2003.5-2004 Esprit Questions....
Discussion
Hey guys,
Looking at late model Esprit and have a few questions (search function is annoying dead so can't search). I'll break it down into catagories.....
Engine oil & Transmission oil: Anyone here running Royal Purple for both engine & Transmission? I've used Redline in past but always found RP to be superior in both feel & performance so I was wondering if any of the lotus members here have used it to help cure most of the transmission notchyness & etc.
One guy I know runs royal, or at least did, on an S4 (Professor Dermot, although he has since sold his and moved on). The right viscosity and I'm sure you will be fine.
Oil is oil after all, as long as its the good stuff (synthetic), I run Silkolene Pro R 15w50 after having run Mobil 1. Its good oil and is er, RED!!!
See later for TAF-X
Tires: Whats the max you can run in rear, 295s? Looking at replacing the stock tires w/ the new Dunlap Direzza Z1s or RE-11s (arguably the two best tires on the market today as per Tirerack ranking). Anyone use either on the Esprit yet? Have the Z1s on many of my other cars and they grip like R-compounds and make the car feel like it had a suspension upgrade. They definitely blow much more inferior tires like Michelin PS2s & etc out of the water so I'm leaning towards these two ...
10" wheels will fit 295 tyres, the S350 runs them, I run them, others do too. You could concievably run 305 or even 315 if the limits will allow... Might look utterly STUPID though. run the right sizes in proportion front/aft and the handling won't be affected too much.
S350 runs 295 35 18 front, 235 40 17 rear. these are the biggest stock road sizes on the V8.
(The S300 runs bigger but has different size wheels 16" front, 17" rear, something like 245 45 16, 305 35 17 I think...)
Clutch: On avg, how long will stock clutch last (mileage/age? Also, if transmission fluid is upgraded, is it absolutely necessary to replace the infamous red clutch hose? Furthermore, are there any clutch/flywheel upgrades for the esprit?
You can get a lightened flywheel, seen one in the states for an S4s/S300. Don't know about the V8 but anything is possible.
A clutch will last maybe 35000 miles or more if you drive carefully. I don't. It lasts about 35000 miles!!!
Intake: Planning on doing K&N drop in panel filters. Anyone have the actual K&N Part #? I'm mainly doing it for the noise but anyone have any actual dyno evidense to prove it makes power?
They are on LEW and various other websites, have one on my s4. do a little search. God knows about power.
Exhaust: Plan on upgrading the cats immediately (as well as catback). Anyone used the Esprit Performance race cats (they sell for $850 GBP I believe)? Seems like easiest route is to custom fab mandrel bent with high flow cats. Realistically how much power can be made from just cats & catback exhaust components (dynos would be appreciated).
Get a proper stainless exhaust with deleted cats (for a V8) and you will release LOTS of power. The Lotus Sports exhaust has nothing in it anyway apparently... You can get anything made probably for less than a stock item anyway. You can in the UK...
Weight reduction: It appears stock is roughly 29xx lbs and many have said you can get down into the 2800s. It seems the largest bulk of this is the stock exhaust system (aka boat anchor)... any other big items that can removed as well?
Air con, heavy seats (get carbon sporty ones), roof (carbon ones available). Other than that its expensive panels/doors/bootlid etc. Don't know who does these, maybe race teams.
Reliability: I know this is asked a million times and I already know most of the responses, but my particular question is regarding the Final Run Esprit's which appear to be the most reliable as long as they are well maintained & driven. Lotus got most of the kinks worked out by then but anything that still wasn't resolved by 04?
On a v8 make sure its well maintained and check the rad and cooling. Its this that caused the liner failure due to overheating. If the liners have been done it might be worth looking at an upgraded rad, but may not be necessary. Later chips can make the fans come on earlier.
Pedals: this may be the MOST important issue for me.... is there any way to slightly move the clutch & brake pedals to the left in order to give more room for the gas pedal? I'm over 6feet w/ size 14 shoes so fitment is an issue. Luckily I can squeeze in with narrow puma style racing shoes but again a bit more room would be nice. Anyways I can just unscrew the actual pedals and move them over one hole in order to make them fit better? Any simple solutions would be appreciated.
I'm 6'1.5" size 12 feet. Wear slim shoes and learn to heal/toe. the pedals are close for a reason but can be learned to live with, I have it isn't too much of a problem. Don't wear wide soled shoes.
