k+ I'd have thought.

[gtookey 75 1 Vehicles]

I'm sure a big bulk of the charges will be for labor. Unfortunately you just can't get around this unless you do the wrench work yourself. Saving grace is that your car will be treated respectfully. Nothing worse than paying the high dollar hourly rate and have someone with no real clue fumble their way through and do a half ass job, as happened to a forum member in NYC not so long ago.

Keep posting updates.

[Howiiieee 0]

Once again I appreciate all the replies. Here are some pictures I get from Viking working on my car so far.

I hope to have more later.

Of course, the best pictures on the Esprit Engine rebuild is from Travis: http://picasaweb.goo...sEngineRebuild# (awesome details)

Howiiieee

[Howiiieee 0]

While Viking Motorsports is working on my car, I ask them to do more additional work and find me some missing parts on the car. Thanks to all your suggestions, the list got longer and longer. I just got the additional quote from Harry, and here it is.

1, Tensioner bearing $100.00 no labor

2, Needs the clutch line, $170.00 plus $115 labor.

3, Hub caps $200.00 a pair no labor.

4, Rear Valance $175.00 plus $57.50 labor.

5, Wiper blade $30.00 no labor

6, A/C recharge $150.00 no labor

7, All four dampers adjust $115.00 labor

(No. 8 was adjusted the door swing out for $230 labor, but I cancelled it).

9, Brake switch adjust. No labor

10, Turn signal bulbs. $30.00 plus $115.00 labor.

11, Gearbox and Clutch inspection. $369 labor.

12, Rear hatch struts. $126.

New additional work: $1752.50

With the original $7000, it is well past $8700+

Wait. Harry just told me that I need

1. New clutch and pressure plate: $631.15

2. New fuel filter: $10

3. Don’t need new clutch line (already has stainless steel line and new clutch hose): -$285.

New total: around: $9100+

(Wow! I can almost buy another Esprit with the money).

I guess the Esprit Fact File is right, you got to be infected with the “Lotus virus” in order to own and keep the car. Time to file request to increase the loan amount paper work. Why should they approve it? It is because the Esprit S4 will worth a million bucks (at least that’s how I feel) when it is done.

Howiiieee

[Advantage 884]

Get them to do this modification too, while they've got the engine out. No parts required, just an hour or so of labour.

[gtookey 75 1 Vehicles]

It's money well spent I think. After you get the call to collect it and drive it for the first time the smile on your face will be worth every dollar you paid Viking. Just don't do what some of the guys do and sell it 6 months later. Then you really would of wasted your money.

[sailorbob 225]

2, Needs the clutch line, $170.00 plus $115 labor. ........ 3. Don’t need new clutch line (already has stainless steel line and new clutch hose): -$285.

Am I the only one who thinks it's odd that they quote for something only to retract it?

[lotus4s 24 1 Vehicles]

Derek,

I don't think that is necesarily odd. It may have been something that was requested by the owner not knowing he already had one. And from the laundry list of repairs, it sounds like he's asked for a list of all repairs with worst case scenarios. Like the bulbs for instance, he may find out the connections are just corroded and the bulbs are fine but he hasn't taken them apart and looked yet.

Whatever happened, at least he corrected it right away...

[stevem 2 1 Vehicles]

$145 to change some turn signal light bulbs and $115 to adjust dampers ? I can almost do an A -servce myself for less than that.

[gtookey 75 1 Vehicles]

That's the difference in the cost of living between downtown Avoca Beach and downtown LA.

Edited August 12, 2010 by GavinS1

[Howiiieee 0]

Here are more pictures:

You can see the rest in my Picasaweb photo album: http://picasaweb.goo...ingMotorsports#

[fflyingdog 34 1 Vehicles]

ooch !

[Splodge s4 2]

Sorry to hear of your troubles but well done for sticking in there.

Can I just ask, when was your belt last changed, was it just over 3 years or much longer before it gave way?

Cheers & I look forward to seeing it back on the road mate

[Simon350S 191 1 Vehicles]

Just seen that photo of your valves, is there really only 1 straight one? Thats massive bad luck.

I cant imagine how some people have managed to snap a belt and not bend anything at all..

Hope she's coming along nicely

[ragingfool35 22 1 Vehicles]

you may be interested in the JAE Blue timing belt

a couple of people on here have them

call JAE and inquire

[Jonathan 13]

Ouch indeed