75000 mile 82 Turbo. What to expect?

[Andyww]

I am about to buy from a friend a Turbo in white/red leather with 75000 miles on the clock. 

 

I am expecting to have to spend some money on it, but I think its a car worth keeping going. 

 

I know these cars pretty well as I owned a dry sump car until 1992 in exactly the same colour. My car was a low mileage and I never reached the point of engine concerns though other than the standard cracked exhaust manifold and burned wastegate adaptor valve seat.

 

This car has already had a new manifold.

 

This car runs and drives well. The engine does not make any nasty noises, other than the usual clackety valve sounds which I remember my old car used to make especially when cold. Its not smoky.

 

From reading on here, the engine is well on the way to rebuild though in terms of mileage, and I am ready for that. But what can I expect to have to do? Of course all bearings. Would it be foolish not to replace pistons when I have it apart? I am not particularly interested in an HC upgrade but its an option. Do pistons always have to be replaced with liners as a pair? 

 

What about top end, would valve guides need replacing as a matter of course and valves or replaced if clearance too wide? What constitutes too much clearance?

 

Any advice welcome.

[molemot]

I'd do a compression test. As long as all 4 were over or close to the book figure and showed no great disparity between the cylinders, and the oil pressure was satisfactory, I think I'd just run it until some problem manifested itself. If it ain't broke......!! I would do a cambelt change, and change the fuel lines to the carburetters and pressure valve, if they haven't been done recently....good insurance.

[Sir Paolo]

Have you had a look at the service history? Assume it has a full one?

That'll give you an idea of what's been done and what may need doing.

[molemot]

I wouldn't trust any "service history"....mine had a full service history and the cambelt snapped the first week...the tensioner bearing was cattled as well...so much for trusting pieces of paper. It had never been touched in 45,000 miles.

[jonwat]

I wouldn't trust any "service history"....mine had a full service history and the cambelt snapped the first week..

Ouch I really feel for you. 

 

My first Esprit had been "serviced" by a sports cars garage who'd replaced the belt a tooth out & tightened the carbs to hard upto the manifold that the compressed 'O' rings had pushed the lead plugs into the face of the carbs. 

[johnpwalsh]

I think the best  service history would be what is going with my S3 when she eventually sells ,loads of bills for parts, loads of photographs of the work being carried out and shwoing the said parts, obviously speaking to the people/owner of the car and anyone with any knowledge of Lotus can suss out a prat in one sentence, the next best evidence, have a look at his finger nails, instant proof that he at least does something, I dont have any left. lol

[molemot]

I have two large box files full of parts receipts!! And the greasiest fingernails in Christendom.....

[Andyww]

This car has impeccable service history and I know the owner has looked after it, but the question I am really asking is, what is the expected life of engine components assuming well looked after.

 

But I will do a compression test as mentioned. Good advice about fuel hoses, the return from the pressure regulator looks decidedly dodgy and I will replace it before driving the car. 

[molemot]

Going back to my original post, if it runs well, doesn't burn oil or get through coolant, makes the right sort of boost figures and doesn't overboost....passes compression tests...and has a trustworthy cambelt, I would just drive it until something deteriorates. That could be any time....but mine did 90,000 miles or thereabouts before I replaced the liners and pistons; they didn't really need doing then, but whilst it was in pieces anyway......! I changed the crankshaft and big end bearings around the 80,000 mile mark, iirc.  If the exhaust manifold hadn't started to leak, making a noise EXACTLY like a little end, I wouldn't have touched it....but once it was in pieces..........!!