This must be the right stuff…
Did about 30 miles in the Plus 2 yesterday, longest drive yet. Everything seems to have worked well enough. The clutch is still sticking when disengaged much of the time, so that’s first priority next time I spend some time in the garage.
I’ve fitted a proper catch-can so I can more closely monitor the blow-by. Also did the heat-shrink trick on the dipstick and that seemed to work at that end. But most importantly, I had a really enjoyable time during the drive!
Sticking clutch? Have you tried just let it slip for a few seconds to burn of the discs? Has worked for me in the long and distant…
While we’re on the subject of strange animal byproducts, I’m treating my Weber throttle spindle seals with this…
I thought this was a joke at first when someone recommended it 
Wonder which would win … a greased mink or a greased weasel?
Had to edit that as spell corrected to greased monk 
I’m waiting for Skunk Works to release one of theirs. That should clear the field.
It sticks when DIS-engaged, as in after pressing the pedal toward the firewall. The pedal returns but the clutch doesn’t engage. Pump the pedal a few times to free it. I suspect that the problem is in the master cylinder but will give both ends a look next time I have time to get underneath.
Finished pedal box installation, worked out foot rest pattern, installed new bearings into front hubs, lapped front stub axles into new uprights and lapped bolt on rear hubs to new axles and installed them using new bearings, circlips, dust shields into rear uprights.
Having misplaced the hardened washers for the rear axle/hubs, its prompted me to prepare a list of parts for my next order. Hopefully the latest UK lock down won’t mean a months delay… or more?
I’m feeling for you all in the UK, Europe and US, keep safe.
Cheers
V
I’ve got a cold start question/issue. In my experience, if I drive the car frequently (big surprise!) it starts a lot easier. Drove the car yesterday and today.
Typically, when I start the car I prime the electric pump then give it 3-4 pumps when warm outside, 6 pumps when the weather is colder, a little throttle and she starts pretty readily. She usually stumbles for about 10 - 15 seconds then holds a low idle until she has a few minutes to warm up.
Well today was unseasonably warm (70ish) and my brain has become used to giving 6 pumps to start, which I did, and the car took 2-3 tries to start then refused to hold a steady idle at all, stalling twice, even after it started to come up to temps. I eventually (after a minute or two) got it to barely idle at 500 RPMs and checked under the hood and could see/smell fuel on the Webers (a problem whenever I over-pump before starting). The car felt and sounded down a cylinder.
So I go to pull away and there is a definite lag/stumble. I make it half way down my driveway (~30 feet) then do a 3-point turn because I’m not comfortable with how it’s running, then as I approach the garage, the engine just seems to level out at a sold 1000 rpm idle and the throttle feels completely normal.
I take it out through the neighborhood, everything drives normal, and then go for a quick 10 minute spin and everything runs as it should, ran her up to 5500 beautiful RPMs, full throttle, no issues whatsoever.
Did I just flood the carbs? I’m going to check the plugs once it cools down too. I’ve had a few rough starts when cold outside and the car has sat a few weeks, but nothing like this and never after having run it within the last day or two.
Disregard my prior post, I think. Just cold started her and fired right up. User error.
Edit: drove the ever living piss out of it. Car run good.
Shot some video with Yelotus!
You’ll see some flubs and bad shifts due to the sticking clutch issue mentioned in a previous post. But in spite of that I’ve had a BLAST every time I’ve driven this car!
Nice, looks like it’s running pretty well!
Between Sept 13 and Nov 5 redid my engine due to worn guides. While at it took the crank from a Cortina GT engine I had and stroked the Elan engine, with the special pistons.
Today I took a 6 mile test drive up the highway and back, after some carb tuning, and all is well! Here in Canada we have unusual 60 F plus weather this week, convenient timing for a top down run.
While at it, and waiting for the parts, I had taken the body off to replace tired various suspension, diff, etc rubber, seals, inspect, clean and repaint the chassis, etc. Also replaced some PO fibreglass bodges with my bodges. 
I guess you would call that Bodge engineering.
Jack
ps. leftover engine parts from Elan & Cortina coming soon…lol…
"I guess you would call that Bodge engineering. "
I love it! Wish I’d said that, and I’m sure that I will.
John Larkin.
Great stuff. Takes me back to when I lived in Atlanta back in the 1990’s!
"I guess you would call that Bodge engineering. "
unlike Chapman who did BADGE engineering.
Sorry i couldn’t resist that reply
Alan
A dry afternoon so took the +2 out for a 35 mile drive - would have been longer but I’m supposed to be WFH . First time in over 6 weeks, what with the lockdown in Wales and crappy weather. Back to heavy rain tomorrow, but the Elan put a smile on my face for a while.
