Back wheel: very hot from exhaust

[espritpassion]

Dear Lotus friend

My car and certainly yours have little problem about the very hot from Exhaust in the back wheel

If you see in the passes wheel, you can see a part of exhaust covered with sheet and other part not covered

This can damege the shock-absorber and cook the tyre expecially if you dry very fast, when you stop the car and put a hand near the tyre you can advert very heat and smoke from exhaust, I think that this can damage the tyre and other parts

So I had a idea: the car have the predisposition to put a other sheet so it can to continue with other sheet (original sheet)

The sheet can be put in the predisposition (there are 2/3 holes for screw with standard bolts) and this reduce the risk to damage the tyre and shock-absorber!!!!!!!!

My car is a GT3 but also old other cars S2/S3 have the holes for put a new sheet part

Sorry for my English but I wanted wrote this easy modification, but perhaps you have did it yet!!!!

Hope that helps

Best Regards from Italy

Alessandro Sit

[espritpassion]

What you think?????

[espritpassion]

Have you idea?? what you think??

I'm happy to receive your comments

regards

[Loose Cannon]

I've heard about engine mounts degrading with the heat, and the galvanised coating on the chassis tubes, but never thought about the shock absorber, good point. Don't think the wheel and tyre will suffer though.

Ask the factory about your idea for an extended shield, maybe it needs a bit of space for the air to circulate?? I worry more about the nasty cold bath the red hot manifold gets when driving in the rain...

[WayneB]

I wrapped my exhaust pipe ( from the turbo to the muffler) with exhaust wrap.

It seems to keep the heat in the pipe and away from the bodywork, tyre and shock absorber.

[Paul93Lotus]

I wrapped my exhaust pipe ( from the turbo to the muffler) with exhaust wrap.

It seems to keep the heat in the pipe and away from the bodywork, tyre and shock absorber.

But not good if it ever gets wet.....

Especially if it does not dry out as the manifold cools...guaranteed rust recipe.

[Paul93Lotus]

I think putting a shield is probably a good idea, but I doubt the shock absorber gets hot at all at speed ...i.e air is constantly flowing to remove the heat. If you are constantly sitting in traffic idling, then yes I guess it could be an issue. I think the biggest concern is supension travel will not collide with your intended heat shield location.

[Jussi]

When we took the cat away from my Esprit I was considering to put exhaust wrap around the straight pipe. Some people told me it's not a good idea, like Paul said it's not good for pipe, it will rost easier. Although my ex race-car had manifold wrapped and it last many years, and the heat in the engine area dropped a lot (and that's more power).

So there's definitely two sides about wrapping the pipe, it's good and it's bad

Although we didn't wrapped my car's pipe, I still think it's a good idea but I have to dispute about that with my "mechanic"

[WayneB]

Well the wrap has been on for 6 years and the pipe still is in good shape. (so is the tyre and shock absorber

Maybe I dont drive it enough in the rain?

[markt]

Hi Alessandro - Did this modification on my G-Car a while back

A mate of mine, who's had Esprit's for years, mentioned the same thing about the inside of the back tire could get damaged because of the heat generated by the turbo. Didn't think of the shock absorber though...

What I did was make a cardboard template of the inside wheel arch and transfered it to a piece of very environment un-friendly asbestos sheet. The asbestos doesn't retain heat like a steel plate would... Cut it out, predrilled drilled holes and used the existing mounting points you can see inside the wheel arch.

Only pic I have of where the action is, but it's pretty obvious where and how to mount the plate if you have a good look under the wheel arch.

To address the point Mark Britten made, I made 10mm spacers to allow the area between the existing wheel arch and new plate to 'breathe'

I think it's a good idea and quite a simple modification to do even for the not so mechanically savvy like myself