k series expert required

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hello my 1999 111s has started making a loud tappet noise a steady 3000rpm it fades back quiet,howether reving past 5000rpm or under 2000rpm noise comes back,been told its the lifters/followers by people,iv flushed twice.is it easyer just to swap recond motor in,heard vvc are very complicated,elise parts do them for £850 with new belt,pump,gasget ready fitted,what do u think? im genuinly stuck .its realy bad,despite my hidiouse grammer im a nice lad.please help me

[Paul C 15]

Hi there,

In a ideal world we have a cambelt that (as long as it does not break) stops all our valve gear and pistons making contact with each other.

A VVC unit takes that simple perfection away and VVC failure can have your pistons and valves making love loudly as you clutter to an expensive halt.

This was my case. The oil hydrolic feed to the unit had failed and it self destructed at high revs busting so much stuff inside that the exact cause is a best guess.

If you engine is running fine mate, I'd get the VVC sorted before driving again as I can tell you from personal experience if it fails on the road it will knacker bits equal to it's value.

Steve Williams fitted a new VVC for me and rebuilt my shagged enginehead for about £1500.

HTH

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ok i think il call it quits trying to get it to "free its self off",im going to take just the top cover off and see if any thing stands out as mashed.i just want to know what it is before i order a recon engine.what special tools will i need to swap the engine,engine hoist and torque wrench i know,any thing else?,with the rear clam off is it a easy enough job?.also engine comes with kno anccillerys,is it easy to swap these,i take it thats the gbox.manifolds ect..

[Advantage 910]

Seems a bit drastic to replace the whole lump just for the sake of a set of lifters. Is there a reputable Indie near you where it can be appraised before you start to give your credit card a bashing?

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hi, not really and also i simply cant afford it,so will be doing the work my self and since i feel it would be less stressfull,easyer to do a engine swap than to split the head ect,, allso im not confident to do seriouse engine work, is elise parts a good shop and will there re ferbed motors be spot on? .im scared ,

[Advantage 910]

Eliseparts are one of the most reputable online shops out there. They're always ready to give advice with your purchase.

[Rich H 4]

I'd be checking things form the outside in: first thing is a compresison test.

Then the belts: check the cambelt marks all line up, it could be that you are a tooth out somewhere, remember there are 2 belts on the VVC.

Then get the cam cover off and look through everything - I'm not familiar with the VVC but you should be able to see the cams and lifter tops, if you have any damage it should be obvious. Check all the lifters go up and down properly (Turn it over by hand) and check the cams and lifters for scoring. An oil feed problem should be clear with wear/discolouration.

Good luck

Rich

[Paul C 15]

This was my case. The oil hydrolic feed to the unit had failed and it self destructed at high revs busting so much stuff inside that the exact cause is a best guess.

This hydrolic/oil feed was to an actuator thing on the outside of the VVC that operates the internals, we think this is what failed on mine.

An oil feed problem should be clear with wear/discolouration.

As above mate, if i understand the unit correctly, not all oil feeds to the VVC are for the inner bits you can see, it needs oil to operate the VVC mechanism itself too.

Like i said, the wisest thing is not to drive it before you get the VVC checked by someone that knows? Sure you might need a new engine if you run it and it blows itself to bits, but if it just needs a few VVC parts why not find out?

Then spend the money you have saved on a set of tyres and a tank of petrol!

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thanks for the replys.,so now youv got me thinking if i were to get the engine from elise parts which comes without anccilerys i could inadvertantly be putting a defective part onto it and end up at square one .i just dont want to be talked into work being supposidly done that i could fix myself cheaper and more thurerly,when you factor everything in i thought £850 engine swap sounded the best plan considering im skint.even ifit is a simple internal part means a cambelt,gasgets,pluss any other hidden costs that would no doubt appear. im i on the right lines with the simple diy swap ??

[simonb 12]

I would email Dave Andrews - http://www.dvapower.co.uk/ - I think there is very little Dave does not know about the K

[lotus muncher 16]

Afternoon.

Could pop over,(Whereabouts in yorkshire are you.?.)

There i can have a look and give you advise before you start splashing out an 2nd hand motors that may/may not be required..

Could just want some hydraulic lifter's,

May have jumped a tooth(not uncommon)

But having said all of that i need to see/hear/feel before i can diagnose, Hell if i could do it over the phone i would be a very rich man! Lol.

For the record, I work on lotus full time. Have done so for over 10yrs now.

Byron.

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hello im in the york selby area,how much would you want to have a look?

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hi my number is o7731336660 i live near north duffield im not sure my pm worked that i sent you

[softlips 19]

Could be worn bottom cambelt pulley