Discussion
Hi All
As part of my quest to learn more about and look after my toy elise I have now got a copy of the workshop service manual.
Last weekend was spent fixing windows ( again - this time better... and adjusting niggles like the wiper! ) but for my next trick I am going to follow the instructions and change the oil and filter ( needs doing ) - easy I know, but I am a new to this.
What I want to know is - does anyone else use car ramps on their elise? Is reversing up them a problem? Does the front hit the floor ( I reckon my ride height is 110mm ) etc??
I am very wary about this - as you could very easily do a lot of damage??? Would it be better to jack up and prop the wheels with some chunky timer ( I have lots due to DIY )???
After this I'm going for Geary's Short Shift and gearlinkage kits - so I'll need ramps there too!
Then maybe brake pads??
Please Advise??
As part of my quest to learn more about and look after my toy elise I have now got a copy of the workshop service manual.
Last weekend was spent fixing windows ( again - this time better... and adjusting niggles like the wiper! ) but for my next trick I am going to follow the instructions and change the oil and filter ( needs doing ) - easy I know, but I am a new to this.
What I want to know is - does anyone else use car ramps on their elise? Is reversing up them a problem? Does the front hit the floor ( I reckon my ride height is 110mm ) etc??
I am very wary about this - as you could very easily do a lot of damage??? Would it be better to jack up and prop the wheels with some chunky timer ( I have lots due to DIY )???
After this I'm going for Geary's Short Shift and gearlinkage kits - so I'll need ramps there too!
Then maybe brake pads??
Please Advise??
Tom,
Using ramps may not be the best way to change the oil as having the car at an angle may well stop all the oil coming out. You're probably best off getting the undertray off and just working lying on the ground to get the sump plug out. IIRC you should be able to get at the filter from above??
Alternatively, jack up one side of the car, loosen the sump plugby a turn then then lower the car over your catch pan, remove the sump plug when the car is level - make brew while it's draining.
If you want a hand, let me know as I'm only down the road.
for wanting to get your hands dirty!
Using ramps may not be the best way to change the oil as having the car at an angle may well stop all the oil coming out. You're probably best off getting the undertray off and just working lying on the ground to get the sump plug out. IIRC you should be able to get at the filter from above??
Alternatively, jack up one side of the car, loosen the sump plugby a turn then then lower the car over your catch pan, remove the sump plug when the car is level - make brew while it's draining.
If you want a hand, let me know as I'm only down the road.
for wanting to get your hands dirty!I did this a couple of weeks back using ramps. I didn't get the full angle effect as I kept the front wheels on a higher level (front wheels in the garage, rear on ramps on the drive) but, given that the sump plug is at the 'front' of the engine I can't see a big problem. I'm sure others will correct me if I'm wrong!
The oil filter is easy to get at from underneath - you need bloody long arms to reach it from above.
Edited to add that changing the brake pads is straightforward. Can someone point to an on-line guide? I'm sure there's one available.
>> Edited by thub on Tuesday 13th April 13:31
>> Edited by thub on Tuesday 13th April 13:40
>> Edited by thub on Tuesday 13th April 13:47
The oil filter is easy to get at from underneath - you need bloody long arms to reach it from above.
Edited to add that changing the brake pads is straightforward. Can someone point to an on-line guide? I'm sure there's one available.
>> Edited by thub on Tuesday 13th April 13:31
>> Edited by thub on Tuesday 13th April 13:40
>> Edited by thub on Tuesday 13th April 13:47
Cheers Cuzza,
yeah I know you are close by - and thanks for the offer, I may take you up on it!!
OK, so what I now need to know is.....
How easy is it to get the undertray off/on again - without lifting the car??
And can you easily reach the sump plug in the same situaton??
As for reaching the oil filter, I can see it behind the big black thing attached to the head( throttle body I think! ) but I would not be confident of removing it without having to lean heavily on the rear clam?? I'll see if I can get my mits on it as a test this evening?
Anyone got recommendations for oils and filters to use here??
Edit - ah Mr Thub, thats closed to what I expected to have to do..... so, do you have any problems using ramps?? I guess not...
>> Edited by tom_burnley on Tuesday 13th April 13:39
yeah I know you are close by - and thanks for the offer, I may take you up on it!!
OK, so what I now need to know is.....
How easy is it to get the undertray off/on again - without lifting the car??
