Ive done a lot of engine / transmissions install etc over the year, and have found on "projects" if something fights me I STOP and sleep on it. A fresh look at things with a clear head most times eliminates errors. Good luck!
Thanks for the comments! While filming this I stepped away and called my son, who is a legit mechanic who shared some advice and calmed my nerves allowing for the break I badly needed.
Lotus, especially the Esprit are exotics. They take a lot of finesse when working on them. Even a very good mechanic who is not experienced working on exotics will do bad things to an Esprit. Buy good parts, read the forums. Pull the engine, it makes working on the engine and transmission much easier and you will have to pull the fuel tanks anyway.
If you have two or more jobs to do on an engine take it out. You have the benefit of the space and can do a lot of engine bay work with it removed. Plus it looks like it will need a rebore anyways. Loving the series. Edit to add, just watched the last couple of minutes. Good decision.
Ouch! You were correct when you said to not watch as the pry bars were being wielded. I kept screaming that you have to remove the exhaust manifold! Aluminum engine blocks and heads definitely don't fare well with prying. It looks like you found in cylinder #4 what was deadlocking the crankshaft rotation. Do you have any idea from where those broken up metal bits came? Are they aluminum or steel? It will be interesting to see if there is damage to the head, valves and the piston crown from them. It also looks like the sleeve in cylinder #4 is badly rusted too so you are probably looking at a full and not inexpensive engine rebuild now. So sorry to see all of this but what you are gong through is pretty typical for a car that has been sitting. At least you figured out why this Esprit had stopped being driven.
After two full days of trying to remove the head I was not in a good place when I pulled the pry bar out and really regretted it later, I'm so lucky not much damage was done. I knew better but at the time I just couldn't figure it out. The metal that came from the cylinder head must be iron because it's attractive to magnets. I can't figure out where it came from, no clue. Also, you're right. I think I'm looking at a full rebuild. Was hoping for a running project but now it's looking like a long build!
I admire your honesty & hopefully the damage isn’t to bad, it might be needing welding up before machining it just depends on how deep the marks are, a good machine shop will know & all the best with your project 👍
I owned a 78 S1 Esprit for about 10 years (sold 11 years ago). Didi nearly all the work myself. A few recommendations after you get your engine work complete. Have the exhaust manifold and exhaust down pipes jet hot coated. Also add some type of heat shied for the engine mount below the exhaust manifold, they crisp up quickly. I also recommend the air injector plugs as well. A bit better flow as the injectors are in the exhaust gas flow and less "stuff" in the way. I also have a machine readable copy of the shop manual if you want it. FYI, I had my engine professionally rebuilt, your confidence level may be a bit higher than mine. If you need to remove the engine... I lowered it with the trans attached then, raised the car for complete clearance. Best of luck.
Hey, cant blame you for skipping steps from manual. Last spring i swapped AC compressor on my dads CRV. Everything went smooth until i realized there is no way to remove compressor from engine bay. Manual said i need to lower the engine by unscrewing engine mounts using jacks etc .. and almost started doing it. At the end all i did was slightly lifted radiator fan and got enough clearance.
After you're finished rebuilding the engine, please don't use those gawd-awful Stromberg carbs (I never impressed by them during my British car days). Please ante up and put on a nice set of Webers, Mikunis or Solex carbs. Along with those get the euro-style headers so you don't have to mess with the air injector plugs.
OK! ..Now that I know your serious, I Subbed! ..Im' watching your JPS buy..The first thing you have to know about Lotus, is that they often used whatever parts were on their shelves, when they built each car!! You will never know what you have, until you dissassemble it!. The second is, No matter "what" your "nerd brain" tells you, DISSASSEMBLE EVERYTHING! ..They really aren't that hard to work on! ..😁👍🗽🇺🇸
Ive done a lot of engine / transmissions install etc over the year, and have found on "projects" if something fights me I STOP and sleep on it. A fresh look at things with a clear head most times eliminates errors. Good luck!
Thanks for the comments! While filming this I stepped away and called my son, who is a legit mechanic who shared some advice and calmed my nerves allowing for the break I badly needed.
Lotus, especially the Esprit are exotics. They take a lot of finesse when working on them. Even a very good mechanic who is not experienced working on exotics will do bad things to an Esprit. Buy good parts, read the forums. Pull the engine, it makes working on the engine and transmission much easier and you will have to pull the fuel tanks anyway.
Yes, they are! Plan on doing all of the above with care 😊
If you have two or more jobs to do on an engine take it out. You have the benefit of the space and can do a lot of engine bay work with it removed. Plus it looks like it will need a rebore anyways.
Loving the series.
Edit to add, just watched the last couple of minutes. Good decision.
Thanks so much for the comment and yes we're looking at a long build. Oh well 😅 at least I should have a fairly sounds engine by the time I'm done.
