V8 OBII dates & the old leaky liner question again
Discussion
I've been considering coming out of Esprit retirement, it's been 11 yrs since I let my last SE go, and I kind of miss the ups and downs of Esprit ownership...
I've been looking at V8, and I'm a bit torn between going for a late model (paying more, but expecting less trouble) or a early 96/97 V8 (paying less, but expecting to layout more in getting up to scratch). Currently I like the more modern feel of the later interior, but at the same time it does feel to be a bit less Esprit'ish. Since I plan to make this purchase a 'keeper' age, long term, will be come less of an issue....
Anyway... back to the point of this posting:
V8 OBII: I've seen reference to OBII only being supported on V8's, manufactured 1997 onwards. Anyone have any information on when in 1997 the change occurred and/or vin number? When visually inspecting the ECU is there any way to tell which one is fitted. What was fitted pre 97? Can a pre 97 be upgraded to a later ECU. Is it just the code running on the ECU that changed to make it OBII compliant or was it also a hardware change?
V8 Liners: I've read the stuff on LEW and various posts here, one question occurred to me. Since Lotus did not post the Service Bulletin until June 2000 (after extensive testing), is the advice "only buy a V8 that has had the rebuild done" still valid if it was done before 2000? Or is it ok if it was done in-house by Lotus, but maybe not if done elsewhere? A 96 had four years to fail and be fixed before the full fix was know.
Since the car is going to be a keeper I guess I'm going to be facing a engine rebuild at sometime sooner or later (it would not be a Lotus if it didn't have this kind of fun..). But I would like to try and make it later rather than sooner.
Anyway that's just a few of the questions I've been pondering on over the possible purchase. I'm trying to work out the technical pro and cons of early v late V8 before I go and sit in an Esprit again and get all emotional... same as I did when I drove my first one back in 82...
Roger
I've been looking at V8, and I'm a bit torn between going for a late model (paying more, but expecting less trouble) or a early 96/97 V8 (paying less, but expecting to layout more in getting up to scratch). Currently I like the more modern feel of the later interior, but at the same time it does feel to be a bit less Esprit'ish. Since I plan to make this purchase a 'keeper' age, long term, will be come less of an issue....
Anyway... back to the point of this posting:
V8 OBII: I've seen reference to OBII only being supported on V8's, manufactured 1997 onwards. Anyone have any information on when in 1997 the change occurred and/or vin number? When visually inspecting the ECU is there any way to tell which one is fitted. What was fitted pre 97? Can a pre 97 be upgraded to a later ECU. Is it just the code running on the ECU that changed to make it OBII compliant or was it also a hardware change?
V8 Liners: I've read the stuff on LEW and various posts here, one question occurred to me. Since Lotus did not post the Service Bulletin until June 2000 (after extensive testing), is the advice "only buy a V8 that has had the rebuild done" still valid if it was done before 2000? Or is it ok if it was done in-house by Lotus, but maybe not if done elsewhere? A 96 had four years to fail and be fixed before the full fix was know.
Since the car is going to be a keeper I guess I'm going to be facing a engine rebuild at sometime sooner or later (it would not be a Lotus if it didn't have this kind of fun..). But I would like to try and make it later rather than sooner.
Anyway that's just a few of the questions I've been pondering on over the possible purchase. I'm trying to work out the technical pro and cons of early v late V8 before I go and sit in an Esprit again and get all emotional... same as I did when I drove my first one back in 82...
Roger
Can't answer the question about OBDII sorry. Works fine on my 98. I know Jonathan (quiksilver) has it working on his 97.
Regarding liners - i suppose your safest option is to go for something that's had a rebuild post june2000. If the rebuild is pre-2000 maybe check the invoice for the work and see its hylomar or loctite that was used? That said, there are a lot of pre-2000 v8s out there that have never had any problems.. we only get to hear about the ones that have.
