ben7

My engine bay is currently an embarrassment. This is mainly due to the engine having been swapped from a k series to a 1700 puma unit and the resulting cobbling together of various wiring harnesses to make it work (or not as the case may be). A shiny new loom from emerald is on order, but I was wondering how best to route the wiring for neatest effect. Is there anybody out there who is particularly proud of their engine bays and would like to post some photos for inspiration? I don't want this to be competitive or anything as I suffer from an incredible lack of patience which means that I am never going to achieve the immaculate, minimalist look (I prefer patina over polish...). However top tips, lessons learned etc would be greatly received. Also, how do you get that black effect on the flat panel in front of the scuttle? Is it paint? Powder coat? Thanks, Ben

Just as a follow up, the hacksaw/screwdriver slot worked a treat! Thanks for all the help. Just need to find those T bolts now.

Ah right. I'd tried the screwdriver down the side of the bolt head, but was using a ratchet, so I will try being more gentle/patient. Not two words normally associated with me...! Still, T7's initial post gave me the opportunity to order a 13mm ratchet ring Wera Joker spanner to add to the collection, so not all bad . Dave, where did you order the T bolts from if you can remember?

Sadly the bolts are not big enough to be locked in place in the channel, but big enough not to be able to get a spanner/needle nose plier/screwdriver. I can see the so-and-so, but I can't stop it turning. I can't get a socket on top of it either as the gap in the channel is too narrow as well. "T" headed bolts sound like the answer when I put it back together though

I was just typing a response to say that I can't get a spanner to the bolt head, but then realised what you mean! Now that is very clever!! I shall give it a go now.

I have a Tillet driving seat. I've managed to remove one of the nuts under the lowered floor, however the other three bolts are spinning when I turn the nuts underneath the floor (the first didn't). Can't figure out how to access the top of the bolts to stop them turning as the seat's in the way. Am I being stupid (highly likely!)?

Q1 Carbon film ordered, I'll see how I get on. Failing that I know what I'm doing with the paint. Q2 now sorted thanks - screws and sealant Thanks for the help guys.

So just a normal silicone rather than a fire retardent one etc? Thanks, Ben

Does the brush on hammerite smooth give a smooth enough finish (assuming I prime first), or should I spray? I'd rather brush if poss, but not if I'm going to be left with visible brush strokes. Also, there is some glue residue left on the ali from the carpet. Is there a tried and tested solvent etc that's up to the task? How is the back/tank protection normally fixed when you build the cars (having never built one)?

Brilliant, thanks Ian. I hadn't considered a film. Chip as cheaps so it's worth a go just to see if it works. It's the back panel/tank protection. Ben

Sun's out so it must be time to ask more daft questions. Silly question 1 Previous owner removed carpet from bulkhead behind the seats. I'm looking to paint it black. Smooth Hammerite ok? Silly Question 2 Rear basket was bent when I bought the car (ex academy), so trip to Arch and new one fitted. Arch gave me some replacement honeycomb plates at the same time. These were rather kindly dropped into place by my then mechanic when back at base. These now of course rattle every time I go near the road. Assuming I can get them out, how do I fix them in place/what do I use? Thanks, Ben

Fantastic. Thanks nigel

Sorry. One vehicle. It's a car/van/campervan/monstertruck, but it has one battery for starting it and generally making it go and a new leisure battery that I am fitting in the back. The original battery has a common ground. I'm asking whether the leisure battery (and the circuits off it) can also share this common ground, if the leisure battery is connected to it as well. Or will everything short circuit and go up in flames.

