First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Body parts, seats, dash, headlining, windows and stuff!

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Excel SA
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Excel SA »

Hi Tony,

As far as I remember the sensor is somewhere in the left-hand headlight area - at least that's where I think the wires ran to - I have no sensor on the end of them.....The module is in the left of the passenger footwell along with a bunch of other relays/fuses/dim/dip module etc. Don't forget to make sure it's not on because it's icy outside :lol: :lol: :lol: .

Neil.

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MetBlue
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

Thanks Neil.
Just found some notes in the MF version of the electrical manual ( Doesn't seem to be on the MH version which is for late cars) which confirms that.
I don't recall seeing anything last year when I had that all apart. Service notes also say a missing or dead sensor will put up a single red LED which is what I see.
I'll need to go searching for the correct wire colours and see if I can find them there.
Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Excel SA »

The wires to the LED's are fairly fine ones - different to your usual car wiring so should be easy to spot. If it is the sensor, they are listed on the SJS web site - seems a fair amount of money for a probe..... I'll probably remove the system as we don't get ice here, and my sensor is no longer there.

Here's the probe....

https://www.sjsportscars.com/parts-and- ... M6078F.htm

Can take a pic later if necessary.

Neil.

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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

Looking at the length of the cable, looks like it might run all the way to the module in the foot well, hence why there's no trace of it in the head lamp area.
At that price, a new one is not a priority, especially as I don't the the processor is working. Might enquire with Lotus bits to see if they have a used one.

One a different note, managed to get the motors in the mirrors working today. Multiple issues but nearly all down to bad connections within the plug connectors.

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

6 Months since an update here, which I guess is a good thing as it suggests the car has mainly been on the road during this time and not in dry dock.
A couple of "events" through the summer.
  • * Glass fell out of the passenger door mirror and smashed as it bounced around on the heater cable. Replacement proved easy to source though.
    * Occasional issues with loss of spark Gremlin - discussed elsewhere
    * And broken power steering belt when one bolt holding the pump came loose and locked the power steering pulley
Oh, and this week, indicators stopped working - just a chatter from the indicator module. Interestingly though, the hazard lights still worked. Quick check of the wiring diagram showed that the only difference is in the 12 V feed to the column switches ( 2 different fuse ratings). Pulled the fuse for the indicator ( number 12 I think) and the contacts were slightly furred. Cleaned them up and all now good again. This will prompt me though to pull all fuses out just for a quick inspection. - Such a minor thing, and so easy to check and clean, but high potential for all sort of electrical issues on a 35 year old car!.

But now I'm planning on a "hopefully short" SORN period. The MOT is due very early Oct and there are regularly clonks coming from the rear end and the front is a bit floaty ( don't think that's a proper word, but I'm sure you know what I mean). So it's bushes, springs and shocks time. - Current plan is replacement shocks, with new or good recon springs ( I know the fronts at least are sitting low), not coil overs.

Main question is though, how many Poly bushes to use and where? One of our usual suppliers has priced things up for me and are suggesting Poly on all 4 positions of the roll bar, and all 12 bushes in the rear suspension, plus on the spring seats. Diff bushes in rubber and generally front suspension in rubber.
My very basic research of the differences can be summarises as:
Rubber is better for NVH and road work, but Poly better for track etc.
Rubber can be a ****** to fit in some locations, Poly easier.
Poly are a little more expensive, but at least as long on life if not longer.

So the floors open please for thoughts on what bushes to fit where please.

Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.

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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by bash »

If you find the clonk at the back let me know. Mines had one for over a year now, I cant find it, neither can the mot man after I challenged him to find it. Ive almost had everything off at the back and its all good and there are no handling issues. The driveshaft into the diff does clink tho when pushed in and out. Anyway, back to your question, Ive got a mixture of bushes, some poly and some rubber and frankly I cannot tell any difference one to another.
Bash
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Hawaiis0 »

Clunk could be knocking over pipe due to perished exhaust rubber.

I would stay with rubber if I could. Poly top seats never fit and need fettling

Dont forget to lubricate poly else they can squeak .
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Pete Boole »

With the roads as they are I'd probably retain as much rubber as possible. You may also find that a lot of the original bushes are fine - the small inboard ones in the front upper arms seem to last very well. I've made tools to press out the front lower arm bushes - for use on a press.

Pete

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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

. If you find the clonk at the back let me know.
I'm hearing rumours that rear clunks can be body to chassis connection. Any knowledge or experience here ?

Stu's suggestion about the exhaust hitting drive shaft is certainly one contributor to the noise I hear, but there's definitely something else. Some exhaust parts are also awaiting fitment as part of this project, which should address this( connection clamp plates corroding the nothing on the car).
Tony
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Alan_M »

MetBlue wrote:
Sat Sep 24, 2022 20:08
. If you find the clonk at the back let me know.
I'm hearing rumours that rear clunks can be body to chassis connection. Any knowledge or experience here ?

Stu's suggestion about the exhaust hitting drive shaft is certainly one contributor to the noise I hear, but there's definitely something else. Some exhaust parts are also awaiting fitment as part of this project, which should address this( connection clamp plates corroding the nothing on the car).
Tony
I believe it was the earlier cars that had the potential for cracking at the mounting, so yours should be safe as they changed that mounting bolt position.

If I had someone in the back of my SE the exhaust would knock on the suspension - pretty obvious from the witness marks on the exhaust.

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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by bash »

Not the exhaust or body mounts on mine which is why Im clueless...... and, why I need help..... Err, good luck dude.

Bash
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

We're in deep now. - No going back.
Dash and pedal box are out addressing the bent clutch pedal that was making the Clutch very late to engage ( subject of another thread).
Once the welding is done, I'm going to get the pedals powder coated ( OK, you can't see much of them, but I want to do some of the suspension parts, so might as well drop them in.

So this afternoon jacked the front of the car reasonably high and started on the front suspension. I can tell already it's going to fight me all the way as it's pretty obvious much has never been apart.
Only succeeded today in getting the calipers and flexible off. The The gaiters over the slide bushes were breaking up and a year or so back, I bought a seal kit from Big red. Even with the calipers in the bench Vice it took an age to get the top slide pin out. The bore of the caliper was so rusty, it was compressing the rubber into the pin to such an extent, that the pin was unable to slide. One side out now and seal kit is correct one, so hopefully we'll have some better brakes as well as suspension when she returns to the road.
What's the thoughts on whether Powder coating will be sufficiently durable on the calipers?

Also interested to know from anyone who's taken this journey if the lower shock bolt can be withdrawn without moving the steering rack. Looks very tight to me.

Pleased also to see that there looks enough room around the springs to make a simple clamp with a few lengths of Angle iron so I can remove it compressed and insert a long M12 rod down the centre to take the tension out.

Tony
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

One more question.
How much tension is in the anti roll bar when the cars jacked up? Will it drop out once the front clamps are unbolted?
Tony
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by MetBlue »

. lower shock bolt can be withdrawn without moving the steering rack.
Correction. I should have said lower link inner bush bolt.
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Re: First job jobbed - 2 more found !!!

Post by Pete Boole »

The lower link bolts will go past the steering rack - you just have to lift the gaiters a bit and maybe use some lock - occasionally they are pigs to remove due to corrosion. With regard to the arb - when the lower links are parallel to the bottom of the chassis the arb is easiest to remove as it puts the mounting bushes/holes at about the right distance apart. There is no residual tension in the arb if both ends are at the same height.

Pete

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