Performance limitations: I know the transmission is obviously the weakest link but majority of that has to do with the 5th gear extension shaft which is typically where most of the failures appear to have happened. The final run does already have the ECU upgrade among other addtions as well so I'm not looking to increase boost over stock, just want to improve all the other components as well. High flow cats & catback is definitely on the agenda. Another concern is the stock wastegates. Plan on upgrading them but the choice of 3 different springs is confusing (green/yellow/red). Green is up to 10psi, yellow 15, red 20). For my intentions, would green be enough even though stock PSI can technically go as high as 11-12psi? Also, if the esprit has under 15k miles, are the stock wastegates probably fine or can they go bad pretty quickly?
depends on whether they have been left to corrode. The gearbox does have a weak 5th but also a less than strong 2nd synchro so watch the up/downshift to it. Learn to blip the throttle etc. The best oil for it according to Lotus is the Castrol Taf-X stuff. Others have used Red Line stuff in America with success.
There are main shaft/gear upgrades from GTO engineering but are expensive, they specialise in UN1 gearboxes. Also, Quaife do a TBDiff, from GTO. High flow cats? well if you must for the MOT/California emissions but get rid and you release lots of GO! But can be noisy.
Chip upgrades too from Marcus at PUK which can make the car almost MANIC. Watch that gearbox/clutch...
UN1 gearbox is limited to approx 350hp. It will probably handle more if treated with mechanical sympathy but be careful of 2nd up/downshifts and the 5th thing. The primary shaft is in 2 pieces !!!!!???????!!!!! See GTO...
I'm sure more questions will come to me in the meantime but this should be a decent start. Thx for any help provided in advance....
Clutches for a V8 (twin plate) are lots of dosh. learn to drive it with sympathy and it will last. Rag it and 2nd gear will go/clutch will go. Then big bills. 5th only usually goes if you are hard on the gas over a bump...
Watch for poor hydraulics, check the pipework/master/slave. Replace the pipe with a stainless hose to reduce heat enduced expansion etc and change the fluid every year. It will help.
Fit the cable rose joints and grease then fit the rubber boots or the hot exhaust will dry the joints out and you will have problems changing gear. Its not the best gearchange so you have to make sure you have the best of what is there.
Aftermarket parts are available for lots of stuff try
www.PUKESPRIT.de
http://www.gtoracing.co.uk/parts.html
http://espritperformance.com/espritperformance/
Good luck.
Looking at late model Esprit and have a few questions (search function is annoying dead so can't search). I'll break it down into catagories.....
Engine oil & Transmission oil: Anyone here running Royal Purple for both engine & Transmission? I've used Redline in past but always found RP to be superior in both feel & performance so I was wondering if any of the lotus members here have used it to help cure most of the transmission notchyness & etc.
One guy I know runs royal, or at least did, on an S4 (Professor Dermot, although he has since sold his and moved on). The right viscosity and I'm sure you will be fine.
Oil is oil after all, as long as its the good stuff (synthetic), I run Silkolene Pro R 15w50 after having run Mobil 1. Its good oil and is er, RED!!!
See later for TAF-X
Tires: Whats the max you can run in rear, 295s? Looking at replacing the stock tires w/ the new Dunlap Direzza Z1s or RE-11s (arguably the two best tires on the market today as per Tirerack ranking). Anyone use either on the Esprit yet? Have the Z1s on many of my other cars and they grip like R-compounds and make the car feel like it had a suspension upgrade. They definitely blow much more inferior tires like Michelin PS2s & etc out of the water so I'm leaning towards these two ...
10" wheels will fit 295 tyres, the S350 runs them, I run them, others do too. You could concievably run 305 or even 315 if the limits will allow... Might look utterly STUPID though. run the right sizes in proportion front/aft and the handling won't be affected too much.
S350 runs 295 35 18 front, 235 40 17 rear. these are the biggest stock road sizes on the V8.
(The S300 runs bigger but has different size wheels 16" front, 17" rear, something like 245 45 16, 305 35 17 I think...)
Clutch: On avg, how long will stock clutch last (mileage/age? Also, if transmission fluid is upgraded, is it absolutely necessary to replace the infamous red clutch hose? Furthermore, are there any clutch/flywheel upgrades for the esprit?
