Replacing a Headlight in a Lotus Elan (M100)

     Replacing a headlight in a Lotus Elan needn't be the two-hour job mentioned in some recent online discussions. By following the instructions below, it can easily be a one half-hour job. Be joyful in the knowledge the Lotus chose commonly available and inexpensive standard round headlights.

Needed Tools:

• #2 Philips screwdriver
• #2 stubby Philips screwdriver
• 10mm box end wrench

Procedure:

Preparation

Insure that the headlights are off, the car is off, the gear selection lever is in first or reverse and that the parking brake is set.

Raise and secure the hood.

Raise the headlight pod by twirling the black knob on the lift Counter-Clock-Wise (CCW). That is anti-clock wise for those who speak the King's English.

Note the orientation of the headlight (i.e., if installed correctly, the text molded into the lens will be right side up).

Severing the connection between the headlight mounting assembly and the headlight pod.

Using the #2 Philips screwdriver, carefully remove the three machine screws that hold the headlight mounting assembly to the headlight pod. Be prepared to support the headlight mounting assembly to insure it does not fall back and sustain or cause damage.

Note that there are 6 screws surrounding each headlight. The three screws that control the headlight aim sit lower and do not touch the surrounding fiberglass headlight pod. The three screws that hold the headlight mounting assembly to the headlight pod sit higher.

Rotate the headlight mounting assembly around so you have access to its back. Using the stubby #2 Philips screwdriver, remove the single sheet metal screw that holds the electrical cable to the headlight mounting assembly.

Unplug the headlight from the electrical cable.

Carefully push the headlight mounting assembly aside to give a clear view of and working room around the headlight linkage that sits approximately between the two headlights. There is some hardware under the headlight pod that could break the headlight; be careful.

Gaining space to remove the headlight mounting assembly from the car.

The linkage that raises and lowers the headlight pod prevents the pod from raising far enough to remove the headlight mounting assembly from the car. By disassembling the linkage, you can rotate the pod higher, giving sufficient room for removal.

Using the 10mm box wrench, undo the elastic stop nut holding the two Hemi-joint links (outside " motor link rod" and middle "pod link rod") to the sheet metal linkage "relay lever" into which the pivot is fixed. This nut is in the one that is most accessible (surprise) and holds the various links to the pivot (i.e., knee joint) for the linkage that raises and lowers the headlight pod.

After removing the nut, and a small ring, pull (wiggle), the outside Hemi-joint off the pivot bolt. Remove the large ring. Wiggle the middle Hemi-joint off the pivot bolt.

Note that there are three rings in the pivot assembly; don't lose any. The sequence of hardware is: nut, small ring, outside Hemi-jointed linkage, large ring, middles Hemi-jointed linkage, large ring, sheet metal linkage.

Removing the headlight mounting assembly from the car.

Raise headlight pod and remove the headlight mounting assembly from the car.

Set the headlight mounting assembly aside and carefully let the headlight pod descend to the down position.

Replacing the headlight in the headlight mounting assembly.

Note the orientation of the three major pieces of the headlight mounting assembly, the: outer mounting plate, backing ring and headlight mount.

Remove the outer mounting plate by carefully removing the three long sheet metal screws and associated springs that form the headlight aiming system. Back out each screw a bit, then move on to another in order to eliminate the possibility of kinking one of the springs. Note how tightly the springs are compressed.

Remove the backing ring by unscrewing the three machine screws hat hold it to the headlight mount.

Remove and discard the old headlight.

Insert the new headlight being careful to properly index its locating tabs into the headlight mount.

Replace the backing ring to secure the headlight to the headlight mount.

Replace the outer mounting plate being careful when setting the three long sheet metal screws and associated springs that form the headlight aiming system. Screw each screw in a bit then move on to another in order to eliminate the possibility of kinking one of the springs. Do not tighten these screws excessively. Refer to the previous disassembly step to set the approximate spring tension.

Inserting the headlight mounting assembly into the car.

Just do it.

Reassembling the linkage that raises and lowers the headlight pod.

"Assembly is the reverse of disassembly." When reassembling the joint the sequence of hardware assembly should be:

large ring,
middle Hemi-jointed linkage, (pod link rod)
large ring,
outside Hemi-jointed linkage, (motor link rod)
small ring,
nut.

Restoring the connection between the headlight mounting assembly and the headlight pod.

Reattach the electrical cable to the headlight mounting assembly.

Plug the electrical cable into the headlight.

Rotate the headlight mounting assembly into the correct position and reinsert the three machine screws that hold the headlight mounting assembly to the headlight pod.

Completing the Exercise

Lower the headlight pod by twirling the black knob on the lifts Clock-Wise (CW).

You are now ready test and align the headlight. Clean up and you are done

Notes:

Two headlight mechanisms systems were used in Elan's, the early "Fold Back" type and the later "Single Pivot" type, which according to the Lotus Service Notes was introduced at (VIN 6300). This procedure covers the later "Single Pivot" type.

A drawing of the headlight pod, a modified version of drawing from the Elan Service Notes.