Replacement Throttle Bush Kit For the Lotus Elise
News 14/1/2007
I have decided to stop making the throttle bushes. Commercial alternatives are available from (at least one) major Elise parts supplier. This page is only maintained for reference purposes.
What's the problem?
The Lotus Elise throtle linkage is the weakest part of the whole car in my opinion.
It uses a complex linkage to do a simple job.
The central pivot in the linkage uses a soft nylon bush that wears out and collapses over time.
It happens so slowly that you usually don't notice it until half your throttle travel is lost.
How do I know if I've got the problem?
The easiest way to test for the problem is to check that you have full throttle travel.
Get an assistant to hold the pedal down while you look at the throttle in the engine bay.
You should be able to find the throttle by finding the thing that moves when the pedal moves.
If you can turn it further by hand after the pedal is fully down, then you aren't getting full power from your engine.
Another check is to press on the pedal with the engine running.
The pedal shouldn't move more than a few millimeres before the engine responds.
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Is the S2 any better?
Series 1 Elises built after 1999 and all S2 Elises have a slightly different arrangement.
The bolt is replaced by a fixed stud, like a rivet.
They still use the same nylon bush and still have the same problem.
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What can be done about it?
Lotus sell the nylon bits for about £3. Quite a reasonable price, from Lotus.
Unfortunately, the problem will reoccur.
I used to make a replacement bush from bronze.
This replacement is a "top hat" shape so that it absolutely cannot tip over.
Each bush was hand made and the kit used to include a replacement bolt and
fitting instructions.
I recently recieved this from the owner of a one-month-old S2...
"I have installed the bush - it is great. I don't know whether it is supposed to happen but it has increased acceleration and pick up at high speeds, and also the pull at both low and high speeds."
Yes, it's supposed to happen but the amazing part is that the difference was noticeable on a car fresh from the factory.
News Flash! S2.5 fixes the problem!
It appears that the introduction of the Toyota-engined 111R has finally prompted Lotus to fix this problem.
All Elises built after 2004 have the cable directly attached to the pedal. You don't need the bush.
Visit my buyer's guide:
Buyer's Guide
