Jump to content

litp.jpg

Lotus in the Peak
26th - 28th June 2026

Honda Engine Elise Build


danwebster

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Replies 329
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Posted

Oh so close to the end now, the short list of fiddly jobs left to finish is just about all complete.

 

I've fitted my driveshafts, fitted a 70 degree cosworth thermostat and filled the coolant system, filled the gearbox with oil, re-terminated the plug off the existing loom that had a snapped wire and finally made up the battery lead to the alternator.

 

I was planning on reusing the 100 amp fuse in the plastic moulding you can see in the picture below and the Honda battery cables that came with it, but being a bit anal about most things I put it off for a long time as I couldn't quite bring myself to connect that plastic lump to my beautiful car, so I hacked it all apart, shortened the cables the requisite length and made up my own lead.

 

null_zps26cf1e58.jpg

 

Which I then covered with plenty of heat shrink. All being well I will never need to touch this, but if the fuse ever goes it's easy enough to change and redo the heat shrink.

 

null_zpsa345f2cc.jpg

 

My engine loom and ecu should be along this week, there's an interesting development on the ecu side which accounts for the slight delay. We have a base map which should get me running so that I can bleed the coolant, set the fuel pressure and then slowly trundle to the rollers, which will hopefully be Saturday!

Posted

Well, a missing box of bits is all that stands between me and a working car....somehow we've managed to misplace my mfru and two plugs off the loom. Replacements have been ordered which will hopefully arrive on Tuesday, at which point its about ten minutes work away from being finished...

 

e44458e704d3957d0cd04d639245e23d_zps143da64b.jpg

 

Tantalisingly close now.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Just realised I neglected to update my fellow midlanders on recent progres.

 

Last week everything finally came together and I found myself filling the tank up with fuel and turning the key for the first time. We finished the engine loom and plugged in the ecu which is a brand new development unit from EFI in italy. They make touring car and S2000 ecu's as well as supplying OEM ecu's to some manufacturers (lamborghini, lotus etc). Its a phenomenally complicated piece of kit but very fast to connect to with the laptop and configure.

 

So last thursday evening, with everything seemingly configured it was time to start her up....

 

 

Unfortunately after a couple of minutes of trying it became apparent that it wasn't going to go. A bit of diagnostic work determined that although there was plenty of fuel pressure, the injectors weren't firing. We returned on friday evening to have a poke around but found that the laptop wouldn't connect to the ecu and the fuel pump was no longer priming when the key was turned.

 

We found a small wiring issue with the loom which meant that two 12v inputs were wired to the opposite pins, which we thought may have fried something on the board as it appeared to be trying to pull the entire load of the engine across the ecu which would be very bad news indeed.

 

The ecu was returned and this morning I had the good news that there was nothing wrong with the ecu apart from the internal battery was flat, meaning that it had dropped its firmware when the battery was disconnected overnight.

 

Its on its way back now so all being well we'll be mapping on the weekend.

Posted

Dan were you planning on bringing yourself and the car to Chatsworth a week on Sunday?

I know lots of people who have enjoyed reading about it in this thread (and admiring your workmanship) would love to see it.

 

Dean

Posted

I'll probably be meeting up with Greg for the journey up to the start of the chatsworth run, if you fancy joining us just let me know Dan! Looking forward to seeing it in the flesh, I bet you can't wait!

Posted

Yep, all steam ahead for that as long as this weekend goes well :)

 

Fingers and toes crossed ....

Posted

Unfortunately, as the ecu is still in the post, there was no running this weekend.

 

I did however spend most of the weekend finishing every last little bit I could think of. I've rivnutted the boot floor in, lined all the penetrations that the gear cables run through with rubber chassis trim, spanner checked all of the suspension and decided to make a new mount up for he expansion tank just because :D

 

null_zpscadea42c.jpg

 

We're full steam ahead this week though to get it mapped in time for chatsworth next weekend, I'll be there no matter what!

 

Posted

Whilst I wait for the tiny detail of a running engine to be sorted, I've painted up my rear spoiler and raiser blocks.

 

Also bought a new extended diffuser and stuck that on. I'm quite liking the look of this car now.

 

null_zps938fbb0c.jpg

Posted

That's looking really special dan, always liked the look of the additional wing on the back of an S1. Extended diffuser suits it too.

 

Can't wait to see it at chatsworth!!!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...