Urgent advice required 1986 Esprit Turbo Engine!
Discussion
I have owned 4 Esprits and still cant get enough of them so I am looking at buying an S3 Turbo.
The problem is the car has been stood for a number of years and needs work to the brakes and steering rack etc making it undrivable.
The engine runs the question is I need to determine how fit the engine/turbo & gearbox are without driving the car. All advice is welcomed. Does anyone know any other potential costly problems to look out for.
Regards Mike
The problem is the car has been stood for a number of years and needs work to the brakes and steering rack etc making it undrivable.
The engine runs the question is I need to determine how fit the engine/turbo & gearbox are without driving the car. All advice is welcomed. Does anyone know any other potential costly problems to look out for.
Regards Mike
Compresssion and leak down test for the engine. The Tranny and clutch? other than remove and inspect you will have to drive it. Pay acordingly or pay in increments with the understanding that the transmission will last at least few months ot the balance to be paid in no problems are detected, this may get you the road time to sort out the problems. You maybe able to deal with the person if this car has not run in while. If he will not deal in this fashion you must assume the worst and low ball the price of car.
Calvin
Calvin
A compression and leak down test is done by cranking the engine with the spark plugs removed and throttle plates wide open.
A pressure gauge is hooked up to spark plug holes and then the engine cranked with the starter. When done correctly it will tell you how much compression you have and if you have any leaky valves or rings. I think you should have about 140 and be consistant across the 4 cyl. I'm not sure about pressure of what you should have. Jim can tell you more about the G cars compression specifications.
The car sat idle for the want of a $10 USD slave seal rebuild kit??? Who in the world would let that happen. I think you can even buy a new slave for an est. 50-60 USD. Weird people.
Calvin
A pressure gauge is hooked up to spark plug holes and then the engine cranked with the starter. When done correctly it will tell you how much compression you have and if you have any leaky valves or rings. I think you should have about 140 and be consistant across the 4 cyl. I'm not sure about pressure of what you should have. Jim can tell you more about the G cars compression specifications.
The car sat idle for the want of a $10 USD slave seal rebuild kit??? Who in the world would let that happen. I think you can even buy a new slave for an est. 50-60 USD. Weird people.
Calvin
Hi,
Actually, what Calvin describes is a compression test. A leakdown test involves connecting a 'manifold' to the head via the sparkplug hole. This manifold is then pressurised with air and the gauge watched. It should hold good pressure.
In the event that it does not, you remove the manifold, inject a little motor oil into the cylinder and retest. If the pressure holds, your rings need replacing, if not, the valves or seats are the culprit.
I have more to detail, but must leave to pick my wife up at the airport. I'll continue when I get back. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE
Actually, what Calvin describes is a compression test. A leakdown test involves connecting a 'manifold' to the head via the sparkplug hole. This manifold is then pressurised with air and the gauge watched. It should hold good pressure.
In the event that it does not, you remove the manifold, inject a little motor oil into the cylinder and retest. If the pressure holds, your rings need replacing, if not, the valves or seats are the culprit.
I have more to detail, but must leave to pick my wife up at the airport. I'll continue when I get back. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE
lotusguy said: Hi,
Actually, what Calvin describes is a compression test. A leakdown test involves connecting a 'manifold' to the head via the sparkplug hole. This manifold is then pressurised with air and the gauge watched. It should hold good pressure.
In the event that it does not, you remove the manifold, inject a little motor oil into the cylinder and retest. If the pressure holds, your rings need replacing, if not, the valves or seats are the culprit.
I have more to detail, but must leave to pick my wife up at the airport. I'll continue when I get back. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE
Hi again,
Wife home, had a good trip, all's well. Anyway, anothervery important thing to do is get some light oil and squirt some down each sparkplug hole and let it sit for 24 hours before turning the car over. IF the car has sat this long, it's not uncommon for the rings to corrode and stick to the iron liners. If you fail to do this, you run the risk of tearing the rings off altogether. The oil will loosen the rust and reduce the likelyhood of damaging the engine upon start-up. I would also hand turn the engine at least 2 revs by putting a socket on the crank pulley bolt (after the 24 hour oil treatment) This will insure that everything is loose and ready for the 250 rpm or so the starter will generate.
