Twin Cam Special 2267P

[andy harwood]

Could you use a C clamp and a small socket, press it out? the top hat bushings really help if yours are worn. You also may be able to tighten the shoulder bolt at the bottom of the shifter lever, which would tighten up a bit on the plastic bushings.

[BDA]

Sorry, I was so wrapped up in your getting access to the front of your linkage, I didn't remember what your real problem was! I like Andy's idea. If that doesn't work you could maybe make a press by bending a piece of steel to go around the u-joint and and a nut. You could screw a bolt through the nut to push out the pin. I probably didn't explain it very well, but the idea is to make something that works like the picture I've attached.

[SilverBeast]

Thanks to you both.

The c clamp and socket probably has the best chance of success,  because of the (lack of) access issue.

No need to apologise BDA. I actually have a wiper remover (somewhere), and a ball joint separator that is similar in design. That may work with a piece of flat steel between the forks and a socket around the pin.

I'll try and remember to take photo's. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has had this issue!

[4129R]

When roll pins go bell shaped, I use a small battery powered angle grinder to flatten them to remove the flare, and then a very small diameter drift to push them through.

If necessary renew the roll pin. They are not expensive.

[andy harwood]

The C clamp/socket idea was the first thing I thought of. Usually, I'll draw blood with my first idea - so be wary...   There is a modification wrote up - somewhere - that uses a 1/4 inch, or maybe a 5/16 inch bolt in place of the pin. also the bracket that slips over the selector shaft is cut, so the bolt gives some clamping force. Supposedly some selector shafts have the hole enlarged from play in the joint. I don't know. This modification had been done to my TCS when I purchased it.

[SilverBeast]

So I worked out why my wheel nuts were stripping. The replacement I got from Lotus supplies have about 5mm more thread as the sleeve is longer into the wheel.

The ones I got from Ebay, that were supposed to have a 3mm washer with 15mm of sleeve after the washer (seemed ideal for the 16mm thick wheel) actually came with a 2.7mm washer and stuck out by between 16.3 and 16.6mm! 

The washers from the original nuts are thicker and I have been able to use these. The Ebay seller called me and he has sent me a set of 6.2mm washers from the wheel nuts for Dunlop D1 wheels they sell.

I had to clean up the studs, using a 3/8 tapping die with just my fingers as they haven't had wheel nuts fitted almost to the bottom of the thread before.

Finally finished fitting them tonight. Rear drums don't have the countersunk screws fitted, but the wheels will hold them on anyway!

The left front wheel rocks a couple of mm when gripped top and bottom, but not side to side. I'm assuming wheel bearing as I can't see any movement in the trunnion or top ball joint. I understand this is a tapered bearing, can it possibly just be tightened?

So I took it for a quick (slow really the roads are 20mph in the immediate area) test drive and now the speedo doesn't work! I've obviously been playing gynacologist in the chassis backbone while trying to sort out gear lever bushes (a job for another day when I finally get the rear roll pin out) and I've also replaced all the dim backlight bulbs with green LED's. It doesn't feel like the cable is detached at either end and I'm hoping it's just the Longer LED bulb is interfering with the speedo mechanism (thought of this after I came in of course). Does anyone know if this is possible? Hoping it's not a stripped plastic speedo drive in the gearbox.

Reminds me of when I had my mini!

[BDA]

The countersunk screws should be available at a hardware store.

The front wheel bearings are two tapered roller bearings so yes, it's probably a matter of tightening the nut on the stub axle. Take out the cotter pin and slowly tighten the nut while you turn the wheel. Some use a torque wrench (beam type works well here but is not necessary) and don't tighten the nut more than about ten ft-lbs. You will feel the wheel become harder to turn. Loosen the nut (still turning the wheel) until the wheel spins freely. install the cotter pin at the first opportunity after it spins freely.

I installed LEDs fo all my gauges and apparently the LED in my oil temp gauge was long enough to interfere with the needle so I just pulled it out a little bit. I doubt it stripped the speedo gears in the tranny. The shards of plastic would cause havoc with your tranny (ask me how I know).

