Hgf So What Next?

[Davey]

In a frank carson style "It's the way that I drive em!"

 

First Elise- 2002 135 sport HGF between water jackets and piston chamber. Went back to NW and never saw it again. (6 months and 8000 miles).

 

This Elise 2002 std HGF between oil and water jackets. Lovely oil which looks like yogurt and temp into the 100's within about 2 miles of driving. This time it's out of warranty (actually about 2 1/2 months out but not moved in the last 2 months until yesterday) only done 13500 miles, and the last journey was a steady cruise on the motorway- don't laugh it really was- the day before it was the skidpan day!

 

So what do I do- I think whatever happens I'm going to do the work myself, it can't be that hard, and if I can do this I can do anything! Any recommendations as to what can be done with the head whilst it's in bits, Talk on the british cars website of DVA but he seems to have a 3 month waiting list, and I know I don't use it that much but it'd be nice to get it going before then!

 

All suggestions gratefully recieved.

 

PS I took this pic when I last started it up just to warm it up, didn't give it much thought until now, maybe the steam was the beginning of the end for it!!!

[Steve J]

Bummer.

 

Eliseparts sell an uprated HG, but the one from Dave Andrews is supposed to be even better.

 

You could give Mike a ring at Horizon to find out what he would charge you. May be cheap enough to put you off doing yourself.

 

Good luck

[Wuddie]

Horizon charge approx £450 for an S1 HGF failure repair dont know about s2 but cant see much difference in price.

 

Oh Welcome to the club BTW...the MLOC HGF CLUB!!!

[Scott_Mac]

When i broke my cambelt and damaged a few bits i upgraded to a 135 head - was worth doing.

 

Might be worth asking PTP too... they will be bale to help and i know they now offer a service for about £800 to upgrade your car to PTP140 spec.. i'm sure with HGF it wouldn't be too much extra work provided the head hasn't gone porous.

[tazbaz69]

elise parts do the upgrade that seams ok so far since i done mine. basically lotus say don,t skim the head, but do it, its really a must. I replaced the water pump and cambelt at same time will the head was off and checked condition of the springs, followers etc that they was ok. Its not a hard job really but make sure u have a cam locking tool and mark ur pulleys and crank up so u have no valves meeting pistions on returning the head to block.

i also replaced the dizzy and had new plugs in and serviced the car as it was worth doing at time. If u need any help etc let me know m8

[Davey]

Lastest pic :-)

 

 

Spoke to PTP and they are saying 699+vat for porting my head, or 999+vat for a new head. plus fitting. and also this doesn't include for whatever has gone wrong with my car before.

 

Spoke to DVA and they seem a bit more reasonable, and very open. He said that the later S2's seem to have a problem with the cylinder liners being not aligned well with the block, causing these failures. He's talking 6 weeks to turn around a head ported, but at a cost of 400ish its quite a bit cheaper. Also he can supply piper fast road cams and all the bits to fit for another 400ish as well.

 

Nick Whale might be able to get the car partly done under warranty, but I've got to get it there first for the computer to be analysed to see how hot it got. There's a big part of me which wants rid of the K series so am tempted to trade up for a 111r but the figures aren't adding up at the mo. (and it's a lot of money for a car that'll sit in the garage for 340 days of the year)

 

Hmmm decisions decisions.

 

Anyone got a car trailer suitable for an elise for sale/rent?

[Davey]

Just spoke to NW and have to say I'm tempted on a 111r.... Jon Edwards needs to come on here now and tell me yet again that out of all the elises he's had it's the best one by far etc etc.

 

Where's my chequebook?

[Scott_Mac]

Why not chuck a Honda Engine in the back of your car?

 

Std 2002 Elise - worth about £17k, probably less on part ex (at a guess) so pay £9750 to have your car collected, disappear for 7 days and then return with ~220bhp, 6 speed gearbox and a Honda engine....

 

Much faster than the Toyota engine and less poncy stuff like ABS

 

Maidstone

Blink/BaT - I believe they can do an S2 but its not mentioned on the site

Brooke Kensington

 

I didn't suggest DVA before as i know he has a long wait at the moment, certainly comes recommended though.

[Davey]

Have thought about engine transplant. the one thats pretty tempting at the mo is the duratec one as they're estimating 6k+vat for the 190bhp lump, but the car won't be worth any more than before the mods so it's dead money. If it say cost 10-11k to get into a toyota engined car, it should be another 2-3 years before it's worth as little as 16-17k again. Plus the geo etc is better than my car (not so much tuned in understeer etc) and i have the excitement of a new car as well lol!!

 

Decisions decisions.....

[Scott_Mac]

I'm sure you could sort the geo on your car at the same time.... maybe add Nitrons.

 

111R is a good car, but why follow the masses

[bermudabob]

Getting things into perspective, I don't think that any Lotus purchase can be described as 'following the masses'!

 

And anyhow I like the 111R... going to get one when I have the cash...

[Davey]

LOL the masses!!!