Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: SKlein on Sunday,June 30, 2024, 03:07:23 PM
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Hey All-
Anybody have trouble removing the splined spacer rings from the output shafts (inboard of the finned nut/seal)? These are the spacers that support the o-ring seal. I've heard the spacers are a tight fit on the splines, but nobody on the forum has complained about it in their posts. Mine may have been Loctited. I tried wrapping channellock plier jaws with tape to avoid chafing, but couldn't get a grip on the spacer. If I can budge it a little, I can wrap a length of thin wire behind it & pull, maybe. A clever solution would be highly appreciated.
Thanks
SKlein
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Sorry I don't have a 352 or even a clever idea to get your spacers out. I tried to find your part in the parts manual. Did I get the right page (http://lotus-europa.com/manuals/tcparts/f/tcfm.pdf)?
Anyway, :Welcome: SKlein!!!
While you're flummoxed by your current situation, maybe you could tell us a little about your baby, what your plans are, etc...
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I use a couple of small screwdrivers and pried it up. Just popped off. DO NOT MAR THE SEALING SURFACE. These pieces are actually tough to find.
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As JB said don't mar the spacers. If all else fails unscrew the finned nut?
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Are you just replacing seals and O-rings, or gutting the whole transmission?
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Just replacing the seals. I have the finned nut off & shims out, & still can't get a grip on or behind the spacer. I do have one genius solution though: Wait until the gearbox has to come apart....
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Yup, it's really easy if you start removing the ring gear and etc.
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Per BDA, here's some info on the car (I tried to attach pictures but the file sizes are too big):
Previously owned by a premier twit who did minimal if any mechanical work & was pretty good at butchering electrics & anything else he did touch. He did have the engine rebuilt. It has a substantial oil leak from under the head & a possible bent intake camshaft that makes the alternator drive pulley wobble. It was minimally driveable when I bought it 2 years ago but too risky to drive home 25 miles. The intention is make her work properly (Phase 1) & then do upgrades (Phase 2)
First up I went thru electrics replacing bad lights, bad wires, switches & contacts, adding heavier gauge wires, grounds, & relays for horn, fan, headlights, & windows; Stripped, repaired, & sealed the gas tanks; Rebuilt the front suspension & steering with new wheel bearings & seals. 2 new wishbone fulcrum pins, tie rod ends, ball joints, shocks/springs, trunnion rebuilds, new metalastic bushings, & steering rack gators (most of the rubber was torn or rotten); Cleaned out the mouse nest that packed the inside of the tunnel (Yeeecchhhh); A friend re-veneered the dash & the upholstery is now a nice two-tone black with tan inserts in the door pockets, seat centers, & tunnel cover. I'm now finishing up rebuilding the rear end with new shocks/springs, radius arm mounts, u-joints, hub bearings, & brake parts; straightened a few bent things; Bought a set of 6x15 Minilite wheels.; Fixed a lot of other miscellaneous stuff. You can probably imagine that none of this was the least bit easy, but the best part is I have absolutely no buyer's remorse. It's way challenging & satisfying. A big shout-out to Dave Bean Engineering & RD Enterprises for their help with everything.
I used to have a '63 Mini-Cooper & a Donkervoort version of a Lotus 7. Some fun & depressing stories there. I should probably list my current & past vehicular acquaintances on my profile.
Carry On,
Steve
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Your journey is not that uncommon. For some reason, people, especially people who don't know what they're doing (I'm not sure that I can't count myself in that but so far, my car works - including the electrical system!) love to mess with the electrical system. As for mouse nests, they come standard with long neglected Europas.
I'm sure I speak for everybody when I say we'd love to see pictures as you rebuild your baby! Here are two ways of sizing your pictures:
https://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1379.msg12166#msg12166
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_55eg00H-w
If you have a Mac, it has a snipping tool also and there are youtube videos on using it too.
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If you are chasing leaks, then you want to change the o-rings behind the spacer/seal runs for sure. One screwdriver on either side should do the trick.
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JBCollier was right - 2 screwdrivers popped the spacer loose. Thanks JB! I was otherwise afraid to try that. The right size screwdriver mattered. Hopefully it'll work on the other side...
-sk