SENC

A different gearbox from mine, but looks like similar failure points. It appears the rear seal has failed and a piece is falling out below the yoke. You could, conceivably, pull the yoke and drives haft out the back and replace that seal, but it would be tough - and given other apparent leaks it would probably be best just to pull the engine and gearbox entirely. I'm surprised there isn't something covering that vent hole - conceivably you could have oil getting flung up that hole and then dripping down the sides rather than additional leaks.

If your gearbox is similar to this one from my 65 Seven, the blue arrow points to the breather bolt in one corner of the box cover - you may alternately find it on the remote connection to the tailshaft (I think this is the correct location, actually - my pic was a dry fit of final components to store everything in one piece while completing engine rebuild). The red arrows point to common leak areas. At the end of the tailshaft there are a few common reasons: 1 - the seal has become deformed where the yoke as put pressure on it sitting in one spot for an extended period; 2- the yoke itself is worn at the same spot as the seal hits; 3 - the bushing was installed incorrectly. The speedo angle drive connection is another common weak point- could be a bad o-ring or missing gasket. The biggest volume leak problem is often at the gearbox to bellhousing connection as one of the bolts (bottom left from the front as I recall, but could be right) enters a through hole into the gearbox (rather than a tapped blind hole as the other 3). If this bolt wasn't installed with sealant, it will leak badly. Hope this helps a bit, but (at least on my car) any of these would require engine and gearbox out of the car for resolution. I would certainly try a complete drain and refill to see if it was just overfilled and being forced out.

I use https://www.pure-gas.org/ to find non-ethanol gas when I'm in an area I don't know, has seemed pretty accurate. I would put ethanol in my (old) cars in a pinch, but I'd run it out and replace it as quickly as I could.

I'm running mine on ethanol-free unleaded with Redline lead substitute and some boostane octane additive, but too soon after rebuild to have any good feedback on impact. I think the general consensus on our Elans is that the original engines have proven fine on unleaded without modification, if that helps at all.

Kent engine articles 1- from Dave Bean English Ford catalog (which has lots of other good information and you might want as reference - I think you can still order one from DBE): http://www.team.net/www/morgan/history/kenteng.html 2 - specfic to Cortinas but still quite useful: https://www.lotus-cortina.com/library/block/blocks.htm The lotuselan.net forum is also quite useful, as the twincam used essentially the same block. You'll find plenty of discussion there about block numbers and specific engine numbers. I meant to add earlier that I think this number on your head represents a casting date - I believe June 22 1967 - but stand ready to be corrected if someone knows differently.

Interesting - share a picture if you can, someone might recognize something that helps you on your search for information. The specific engine number on top of the motor mount can so give a clue, as they were numbered with different conventions for various cars and when sold as replacement blocks. There are a couple good web resources on them, I'll see if I can find them and share links. I misread your prior post about the oil pump and whether that meant you had a 105e engine - I read it as oil cooler.

Mine originally had an oil cooler based one early pictures, but long since gone - so that doesn't indicate anything in and of itself. A 105e engine block would indicate the 1340cc variety, not the 1500. You should be able to find the appropriate engine marking on the manifold side of the block, on the back half - likely 105e-6015 or 120e-6015, but there are other possibilities if replaced. On the distributor side, on the top of the piece of the block where the motor mount attaches, is the unique block number. If you haven't already, reach out to John Watson (registrar of lotus 7s at the lotus7registry) with the details of your car and he'll be able to help with history. Your intake manifolds dont look like the original Cosworth, so it is possible this engine was upgraded to Cosworth specs later - or that it was simply converted to dual webers and a Cosworth cover added - or that it is/was Cosworth and the manifold replaced for some reason.

For what it's worth, I'm not sure I see the value of electronic fuel pumps and electronic ignition on these cars - I think the mechanical variety do the job just as well on these simple machines, and they are simpler to maintain and adjust and have fewer gremlins (imo). Having said that, my car is and will remain positive earth and with a generator/dynamo for the same reason of simplicity of function, so I may be a dinosaur. Your dry sump means you don't have to worry about the dreaded rope seal, so you're good on that (mine is good so far, but ticking like all of them). If you have the Standard/TR10 rear axle the download on that may be useful - seal replacement isn't bad, though hub removal can be a bugger and you really want the right tool (I have one if you need). Keep us posted with pictures and any needs. Henry

Last - you mention a fuel pressure regulator - if it still has the mechanical pump it should not need a regulatory, but may if someone installed an electric pump with too much pressure.