I am in the process of converting my ‘van’ into a camper van and I’m having a bit of a logic breakdown, so have a simple question (that I suspect is not). I am installing a leisure battery which atm will be connected to the car battery via split charge as normal. I will then be running several 12v circuits from the leisure battery to power various devices. My car has a common ground for the car battery. Can I ground to this from the leisure battery/circuits? My thoughts were to take the leisure battery –ve to a factory ground, then ground the new circuits to a factory ground as well. In my brain, that completes the circuits, but wanted to check the logic and any impact on the car battery circuits?

http://www.lotus7.club/sites/all/libraries/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/thumbs_up.png

... to buy a battery so clicked the (now excellently visible - thank you) link to the members offers section. Unfortunately not all of the companies offering offers were offered in that section. Only around 10 iirc, listed alphabetically backwards. The drop down to narrow the results didn't seem to have much effect. So the problem appears to be either not all of the companies have been uploaded, or the scroll through the companies isnt working properly (Mac/Firefox) and the search/refine options don't appear to work either. Thanks, Ben

Hi Gavin, thanks for the answer. I had a chat with my 'man' tonight where he swore blind that he never said that a transmitter was different from a sender. Which, to be fair to him, is probably true seeing as I am generally clueless about things like this. It turns out that the water temp sender to the Emerald is fine. It is the sender to the dial that is U/S. Thanks for the help, without it I wouldn't have known which questions to ask him and find the part here that I was looking for Ben217 bhp of blue and orange PUMA POWERED ex academy Gulf pastiche

Thanks Gavin, I think I followed that. I'm at the Church Mouse tonight so I shall invoke the might of the ne7ers to help me out. 😬 It never occured to me that the water temp signal went to the ECU (ok so obvious now!), I simply thought it served the dial on the dash, much like the oil pressure. Out of interest, would the lack of an water temp signal to the ecu (and default compensation map) cause the engine to run rich? I say that as it was originally mapped with a working sender/transmitter. Ben217 bhp of blue and orange PUMA POWERED ex academy Gulf pastiche

OK, so I am at a complete disadvantage here as I don't have a clue what I'm asking 😬 I know that I started with an 05 k series academy car running a k series and swapped the engine to the Puma unit I have now (complete with Emerald ecu). None of the instruments have been changed from stock and importantly the water temp gauge has previously worked without issue. My 'man' has told me that I need a new transmitter. I asked him whether this was the same thing as a sender and he said no, the sender works fine, it is the transmitter that I need. Without knowing what a transmitter is, it's difficult to ask what is probably a really simple question, but I'm hoping that someone might be able to make sense of the straws that I'm clutching at Ben217 bhp of blue and orange PUMA POWERED ex academy Gulf pastiche

I'm running a 1.7 ford puma engine. My mistake, I had assumed that the transmitter was connected to the rad. Yep, I need a transmitter for the water guage. By that I mean my water guage ain't working and apparently I need a transmitter to fix it iyswim Ben217 bhp of blue and orange PUMA POWERED ex academy Gulf pastiche

OK, so yet another numpty question.... I am reliably informed that I need to source a water temp transmitter for my car. Apparently these are different from the 'senders' which I know well having replaced many an oil one before going mechanical. I can't seem to find one on the CC website, although that could be because I don't actually know what I am looking for! Does anybody know where I can pick one up from? And what it is I actually need (size etc) I know I'm running a rather unique engine setup, but the rad was originally from a k series so should be of a 'standard' size. Any help appreciated.... Ben-----217 bhp of blue and orange PUMA POWERED ex academy Gulf pastiche

Great, thanks RJ. Is there a club discount with them? Ben-----217 bhp of blue and orange PUMA POWERED ex academy Gulf pastiche

Does anybody have any recommendations on where to buy a Brise starter/get a club discount/just somebody nice to do business with? Thanks in advance, Ben217 bhp of blue and orange PUMA POWERED ex academy Gulf pastiche

I used to have this as a kid 897 Edited by - V500OSV on 16 Apr 2010 19:27:04

Hi Paul, yes I know it was childish, but I couldn't resist. Drop me a pm with your address and I'll put in the post for you. It'll be next Monday if that's alright. Ben-----217 bhp of blue and orange PUMA POWERED ex academy Gulf pastiche