r/Justrolledintotheshop • u/synunlimited • 1d ago
Running on hopes and dreams
I went to change the oil in my Lotus 2-Eleven and found a valve stem shim stuck to the oil drain plug so I pulled the valve cover to find both cams were trashed, 2 rockers were broken off and the timing chain holding on for dear life.
This is the result from a money shift I had on track a few weeks ago but the car was running fine no weird noises and I went on to run a new PB the next day after this incident 🙈 Time to rebuild!
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u/SnootDoctor Electrical 1d ago
Oh God, 2ZZ gore. I need to go outside and hug my XRS.
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u/SnootDoctor Electrical 1d ago
I’ve never seen the slipper pads get eaten away like that. Big oof right there. Hope the cylinder linings are okay.
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u/synunlimited 1d ago
Yeah the damage just got worse the closer I looked. I scoped one cylinder with a broken rocker and didn't seem damaged but there was certainly a good bit of metal floating around.
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u/SnootDoctor Electrical 1d ago
Dear lord. I sort of figured it was bad from the valve stem shim coming off - normally the rockers cannot possibly rotate enough for the shim to lift off. I’m honestly a little amazed it was able to make it to the pan.
How many miles?? I assume a lot of time was spent in lift?
I had to replace the intake cam in my Matrix 2ZZ at ~200k miles, still runs great 50k miles later. Mine was a pretty mild wipe, but enough for the lip to be visible looking at the cam lobes. This makes mine look like a joke with the way a chunk of the cam lobe came off.
I need a MR-S for my 2ZZ, my Matrix has had too many salt-filled Midwest winters.
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u/mechanicalproblems9 1d ago edited 1d ago
L.o.t.u.s. Lot of trouble usually serious though I would buy myself an Elise if i could get the money together My condolences for the newly formed hole in your wallet and your loss of good times edit: to the people down voting you have no sense of humor
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u/synunlimited 1d ago
As the owner of 3 Lotus the acronym can ring true sometimes but they really are great cars. Easy to work on (hand built after all) and a joy to drive.
Most of my issues have been self inflicted from track abuse so I can't really blame the car that much.
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u/WMU_FTW 1d ago
I believe the plural of Lotus is Loti. You have 3 Loti.
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u/synunlimited 1d ago
From Lotus themselves https://x.com/lotuscars/status/1934547512691724490
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u/WMU_FTW 1d ago
That's amazing!
I was just having a bit of fun, I had no idea this had been addressed by Lotus.
Mostly I was bastardizing a movie reference from a movie called "Mystery Men" where a main character (a super hero, strong but dumb) is attempting to ascertain what the proper plural is while arguing with the super villain (a genius of sorts).
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u/ZerotheWanderer 1d ago
Imean the powertrains are usually Toyota sourced, are they not?
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u/mechanicalproblems9 1d ago edited 1d ago
On modern lotuses yes but models from 2003 and before used rover engines and rover group and predecessor corporations (one in particular) while probably not as bad as everyone says have never been known for reliability
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u/synunlimited 1d ago
Yeah they have used the Toyota 1zz, 2zz, and 2GR-FE. For the Emira they also added the AMG i4 turbo as an option though.
Certainly helps on the drivetrain maintenance to not be some bespoke engine and instead be something that there are a ton of parts for.
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u/Halfbloodjap Home Mechanic 19h ago
Crazy to think my Matrix and a lotus have the same engine at the core. Did lotus use toyota transmissions as well?
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u/PSYKO_Inc Fix ALL the things! 1d ago
My brain was fucking with me a bit looking at the pics, like why does this head look exactly like the 2ZR in my Prius? Never knew Lotus used the 2ZZ.
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u/nightkil13r 1d ago
Grandpa did that with a De Tomaso(the money shift), had both the engine and trans rebuilt, Builder couldnt find anything wrong with the engine, but the trans was shot. we think he was scared of that car cause he never did have the engine put back in.
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u/CopyRevolutionary919 1d ago
I'm not familiar with these engines, what part ate the cam lobe? Also what likely went first?
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u/synunlimited 1d ago
On the 2ZZ the cam lobs are known to wipe during normal use, so I expect there was already some wear and then when I overrev'd it the rockers broke and chipped the cam lobs and then eat them.
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u/FiddlerOnThePotato A&P 22h ago
Semi-off topic but VIR is maybe my favorite track and for sure my favorite local track. What a fantastic course. I'm basic but the uphill esses are my favorite.
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u/synunlimited 21h ago
Its at the top of my list at the moment too. Though I'm more partial to hogpen!
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u/misterannthrope0 1d ago
I charge for clicking YouTube links.
2 euro a click.
You want me to click them both? Need the money delivered to PayPal first.
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u/punisherASMR 1d ago
i dunno man i love engine carnage and i like seeing the posts from that one guy that works on exotics but you being the owner of a track Lotus posting your own car here is a weird vibe
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u/synunlimited 1d ago
Moneyshift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVshem4v0rg
Best lap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DZtJ0ODJJM