[CosmosMpower]

Is there a trick to removing the rear bulkhead panel (with the cargo net) besides just taking out all the screws, speakers and seats? Does it just pop off to reveal the foam inside (if you have touring pack) or are there any additional steps? I have a buzz/rattle and want to take it off to see if there's anything loose behind there.

 

[Dave]

Not much to it really. Not sure what could be buzzing behind there though. Did you check the firewall too in the engine bay, fuse holders, etc?

 

[CosmosMpower]

Not much to it really. Not sure what could be buzzing behind there though. Did you check the firewall too in the engine bay, fuse holders, etc?

Good point. I haven't checked the firewall yet that would probably be a good place to start. If I find nothing is loose on the firewall (ECU etc) am I missing any steps to dissasemble the rear bulkhead?

 

[Dave]

No just mostly what you've mentioned + the light/upper console. Taking the seats out is probably the longest part. Did you check your speaker screws BTW? If you do pull the cover, the fuel pump access plate is right behind the driver's seat - maybe the screws are loose? Other than that, I can't remember much else back there that would rattle.

 

[Max Smith]

Yeah got me one of them buzz/rattles too. Searching the threads I couldn't find anything too helpful. Mines a doozy that occurs at precisely 3500 rpm ... Oh the joy of Lotus !

Good Luck.

 

[RoadDad]

Cosmos,

The panel doesn't come straight out. It is tucked behind the rear door jam piece on each side at the bottom and at the top and needs to be pulled out from those edges before you can remove it. It is easiest to remove the trim panel if you

1. remove the passenger seat
2. push the driver's seat as far forward as possible (doesn't need to come out)
3. remove both of the upper seat belt attachments (to the "roll bar")
4. remove the "cup holder" between the seats
5. remove the plastic screws on the trim panel (4)
6. gently pull (first on the passenger side) the panel at its lowest side edge toward the center of the car to get it out from behind the rear door jam. Then pull it in the same way at the top edge. Repeat on the driver's side.
7. disconnect the interior light and speaker wires
8. remove panel from car

 

[glb]

Yeah got me one of them buzz/rattles too. Searching the threads I couldn't find anything too helpful. Mines a doozy that occurs at precisely 3500 rpm ... Oh the joy of Lotus !

Good Luck.

In gear, any gear and in neutral?

If it's yes, yes, yes, this is often an exhaust noise on any car. PPl have had their heat shields make noise too. Sometimes gentle taps w/a mallet (not a Mallard) can find them.

And, cold and hot both?

 

[RoadDad]

Cosmos,

One addition to the very beginning of the instruction list:

0.5 take the top off (at least IMO).

 

[Elise1204]

I had buzz/rattle/rolling. After removed the pannel, found there were several nuts sit there...

At the same time, I adjusted alarm's sensitivity.

 

[tesprit]

If the buzzing is coming from the area around the top of the bulkhead panel by the rear window, before you spend the time to remove the bulkhead panel you might want to try something different. While standing outside of the car, take a business card and insert one end of it in the gap between the forward edge of the rear clam and the bottom of the rear window glass. Try sliding the card from side to side along the entire length of the glass and if the card gets stuck or pinched anywhere along the way, you have found the problem. I had a nasty buzzing at about 3,500 rpm that sounded like it was coming from the bulkhead panel and it really was the clam touching the rear window and vibrating against the glass at that rpm. For the longest time I was convinced the rattle was coming from inside the car behind the bulkhead panel, but once I stuffed some rubber strips between the glass and the clam at the spots where they were touching, the buzzing completely disappeared. Lotus had simply failed to trim enough off the forward edge of the window aperture on my rear clam. It will only take 30 seconds to do the test with the business card and if you find the problem there, you will save yourself the hassle of removing the bulkhead panel. Good Luck!

 

[Max Smith]

1. Apologies to CosmosMpower for any unintended ' hijacking' of his thread.
2. Thx GLB but I think Tesprit may have nailed my buzz. Your description of the location is spot on. I'll give it a whirl when the roads clean up. ( It's been driving me insane-I can't tell you how much time I have spent trying to isolate. I thought it was part of the Lotus masterplan to keep me on or near the second cam !).

THANKS

 

[CosmosMpower]

Cosmos,

One addition to the very beginning of the instruction list:

0.5 take the top off (at least IMO).

Those were exactly the instructions I was looking for. Thanks! I'll report back with what I find.