Check out the downloads available in this section; https://usa7s.net/ips/files/category/5-lotus-seven/ The S2 service manual is there as well as an article on the Cosworth variants - both reference timing and are useful. Also check out the technical section on engines - the 105e engine rebuild manual (for the Ford Consul but basis for our engines) is there and you find pictures and notes about the timing marks.

I have the same engine in my 65 Seven. Distributor Doctor in the UK is the best bet for a correct distributor rebuild (or to build up a new one with the right advance). It would not have had the vacuum connected if originally a Cosworth 1500. There should be a notch in the crankshaft wheel and timing marks just behind it. I think I uploaded a few documents that reference timing and may have pictures but will look and if not will submit for reference. IIRC offhand, the gap between the 2 raised marks is 8TDC and the engine was originally tuned about 10 or 11TDC - regardless, get it to the marks as a starting point and adjust/advance as needed. Also check and adjust the dwell on your current distributor. With those 2 things done, I agree with the others some carb work is likely next - and you'll likely need to go back to timing to tweak as you get other things right. I also agree that with a dry sump you likely have other upgrades/updates - and if that includes radical cams that comes at a cost to manifold vacuum and to steady idle. I would suggest you do a compression test and also a leakdown test - those will give you insights into current condition that may help you avoid a few wild goose chases.

LOG41 was fun, albeit a little disappointing in that the weather forecast turned bad late in the week and I suspect that contributed to fewer Sevens showing up than had signed up. It did, in fact, start raining Saturday afternoon and through the night, with areas of rain in the area continuing Sunday morning. I managed to get in one good drive Saturday afternoon before it fully set in, but not nearly as many mountain miles as I'd hoped. I did get to meet some good folks and see a lot of different Lotus, including the new Emira (a really great looking and sounding car). I was also a bit disappointed at the car lineup/group photo that the Caterhams were at the back and the Lotus Sevens at the front. I think organizers were trying to go from oldest to newest overall, but separating the Sevens made no sense to me and because I didn't realize that until later I didn't get to meet the Caterham owners. I hope future organizers will get this righted. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed going - great cars and great people. Next year LOG is in Knoxville with easy access to Tail of the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway - so maybe a good excuse for many on this forum to join. Henry

Section N of the Manual is "Overhaul and Rebuild". I suspect this is what is referred to generally as disassembly instructions. See the S2 manual in the downloads section.

I have a kwik-lift and have been very happy with it - it gets the car just high enough to work on and under comfortably (on a creeper), and is easy to drive on and off so I keep either my Elan or Seven on it all the time. It is a great fit for a small space that can't accommodate a hydraulic lift. I glanced at their website and it appears they aren't making them right now due to high steel costs - but I do see them pop up for sale used from time to time.

My son is to head to business school at University of Glasgow for a postgraduate business degree next month and is learning that the University is not going to be able to honor its guarantee of housing for international students. It seems other housing options are few and far between and going faster than he can find from here in the US. Does anyone here have any good connections in Glasgow that might be a resource for finding housing?

I'd been trying to come up with a use for the connecting rods and pistons that came out of my Seven at engine rebuild, and needed a paper towel holder in the bathroom at the shop... Have you made alternate use of any bits off your Sevens?

Indeed it is - I wasn't sure where you are. I understand there will be a good gathering of old Sevens, and will make sure to get and share pictures. You're in one of my favorite parts of the world. My daughter went to Tulane so we got to spend a fair amount of time in NO, and we lived in MS and have lots of friends scattered across Louisiana. Hot place for a Seven, though!

Beautiful Seven! Are you bringing it to the Lotus Owner's Group meeting in West Virginia in September?

Different, but in case it helps the pre-crossflows did not utilize a t-stat. When I got mine a prior owner had installed one at the swirlpot inlet, presumably to quicken warmup. I was noticing some borderline overheating and checked then changed the t-stat (drilling the new one) with limited impact, so ultimately just removed it since its real purposes is keeping temps above a certain level, not below any level. Doing so did seem to reduce/eliminate spikes, though, presumably just because all restriction was removed and the system flowing as intended. I just have to be a bit more patient warming it up. Even in hot weather and in town, I don't see temp rises approaching a worry point.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144655852811?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l3160&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=e6bfc1d9dcbb4bf393e738759589e25b&bu=44278349486&ut=RU&osub=-1~1&crd=20220723015151&segname=11021 Must be summer Seven cleanout week!

...and Fisker takes the lead!

Your car, you do whatever you'd like and enjoy it! Who cares a wit what someone else thinks, but as far as I'm concerned all these cars are offshoots of Lotus (legitimate and bastard alike) and I think it is great when they tip the cap to Lotus in some way. I think it only goes too far when someone tries to sell a car as a Lotus inappropriately. My 2 cents.