When Lotus designed and manufacture the Lotus Esprit, nobody could have foreseen the problems associated with fitting an inferior quality plastic clutch hose.
The original hose material has poor temperature characteristics.
Subsequently the hose pressure rating falls rapidly when the temperature exceeds 25 degrees Centigrade.
Using this type of hose may be appropriate in the UK and other countries where the average temperature would be 18 degree Centigrade.
In other parts of the world like Australia, the ambient temperature can climb to 35 degrees or more.
The ambient temperature, plus under bonnet temperature and radiant heat from the road surface causes the clutch plastic tubing to soften.
The standard plastic clutch tubing is about three metres long.
When the clutch pedal is depressed and hydraulic pressure is applied to the warm tubing, it behaves like a balloon.
This swelling action reduces the effective movement at the clutch mechanism to the point where it becomes difficult or impossible to change gear.
Because of the colour of the tubing, this problem has been dubbed "Red Hose Syndrome"
Lotus Marques offers a high quality clutch hose conversion kit that contains everything you need.
Clutch hose kit contents are as follows-
• Teflon and stainless steel braided hose
• Compression connector at clutch slave cylinder termination with integral swivel fitting
• Male to male adapter at clutch slave cylinder to provide correct cylinder thread termination
• Compression fitting with a 90 degree bend at master cylinder termination
• Banjo fitting that connects to 90 degree bend at master cylinder termination
• Banjo bolt and two copper washers to fasten banjo fitting to master cylinder
All connectors are very high quality and where appropriate have an integral swivel fitting to improve ease of installation.
Cheaper alternative kits do not include 90-degree bend or banjo connector at the master cylinder.
These components are essential to take the strain off the braided hose where it exits the master cylinder.
Installing a replacement hose that exits directly from the clutch master cylinder (without a 90-degree bend and banjo fitting} will eventually cause the internal hose to fatigue and then fail.
Beware of inferior engineered clutch hose kits.
Fitting instructions
All the fittings should be removed to make the installation easy when threading the hose along the chassis and through the grommets in the bulkhead.
If you leave the fittings on during installation, it will make it very difficult if not impossible.
Once everything is in place and connected and the hose assumes its natural position (without the hose being in tension or twisted), only then should all the fittings be tightened.
Note: The kit has been assembled with the correct components at each end, as it should be conligured when finally installed.
Note: The banjo fitting and bolt plus 90-degree bend should be installed at the master cylinder.
After installing the hose kit, the hydraulic system should be refilled with a high quality fluid such as Castrol SRF and carefully bled to remove any air in the system.
This cures the "Red Hose Syndrome" no more poor gearshifts on a hot day!
Note: The clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder in the above photograph are not included in the kit but maybe purchased seperately