Advantage Posted November 1, 2013 Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 The fewer joins the better. There's also a chance of the melted wires in the back causing overheating somewhere else as the current possibly short circuits. The S1 has a relatively simple wiring loom, so if your mechanic is confident in the job then let him get on with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM johnpwalsh Posted November 1, 2013 Gold FFM Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 That would be the route I would take especially if the wires can be identified and he uses a correct plug set for connections but remember to have him check further back as well as its possible to have a short appearing well away from the sight of the fire. One thing I found, once the work started you always find something that did not show originally so be prepared for the little extras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted November 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 So I was looking on SJ Sportcars website and he has S2 rear repair wire looms. So maybe this is what my mechanic was talking about. Brian M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinT Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 (edited) I'm pretty sure my car has been retro fitted with an S2 rear loom. My car has never had a fire but I know that the engine was rebuilt in the late 80s and under went an extensive cosmetic refurbishment in the early 2000s. Digging around when I first got it revealed some unused wires that were not on the S1 wiring diagram but were on the S2 one. Edited November 3, 2013 by GavinT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted November 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Hi Gavin, Have you ever seen a connector or spot where the harnesses are joined together? Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted November 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2013 Hey Guys, Little update, so I spoke to my mechanic and here is what hes going to install: - My Dellorto carbs after rebuilding (Including the original air cleaner, not my K&N filters, not sure why, what do you guys think?) - New Starter - New Alternator - New Distributor cap (Need to confirm if he is going to put point or electric as it was previously upgraded) - New fuel lines, pump and vents - New clutch line and slave cylinder (Not sure if original pump or point-less will be installed) - New belts - Newly manufactured wire loom (He's hired a company to manufacture a new one, its not used or NOS, I'll get the name for you guys) So far hes taken off the carbs, and electrical parts is waiting for delivery of new parts. Hes pressure washed the engine, said it needs another go before re-assembly and hes going to shampoo the interior upholstery. I still need to hear from my insurance adjuster regarding how much I will be responsible for. So I should be back on the road by spring with a car thats running better than ever, time to sell? Hell no! I'm driving her! Brian M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM skiing Posted November 13, 2013 Gold FFM Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 As far as I understand there could be a couple of reasons for switching to the air box - firstly without the air box, the carbs suck hot air from the engine bay - the hotter the air, the less power - there is a thread on this and it does have quite a large effect. Secondly, the carbs spit petrol back sometimes - the standard airbox apparently captures this to an extent (mine is apparently fire proof glass fibre!?) but the K&M filters do not prevent this - I would definitely run the car with the correct air box with a K&N panel filter inside of it - the best of both worlds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted November 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 Hi Henry, I found the thread you were referring to and I think going with the air box for the reasons mentioned is the way to go. Looks like my mechanic had the right idea. Then again he seems to want to make everything original so... Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted November 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 Hey everyone, So I went by this weekend to check on the car and see how repairs are progressing. So far a new wire loom has been fit to the car. He ended up buying it from SJ instead of having it manufactured. The old harness was cut in half just behind the window switches with a series of quick disconnect connectors. Very clean work and the connection is no higher than the original wiring harness so should all fit nice a flush once the center console is re-installed. From the engine bay back to the tail lights the new harness was kept whole so all new wiring in the rear of the car. I'm a bit concerned about the wire gauge though. Where the two looms connect its very obvious that the new wires are not as thick as the old. It may be because the new wire loom uses thinner insulation I'm not sure. I should have climbed in there and compared the wire gauge indicated on the individual strands. Does anyone have an experience with replacement wire looms from SJ? Are they any good? A new high torque starter motor and alternator was installed. The original distributor, coil, Luminition, spark plugs and high tensions leads are slated to be replaced next. They are waiting for a 43D distributor and Pertronix controller to finish that off, I really like the way the Pertronix controller and everything fits within the distributor unlike the Luminition system I used to have. Should keep the electrical wires tidy in the engine bay. As I mentioned, I had a set of Dellorto carbs which they have started refurbishing, one is done already and looks very clean. As discussed an original style airbox from SJ is going on those, I believe its new cast fiberglass. They fixed my oil pressure sender as well, didn't even know it was leaking but they connected it securely to the oil gallery cover so it shouldn't leak any more. I was pleased to see that they replaced the Cam cover gaskets as well since they always leak. New speedo cable and clutch hose are on order as well as a new clutch slave cylinder. I'm concerned that fire retardant/water got into the fly wheel / clutch pad via the timing hole. So far they plan to leave it as is and see if it slips once the engine is running. So finger crossed. Is there no cover for the timing hole? The clutch fork has a rubber cover around it seems silly to leave the timing hole open right beside it. The engine cover is being sent for sanding and painting. They showed me the sound/thermal insulation they plan to install on the inside, it looks much more durable than the bubble wrap style that was there before. I'm surprised that they did not plan to replace the timing belt, but I've insisted that it be done even if my insurance won't cover it. Last thing I want to do is get it back after having all this work done and then bend a valve. And last but not least, they washed the engine, all the rear windows, and rear compartment. They are also going to clean the passenger compartment to eliminate the smell of smoke. Really a great guy, he took his time explaining all the work hes done addressed my concerns and was generally very enthusiastic about getting the car back on the road. Brian M. