Elise engine cuttng out. Any ideas please?
Discussion
I have an S reg Elise as my daily drive. High mileage, but engine was replaced about a year ago. She was running absolutely fine other day then engine cut out with no warning and she would not restart. (Would turn over but not fire). After about a minute she restarted, ran fine for a couple of minutes, then cut out again. Again would not restart immediately but if left for about 45 seconds started and ran fine. We were away for a few days but then arranged to take it to someone I know who specialises in vehicle electronics some 5 miles away. Fully expected her to cut out on the drive over but she ran over there fine and has been with him several days and now wont replicate the problem making tracing the fault a bit tricky! He has been suggested it could be a fuel sensor problem or a relay or possibly something else. Just wondered if anyone else had come across this fault and could sugggest best place to start looking?
usually fuel pump power supply cct.
worth tracing the wiring back as the plugs on this can be problematic, the last thing to check is the pump itself, as this required the fuel tank to be removed from the car.
in order check:
1) inertia switch (Black thing bolted to the LH longeron close to the ECU)
2) then get somebody to turn the ign on whist you stick you head next to the MFRU and listen for the click of the fuel relay (what you waiting for is the click some 5 sec's after the ign as it turns the pump off).
3) the fuse
if all of these are OK, then it's probably the imob, they do this.
if you have a meter, then follow the power for the pump, it goes:
1) starter solenoid (Brown wire with black sleve on it)
2) fuse
3) Engine Harness connector 3 Pin 2
4) MFRU Big plug pin 4
5) MFRU Big plug Pin 1
6) Engine harness conector 1 Pin 4
7) Imob in
8) Imob out
9) Fuel tank harness connector
10) fuel pump
worth tracing the wiring back as the plugs on this can be problematic, the last thing to check is the pump itself, as this required the fuel tank to be removed from the car.
in order check:
1) inertia switch (Black thing bolted to the LH longeron close to the ECU)
2) then get somebody to turn the ign on whist you stick you head next to the MFRU and listen for the click of the fuel relay (what you waiting for is the click some 5 sec's after the ign as it turns the pump off).
3) the fuse
if all of these are OK, then it's probably the imob, they do this.
if you have a meter, then follow the power for the pump, it goes:
1) starter solenoid (Brown wire with black sleve on it)
2) fuse
3) Engine Harness connector 3 Pin 2
4) MFRU Big plug pin 4
5) MFRU Big plug Pin 1
6) Engine harness conector 1 Pin 4
7) Imob in
8) Imob out
9) Fuel tank harness connector
10) fuel pump
bordseye said:
Exactly the same symptoms turned out to be the multi function relay plugs where one had shaken a bit loose. They are just pushed in so if you hit a bump they can vibrate out. Initially the problem tends to be intermittent but eventually the car wont go at all.
that's an S2 problem, S1's never had this as such... (the connectors used on S2 K series looms were very weak/brittle)Many thanks for the suggestions. Will pass them on. Very much appreciate your help. Could really do with geting this sorted. Was lucky to have been travelling on a quiet country lane when she played up. The thought of it happening when Im in the outside lane on the a dual carrageway is less than appealing!
Ouch. Very annoying!
Thanks, I passed this comment on too,(I very much like the idea of something easy and inexpensive!) but unfortunately he's ruled that out and iffy fuel pump is looking favourite at the moment. He's not 100% positive but said its noisy and running well below optimum performance and he's about 80% sure its the culprit. Managed to source one at not TOO silly a price from eliseparts so he's going to try that. Fingers crossed!
Thanks, I passed this comment on too,(I very much like the idea of something easy and inexpensive!) but unfortunately he's ruled that out and iffy fuel pump is looking favourite at the moment. He's not 100% positive but said its noisy and running well below optimum performance and he's about 80% sure its the culprit. Managed to source one at not TOO silly a price from eliseparts so he's going to try that. Fingers crossed!
JennyT said:
Ouch. Very annoying!
Thanks, I passed this comment on too,(I very much like the idea of something easy and inexpensive!) but unfortunately he's ruled that out and iffy fuel pump is looking favourite at the moment. He's not 100% positive but said its noisy and running well below optimum performance and he's about 80% sure its the culprit. Managed to source one at not TOO silly a price from eliseparts so he's going to try that. Fingers crossed!
if it's noisy then it's still working??Thanks, I passed this comment on too,(I very much like the idea of something easy and inexpensive!) but unfortunately he's ruled that out and iffy fuel pump is looking favourite at the moment. He's not 100% positive but said its noisy and running well below optimum performance and he's about 80% sure its the culprit. Managed to source one at not TOO silly a price from eliseparts so he's going to try that. Fingers crossed!
that would not cause the engine to cut out (that's not to say it won;t have other issues).
Has he measured the voltage at the pump?
LBird said:
Have had exactly this problem myself (S reg. S1). Turned out to be the fuse to the fuel pump but I didn't find out until AFTER the new fuel pump was fitted....! 
Hope yours turns out to be a simple (cheap) fix.
Exactly what happened to me. Common s1 problem.. The fuse is on the near-side at the back of t engine bay and accessed via a hole in the front of the boot wall. The fuse becomes loose over time and rattles in the holder. I always Carr spares with me now and change once per yr as a precaution. Hope yours turns out to be a simple (cheap) fix.
Hope that helps.
J
In case it helps to cause confusion, 'my' fuel pump fuse was in the main fuse box at the front of the car, under the front cover, roughly in the area of the passenger-side wing....
Fuse boxes seem to have been scattered randomly throughout the S1 in its various iterations - possibly on the whim of whoever was building that day
Fuse boxes seem to have been scattered randomly throughout the S1 in its various iterations - possibly on the whim of whoever was building that day
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