70 S2 0044Q

[jbcollier]

Is there a Canadian Tire nearby?  Napa?

Transaxle: Any GL-5 or GL-4 gear oil in the 75-90/80-90 range will work, no problem.  Some oils give better shifting.  When I switched to Redline MT90, there was a noticeable improvement in shifting.  All Renault transaxles leak; some a little, some a lot.  Sounds dumb to say it but the one thing they won't tolerate is no oil.  Check your transaxle level regularly until you get a handle on how often it needs topping up.  Check it at least once at the start of the season and before any long drives.

Engine:  It is a classic "flat-tappet" engine and it does benefit from a bit more phosphorous/zinc than you find in most modern oils.  Again any oil is better than no oil.  Mobil 1 5W50 is usually available at auto parts stores.  It has a reasonably level of phosphorous/zinc.  Failing that, motorcycle shops are another source of phosphorous/zinc rich oils -- albeit, not cheap.  See what the local shops have and do a bit of research.  I would stick with oils that have a 50 at the top like  5/10/15/20 - 50.  I used Mobil 1 V-Twin oil 20W-50 for a long time.  It was perfect and Canadian Tire carried it.  But, it doesn't seem to be available anywhere in Canada anymore.

Diesel oils are controversial.  Lots of people are using them but, there is always a but, they have additives to suit issues that diesel engines have, not the gasoline engine issues.  Some people are quite concerned, some not at all.

Temper it all with the fact that 90% of modern oils are far better than 90% of what was available in the 60s!

The oil filters are standard Ford filters (3/4" 16 tpi thread).  You want the really short one.  Just ask for a filter for a 1980 Renault 5 and you'll be good.  You can also fit a 90° adapter and then fit regular length Ford filters.  Not a big deal though as usually pampered cars, like Europas, get twice as many, or more, oil changes than they actually need.

[Sandyman]

Thanks JB, I don't want to destroy the power train through ignorance. Canadian Tire 20 min. away. I will get oil this week.

[BDA]

Once you settle on what oil you want, if it's not available locally, you can always order it on Amazon or ebay and probably Walmart, too.

[Sandyman]

Like several other Europa owners I have never driven one! I have only seen one other in the flesh. (last fall at the Canadian Lotus Club fall colour tour.) More of what I got up to last winter when not doing my volunteer Ski Patrol duties. I reassembled the engine, checked the crown/pinion backlash (after replacing output and input shaft seals) and bolted them together. The lotus engineers must have been having a bad day when they designed the door hinges. 2 people and a saws-all to remove the old ones. PO broke the fibreglass holding the latch on the drivers door. I ground and repaired it in March.

[Sandyman]

Wrong picture of finished latch repair on previous post. Correct one here.

[BDA]

Hopefully, you can get it together "quickly" (as much as anybody can call it quick) so you can drive it. It is unlike any car you've every driven. A lot like a race car!

[Sandyman]

BDA, I cant wait. The best handling car I have driven to date is a 1992 VW Jetta diesel. I have worn the words off pages describing the incredible fun to be had driving a Europa. Anticipated delivery date of Spyder Chassis is end of June.

[BDA]

Well, you have a little time to get ready for it!

[jbcollier]

Canadian Tire carries this oil:

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/red-line-synthetic-20w60-motorcycle-oil-946-ml-0281867p.html#srp

has ZDDP levels is the 2200 range which is just fine.  Probably have to order it in.

[surfguitar58]

FYI - I contacted the Mobil Help Desk about using Mobil 1 V-Twin in a twin cam engine and received these 2 CONTRADICTORY replies:

1. - Jan 26, 2018
Tom,

I would not recommend using the Mobil 1 V-Twin, rather, I would consider using the Mobil 1 15W-50. It has a slightly lower amount of ZDDP (1300) but it still be about 30% over the recommended threshold for older engines with flat tappet valve trains.

Thank you for choosing Mobil,
 
Jake Ackerman
Mobil Help Desk Team Lead

2. - Jan 29, 2018
Hello Tom,

This can be an excellent match for applications requiring an SAE 50 with high ZDDP content. Nothing about the fact that it is compatible with wet clutches will interfere with your engine’s performance.

Kind regards,

Luc LeBlanc
Americas Technical Help Desk
ExxonMobil Lubricants Technology

[Sandyman]

Thanks so much JB! Will do asap.

[Bodzer]

Great job Sandyman.  I’m abit late but I noticed that one of your steering rack mount bolts refused to budge as well. I think it’s actually the same one as mine! I replaced my chassis too. Much nicer to start with a clean sheet.

Good luck!

[dakazman]

 Thanks Sandy for asking the question and JB for answering so throughly.
I too would have been asking the same questions.
JB,
  I just pulled my gearbox off the shelf what should I go over to prep it or should I just tear it down and inspect everything, mind you it will be a first.
Dakazman

[jbcollier]

The transaxles are pretty tough but there is one Lotus-induced weakness: output seals.  In the Renault set-up, the half-shaft CV joint encloses the output stub axle with only the roll pin holes letting an occasional smattering out.  Lotus changed that and fit just a small seal-run/spacer and then applied a load through it.

The Lotus set-up leaks, sometimes just weeping, sometimes quite a bit.

That leads people to change the seals trying to stem the leak.  And this is where the problems arises.  The seals are pressed into the large threaded seal holders from the inside.  You have to remove the nuts to change the seals.  The nuts not only hold the seals, they set the diff carrier bearing pre-load, and the ring and pinion free-play.  It is not very easy to remove and replace the seal nuts to EXACTLY the same position.  This affects the ring and pinion clearance, which affects the contact pattern and whether the diff is quiet or not.  Lots of Europa transaxles have a whine to them, either on or off throttle.  Run it noisy long enough, and the ring and pinion may wear such that it is not possible to set it up properly again.

So, long story short: any unknown Europa transaxle should have the bell housing removed and the free-play of the ring and pinion checked.  If adjustments are required, then fit new output seals as well so you can seal things up properly during the adjustment.

[jbcollier]

Heaven forfend I have to do it again but, next time, I would buy new seal nuts and have them machined so I can change the seals from the outside.  Then there is no need to disturb the diff when changing the seals.