At least you had the bottle to admit to making an error. The bloke who never made a mistake is the bloke who never did anything
Thanks! I was so tempted to cut out some of the embarrassing parts but decided to leave it, I really want to be transparent during the process.
I owned an '86 Esprit.... did all my own work too. So I feel your pain because everything on that car was galactically impossible to work on!!!
It's starting to seem like that! It's also a challenge, and that I'm up for!😅
Ouch! You were correct when you said to not watch as the pry bars were being wielded. I kept screaming that you have to remove the exhaust manifold! Aluminum engine blocks and heads definitely don't fare well with prying.
It looks like you found in cylinder #4 what was deadlocking the crankshaft rotation. Do you have any idea from where those broken up metal bits came? Are they aluminum or steel? It will be interesting to see if there is damage to the head, valves and the piston crown from them. It also looks like the sleeve in cylinder #4 is badly rusted too so you are probably looking at a full and not inexpensive engine rebuild now. So sorry to see all of this but what you are gong through is pretty typical for a car that has been sitting. At least you figured out why this Esprit had stopped being driven.
After two full days of trying to remove the head I was not in a good place when I pulled the pry bar out and really regretted it later, I'm so lucky not much damage was done. I knew better but at the time I just couldn't figure it out. The metal that came from the cylinder head must be iron because it's attractive to magnets. I can't figure out where it came from, no clue. Also, you're right. I think I'm looking at a full rebuild. Was hoping for a running project but now it's looking like a long build!
I admire your honesty & hopefully the damage isn’t to bad, it might be needing welding up before machining it just depends on how deep the marks are, a good machine shop will know & all the best with your project 👍
Fingers crossed!
I owned a 78 S1 Esprit for about 10 years (sold 11 years ago). Didi nearly all the work myself. A few recommendations after you get your engine work complete. Have the exhaust manifold and exhaust down pipes jet hot coated. Also add some type of heat shied for the engine mount below the exhaust manifold, they crisp up quickly. I also recommend the air injector plugs as well. A bit better flow as the injectors are in the exhaust gas flow and less "stuff" in the way. I also have a machine readable copy of the shop manual if you want it. FYI, I had my engine professionally rebuilt, your confidence level may be a bit higher than mine. If you need to remove the engine... I lowered it with the trans attached then, raised the car for complete clearance. Best of luck.
@@Type36Lotus thanks for the comments! Question, what are the "air injector plugs" that you refer to, is it part of the smog system?
Ooof, man, I'm sorry. We've all been there. Good on you for owning it and now all that's left is to keep moving forward and fix it.
@@PlaysWithCars thanks! Onward and upward! 👆
Hey, cant blame you for skipping steps from manual. Last spring i swapped AC compressor on my dads CRV. Everything went smooth until i realized there is no way to remove compressor from engine bay. Manual said i need to lower the engine by unscrewing engine mounts using jacks etc .. and almost started doing it. At the end all i did was slightly lifted radiator fan and got enough clearance.
This is awesome!!!! Keep up the great work!!
Thank you ❤
This is really the type of work for a cautious, precision type of person…
Get into the automotive Zen. Good luck with your project.
Thanks 😃
Oh nooo not a crowbar, at least ya know ya made a mistake 👍
I know, what was I thinking!
After you're finished rebuilding the engine, please don't use those gawd-awful Stromberg carbs (I never impressed by them during my British car days). Please ante up and put on a nice set of Webers, Mikunis or Solex carbs. Along with those get the euro-style headers so you don't have to mess with the air injector plugs.
@@soonerlon heck yeah 👍
OK! ..Now that I know your serious, I Subbed! ..Im' watching your JPS buy..The first thing you have to know about Lotus, is that they often used whatever parts were on their shelves, when they built each car!! You will never know what you have, until you dissassemble it!. The second is, No matter "what" your "nerd brain" tells you, DISSASSEMBLE EVERYTHING! ..They really aren't that hard to work on! ..😁👍🗽🇺🇸
So true, I feel like I keep learning that lesson over and over again 😅 cheers and that's for the sub!
Jae in California had the air injector pump plugs that go in the head considering you broke one.
Thanks! I need to check their inventory, I've heard of Jae but haven't ordered anything from them yet.
@@BeeWildered They are the Esprit experts. Dave Bean Engineering is the official part source for older Lotus cars.
Just pull the entire engine nd trns out - it would hve lredy sved you hours
So true! Silly me thought I'd have it running before the end of summer, oh well.
Good excuse to stick a V8 in it! ;)
Oh no 😂 the LS swap. Probably not this time. I'd be lying if I told you it hadn't crossed my mind.
@@BeeWildered there’s this red S3 esprit with an Audi V8… but a tiny bit more work than fixing the Lotus engine
🥝✔️