Dead cylinder: My Lotus for sale | FerrariChat

Dead cylinder: My Lotus for sale

Discussion in 'British' started by thecarreaper, Apr 7, 2012.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    #1 thecarreaper, Apr 7, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    After changing fluids , filters, plugs and wires i could not get rid of the ignition miss this 1990 Esprit SE has at idle. We took the engine lid off and sent it to our shop to do the timing belt service and diagnose the miss. #3 cylinder has a burned valve.

    Car runs and drives, does NOT smoke, nor does it leak into the crankcase, so the bottom end seems solid. great oil pressure, runs cool, no check engine light.

    I paid $10700 at an auction through a licensed GA car dealer buddy of mine, car has a clean clear Title. i have about $13k in the car and want it gone as is. I will put on the engine lid and reinstall all the panels we took off. I dont have the time or energy to mess with a project as i am going to buy something else and go back to school part time.

    I will post an ad in Ferrari.ads, Ebay and both the Lotus message boards i am on.

    **Make offer**

    Michael zip code 31407
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  2. MITYRARE

    MITYRARE F1 Rookie

    May 21, 2008
    2,631
    Canada
    Full Name:
    Paul
    As an Esprit owner I think you are being very optimistic regarding price given the situation.


    beev
     
  3. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    What part of *make offer* do you not understand?
     
  4. full_garage

    full_garage Formula 3
    Owner

    Feb 15, 2010
    2,241
    Sarasota Florida
    Full Name:
    Jay
    Geez kind of uncalled for given the guy DID NOT NAME a price..no?

    Michael- I'm sure you'll move this and be done with it- but you kinda could see this one coming... For all our *****in about Fcars- The Lotus thing requires an entirely new understanding of the word "patience".
     
  5. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    91,703
    do you still have those black (green?) X180R wheels? those chrome ones don't float my boat.

    also, any other glaring faults on the car? electrical (duh, it's a Lotus), gearbox/clutch/flywheel, suspension/bushings/shocks, etc etc etc.

    and, any idea on parts availability?
     
  6. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 15, 2006
    28,633
    Phoenix
    Full Name:
    AG
    Uh oh, another car purchase?! :D
     
  7. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    91,703
    I'm a sucker for a green Lotus

    :eek:

    problem is I have nowhere to put it.
     
  8. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 15, 2006
    28,633
    Phoenix
    Full Name:
    AG
    I have a parking spot! :p
     
  9. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    What is wrong with you you guys?

    Make offer means just that. $2.00 , $8500, ??????

    I dont know or care what the market value is of the car. i have the 308 and the 911 so i want this car gone. Ill put it on Ebay no reserve if no one here or on the Lotus boards wants it. SJsports cars UK has all the parts needed, piston rings (while you are in there, change them) bearings, all engine gaskets, send the head off to a machine shop for valves and you are done. we estimate about $3000 parts and labor ( my price as i am affiliated with the shop).

    i just dont want the damn broken car.

    http://www.sjsportscars.co.uk/index.php?mod=9
     
  10. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    #10 thecarreaper, Apr 8, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    the car runs well, we think that cylinder is firing under load from the turbo, but at idle it has a miss.
    The gearbox feels great, I have tags and insurance on the car and have driven it some, but I did not want to hurt anything with the weird idle. I changed the oil as soon as the car was delivered, as well as the coolant in the engine and the charge cooler.

    I have a factory Lotus non airbag steering wheel for the car, the other set of 4 x180R wheels, some gaskets, a charge cooler pump rebuild kit, and the new drivers side door handle.

    Drivers side window does not work, nor does the left headlight. i think the switch needs to be cleaned for the window, and the headlight motor plastic gear needs to be replaced with a kit for a Firebird and it will work. car has spare, jack and tool kit. Georgia title is clear in my name.


    SJ Sports Cars (UK) and JAE in California have all the parts and gaskets.

    Oil pressure is great, temps stay nice and cool, car does not smoke nor is the check engine light on. Brakes and suspension feel fine.

    To properly fix it before something breaks will require a valve job.

    While the head is off its no big deal to drop the oil pan and replace the rings and rod bearings.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  11. finnerty

    finnerty F1 World Champ

    May 18, 2004
    10,406
    #11 finnerty, Apr 8, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2012
    Michael ---

    If you have any interest in selling that OEM steering wheel (non airbag) separately, please send me a PM :) It looks like the wheel you have mounted on the car now is one of the later (airbag) OEM ones for the V8 Esprit --- is that correct ???

    If so, I assume the non airbag wheel will also fit on the V8 cars ??? (I have an '03 V8 and am wondering whether it will fit my car).
     
  12. MITYRARE

    MITYRARE F1 Rookie

    May 21, 2008
    2,631
    Canada
    Full Name:
    Paul
     
  13. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    I have an adapter to use the non airbag wheel on an airbag car. we think the steering column is a Range Rover, as they changed the steering column completely in 1990 with the arrival of airbags. I dont know what wheel will fit the V8 cars, and to be honest i am going to keep everything as a package. its a very nice car, love the color, i just dont want any projects cars.
     
  14. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
     
  15. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    Car is $8500.00 firm.
     
  16. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 30, 2007
    91,703
    dammit, just bought another proejct car a few weeks ago, no time, money or space for this one....otherwise I'd be on it like stink on Ashwin.

    GLWS....I'm jealous :(
     
  17. whatspeedlimit?

    whatspeedlimit? Formula Junior

    Sep 27, 2007
    418
    Denver, Colorado
    I know it sounds too simple to help; but you should try using Seafoam. I had a burned valve in a 62 super 90 and we seafomed it like 3 times and that valve came loose and worked fine! We ended up rebuilding the engine because it had a bearing that was failing but it did seem to fix the problem.
     
  18. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    Thank you. But it failed compression and leakdown, so we feel its best to assume it needs rings and a valve job.

    I dont want the car anymore.
     
  19. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    Car is staying with the shop that did the inspection.

    Car is off the market awhile.
     
  20. dwhite

    dwhite F1 Rookie

    Remember what does "L-O-T-U-S" stand for. I love British cars, but they can give us grief. Good luck on whatever you decide to do with her.
     

Share This Page