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Engine noise - towed home - what could it be?

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I learned a valuble lesson here: When something is obviously wrong, don't continue to drive! Since the engine was running OK (just noisy) I could have kept going the 5 miles to home; but I'm glad I pulled over and called AAA.
 
TR3driver said:
Some years ago, my Dad was at one of his customer's shop when someone brought in a Lotus that was just barely running. Dad's customer refused to look at it (it was a body shop), so Dad took a look. No idea how it got there, but they found a 5/16" bolt laying in the throat of one of the SU carbs! After removing the bolt & a quick "by ear" mixture adjustment, the owner said it ran better than it had in years.

Anyway, glad the damage is not serious. Be sure to check inside the intake manifold before you put it back together.
Click to expand...

What Lotus had SU's? An early Elite?!?!
 
DrEntropy said:
What Lotus had SU's? An early Elite?!?!
Click to expand...

Sorry, no idea. I wasn't there, and Dad likely wouldn't know an Elite from an Elan. I don't even know that they were the stock carbs; it might have been an Europa or something that had been 'upgraded' to SUs.
 
I think a bolt would have a similar effect if it were lying in a Stromberg rather than an SU.
 
My first impression when looking at the pic was that it looks like the remnants of a 1/4" hex drive screwdriver/nutdriver bit, the kind you get in a set with a ratcheting handle.
 
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