 

[CosmosMpower]

If the buzzing is coming from the area around the top of the bulkhead panel by the rear window, before you spend the time to remove the bulkhead panel you might want to try something different. While standing outside of the car, take a business card and insert one end of it in the gap between the forward edge of the rear clam and the bottom of the rear window glass. Try sliding the card from side to side along the entire length of the glass and if the card gets stuck or pinched anywhere along the way, you have found the problem. I had a nasty buzzing at about 3,500 rpm that sounded like it was coming from the bulkhead panel and it really was the clam touching the rear window and vibrating against the glass at that rpm. For the longest time I was convinced the rattle was coming from inside the car behind the bulkhead panel, but once I stuffed some rubber strips between the glass and the clam at the spots where they were touching, the buzzing completely disappeared. Lotus had simply failed to trim enough off the forward edge of the window aperture on my rear clam. It will only take 30 seconds to do the test with the business card and if you find the problem there, you will save yourself the hassle of removing the bulkhead panel. Good Luck!

If this works I'm pay-paling you money to buy some beer on me! Mine is also right around 3000-3500 rpm only, regardless of when it's hot or cold outside or if the engine is hot or cold. It sounds like it's mostly coming from the passenger side near the glass so my bet is I have the same issue. If that's not it I'll pull the bulkhead out and see if something is rattling around in there. It's definitely more of a buzz though.

 

[tesprit]

If this works I'm pay-paling you money to buy some beer on me! Mine is also right around 3000-3500 rpm only, regardless of when it's hot or cold outside or if the engine is hot or cold. It sounds like it's mostly coming from the passenger side near the glass so my bet is I have the same issue. If that's not it I'll pull the bulkhead out and see if something is rattling around in there. It's definitely more of a buzz though.

What you are describing sounds exactly like what I had going on and mine had done it from the first day I drove the car. The only small difference was my buzzing was coming from more of the center of the bulkhead and that is where I found the tight spot between the clam and the glass. The best fix would be to remove the clam and shave a little off the spot that is touching, but I have had the little strips of bicycle inner tube (finally found a use for a blown bicycle tube) stuck in there now for over a year and it seems to be holding up just fine. I figure when it comes time for some major drivetrain work that requires the clam to be removed, I'll shave it then. I just used a razor to trim off any of the inner tube pieces I could see sticking out of the gap.

 

[glb]

1. Apologies to CosmosMpower for any unintended ' hijacking' of his thread.
2. Thx GLB but I think Tesprit may have nailed my buzz. Your description of the location is spot on. I'll give it a whirl when the roads clean up. ( It's been driving me insane-I can't tell you how much time I have spent trying to isolate. I thought it was part of the Lotus masterplan to keep me on or near the second cam !).

THANKS

I think he has. Great site, isn't this? If you need help, remember I'm close.

 

[CosmosMpower]

So I tried the trick described above and used a business card to slide along the rear window/clam edge. I didn't find that there were any necessarily tight spots but I went ahead and took an oil filter rubber O ring and cut it into a strip. I was able to jam it inbetween the window and clam in about the middle. This seemed to make the buzz completely dissapear for a day or two but it came back.

Thinking I might try and line the whole thing and see if that does the trick.

 

[tesprit]

So I tried the trick described above and used a business card to slide along the rear window/clam edge. I didn't find that there were any necessarily tight spots but I went ahead and took an oil filter rubber O ring and cut it into a strip. I was able to jam it inbetween the window and clam in about the middle. This seemed to make the buzz completely dissapear for a day or two but it came back.

Thinking I might try and line the whole thing and see if that does the trick.

I found that the gap would tighten up once the engine bay had heated up the clam which would result in new tight spots. It took about three tries to get them all.

 

[glb]

Makes sense.

Lv car in sun, take out for a ride to heat up, then insert.

 

[CosmosMpower]

Makes sense.

Lv car in sun, take out for a ride to heat up, then insert.

But the problem is. If you manage to jam it in there when everything is toasty. When it cools down will it fall out of place?

 

[tesprit]

But the problem is. If you manage to jam it in there when everything is toasty. When it cools down will it fall out of place?

I used strips of bicycle inner tube folded over the tip of a thin steel machinist's ruler. I then used the machinist's ruler to push the folded inner tube into the gap and quickly pulled the ruler out--kind of like putting a plug into a hole in a tire. Once the ruler was pulled out, I trimmed the two flaps of visible rubber off with a razor blade. Like I wrote before, thay have been in there for over a year now and haven't fallen out.