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOTUSMAN33 Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 Excellent news after such bad luck Brian, the wiring should be fine as Steve would not sell anything he was not willing to fit himself. Good luck getting it finished and by the sounds of it should be better than ever. Dave Quote Do or do not, there is no try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOTUSMAN33 Posted November 28, 2013 Report Share Posted November 28, 2013 Hi Brian Here are a couple pics I found of my fire, I had an extinguisher in the boot but it had an electric release which failed when the fire broke out, had two full tanks of fuel as well... Could have been worse though.....it could have been my JPS lol! Quote Do or do not, there is no try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilf Posted November 28, 2013 Report Share Posted November 28, 2013 Modern automotive wire termed thin wall wire is significantly thinner whilst rated for the same current. I made a megasquirt loom up and was quite surprised at the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted November 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2013 Thanks Guys, Its reassuring to know that the new automotive wiring being installed is up to modern standards. Better and thinner insulation certainly makes sense. Think of all the weight I'll be saving, like a couple hundred grams!! Brian M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted April 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 Hello Everyone, So the saga continues, I went by the garage today. The repairs from the fire are nearly complete and I got to drive her. The new high torque started cranked her over and she caught immediately! I drove about gently on city streets for 45 minutes. Wonderful engine noises behind me, only one problem, it seems the clutch is slipping. I suspect it was previously, but its very obviously doing so now. My mechanic had warned me he thought it was and I had previously noted it a touch in first gear but now its quite obviously not pulling as it should. He still has to replace the short speedo cable on the transmission so I was using my GPS as a speed indicator but its not precise, despite that I got the feeling that the rev's weren't matching the my speed and under even conservative acceleration I could tell something was wrong. So looks like I'm going to need to do the clutch, I'm not yet sure if I'll ask him to do it or take it on myself. It seems a bit daunting, my searches on the forum make me think it can be done with the transmission and engine in place so we will see, he's supposed to send me an estimate shortly. I'll decide once I get the estimate but my plan for the moment is to have my mechanic replace the clutch so I know its drivable then I'll handle the multiple little problems like my headlights sometimes go up then right down (I fixed that last year), the gas gauge is way off and the doors sag a touch... But you know what, I'm happy that its running again. Brian M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slewthy Posted April 19, 2014 Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 Clutch control could have been damaged in the fire or altered during refit? Quote "Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them." Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM johnpwalsh Posted April 20, 2014 Gold FFM Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Great news, I have just completed all the work on my own car and in fact are going for her first hard push today, I have had her out on short runs several times and every time I find something little that needs a tweek but now, well all I can say is she is awesome, better than she has ever been and I am so glad I went the extra mile and did several other jobs while she was off the road, like you I replaced my clutch plus a host of parts thet was never damaged but just took the chance while the engine was out. Keep smiling your are almost there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted June 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Good news! The car is done, and back in my possession. All the work on the engine is done and a new clutch has been installed. New or refurbished parts installed - Stromberg carbs (refurb), airbox and filter. - Oil filter and oil cooler hoses - Distributor (refurb), leads, coil, plugs and petronics - Hi torque starter motor - Alternator - Fuel pump, filter and all fuel hoses - Timing belt - Cam cover gaskets (I think they may already be leaking again) - Engine cover refurbished and painted - Wiring harness replaced from the shifter all the way back - Old clutch slave cylinder refurbed and braided clutch hose - New speedometer cable - All coolant hoses back of the firewall - Hazard switch (mechanic broke the old one replacing the speedo cable) They never got my dellortos working and they had strombergs on hand and knew them better so I stuck with those, but I have everything needed to put the dellortos on, including a new airbox from SJ. I've put a few dozen kilometers on it so far and its been great. Sounds wonderful too, I just need to figure out why the radio now turns off when I turn the headlights on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonMasson Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 I had an engine bay fire many years back which was attributed to an electrical short circuit. I have now fitted a rally car type battery cut-off switch.... the one with the big red key. I fitted it so it sits on the engine side of the bulkhead and all that's visible inside the cabin is a small hole just behind your shoulder where the key fits in. Two benefits here...... One, you can kill the electrics instantly from inside the car Two, remove the key and it makes a half decent anti theft device for an amateur looking for a joy ride. Quote I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it. Groucho Marx http://www.thelotusforums.com/latest-news/our-news/lotus-esprit-first-and-last/ http://www.corgi.co.uk/lotus-esprit-s1-chassis-0100g-the-first-production-esprit-signal-red.