First drive this year

[rfgumby]

Hello everyone,
so took my Special to his first drive this year. It fired up OK and I started to drive it around. It was nice and I had much fun. I remembered why I liked this car so much! Everything was fine ... until ... I got a peculiar odor to my nose, checked the rear view mirror ... was that track behind me, from my car? checked front, all OK, checked rear view again, all OK. Fine.
Until my view ahead got a little foggy. there was some smoke/vapor coming from the front! 
I stopped and took a look into the front compartment. Everything was wet, where the spare tire was! I had lost cooling fluid.
After the first shock I checked the hoses, they where OK. Then I noticed a small opening in the side of the radiator. A plug had blown out. 
I looked for this plug, but couldn't find it. The I noticed some small device dangling from some wires hanging there (nothing out of the ordinary with Europas, I thought), but it fitted nicely into the opening! That must be the thermometer! (I am not that deep into every technical aspect of my car, you. will notice)
OK, opening plugged, but still without cooling water. Lucky me, there where some houses not far away. From there I got some water and they even borrowed me the watering can, so I got back to my garage.
I like some excitement, when driving, but not this sort.

So,  questions. How could this happening? Is there nothing securing the thermometer in place? I guess/hope the water pump is OK, but how to check? 

Best regards,
Uwe

[BDA]

That must have been an adventure!

It sounds like what happened is the otter switch (the thermostatic switch that turns on the radiator fan came out. There should be a rubber grommet in the radiator that holds it in. The otter switch itself is smooth and somewhat bullet shaped. The grommet has probably lost its flexibility and can no longer hold the switch in (don't ask me why they didn't use a screw in switch!).

I hope your engine didn't get too hot! That's a crummy way to start your Lotus driving season!

[pboedker]

Hi Uwe,

it's good to hear the spring has arrived to our southern neighbours. The roads are still a little salty where I live and with still a little frost expected for the next week, the Europa is definitely staying indoor for at least a couple of weeks until the roads are (hopefully) free of salt.

To add to BDA's explanation, the following thread mentions three methods of securing the otter switch (clip, zip tie, security wire):
http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=557.msg6372#msg6372

[4129R]

The switch on 4129R is wired into place.

I cannot understand how it was supposed to cope which the pressure of the cooling system, say 10-12 psi, according to which pressure cap is used.

[jbcollier]

Get a new rubber grommet and secure the fan switch in place.  Don't forget to add antifreeze as this also increases the coolant's boiling point.

It all works when everything is new, less so as the rubber ages and hardens.

Myself, I would solder on a nut and use a screw-in fan switch.

[rfgumby]

Hi,
engine was not up to temperature, before I stopped. Just roughly 10 km in all. Later the evening I drove the same route and I found, where it happened. As I was waiting on a traffic light the otter switch popped out, there was still a puddle on the street. About 2 km later I stopped.

BDA: It was this otter switch. Your explanation about the grommet (isn't that a dog or the sound frogs make?) seems right.
But the radiator wasn't the original one, so the grommet is not so old. I'm afraid I drive the special not enough.

Peter: We got a late winter, but now it should be over, it is spring!

[BDA]

Interesting collection of words for this! An otter is usually an aquatic carnivorous rodent and a grommet does sound like a frog! As jbcollier said, a good grommet should be enough to hold it in, but it wouldn't hurt use either 4129R's or pboedker's methods to make sure it doesn't come out again.

FYI: Aluminum radiators become available on ebay from time to time. They are well made and have a threaded hole for the radiator fan switch (which would obviously mean you'd have to find a replacement for the otter switch - not a big deal).

[invjbo]

Hi,

Well i actually took my S2 out from the garage today and Went for a trip round the block. Halfway round, the brakes stopped working, the pedal followed through to the floor. Luckily the handbrake worked so i could limp back home. I looked in the brake fluid reservoir and it was empty and no apparent leaks at first glimplse under the car and round the wheels. So back into the garage and have a thorough look round. I have a vague suspision of the Masre Brake Cylinder. I guess the oil could leak there back into the Brake servo cannister. Any suggestions?

Hope it all sorts out nicely so I can get it back on the road. Spring is approaching here in Stockholm Sweden

Brest regards
John

[4129R]

I seem to remember many years ago losing brake fluid into the servo on a Mini Cooper S that I  had. You don't notice it going because I think  it goes into the vacuum tube to be burned in the engine, so no tell-tale pools of fluid under the car.