And can you easily reach the sump plug in the same situaton??
As for reaching the oil filter, I can see it behind the big black thing attached to the head( throttle body I think! ) but I would not be confident of removing it without having to lean heavily on the rear clam?? I'll see if I can get my mits on it as a test this evening?
Anyone got recommendations for oils and filters to use here??
Edit - ah Mr Thub, thats closed to what I expected to have to do..... so, do you have any problems using ramps?? I guess not...
>> Edited by tom_burnley on Tuesday 13th April 13:39
Tom,
Oil - Halfords have a 2 for 1 offer on their 5W-40 fully synthetic at the moment. You'll only need 4.5 li to do an oil and filter change so you'll have enough to do 2 changes! (£29.99 I think)
Filter - standard filter from your local MG Rover garage - £5.14 iirc.
Tray - a little fiddly to put back on but it can be done with the car on the ground.
Ramps - no issue except I'd have preferred if mine were wider. They're not designed for 225 section tyres.
Not sure about nose ground clearance though. My S1 is on S2 suspension but I kept the front wheels higher than the ramp base.
Oil - Halfords have a 2 for 1 offer on their 5W-40 fully synthetic at the moment. You'll only need 4.5 li to do an oil and filter change so you'll have enough to do 2 changes! (£29.99 I think)
Filter - standard filter from your local MG Rover garage - £5.14 iirc.
Tray - a little fiddly to put back on but it can be done with the car on the ground.
Ramps - no issue except I'd have preferred if mine were wider. They're not designed for 225 section tyres.
Not sure about nose ground clearance though. My S1 is on S2 suspension but I kept the front wheels higher than the ramp base.
thub said:
The oil filter is easy to get at from underneath - you need bloody long arms to reach it from above.
:mrticklesmiley:
I use Magnatec in mine and the filter can be obtained from MGRover or Halfords will do one.
If you're going to do the pads then ramps won't be much use as you need to take the wheels off!! The only only complex bit looks like screwing the rear piston back in which needs a special tool (or a lot of swearing) I believe www.eliseparts.com do one.
The gear linkage kit will requre ramps too especially as you need to have an assistant in the car at one point in procedings and that's not very safe on a jack
Doesn't look too bad to me 
Drive on ramps are prefect for oil changes / anything requiring undertray off antics . . . but you DO have to be carefull you don't reverse too far . . . although how some people manage that I'll never know . . . I must have put elises on and off ramps easily 200+ times, never had a problem.
The sump plug is at the front of the sump so you actually get more oil out when on ramps.
Ramps are far safer than axle stands IMHO, and far safer to get the car on and off of them too . . .
With a ride height of 110 you shouldn't have a problem with the front part of the car grounding, I don't with my car.
Almost anything on the car apart from brake pad changes requires the undertray off, and you don't want to be trying that without being able to crawl under the car . . .
Fd
The sump plug is at the front of the sump so you actually get more oil out when on ramps.
Ramps are far safer than axle stands IMHO, and far safer to get the car on and off of them too . . .
With a ride height of 110 you shouldn't have a problem with the front part of the car grounding, I don't with my car.
Almost anything on the car apart from brake pad changes requires the undertray off, and you don't want to be trying that without being able to crawl under the car . . .
Fd
It's good to read this thread because I have always carried out minor (and sometimes major) maintenance on my cars. I've changed clutches, gearboxes, driveshafts, cam belts and turbos in my time,not to mention whole engines, so oil changes, plugs, brake pads, discs, etc are fairly straightforward.
So I had been wondering to what degree owners carried out this sort of work, which is minor in nature and time, but well worth the inconvenience, not to mention the cost saving of not puting a car in for service, unless it's to maintain 'history'.
So I had been wondering to what degree owners carried out this sort of work, which is minor in nature and time, but well worth the inconvenience, not to mention the cost saving of not puting a car in for service, unless it's to maintain 'history'.
- - - one day cuzza, one dayTootler said:
So I had been wondering to what degree owners carried out this sort of work, which is minor in nature and time, but well worth the inconvenience, not to mention the cost saving of not puting a car in for service, unless it's to maintain 'history'.
Many people are not mechanically inclined so don't.
Many of the rest think 'oooh it's a lotus I can't touch that' so don't.
The test of us (I suspect a very small minority) realise it's a very simple wee car both to work on and technically, and save ourselves a fortune . . .
Fd
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