You can get a lightened flywheel, seen one in the states for an S4s/S300. Don't know about the V8 but anything is possible.
A clutch will last maybe 35000 miles or more if you drive carefully. I don't. It lasts about 35000 miles!!!
Intake: Planning on doing K&N drop in panel filters. Anyone have the actual K&N Part #? I'm mainly doing it for the noise but anyone have any actual dyno evidense to prove it makes power?
They are on LEW and various other websites, have one on my s4. do a little search. God knows about power.
Exhaust: Plan on upgrading the cats immediately (as well as catback). Anyone used the Esprit Performance race cats (they sell for $850 GBP I believe)? Seems like easiest route is to custom fab mandrel bent with high flow cats. Realistically how much power can be made from just cats & catback exhaust components (dynos would be appreciated).
Get a proper stainless exhaust with deleted cats (for a V8) and you will release LOTS of power. The Lotus Sports exhaust has nothing in it anyway apparently... You can get anything made probably for less than a stock item anyway. You can in the UK...
Weight reduction: It appears stock is roughly 29xx lbs and many have said you can get down into the 2800s. It seems the largest bulk of this is the stock exhaust system (aka boat anchor)... any other big items that can removed as well?
Air con, heavy seats (get carbon sporty ones), roof (carbon ones available). Other than that its expensive panels/doors/bootlid etc. Don't know who does these, maybe race teams.
Reliability: I know this is asked a million times and I already know most of the responses, but my particular question is regarding the Final Run Esprit's which appear to be the most reliable as long as they are well maintained & driven. Lotus got most of the kinks worked out by then but anything that still wasn't resolved by 04?
On a v8 make sure its well maintained and check the rad and cooling. Its this that caused the liner failure due to overheating. If the liners have been done it might be worth looking at an upgraded rad, but may not be necessary. Later chips can make the fans come on earlier.
Pedals: this may be the MOST important issue for me.... is there any way to slightly move the clutch & brake pedals to the left in order to give more room for the gas pedal? I'm over 6feet w/ size 14 shoes so fitment is an issue. Luckily I can squeeze in with narrow puma style racing shoes but again a bit more room would be nice. Anyways I can just unscrew the actual pedals and move them over one hole in order to make them fit better? Any simple solutions would be appreciated.
I'm 6'1.5" size 12 feet. Wear slim shoes and learn to heal/toe. the pedals are close for a reason but can be learned to live with, I have it isn't too much of a problem. Don't wear wide soled shoes.
Performance limitations: I know the transmission is obviously the weakest link but majority of that has to do with the 5th gear extension shaft which is typically where most of the failures appear to have happened. The final run does already have the ECU upgrade among other addtions as well so I'm not looking to increase boost over stock, just want to improve all the other components as well. High flow cats & catback is definitely on the agenda. Another concern is the stock wastegates. Plan on upgrading them but the choice of 3 different springs is confusing (green/yellow/red). Green is up to 10psi, yellow 15, red 20). For my intentions, would green be enough even though stock PSI can technically go as high as 11-12psi? Also, if the esprit has under 15k miles, are the stock wastegates probably fine or can they go bad pretty quickly?
depends on whether they have been left to corrode. The gearbox does have a weak 5th but also a less than strong 2nd synchro so watch the up/downshift to it. Learn to blip the throttle etc. The best oil for it according to Lotus is the Castrol Taf-X stuff. Others have used Red Line stuff in America with success.
There are main shaft/gear upgrades from GTO engineering but are expensive, they specialise in UN1 gearboxes. Also, Quaife do a TBDiff, from GTO. High flow cats? well if you must for the MOT/California emissions but get rid and you release lots of GO! But can be noisy.
Chip upgrades too from Marcus at PUK which can make the car almost MANIC. Watch that gearbox/clutch...
UN1 gearbox is limited to approx 350hp. It will probably handle more if treated with mechanical sympathy but be careful of 2nd up/downshifts and the 5th thing. The primary shaft is in 2 pieces !!!!!???????!!!!! See GTO...
I'm sure more questions will come to me in the meantime but this should be a decent start. Thx for any help provided in advance....
Clutches for a V8 (twin plate) are lots of dosh. learn to drive it with sympathy and it will last. Rag it and 2nd gear will go/clutch will go. Then big bills. 5th only usually goes if you are hard on the gas over a bump...
