gaddafi

Bad luck Colin. The car looks great. You should be ok if you turned the engine off quickly. There'll be info on the web about refilling the system but usually it's a case of using the right spec and mix of coolant, filling up slowly, putting the cap back on, run up to temp with heater to max, letting it all cool down then topping up if necessary. You might find there are two places to fill as in my Jag - header tank (obvious) and a hole in tbe supercharger (wouldn't have known it was there). As a rule, don't run it with the rad or header tank cap off, thinking it will bleed, but you really need the dealer instructions.

cheshire_carper

As soon as I noted the temps hit 95 I switched off as I know the fans used to kick in on the elise at 103. So I just stopped and watched the lot drain away

Oh well, only a car I spose.

lovegroova

Sorry to hear of this Colin, It's something I've seen with quite a few Lotuses on track days, so hopefully common enough for there to be a straightforward fix.

cheshire_carper

Lots of trouble, usually serious :-P

Oh well, only money. At least I'm in a better paying job that can sustain the new money pit

arsie

Just reading the latest and that is what occurred to me. The old argument that it's better to buy a high miles rep's Mondeo than a granny's that has never really warmed up I would be stress testing the brake hydraulics when / as you get the cooling system fixed. Hoses/jube clips in good nick?

cheshire_carper

Agreed. Just on the way back from machine mart with a low loading trolley jack. It an excuse to buy more gadgets :-P

Nottm_S2

I think that argument is a bit thin Rog. My S2 is 12 and has done 50k, never put a foot wrong. But old dears tend to drive into stuff then get bodge repairs (my old dears)

Moderate use is fine ime

Maybe just a stone?

cheshire_carper

Where they are located, stones would never do it. Appr the oem rads are just shit and give way. People say that if you haven't changed your rad, change it, as it will go, one day and its best to lose all the coolant when you are at home as opposed to need to get home. I've dug in now though and the bits are being whipped off so its no turnin back

Nottm_S2

less reassuring i guess

cheshire_carper

The rad has completely fecked. Its split up the side. Removed hoses once clam off, attached garden hose, literally pissing out of the side.



That was about 8 hrs to get to that stage.

In process of getting new alloy racing rad and so we start again

My head is mashed. Learned a lot about the car though.