Working on the Elise

[Gareth]

I would like to finally fix the squeeky clutch pedal ( I have a new bush kit for it- proper bugger to fit) and also the accelerator squeek. See this thread on SELOC - http://forums.seloc.org/viewthread.php?tid=52125

My passenger door won't open from the outside so looks like I'm going to have to strip down the lock. - any ideas?

Would like to take the seats out and give the tub a good clean! Are the easy to take out?

Cheers

G

[caleebra]

Would like to take the seats out and give the tub a good clean! Are the easy to take out?

Cheers

G

This wont be the most helpful reply, but I've heard the seats can be a bitch. I want to do mine some weekend but read this from SELOC:

One day I tried to take the seats out to clean underneath. The next day I wrote up my experiance on the Lotus Bulletin board. Let it serve as a warning!
------------------
Take roof off
Start with passenger seat
Undo back left screw (nearest the door)
starts to rain
throw tarp over car
decide to not bother and watch dvd instead
go to blockbusters in 106
come back and its raining even harder
decide to quickly screw back the BL screw
it wont go in
I start to get wet
It feels as if its cross threaded.
I swear a bit
I decide to take the whole seat out to see if it is x threaded
I hurt my knuckle on the front left screw
Arse
Seat now out
I am very wet
No cross thread just having difficulty lining up
seat back in
BLS in first time
start with the FL screw
It misses the whole and slides down the runner
I can't get it out
C word used for the first time
BLS out again
seat shaken till the screw falls out
I can smell sh*t!
I have been knealing in cat/fox crap all the time
Its now on my hands
and now my nose
Back to the seat
BL screw in
FLS in
FRS in
BRS missing
Must be under seat
I kick the car, walk round the garden shouting whore. C word used quite alot
FLS out
FRS out
BRS out
seat out
no screw
it was under the car all along
Language hits new low
The rain has come through my coat and shirt.
All I can smell is that sodding cat sh*t.
BLS in
FLS in
FRS in
BRS in
Seat in
Cover too wet to put on car (and also covered in cat sh*t)
drag it back to next to my door and leave under brick
clothes off on doorstep
cat sh*t rules.
This morning
come out of the house and the fox/cat has actually taken another crap on my cover! It was just lying in a heap on the corner and its walked all over my car in the night
a new phrase is born
JPTFDTDI - just pay the F"cking dealer to do it

[Gareth]

HA!

So, your seats will be pretty similiar to mine soooooooo, lets do yours first and work out the easy way before doing my seats!!

[Shug]

Seats, like everything, are a piece of piss with the correct tools. You need either a flexible long shaft for the ratchet (with a hex bit) or several long extensions. I can get the seats out in 5 minutes with the right stuff!

Just be careful of threading correctly when you put them back in, it would be easy to cross thread them and you're bolting into the chassis.

The only thing I've done inside the door was the window - so couldn't say how difficult the lock will be...

[caleebra]

HA!

So, your seats will be pretty similiar to mine soooooooo, lets do yours first and work out the easy way before doing my seats!!

Errrr, I dunno if that sounds like a very good deal

What were you planning cleaning the tub with? Baby oil? Wax?

I think it's only one bolt that's meant to be a bitch, but if shug can get them out using his flexible shaft then it should be ok.

Out of interest, what are the S1 door locks stolen from?

[Gareth]

HA!

So, your seats will be pretty similiar to mine soooooooo, lets do yours first and work out the easy way before doing my seats!!

Errrr, I dunno if that sounds like a very good deal

What were you planning cleaning the tub with? Baby oil? Wax?

I think it's only one bolt that's meant to be a bitch, but if shug can get them out using his flexible shaft then it should be ok.

Out of interest, what are the S1 door locks stolen from?

No idea mate, probably a fisher price toy!

[caleebra]

I took my seats out at the weekend

Wasn't as much of a bitch as I thought, and I was using a less-than-ideal socket set.

Gave the tub a good clean out and finished it off with some baby oil Gave it a nice even finish, unlike wax which is a nightmare

Noticed that everything in my boot was soaking though Dunno how the fook that's happened. Am inclined to think JM Accident Repair haven't bonded the boot in properly when they put my new clam on...

[Gareth]

Baby oil????

Please explain!

[caleebra]

Baby oil????

Please explain!

I found it in the cupboard!!

Found that it removed marks without too much rubbing, and left a wee sheen on the alu. I'm sure I got the idea off one of the forums, as you cant go attacking it with Autosol etc as it's adonised and the oil gives it a wee bit of protection.

[Stephen]

Gareth,
Re your door lock if you unscrew the black disk on the end of the door it lets you get in to the workings of the lock to oil it etc. I haven’t had mine out but it looks a scoosh

[Gareth]

Hi Stephen,
Didn't realise that about the disc but I managed to fix it anyway via the door card. It was a pin that had popped out but I don't know how long it will last before falling out again.

[offshorematt]

As the key is a Vauxhall part it would tend to suggest that the door locks are too, no? But if you change the barrels, you'll need to change the ignition too or you'll end up with two keys...
Does it matter if you can't open the passenger side from the outside anyway? Just call it an anti-car jacking system when you sell it

[Gareth]

OK, so as usual my squeeky clutch and now my accelerator cable have never been fixed. It really is driving me insane. I don't know if it's my imagination but it feels like there is a tiny bit of movement in my clutch.

Oh and my door has decided not to open again.

[Stephen]

Gareth,
If it's squeaking then it probably isn't acting as a bush. Chances are that the alloy may be wearing away resulting in play.
I have a slightly stick accelerator which isn’t due to the throttle or the cable so I think it must be the pedal. I was thinking of buying a pedal box on ebay and refurbing it then just swapping them but I don't know if that would be any easier.

[CSK423]

I took my seats out at the weekend

Wasn't as much of a bitch as I thought, and I was using a less-than-ideal socket set.

Gave the tub a good clean out and finished it off with some baby oil Gave it a nice even finish, unlike wax which is a nightmare

Noticed that everything in my boot was soaking though Dunno how the fook that's happened. Am inclined to think JM Accident Repair haven't bonded the boot in properly when they put my new clam on...

I know on the s1 the gutter that runs round the edge of were the boot lid meets the rear clam has a small hole with a peace of rubber hose that runs straight down through the boot and stops at the rear arch this might not have been reconnected and might just be flowing into your boot opposed to the pipe and out at the bottom, just a thought mate.