The Lotus Grand Tourers

hi all..

does anybody got a wiring diagram for 1982 eclat excel pop up headlights? tried all sorts need wiring diagram so i can trace wires back. i swapped switch, checks fuses, swapped relays still no luck. headlight won't work. my car been stood for 3 months lights coming on but headlight pop up packed in. i'm gonna stripped the motors down tonight and try cleaning them. does anybody know where i could get new headlight motor? or whatever fits an early excel? thanks. you got no idea how grateful i would be if somebody could help with this.

your stressed to the max,
jose

Before stripping things out have you tried switching them to be up and giving the motor a helping hand via the access hole? You sometimes find the brushes have a poor contact having been static on the armature for so long.

i've used manual adjuster, set them both down flick switch, passenger side lights goes to on position then stuck. no movement at all on the driver side. set them both to on position manually flick switch.. nothing. set them to down position flick switch same again, passenger side comes up stuck in on position.

AFAIK the early motors are shared with TR7. Lotusbits.com or Rimmer Brothers are probably the best bet for a complete replacement - but it's likely to be an electrical problem - probably around the motor brushes.

I have the same problem. LH side pops u, RH side doesn't, turn RH up manually and sometimes it pops down but not up.

Which relay is for the Headlamp Pod? My Excel is a 1985 Eclat/Excel.

I have found a detailed Headlamp Motor description but need to check everything else 1st. Is there a manual available anywhere?????

Look forward to hearing from someone ........

Cheers,

had the same problem with bym when restoring her, the relays are located under the pod on the passenger side, early model has 2 up relays one down, try taking of the inspection panel on the lucas headlight motors and cleaning throughly this solved my problem as the points stick. mike taylor does the lucas motors for £50 each or peter musgrave will recon yours for £68 (expect a lenghy delay from peter though)as for wiring diagram i can email your the diagrams be a delay though as my service notes are in bym which is in the body shop at the moment

are the headlight motors/relays protected by a fuse - as both mine stopped working at the same time ---- mind you have been a bit doubious lately as i had to use the flasher & then turn on the headlights to have them stay up -- so i will also check for bad earth

norway_triumph wrote:are the headlight motors/relays protected by a fuse - as both mine stopped working at the same time ---- mind you have been a bit doubious lately as i had to use the flasher & then turn on the headlights to have them stay up -- so i will also check for bad earth

There's a relay for each headlight and another, separate relay for flash. As yours pop on flash, it sounds like the other relays need cleaning or replacing. They are all under the left hand headlamp pod. To get to them you'll need at least a 13mm socket and lots of wobble extension bars and a ratchet.

With the headlamp pods down:
Open the bonnet
look from the bonnet towards the underside of the rear of the pods and you'll see the 13mm bolt heads. Undo these, I used enough wobble bars to clear the wings as it was difficult not to bash the bonnet otherwise, there's no need to fully remove the bolts, just make sure they are free of the body bobbins.
I managed to push the headlight pod down to the front of the well which gave access to the relays. However, on mine, I discovered one of the motors was burnt out and needed replacing. To do that, undo the 8mm bolt on the end of the sprung rod that connects the pod to the motor and disconnect the bulb wiring. Jiggle the pod up and out.

To remove the motor there are three 8mm headed bolts that hold the motor to the bracket and remove the bell crank from the motor spindle (11mm nut).
I bought my replacement motor off ebay, it's the same as a Triumph TR7 and apparently a TVR. The TVR ones I found had a different electrical conenctor though and I'm too lazy to swap plugs about.

If you do have to remove the sprung rod, it's length alters the panel fit with the lights down. Once you've tested they go up and down correctly, open the bonnet again and you can just about reach in with a socket and ratchet to alter the rod. tightening the rod raises the front of the light, loosening lowers it.

Apologies for a badly written description but it'll hopefuly make sense once you get started.

Rob

thanks for a very good and detailed work-description. Will give it a go at the weekend. Meanwhile the pods will stay open permanantely now - as i have wound them up . Better that than no lights at all

There should be some photos to help you on my blog (it's in my signature) if you want them. There's one taken a year back that shows the relays in situ.

The motor is a Lucas model WKB114 and is from a Truimph TR7. There are at least two types of connection.
Also, yours will be the fatter earlier type. Later cars had a similar Toyota part.
I know someone on here was selling some early motors for 40 quid in the "For Sale" section. About a week after I'd fixed mine the long way round!

Dissassemble the motor and solder the corroded wires, might have to check the copper mechanical switches.
Easy work takes maximum 30min/motor with removal

EXTRA: Do not alter the pod adjustment until you know where the problem is.