Lotus Esprit Turbo - S2

[S2central.net]

Anybody got prior experience on these ?

Asking here on behalf of a friend who is looking at a non-runner this week. Seemingly the dissy is dead. The chassis is sound but the paint and interior need refurb - it has sat neglected in a shed for a good few years.

It all seems to be there - if he buys it I might get a chance to play with it and help out sometime - its quite an iconic car actually and by all accounts I have read they handle really well - but thats a normal Lotus trait I suppose.

Dunno much else about them and what potential nightmares exist on them. Reckoning is it might be 10-15k to do a proper high spec restoration on it. The guy is asking 5 which I think is fair enough - assuming it is just an electrical fault causing the no start.

[Rusty]

Has he found a suitable enthusiast website? Love Lotuses, them's sweet!

[johne]

Had two of them and drove over 100,000 miles between them but they were NAs not turbos.

Great engines and I remember dizzy/electrical problems with mine so it could be that simple.

John

[Rusty]

Could be that fitting an aftermarket ignition system would solve this using some coil packs and something like Megasquirt. Or a Lumentition optical system to replace a points based dizzy.

[jade]

Hi Paul

Please pm me your email address & i will send you a buyers guide & info

Regards Wayne

[S2central.net]

My email addy isn't a big secret --- s2central(AT)mac.com

Thanks for that Wayne

[S-Express]

in PPC about a year ago - there was an article on a guy who stuck an Audi V8 in one, did it on his drive and he'd never done anything like it before - so can't be that difficult!

[driftin jo]

in PPC about a year ago - there was an article on a guy who stuck an Audi V8 in one, did it on his drive and he'd never done anything like it before - so can't be that difficult!

this one on motorgeek by any chance ?

http://www.motorgeek.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9648&highlight=lotus

[johne]

Paul,

I owned a series 2 & a series 3. There were some significant improvements that make a series 3 a better bet but here's my best memory from 20+ years ago.

• Turbo Dizzy had Luminition in it. Luminition was unreliable.
  Dizzy is a standard Lucas offering with no vacuum advance, inaccessable under the carbs so 1st job is to fit a good electronic ignition system
  Even then, electrical faults ruled due to poor wiring quality and earths
  There is an electrically controlled fuel cut off valve in the fuel feed. Remove it.
  Whilst we all get paranoid about changing timing belts, this is one engine where the belt actually did snap regularly, so change it. You need to be a gynacologist to do it due to the mid-engined layout & just to add interest the bottom hose returns to the water pump inside the timing belt so you have to drain the cooling system to undo the hose to get the belt off
  Citroen gearbox is good but on S2s the driveshafts are also the upper suspension links so there is a heavy load on the UJs & hub bearings so they wear & fail (changed on the S3)
  Headlights flap around like a t**d in a pot due to slack in the linkage - v annoying when trying to drive fast at night - and use 5 3/4 inch units which may be hard to replace these days
  The junction between the steering column & rack uses a UJ bent far more than it should & exposed so it fails. Replace and sleeve so you can submerge it in grease
  Heater is useless. Fixed on the S3 by taking the heater feed off the head at a different point.
  Early turbos were dry sumped then moved to wet sump in '81/'82

May not be 4 wheel drive but gave razor sharp handling any Audi would die for

I have the service manual in hard copy. It may be available off the web.....................

John

[S2central.net]

Thanks John... The mag article that Wayne kindly emailed had lots of good info too. They quoted something like cambelt service every 24k miles and that it required engine out - essentially a two or two and half day job. Scarey...

Seemingly the Citroen gearbox bits are hard to find, but the later cars had a Renault box (perish the thought).

This one is 4-pot turbo but dunno if its 2.0 or 2.2 liter. If it comes off as a project I'll post up some pics. The guy restoring it isn't the guy buying it - long story...

[jade]

They are 2.2l its based on the triumph dolomite sprint engine i think

[Beetie]

If its the same block as the eclat it's a bedford cf one! lol!

[johne]

Nothing to do with Triumph - although that engine was sold on to SAAB who developed it further for many years - or Bedford.

The engine was Lotus's only genuine unique engine development. It is a wet linered aluminium block originally developed for and paid for by Jensen Healey @ 2 litres. JH needed an engine capable of meeting the new US emission regulations.

Taken further into Lotus Esprit, Elite and Eclat at 2 litres then stretched to 2.2 with a flexible flywheel.

Turbo version developed for the Esprit.

GM made a cast iron block look alike that was fitted to the 2300 Chevette HS.

John

[johne]

Thanks John... The mag article that Wayne kindly emailed had lots of good info too. They quoted something like cambelt service every 24k miles and that it required engine out - essentially a two or two and half day job. Scarey...

Seemingly the Citroen gearbox bits are hard to find, but the later cars had a Renault box (perish the thought).

This one is 4-pot turbo but dunno if its 2.0 or 2.2 liter. If it comes off as a project I'll post up some pics. The guy restoring it isn't the guy buying it - long story...

I managed to do the belt change on mine engine in, more than once, in under a day - but a dry sump turbo might need the engine out

PM me if you want any more specific help or the manual.

Also www.clublotus.co.uk

John

[pixsaudisex2]

but the later cars had a Renault box >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>..

These are one of the best gearboxes ever.........