Watch for poor hydraulics, check the pipework/master/slave. Replace the pipe with a stainless hose to reduce heat enduced expansion etc and change the fluid every year. It will help.
Fit the cable rose joints and grease then fit the rubber boots or the hot exhaust will dry the joints out and you will have problems changing gear. Its not the best gearchange so you have to make sure you have the best of what is there.
Aftermarket parts are available for lots of stuff try
www.PUKESPRIT.de
http://www.gtoracing.co.uk/parts.html
http://espritperformance.com/espritperformance/
Good luck.
Edited by Oilchange on Saturday 21st August 01:08
Hi there,
I currently own Esprit Performance and can help you with any specific questions and needs. I won't start plugging my site etc.
I will try and help you with some of your questions however:-
Power increase with standard ECU with 200 cell sports cats and K&N or Green Cotton Filters is circa 400BHP. I dyno'd mine and it came out at this. A similar S350 with 200 cell sports cats and air filters came out at 423BHP. I also dyno'd mine at stock and it came out at 365BHP with Lotus cats and K&Ns. I think the part number is 33-2547
I am 6'-3" and can fit in just about. there are two 8mm spaces under the seat runners. I took my rear ones out and put them on the fronts to tilt the seat back more. This appears to have worked for me but not for everyone. You can take your runners off and this will gain you a further 20mm-25mm but this will mean drilling 4 new holes in your floor. not that bad really, just make sure you fill your existing holes with grommets.
if you go for an aftermarket centre exit exhaust system then this will save lots of weight compared with the standard backbox.
With regards to noise with cats and exhaust systems. I have run my own centre exit and recently running a genuine Lotus centre exit system because I wanted to see if the noise was any better. Not really, only a very slight difference. i think the main difference is the cats.
Also i currently run standard Lotus cats but last weekend, my RH cat failed and bits of the cat was blowing out of the RH exit.
This Thursday/Friday, I plan to fit 200 cell cats. Out of curiosity, I plan to record the before and after wave files and maybe put on U Tube so people can listen to.
My friend has the same back box but with 200 cell sports cats and his is the best sounding Esprit I've ever heard.
Transmission is fine in my opinion provided you don't keep doing standing starts and tramping your box.
Hope this helps,
David Walters
I currently own Esprit Performance and can help you with any specific questions and needs. I won't start plugging my site etc.
I will try and help you with some of your questions however:-
Power increase with standard ECU with 200 cell sports cats and K&N or Green Cotton Filters is circa 400BHP. I dyno'd mine and it came out at this. A similar S350 with 200 cell sports cats and air filters came out at 423BHP. I also dyno'd mine at stock and it came out at 365BHP with Lotus cats and K&Ns. I think the part number is 33-2547
I am 6'-3" and can fit in just about. there are two 8mm spaces under the seat runners. I took my rear ones out and put them on the fronts to tilt the seat back more. This appears to have worked for me but not for everyone. You can take your runners off and this will gain you a further 20mm-25mm but this will mean drilling 4 new holes in your floor. not that bad really, just make sure you fill your existing holes with grommets.
if you go for an aftermarket centre exit exhaust system then this will save lots of weight compared with the standard backbox.
With regards to noise with cats and exhaust systems. I have run my own centre exit and recently running a genuine Lotus centre exit system because I wanted to see if the noise was any better. Not really, only a very slight difference. i think the main difference is the cats.
Also i currently run standard Lotus cats but last weekend, my RH cat failed and bits of the cat was blowing out of the RH exit.
This Thursday/Friday, I plan to fit 200 cell cats. Out of curiosity, I plan to record the before and after wave files and maybe put on U Tube so people can listen to.
My friend has the same back box but with 200 cell sports cats and his is the best sounding Esprit I've ever heard.
Transmission is fine in my opinion provided you don't keep doing standing starts and tramping your box.
Hope this helps,
David Walters
I hear, and don't quote me on this, that sticking straight through pipes on a V8 yields something enormous like 50hp. Like I said, don't quote me but I'm sure you will get the desired effect and then some.
Also, the noise will increase somewhat...
Also, I think you have to do something with the O2 sensors of which there are about 3,000,000 on a V8...
Also, the noise will increase somewhat...
Also, I think you have to do something with the O2 sensors of which there are about 3,000,000 on a V8...
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