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Lotus Elise / Lotus Exige. Instruction - part 68

Page 7

Lotus Service Notes

Section LK

To Remove Fuel Tank

If possible, this operation should be performed when the fuel level is low to lighten the tank weight.

1. WARNING: The fuel line between pump and engine remains pressurised after switching off the

ignition. Before disconnecting the fuel line, carry out the fuel pressure relief procedure detailed

in sub-section LK.3.

- Carry out the fuel pressure relief procedure detailed in sub-section LK.3.

- Disconnect the battery.

It is recommended ﬁrst to release the quick ﬁt connector located to the rear of the coolant header tank:

- Release the retaining clip securing the pipe joint to the header tank bracket.

- Slide the orange coloured safety lock to allow access to the connector release buttons.

- Surround the pipe joint with a shop towel to absorb fuel contained in the pipework before pressing

the release buttons and separating the joint.

WARNING: Be aware of the possibility of full pressure retention in the fuel line caused by a system

fault.

2. Remove the left hand seat and rear bulkhead trim panel. From the left hand rear corner of the cabin,

remove the access panel on the top of the chassis rear crossmember for access to the fuel pump con-

nections. Release the quickﬁt type connector on the fuel vapour line connection to the pump/sender unit

top plate. Prise out the retaining spring clip and withdraw the fuel feed pipe. Immediately cap all pipes

and ports to protect from dirt ingress and limit vapour hazard. Disconnect the wiring harness plug from

the pump unit, and from the pressure sensor.

3. Remove the RH rear wheel and wheelarch liner to provide access to the ﬁller hose connection. Release

the ﬁller hose from the tank spigot, and immediately cap the oriﬁce to prevent dirt ingress and reduce the

vapour hazard.

4. Release the quickﬁt type connnector on the vapour line to the charcoal canister, and cap the pipe and

canister port. Pull out the grommet surrounding this pipe in the rear wall of the chassis bay.

5. Remove the engine bay undertray/diffuser.

6. Disconnect control cables:

- Release the two gearchange cables from the transmission levers and abutment bracket.

- Release the parking brake cable from the horseshoe compensator and abutment brackets.

- Release the throttle cable from the engine.

- Release the gearchange cable and throttle cable 'P' clips from the perforated 'shear panel' below

the fuel tank.

7. From beneath the fuel tank, release the ﬁxings securing the 'shear panel' front and rear edges to the chas-

sis, and those at each side securing the composite sills to the panel. Note that this panel is a structural

part of the chassis, and that the car should not be used without the panel ﬁtted.

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Lotus Service Notes

Section LK

8. Support the tank before removing the two support cradles from the chassis. Each cradle uses two bolts

at the front end of the bracket, and a single bolt at the rear, all threading into Rivnuts in the chassis.

9. Carefully lower the tank from the chassis, feeding the vapour line through the chassis hole.

10. Before re-ﬁtting the tank, ensure that all the clamping pads are in place:

- EPDM foam sponge block on upper and lower edges of both tank side faces;

- Expanded Polypropylene saddles on top face of tank;

- Neoprene isolating strip between tank and support cradles;

- EPDM rubber wedge between front bottom edge of tank and support cradles;

- Neoprene sponge foam between upper front of tank and chassis.

L58b

Fixing to chassis

Fixing to sill Fuel tank 'shear panel'

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Lotus Service Notes

Section LK

11. Ensure the pump/sender unit, FLVV, roll-over valve and associated pipework is ﬁtted to the tank, with the

earth braid ﬁtted onto the '10 O'clock' position pump mounting stud.

12. Loose ﬁt the LH tank mounting cradle ensuring that the earth braid is ﬁtted beneath the head of the hori-

zontally disposed front ﬁxing bolt.

13. As the tank is raised into position, feed the vent pipe through its hole in the chassis wall. Feed the LH end

of the tank into the cradle, and raise the tank into position taking care not to trap or pinch the fuel pipes

or wiring harness. Retain with the RH cradle, noting that no washer is ﬁtted at the horizontally disposed

front ﬁxing point. Torque tighten the cradle ﬁxing bolts to 24 Nm.

14. Continue the installation in reverse order to removal, and ensure that the 'shear panel' is ﬁtted beneath

the fuel tank bay before driving the car.

LK.5 - FUEL PUMP/SENDER ASSEMBLY

The combined fuel pump/gauge sender unit is mounted in the left hand end of the tank top surface. A

removeable panel is provided in the top of the chassis crossmember in the cabin, which provides access to

the fuel pipe connections and harness connector, but if the pump/gauge sender unit is to be replaced, the tank

must be removed from the chassis (see sub-section LK.4).

For fuel pump test procedures, refer to Engine Repair Instruction B120T0327J.

Polypropylene saddles

Fuel tank

Foam sponge

Rubber wedge Earth braid Support

cradle

L59b

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Lotus Service Notes

Section LK

To Remove Pump/sender Assembly

1. Remove the fuel tank (see sub-section

LK.4).

2. Release the eight nuts securing the

clamping ring, and carefully withdraw the

pump assembly from the tank. Immedi-

ately seal the tank aperture to reduce the

vapour hazard and prevent dirt ingress.

3. For permitted disassembly of the pump

unit, refer to Engine Repair Instruction

B0120T0327J.

4. To reﬁt the pump assembly, renew the

rectangular section sealing ring before

carefully feeding the sender ﬂoat arm

in through the tank aperture. Orientate

the unit with the breather spigot pointing

inboard, and ﬁt the clamping ring with the

location tab engaged with the recess in

the pump top moulding. Fit and secure

the eight M6 washers and nuts.

5. Reﬁt the fuel tank into the car (see sub-

section LK.4).

6. Connect the fuel feed pipe and retain with

the spring clip. Connect the breather pipe

to the spigot on the pump top plate. Fit

the harness plugs to the pump/sender

connector, and to the pressure sensor.

LK.6 - CHARCOAL CANISTER

In order to prevent fuel vapour venting from the fuel tank to atmosphere, the breather pipe from the tank

is routed to a canister ﬁlled with activated-charcoal, which absorbs and stores the fuel vapour when the engine

is stopped. When the engine is running, the canister is connected to the depression in the inlet manifold via a

port on the intake plenum such that fresh air is drawn through the canister to purge the charcoal of its absorbed

fuel, with the resultant gas then consumed by the engine in the normal combustion process.

Charcoal Canister

This is mounted at the right hand front corner of the engine bay via a bracket ﬁxed to the bulkhead. Fuel

vapour from within the tank and collected from the FLVV and a spigot on the fuel pump/sender top plate, is

routed to the canister port labelled ‘tank’. This port is extended within the canister to the underside of the char-

coal bed, below which is a reservoir to collect any liquid fuel. A second port on the canister ('vent') connects

the top side of the charcoal bed to atmosphere via a solenoid controlled 'close' valve. In this way, vapour from

the fuel tank is cleansed of fuel by the charcoal bed before venting to atmosphere.

Clamp ring

Spacer ring

Pressure sensor

Pump support

Pressure regulator

valve

Filter & gauge

sender unit

Fuel pump

Intake strainer

sock

Cushion

Retaining cap

pl4403mt

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Content .. 66 67 68 69 ..