Good luck with your search
Regarding liners - i suppose your safest option is to go for something that's had a rebuild post june2000. If the rebuild is pre-2000 maybe check the invoice for the work and see its hylomar or loctite that was used? That said, there are a lot of pre-2000 v8s out there that have never had any problems.. we only get to hear about the ones that have.
Good luck with your search
Hmmm only thing I can think of about the OBDII is the connector type - I shall check tonight on my manual thing. As rob says I run it on a '97 V8 (ISO) and it works fine (apart from software glitches).
Liners, got a section on my webby about it if you haven't had a read, it might help you decide.
www.jonathanedwards.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/esprit/esprit.htm (Mods/Maint -> maintenance)
Depends what budget you're on - personally I can't afford a £4,500 rebuild so I HAD to get one with it already done. As Rob says thou again not all cars develop this problem and they don't go at any specific time, so it's a bit of russian roulette if you buy one without this done.
Would the engine need a rebuild sooner or later ? I was always under the impression it shouldn't be the case unless you start modifying etc.
My initial advice is what you stated above, find one thats been done, you should then have peace at mind.
Liners, got a section on my webby about it if you haven't had a read, it might help you decide.
www.jonathanedwards.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/esprit/esprit.htm (Mods/Maint -> maintenance)
Depends what budget you're on - personally I can't afford a £4,500 rebuild so I HAD to get one with it already done. As Rob says thou again not all cars develop this problem and they don't go at any specific time, so it's a bit of russian roulette if you buy one without this done.
Would the engine need a rebuild sooner or later ? I was always under the impression it shouldn't be the case unless you start modifying etc.
My initial advice is what you stated above, find one thats been done, you should then have peace at mind.
OBD 2 was mandated for the 1996 model year for all cars and trucks under a certain GVW sold in the US. Some cars(esp GM) actually started in 94. This is really an emissions requirement(8yr/80,000miles,100,000 in calif).
It required a more detailed way of determining an emission fault(ie the ODB could no longer give a fault code of say o2 sensor, It would have to say WHICH sensor
and what was wrong ,is it lean ,rich, heater malfunction)
So ANY car sold in 1996 and up is OBD2. OBD3 is already in the works
It required a more detailed way of determining an emission fault(ie the ODB could no longer give a fault code of say o2 sensor, It would have to say WHICH sensor
and what was wrong ,is it lean ,rich, heater malfunction)
So ANY car sold in 1996 and up is OBD2. OBD3 is already in the works
OK just looked through the manuals I have here.
I have an electrical drawing dated 20-6-96 with the OBDII circuit.
The rest of the stuff is relative to 8cylinder models so I'd assume the 96 cars were the same as the rest of them, there's nothing in the manual that I can find to say otherwise.
I have an electrical drawing dated 20-6-96 with the OBDII circuit.
The rest of the stuff is relative to 8cylinder models so I'd assume the 96 cars were the same as the rest of them, there's nothing in the manual that I can find to say otherwise.
Thanks for all the replies. It's nice to know that there is this kind of prompt help available out there.
I did a bit of digging and found out that when the V8 went from single plate clutch to twin plate ( Feb 97 ? ) that the part number for the ECM changed. Also in the service notes for the single to twin plate upgrade it states that the ECM has to be sent back to Lotus for recalibration to deal with the lighter inertia of the twin plate assembly. So I guess if the V8 has had the twin plate upgrade all should be ok. If the car I purchase has not had this done it would be one of the first things on my list anyway.
Since the change from single to twin only requires calibration I'd think that the OBDII readers should work ok with a standard 96.
Roger
I did a bit of digging and found out that when the V8 went from single plate clutch to twin plate ( Feb 97 ? ) that the part number for the ECM changed. Also in the service notes for the single to twin plate upgrade it states that the ECM has to be sent back to Lotus for recalibration to deal with the lighter inertia of the twin plate assembly. So I guess if the V8 has had the twin plate upgrade all should be ok. If the car I purchase has not had this done it would be one of the first things on my list anyway.
Since the change from single to twin only requires calibration I'd think that the OBDII readers should work ok with a standard 96.
Roger
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