Cracked Exhaust Manifolds |
The exhaust manifold on the Esprit get extremely hot.
In fact, it is not uncommon to see the manifold and the turbocharger
glowing red hot after a spirited run. Just like throwing a hot glass
casserole dish under cool running water, it is not uncommon for the
Esprit's manifold to cracked; especially if its is constantly splash
with water will hot. This one of the two reasons why an engine undertray
is a needed part (the other being to keep stones and debris from going
into the path of the timing belt). Many have tried to repair cracked
manifolds in their car, only to have them crack again. Considering how
difficult it is to remove the manifold with the engine in-situ, you are
better off going through the expense of replacing it. Some companies are
experimenting with aftermarket replacements, but so far nothing is
proven. By the time the 4-cylinder production was done, Lotus was on its
third revision of the manifold and these units seem much less
susceptible to cracking. If you replace yours, make sure to ask if the
new one is the latest revision.Early Esprit V8
models also suffered from frequent cracked exhaust manifolds. Many of
these were replaced by Lotus under warranty and for most people the
problem has since gone away.
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