[SilverBeast]

Good news.  I pulled the Bulb out a bit, fiddled with connection for the speedo cable on the back of the guage and the cable routing, wiggled the connection into the gearbox and cut the cable ties I had used to attach it to the choke cable sunset the armrest to lift it off the handbrake cable.

Don't know which it was but it works again - for now!

[BDA]

I don't think any of those things would fix your speedo not registering problem.

I don't have a speedo cable so what I could be way off (and if I am, hopefully someone will straighten me out). I think it might be that your speedo cable is broken. If you pull on the cable on one end and somebody else watches the other end for movement. If there isn't any, then it's busted. If it's not broken, I would lube your speedo cable. I don't remember what people use for that but I think it they use tranny oil. Try to squirt some into the cable sheath at the speedo end (maybe a quarter cup). Some other lube or quantity might be more appropriate but I don't think this will hurt you.

[SilverBeast]

Yeah,  that seems likely.  I'll probably leave it for now while it's working though,  I've enough other stuff to do on it at the moment. I'll definitely make sure I lubricate it when I replace it.

[SilverBeast]

I've been to work in the Europa a few times recently (only about 10 minutes/3miles).  I was working on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago when it was hot  (for the UK about 26°C). When I went home at lunch time the engine temperature got past the mark between 90 and 130. Same again on the way back and on the way home. Engine fan was turned on all the time for the last two journeys (manually as the otter switch is disconnected) .

There were no issues with running, just getting hot. I haven't driven the car since as I'm finally going to fit the aluminium radiator and cooling fan I bought last year!

When I got the car the heater wasn't working.  The outlet from the heater valve was completely plugged with white deposits. I cleared it out by hand using a drill bit and it's been fine since.

My question is should I flush the cooling system with a proprietary flushing agent before I remove the old radiator? (If so any UK recommendations?) I am worried I may loosen deposits that may get trapped in the engine. I will of course be running water from a hose through the system to flush it through before putting everything back together. I'll probably flush the chassis tubes by themselves from both ends, as well as the heater tubes and radiator. I'll also be removing the thermostat housing to check for deposits in there while I'm at it.

Thanks in advance.

[4129R]

I spent about half an hour today straightening the matrix of the metal fins of a radiator where they were flattened on the face.

I suggest you have a look at the radiator itself to make sure air is passing through it properly, the fins are not flattened, and the gap between the fins is not full of dirt.

If the fan is working, the pump is pumping the coolant around properly, the system is full, and air is passing through the rad properly, the system should not be overheating.

Also make sure the fan is rotating the correct way and blowing, not sucking.

[SilverBeast]

The fan is blowing the "right" way.  The ill check the fins when I swap the radiator. I'll also check the between the radiator and the grill in the wheelarch. It needs derusting and painting anyway. I'm half hoping they are blocked anyway as that would explain the overheating. I'll also check the thermostat.

[SilverBeast]

I was taking some photos and measurements of the side indicator for Chuck Nukem and realised that the Spare Wheel is a long way across the car, towards the radiator.  The air compressor for the Air Horns is mounted to the front of the inner wheel arch and stops the wheel moving further towards the passenger side (UK car).  I noticed in the workshop manual it shows the air horns mounted on the floor of this compartment on the radiator side.

Question: Is the spare wheel usually further across from the radiator, and is it likely to be impeding air flow enough to cause my overheating?

I do still need to check the actual temperatures with my infra-red thermometer too - on dull black surface or hose for best results.

I will still be changing the radiator/fan in the near future.

[BDA]

On my TCS, the spare is held in place in front of the driver (passenger for you Brits) with a long bolt with a big washer that goes through the center of the wheel (Lotus Brand) and screws into a threaded bobbin in the floor of the front of the car. So it is on the other side from the radiator so it will not impede airflow to the radiator at all.

I would take temps all over the place - just in front of both hose bibs on the radiator, the thermostat housing, transfer tubes, etc. Emissivity will affect your readings, flat black giving the best readings. For more about that see here: https://ennologic.com/emissivity-infrared-thermometer-readings/

Another point is that distance from the "target" makes a difference. The documentation for your thermometer should tell you about that.