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted June 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 (edited) So some trouble, It hesitated a bit and stuttered today while cruising at 50km/h at 3000RPM. Tach dropped down to 0 then bounced up to 3000 with a kick. Did it a few more times, I stopped at a gas station and said to myself maybe its low on fuel (I knew it wasn't) Only got in 10L then it wouldn't start, turned over but nothing not even a sputter. Had it towed home, change of location didn't help. I figured it must be electric, distributor, coil, ignition. So I pulled all connections to coil, distributor, plugs one by one and re-seat them. Still wouldn't start. Popped the distributor cap off and found a small amount of motor oil (Almost positive it was motor oil) along the bottom edge of the cap. Wiped it up with a rag but it seemed to have eaten the cloth insulator of the ground wire that connects the spring loaded advance plates to the house. So I pulled off all the ratty insulation from the ground wire (I'll put some shrink wrap on it later) I wiped the inside of the cap clean and put it back on. I then noticed that the distributor was maybe 2mm back from the clamp. So I slackened the distributor clamp shoved it all the way in and tightened it up. Everything back in place I gave it a start a she started happily. I wish I'd checked ignition before I moved the distributor because it would have told me if the distributor had come so far back that the dog drive disengaged. So my two theories are that: A) Oil in the cap prevented conductivity and so no ignition, although I didn't see any sign of arching, no burns or discoloration. B) The dog drive was far enough back that it wasn't reliably engaging. I think this is the more likely scenario as the tachometer dropping all the way to 0 makes me think more than one cylinder didn't fire in a cycle. So I'm going to keep an eye on it and check for more oil before and after every drive for a while. I'm really hoping that pushing the distributor further into the house will seal the leak, and reliably engages the dog drive. Can anyone say if a loose distributor can cause a leak inside the cap? And how sensitive the dog drive is to being engaged? I let it idle maybe 10minutes, took it around the block, no problems, let it idle 5 minutes more. Took her out for a 15km run. Parked, about an hour later did another 15km run. Still no problems, although I didn't have time to check under the cap for any more oil leaking. Brian Edited June 3, 2014 by marcbria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintaylor Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 I had an engine bay fire many years back which was attributed to an electrical short circuit. I have now fitted a rally car type battery cut-off switch.... the one with the big red key. I fitted it so it sits on the engine side of the bulkhead and all that's visible inside the cabin is a small hole just behind your shoulder where the key fits in. Two benefits here...... One, you can kill the electrics instantly from inside the car Two, remove the key and it makes a half decent anti theft device for an amateur looking for a joy ride. Hi Gordon, Would you be able to post a pic of your setup ? as I am looking to install something similar on my car Quote Vin Taylor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinT Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 (edited) Hello Brain, Really pleased to hear that you got the car back repaired and you have had a chance to do a few miles in her. With regard to the dizzy....if the dog drive had been disengaged then the distributor would not have been spinning in time with the engine, and unless you were super lucky, pushing the dizzy back in and reengaging it would of certainly messed up the ignition timing. So I don't think it has anything to do the the dizzy being out a few mm from seated. But I maybe wrong of-cause. If you are getting oil inside the cap then it is coming from down the distributor shaft. Obviously this is not right and is likely to be a badly seated or worn O ring. Keep an eye on it as the oil maybe left over from assembly but if it starts to reappear then I would attended to this sooner rather than later. A bad distributor seal can result in oil starvation if it weeps badly enough. I'm thinking that your problem was related to the oil in the cap. Interfering with connectivity. Edited June 4, 2014 by GavinT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted June 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Hi Gavin, Thanks for your thoughts, you may very well be right. No real way of knowing for sure so i'll continue to check under the cap for any evidence of further oil leaking. I spoke to my mechanic about it and he seemed to think pushing it in further would resolve the leak but he may simply be hoping that he doesn't have to replace the distributor he just installed. I've been trying to find a seal for the distributor in the parts manual but the only one I can find prevents leaks around the barrel of the distributor not inside it. It may be part of the distributor itself and not something easily replace without disassembling it. Brian M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilf Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 There is an oil seal that sits around the distributer shaft but this does need dismantling to get at. I was told that the seal is no longer available but there is a close match that needs some distributer body alteration to fit . This courtesy of "distributer dr" in the uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavinT Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 These guys are a bit closer.... http://advanceddistributors.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcbria Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Thanks guys, The distributor was replaced after the fire so if I find more oil in there I'll ask them to replace it. Brian M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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