If you have a hand pump, the liquid transfer type, I would also connect it to the oil gauge take off and pressurise the oil gallery before staring it. If not, the crank will be turning on the bearing shells for the sevral minutes it takes for the oil pressure and flow to come up to spec.
carefully check the timing belt for proper tension and for any cracks or such, it could easily break upon start-up and you'd have a real job on your hands.
Check the carb seals and float heights. Run the fuel pump several minutes and check carbs to insure they are not leaking. Pull the Air intake hose running to the turbo to insure that it's clean and open and that no rodent took up house in it. I know someone who didn't and messed up his turbo when the critter got sucked into it.
There is more, but they are pretty much common sense. Best of luck. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE
Jim's is correct about the leak down test. I was typing way to fast, got confused, and had to send it out quickly. My wife had been stranded after her car got towed during a snow emergengy. That is a nasty thing to happen (2 hour wait in line at -5F and $145). Hope you guys don't have to go through such a thing.
Calvin
Calvin
Calvin, yiks that's cold over there. I broke down on the way to work end of last winter and had to wait half hour in the cold car till the tow truck arrived. All the power source had gone hence no heater. I was shivering mad. But it was only around 5deg c, your talking minus18-20 deg c which is scary. I am supprised your wife is still alive!!! Thankfully she could keep her car running to keep warm? It dosent really get cold here, but further down south it does.
I live in a state that borders Canada. It gets cold up here. It is really nice in the other 3 seasons but winter can be nasty. We can also get a lot of snow at times with blizzard conditions. We have the correct winter gear for this type of weather.
When my wife had her car towed it was a nasty thing to happen. A snow emergency is situation when the area gets more than 2" of snow. We had about 4-5". At that time a parking ban occurs on the streets so they may plow it free of snow. We are not allowed to park on the street until they have cleared it curb to curb. My wife parked on the street after a snow plow went through. She mistakenly thought it was done. The snow plow decided to come around again and they towed her car away for parking during this time. Also during this time about 700 cars around the city were towed, waiting in the cold at -5F refers too standing in a line that went outside the building and into the parking lot of the impound lot. Hundreds people waiting to recover their cars. We took turns standing in line at 15 min. intervals while the other went for the warmth of our second car. It took us an hour to get into the building, then a 45 min wait in line inside, a 15 min ride on a shuttle to drop us off on the other side of the impound lot. Less a $125 charge for the tow and a $20 parking fine. Since we picked up the car on the same day we did not have to pay the $15 storage fee. My wife was in near tears, just another way for them to make a bit more money, the snow on the street was not even that bad.
Calvin
When my wife had her car towed it was a nasty thing to happen. A snow emergency is situation when the area gets more than 2" of snow. We had about 4-5". At that time a parking ban occurs on the streets so they may plow it free of snow. We are not allowed to park on the street until they have cleared it curb to curb. My wife parked on the street after a snow plow went through. She mistakenly thought it was done. The snow plow decided to come around again and they towed her car away for parking during this time. Also during this time about 700 cars around the city were towed, waiting in the cold at -5F refers too standing in a line that went outside the building and into the parking lot of the impound lot. Hundreds people waiting to recover their cars. We took turns standing in line at 15 min. intervals while the other went for the warmth of our second car. It took us an hour to get into the building, then a 45 min wait in line inside, a 15 min ride on a shuttle to drop us off on the other side of the impound lot. Less a $125 charge for the tow and a $20 parking fine. Since we picked up the car on the same day we did not have to pay the $15 storage fee. My wife was in near tears, just another way for them to make a bit more money, the snow on the street was not even that bad.
Calvin
kylie said: On nofeel so sorry for you guys, that must have been bad. Well hopefully she wont be doing that again, in the near future anyway
Take care in that snow,
Kylie
Kylie,
I can sympathise with Calvin, I live across town from he and his wife Sheila and during the same snowstorm, I went out to move my car just as they were towing the car directly behind me, I was to be next, Whew!!
Anyway, looks as if we're out of it pretty soon. The forecast this weekend calls for 65°F and it will be 75°F next tuesday, a week ago it was -5°F weird huh? I'll have my Esprit back on the road within a month, after the spring rains wash all the road salt away...Jim'85TE
O.k how about doing a bit of this sport when it warms up. Me in action this last summer. My other adranaline rush hobbie:
www.fotango.com/p/eba00307281f00000001.jpg
Sorry Mike.... we shall get back to you now with getting your car going better
www.fotango.com/p/eba00307281f00000001.jpg
Sorry Mike.... we shall get back to you now with getting your car going better
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