new member

[EuropaTC]

I'm surprised at the tyre shop response, 5.5" wheels aren't outrageous and were an option for the later cars.  Was it the rims or the width of the tyre on the rim that was their problem ?  Anyway, it sounds as if it' sorted now and I must look on Youtube for a crazy guy with a funny car changing wheels in a car park !

The calipers look good to me in that picture, I'd certainly go for a rebuild first. 

When I'm doing that job I normally pull out the pads and use the brake hydraulics to start the pistons moving whilst the caliper is still connected.  You generally get one piston moving easily with the other one sticking so I lock the moving piston with bits of wood, etc, so all the force is applied to the stuck piston. If yours is definitely stuck, it might be the quickest way in the end.

Brian 

[rascott]

well..... one caliper has been "fitted" together with new seals and is back in place.
i will pretend it will work, and look inside the other.
brian- i did use the pedal to move things around. 'course, i was starting to flail away at it by that time, and am setting up to be more methodical, this time.
found that the pistons can meet in the middle, and not fall out. and be stuck like that for a while......

the tire deal was also odd in that they would not remove the old tires from my steel rims. i think they felt they had to put a tire back on, or it wouldn't work.
my wife saved me by delivering a jack, and bringing me lunch, and hauling away wheels.
haha strange.

[EuropaTC]

my wife saved me by delivering a jack, and bringing me lunch, and hauling away wheels.

Excellent, you've got a good lass there. Perhaps a bunch of flowers and next time she'll pop the new ones on as well ?   

[BDA]

the tire deal was also odd in that they would not remove the old tires from my steel rims. i think they felt they had to put the tire back on or it wouldn't work.

That does surprise me. I had assumed they were afraid to jack up a fiberglass car - which I can understand and appreciate. I think you need to find another tire shop next time.

[rascott]

bda- i was pleased to get what i got, but not with the other service(lack of).
did meet several interesting people, and discussed projects. one guy was a triumph nut, another was playing with mg... fun.
now i have to setup my tire machine, and finish the job- dispose of a bunch of dead tires, and end up with a good spare(on one of my steelies).

it seems that the calipers work o k.
found a nice piece of road to open things up a bit.
she gets up and goes!

addon 011015
i cannot find a torque value for those 3/8 lug nuts........ any suggestions?

[Roger]

Torque values for 3/8" UNF is 22 -27 ft/lbs. Per Lotus specification.

[jbcollier]

Strangely it actually doesn't specify a lug nut torque in the Europa workshop manuals or handbooks.  It's the same set up as a Triumph Herald/Spitfire/GT6.  Their specs vary from 42 to 48 ft/lbs.  On my Europa I use 45 ft/lbs which pretty much equals with how tight you can get them using one hand on the factory supplied, short, lug nut wrench.

[rascott]

Strangely it actually doesn't specify a lug nut torque in the Europa workshop manuals or handbooks.  It's the same set up as a Triumph Herald/Spitfire/GT6.  Their specs vary from 42 to 48 ft/lbs.  On my Europa I use 45 ft/lbs which pretty much equals with how tight you can get them using one hand on the factory supplied, short, lug nut wrench.

i saw the reference roger reported, and decided that couldn't be enough.
35 ft/lb didn't snap anything, and seemed safe for what i was doing, but still didn't quite "feel" right.
thanks for the triumph and personal information.
richard

[rascott]

hmmm.....
i was pleased to see my speedo cable turning merrily along, on my initial test runs.
there was almost no cable sticking out of the instrument end of the housing, and it seemed too short to engage the mechanism.
now it doesn't turn anymore........
any tips on how that little gearbox thing on the transmission can be tested for function?
i pulled the cable out(it seems o k), and stuck a screwdriver in, to see if the drive would just spin.
it still seems to be connected to something.
i have tried translating the workshop manual.
where would be a good place for a speed sensor- output shaft of trans? may need to stop cutting bait, and try an electric speedo...
both my tachometer and speedometer look like they failed a submersion test, but appear to work.
thoughts?
richard

[BDA]

Is it a new cable? IIRC, the cable sticks out from the attachment nut a little. Are you sure it's not broken? Did you lube it? If you can find something like a screwdriver with a blade about as wide as the diagonal distance of the square end of the cable, you might be able to tell if the speedo gear is stripped. When mine stripped, I was only able to get third and fourth gear. I would expect a similar collateral issue if yours is stripped. You may have to take off the end cover to inspect it..

[jbcollier]

Jack up the rear end, support on jack stands, stick a small flat screwdriver into the speedodrive and spin the wheels.

[rascott]

Jack up the rear end, support on jack stands, stick a small flat screwdriver into the speedodrive and spin the wheels.

i took this approach, as you and bda indicated, and get no response.
i have not lubed the cable, but it seems to rotate freely, and seemed happy just sticking thru the "fascia", until it stopped being happy....
that unit seems to plug into the transmission thru some nylon looking bush- mabe held in by a set bolt in the case(i see only two fasteners that seem involved).
i understand there may be some plastic pieces in that drive?
can it be removed, hole plugged, and used without destroying anything, while i examine the alternatives.........?
except for leaking final drive seals, the transmission seems fine.
richard

[BDA]

The speedo gear in the tranny is nylon and as I alluded, they do strip. If there is no apparent movement when you turn the wheels, it seems likely that that gear is stripped. I think it is time to open the end cover and see what's going on. That nylon has to go somewhere and you don't want it to get in your gears and synchros, etc. If it is stripped, you can just take the gear out and plug the hole and then it's time for an electronic speedo or a GPS speedo. Here is a link to some discussions about that.

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=1252.msg10924;topicseen#msg10924

If you go the electronic hall-effect route, you need to find something spinning with bumps to trigger the sensor. I have Richard's twin link rear suspension and the CV joint was a good place to glue magnets (magnets are better than just a steel or iron protrusion, but both are good). You need as many triggers as possible. The three I was able to glue on my CV joint was enough but it was on the low range. Basically, the more the merrier. I'm not saying there isn't a good place for the sensor to measure the rpm on a stock setup, but it seems that everything you might use to trigger the sensor is covered by a plate of one kind or another. If you find that too, it's time to trigger it via a GPS antenna.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

[rascott]

seems the drive unit seized up......
probably could have saved it if i had looked at this when it was still functioning......
it came out easy enough.
i hear replacements are hard to find, and i suppose the gear in the transmission is nylon also?
that would be a shame.......

i have some parts coming, that may become a speed sensor, and a instrument to hook it to.
richard

[BDA]

That gear doesn't look like it's nylon! The gear looks ok. Maybe it's just the light.

The gear that it meshes with in the tranny is steel. As far as I know, there is no replacement for them. You might try Alpine-America (http://www.alpine-america.qc.ca/), but I wouldn't hold my breath.