[blackthought_]

Correct. Must remove the pan to inspect.

I think I will remove mine when my warranty expires in July. That will be three years on the originals, and while I've religiously kept the oil fresh and clean, I don't intend to track the car. The risk of deterioration is greater than the risk of oil starvation on a track.

I will definitely buy at least one set of new baffles from Sherman as soon as they're back in stock. That way I'll have them if I do decide to get more aggressive with the car.

I’ll probably end up doing the same. But now I’m afraid of tracking the thing even once! I know I don’t go balls to the wall but it’s still going to be in the back of my head

 

[sigboi]

Couple of dumb questions:

-Do the gates deteriorate faster in dirtier oil, ie. would they deteriorate less if oil were changed more often?

-Do the gates get hard/brittle sitting, like some gaskets I’ve seen new in package but have sat for years on a shelf? In case I want to buy a few sets to put aside

 

[Grady]

Couple of dumb questions:

-Do the gates deteriorate faster in dirtier oil, ie. would they deteriorate less if oil were changed more often?

-Do the gates get hard/brittle sitting, like some gaskets I’ve seen new in package but have sat for years on a shelf? In case I want to buy a few sets to put aside

My guess is there are a type of Buna-N rubber. What will degrade them is time, UV and heat. Generally speaking if stored correct shelf life will be At least 7 years. Once you install them you will only have heat and time. Heat being the major degrading factor. Realistically there should be a milage and time limit on these. Dirty oil will have little to no affect on longevity.

 

[TNEngineer]

An earlier post suggested they are HBNR. Here is an intro article. As noted, you can change the temperature range by playing with the formulation but the industry default appears to be 160C. Anyone know the typical track temperature of oil in an Evora with its oil cooling system? We're not going to see 160C in these engines without lots of other issues.

Bizland

 

[bboixtc]

I did this job back in December when my 21 GT hit 23k. The flaps looked damn near new. I replaced them anyway, used the Toyota RTV and that was that. I mainly did it to stay on top of my recommended maintenance intervals while within my 3 year 36k warranty period. I've done nearly 2 dozen track days at 16 different tracks with the car. The 5 flaps looked fine. Would I wait a little longer than the 2 year 18k interval? Given the exhausting nature of removing the oil pan without a lift, maybe.

 

[blackthought_]

I did this job back in December when my 21 GT hit 23k. The flaps looked damn near new. I replaced them anyway, used the Toyota RTV and that was that. I mainly did it to stay on top of my recommended maintenance intervals while within my 3 year 36k warranty period. I've done nearly 2 dozen track days at 16 different tracks with the car. The 5 flaps looked fine. Would I wait a little longer than the 2 year 18k interval? Given the exhausting nature of removing the oil pan without a lift, maybe.

This is the kind of feedback I’m looking for! I bet if one didn’t track the car you can get away with an additional few years of not having to change them out. Even in your case, it didn’t need replacing even after track use.

 

[bboixtc]

This is the kind of feedback I’m looking for! I bet if one didn’t track the car you can get away with an additional few years of not having to change them out. Even in your case, it didn’t need replacing even after track use.

To add to that, I'm approaching 31k next week. It's 2 years of ownership this month. I'll be doing another oil change after Road Atlanta Sunday. Let you know if I see any stray RTV pieces lol

 

[YVR_evoraGT]

FFS those flaps suck to remove and reinstall.
🤬

Also...I highly doubt the whole "replace every two years sh1t. I have a 2020 GT with less than 7000 kms/4300 miles.

The flaps I pulled out were almost exactly like the new ones I (struggled to) install. Lotus should have at least designed with some kind of pull tab to help. If anyone tells you there's a "trick" to swap, just punch them in the balls...no there's not. You'll stab yourself in the finger with your screwdriver cause it's slippery AF in an oil pan and lots of cursing ... Take a couple of shots before attempting.

This is bs to replace at two year intervals, unless you daily drive and are high mileage.
Anyways...now that I've spent all this time cleaning the pan and block, I can see deal with reinstalling everything.

 

[HawkeyeMike]

Track use, non-track use...driving a lot, or just letting it sit. None of these activities will impact how quickly the flaps degrade. It's the simple act of sitting in the oil bath that causes them to degrade over time. Or supposedly degrade, ha. Like I said in my post above, mine had started to become brittle when I removed them. But they probably could have sat in there for much longer before becoming a real issue.

The flaps I pulled out were almost exactly like the new ones I (struggled to) install. Lotus should have at least designed with some kind of pull tab to help. If anyone tells you there's a "trick" to swap, just punch them in the balls...no there's not. You'll stab yourself in the finger with your screwdriver cause it's slippery AF in an oil pan and lots of cursing ... Take a couple of shots before attempting.

100% agree. They suck to remove and install. By the 5th one, I started getting good at it...which is code for "I damaged my fingers a little less."

 

[friss]

Someone should do a science experiment and leave the baffles in old oil for a few years and see what state they are in.

 

[Grady]

Track use, non-track use...driving a lot, or just letting it sit. None of these activities will impact how quickly the flaps degrade.

I will disagree with this. About the only variable once installed is temperature. So the hotter you get them and the longer you keep them hot they will degrade faster.

 

[HawkeyeMike]

I will disagree with this. About the only variable once installed is temperature. So the hotter you get them and the longer you keep them hot they will degrade faster.

