25 replies to this topic

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

Any of the guys at Abbeville last month will tell you about my little oil pool in my engine bay after a full morning of Lotus bashing...... Took my baby along to Plans to get thier breather mod fitted, and check the gearbox over.

Excellent service from the guys there. Found the staff friendly, chatty and very informative. Didn't take the p1ss with the price either.

Turns out I'd lost 3/4 of a litre of gearbox oil , lol. No wonder the back end was all over the place.

Can't stress enough that this mod is essential to your enjoyment if you plan to go on track!!

Next time I take you out Joe, I'll keep it pointing the right way!!

[Retset]

I understand this is mainly a Turbo thing? That said, my oil was well down and the underside of the gearbox etc. looking pretty oily! During my recent service, I asked Paul (PSR Automotive) to re-do my gearbox oil and fit a breather made the way Thorney suggest. Paul, being Paul, went OTT and made a nice bracket for the breather as well - a great touch .

[VIX]

I understand this is mainly a Turbo thing?

Strange, I thought it was mainly an NA thing.

[The Batman]

jjj come on it was fun!

[Jameshs]

how much was the mod?

[VIX]

Vauxhall did mine free under warranty.

[Retset]

how much was the mod?

A few quid tacked on to the (very reasonable) gearbox oil filling cost for me. It's a piece of petrol pipe from breather, up & round 180 degrees on a custom bracket a foot or so higher up. End crimped to two small holes.

[Jameshs]

how much was the mod?

A few quid tacked on to the (very reasonable) gearbox oil filling cost for me. It's a piece of petrol pipe from breather, up & round 180 degrees on a custom bracket a foot or so higher up. End crimped to two small holes.

Any pics of it?

[techieboy]

I understand this is mainly a Turbo thing?

Certainly had it happen on my NA a couple of times. But, only on track at Bedford. So might be something to do with the higher speeds and some of the longer corners there.

Any pics of it?

Some pics in this guide.

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

jjj come on it was fun!

It was a cracking laugh. The two of us cheering and whooping when any of the longer drifts would come off, lol. Didn't do much for my reputation on track with the Lotus boys though, lol, I felt obligated to explain myself, lol. I heard a few of them at dinner talking about the amount of oil on my tyres, ha ha. They all knew who was boss anyway! We spanked them all day, lol. I want to go back and finish off my battle with that 2-11.

how much was the mod?

About £40-50 if memory serves me correctly. They mount a little catch resevoir right up high behind the roll bar, and run a line to it. Any oil that manages to reach that high will just naturally drain back into the system. no need to empty it.

Edited by JimmyJamJerusalem, 04 November 2008 - 02:04 PM.

[Jameshs]

jjj come on it was fun!

It was a cracking laugh. The two of us cheering and whooping when any of the longer drifts would come off, lol. Didn't do much for my reputation on track with the Lotus boys though, lol, I felt obligated to explain myself, lol. I heard a few of them at dinner talking about the amount of oil on my tyres, ha ha. They all knew who was boss anyway! We spanked them all day, lol. I want to go back and finish off my battle with that 2-11.

how much was the mod?

About £40-50 if memory serves me correctly. They mount a little catch resevoir right up high behind the roll bar, and run a line to it. Any oil that manages to reach that high will just naturally drain back into the system. no need to empty it.

Hmm thats not too bad, i might give them a call about this and get a gearbox oil change at the same time

[mandarinvx]

What ID hose is needed

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

What ID hose is needed

Don't know I'm afraid Ad.....

[richyroff]

Morning all, I did mine last weekend Joe style. Stopped in at a local garage and got 400mm of 10mm fuel pipe (an offcut for £1) and a crank case breather filter thing off the net for £4. Removed the nipple from the gearbox and warmed the end of the fuel pipe in boiling water so it would slip over the nipple and cable tied it in place. I ran the pipe up behind some other cables to it definately wont foul the gearbox cabling. Then made a bracket for the filter next to the header tank (using 2 of the header tank bolts) ran the pipe up through the bracket and fixed the filter on top. If seems to work fine and doesn't take long to fit. I will probably fit a catch tank eventially but this is a good quick fix. I think I will relocate the filter out of the way eventually but that will just be for cosmetic reasons really I don't like the look of it! BTW jimmy you had a brief moment of fame on seloc, someone menioned enjoying chasing the vxr. I checked their vids and didn't see a vx though Which reminds me I really must sort out our pics and vids! better late than never!

[The Batman]

[Retset]

Mine, which I explained poorly, is the same as richyroff's but ending at the crimp. I will monitor and if anything comes out, will put on a small catch tank.

[pj_sibley]

Presumably this mod is just as easy to do on the NA gearbox? Where should I look for the breather pipe outlet on the gearbox? One more thing - how do you check the gearbox oil level easily? Thanks!

Edited by pj_sibley, 06 November 2008 - 12:35 PM.

[techieboy]

Transmission Fluid Level, Check and Correct

[Duncan VXR]

I am not sure if it different on the M32 6 speed box but mine does not seem to leak. Got a breather pipe and catch tank but had issues with the hose staying on. Not bothered too much as it does not leak even on track and drag strip.

[pj_sibley]

Transmission Fluid Level, Check and Correct

Thanks for that, very useful. Need to have a look at the breather arrangement on my NA as I use the car on track a lot.