Fair enough...although there are a lot of materials that are happier in heat than not. I guess I have no real idea which the flaps like better.

 

[TNEngineer]

Heat accelerates almost all chemical reactions, which is what we're dealing with here. So yes, I would expect sustained high oil temps would make replacement more frequent.

 

[Frohst]

Someone should do a science experiment and leave the baffles in old oil for a few years and see what state they are in.

They have - more or less. All the articles I've found are for o-rings (or "seal packings" for when you need more bigger words for smart smarts). Normally brittleness is notably increased due to oil+temp exposure. Seal failure however takes a lot longer than the embrittlement. Usually done at 70, 130, 150C or similar.

Since these are moveable flappy's - I'd count embrittlement as the point of failure rather than the point of seal failure.

 

[coreyalert3]

The Baffled Moroso Oil Pan Monkey Wrench sells is deeper and has metal gates is this not the long term solution and forgo the OEM pan hassle altogether? I have one but haven't put it on yet.

 

[coreyalert3]

Got the Moroso Oil pan on. I had the gate flap kit on hand incase something didn't go as planned. After 5 years of being a track car 6200 miles my 3-Eleven gate flaps weren't as pliable as brand new ones but definitely not brittle and had life life left in them it seemed like.

 

[mrgylex]

The baffles are unique to the Evora GT. Only this model came with the baffled sump from the factory. When I replaced my baffles (aka gate flaps), i did a write up with pictures. Happy to share in a .pdf format with any and all. Simply send me a PM. Sipple92 - I sent you a copy already.

I did not know about the BOE gasket. I will add that to my write up. I used sealer, but it was a pain to pry the pan off. I was told (by Lotus) the factory sealer is likely more aggressive and it will be easier next time. I would like to have a gasket and will use that next time. Also, my gate flaps (after 2 years) were still in excellent condition and I think they would have lasted another year. The flaps were still like new, very flexible, no cracking or brittleness noted.

I also have a write up on the GRP DeCat updated from the article published in Lotus Marque and a maintenance schedule full of notes. Nothing special about the schedule, but the notes are definitely worth having as supplemental information.

PS. i loosed the sump pick up in lieu of the exhaust to remove the pan. It worked, but I recommend loosening the exhaust bolts as that is better IMHO and what Lotus says to do.

Mark

Hey Mark,

I'd love to get a copy of the PDF please 🤲👐

 

[Jedifar]

So...i'm pretty much in the opposite boat of you all. I have a 400 currently undergoing conversion to GT430 spec and just purchased a used red baffle pan for only $250 from TLF that was used on an Exige 380. The owner said he's had the pan on there for more than 3 years and the flaps were perfect. He was nice enough to include a new set of flaps with the pan.
I do track the car but not frequent at all and not with slicks or any where with prolonged cornering so its technically not needed.
I plan on doing the swap at the next oil change and put in the new flaps. From what I've read so far, I'm starting to get discouraged on installing the pan and I guess, 'creating a problem' where there isn't one. But I also have a feeling that these fears are being blown out of proportion given the many GT owners out there, I doubt there's been a single case of engine failure due to brittle flaps.
I do plan to do the pan swap and all future maintenance myself so dealer costs wont be a concern unless it would be a last resort.
So should I be paranoid as well and talked out of swapping? Or should I be fine and worst case, I'd still have my 400 pan i could swap back in? Just wouldn't feel right having a black pan gt430 huh? Maybe I shoulda thought of all this before I bought it?

 

[poltergeist]

I just changed my gate "flaps" a month ago at 3 years old and 9K miles on my 2020 GT. The original flaps were like new. Sort've a pain to get the old ones out and the new ones in (in the limited access inside the metal baffle plates welded into the pan) but they got easier as I did them one by one. I expect I won't worry about changing them again for at least 4 years based on how my original ones looked. Your call on if you "need" the baffled pan. I expect any (mostly) street driven Evora doesn't really need it.

Kevin

 

[bboixtc]

So...i'm pretty much in the opposite boat of you all. I have a 400 currently undergoing conversion to GT430 spec and just purchased a used red baffle pan for only $250 from TLF that was used on an Exige 380. The owner said he's had the pan on there for more than 3 years and the flaps were perfect. He was nice enough to include a new set of flaps with the pan.
I do track the car but not frequent at all and not with slicks or any where with prolonged cornering so its technically not needed.
I plan on doing the swap at the next oil change and put in the new flaps. From what I've read so far, I'm starting to get discouraged on installing the pan and I guess, 'creating a problem' where there isn't one. But I also have a feeling that these fears are being blown out of proportion given the many GT owners out there, I doubt there's been a single case of engine failure due to brittle flaps.
I do plan to do the pan swap and all future maintenance myself so dealer costs wont be a concern unless it would be a last resort.
So should I be paranoid as well and talked out of swapping? Or should I be fine and worst case, I'd still have my 400 pan i could swap back in? Just wouldn't feel right having a black pan gt430 huh? Maybe I shoulda thought of all this before I bought it?

You're fully committed to doing the 430 conversion from the 400. Might as well do the oil pan. It's really not that bad of a job. It's just tedious. I've considered the Moroso pan but have read it comes really close to aftermarket headers/Y pipe. Which I eventually plan on doing.