S1 Elise Fuel pump

[pilgrim]

My car has been diagnosed as needing a replacement fuel pump. It has been intermittently letting me down for a while and has finnaly decided not to start at all.

I have been quoted 250 quid for the replacement part from my local Lotus independent specialist. Does that seem right? I have found Walbro pumps online for £80, and Eliseparts used to sell one for approx £100.

I know very little about cars so maybe what I have seen online is different to what I need.

All thoughts welcome.

[Scuffers]

the Walbro one is no use to you, they are NOT the same as the OEM pump in fit or function (and I have no idea whay people advertise them for the Elise?)

Eliseparts used to stock the pump insert (they don't seem to list it any more?)
assides that, it's new pump assembly from Lotus.

that said, before you rush out and buy one, although with age pumps do wear and become weaker, they do not work intermitently, if this is what yours is doing, look for a wireing issue, this is 99% more likley than the pump.

[pilgrim]

Thanks for that. The garage did say it was some kind of assembly from Lotus that was needed, and also that they had checked the electrics and all seemed ok.

[pilgrim]

When i say intermittently I mean that the car has failed to start on 3 occasions. Continually turning the key has caused the car to start on the previous 2 occasions, but not this time.

[Scuffers]

pilgrim said:

When i say intermittently I mean that the car has failed to start on 3 occasions. Continually turning the key has caused the car to start on the previous 2 occasions, but not this time.

still put money on wiring issues...

seen way to many so-called pump faliures that arn't.

do not overlook the imob, they are known to fail.

[Mark B]

Another vote from me on the wiring...

Does the pump prime when you have issues? If it is not priming, then I would suggest another good look at the wiring.

I had a very similar situation, mine turned out to be a wire that was rubbing again the chassis, there was a pin sized hole but the wire inside had corroded and finally broken, this could easily give intermitant problems.

I cut it and replaced it, job done!

[Gad-Westy]

Mark B said:

Another vote from me on the wiring...

Does the pump prime when you have issues? If it is not priming, then I would suggest another good look at the wiring.

I had a very similar situation, mine turned out to be a wire that was rubbing again the chassis, there was a pin sized hole but the wire inside had corroded and finally broken, this could easily give intermitant problems.

I cut it and replaced it, job done!

Would second what Mark and Simon are saying. I had an intermittent starting issue where the fuel pump wouldn't prime and that turned out to be a burnt out connector on the Multi-function-relay-unit. I also had a problem with the connector on the inertia switch. I've heard of lots of other people having these issues as well. The fuel pump looks like a pig of a job to replace so I'd eliminate all other possibilities first.

[djroadboy]

Yup, as everyone says it is much more likely to be wiring or the MFRU. I'd put money on the relay.

Dan

[pilgrim]

Many thanks guys. I have spoken to the garage and they will have another look at the wiring. They did state, however, that there was power to the pump but it was still not working. They seem sure it is the pump

[melvinolotus]

Got a similiar problem but my Elise pump only stops in long traffic jams, I.E. when under engine temperature rises, only happened once when on open road in France when temperature was over 34C. Why does it stop in heavey traffic? anyone else had same problem, reluctant to replace pump as this may not be problem.

Edited by melvinolotus on Sunday 19th September 23:42

[Scuffers]

melvinolotus said:

Got a similiar problem but my Elise pump only stops in long traffic jams, I.E. when under engine temperature rises, only happened once when on open road in France when temperature was over 34C. Why does it stop in heavey traffic? anyone else had same problem, reluctant to replace pump as this may not be problem.

Edited by melvinolotus on Sunday 19th September 23:42

Once again, don't assume it's the pump, they are not temp related.

[bordseye]

Just come across this thread googling "elise fuel pump" because thats where my S2 111R ( 2007 electronic throttle ) seems to have a problem. Engine dead as a dodo, ignition fine ( there is a spark) throttle body butterfly working OK ( my first suspect) but no sound of a fuel pump priming. I'm stuck at home miles from a dealer so its got to be diy.

The fuel pump fuse is OK, the inertia switch seems ok too. So where is the fuel pump earth connection? For that matter where do I access the fuel pump and where is the best pace to break into the fuel pipe to check for sure that it is not priming?

[Scuffers]

bordseye said:

Just come across this thread googling "elise fuel pump" because thats where my S2 111R ( 2007 electronic throttle ) seems to have a problem. Engine dead as a dodo, ignition fine ( there is a spark) throttle body butterfly working OK ( my first suspect) but no sound of a fuel pump priming. I'm stuck at home miles from a dealer so its got to be diy.

The fuel pump fuse is OK, the inertia switch seems ok too. So where is the fuel pump earth connection? For that matter where do I access the fuel pump and where is the best pace to break into the fuel pipe to check for sure that it is not priming?

S2 Toyota cars are somewhat different from the old S1's...

Pump assembly is a toyota/denso unit.

you can get at the top of it from the inside of the car although you have to remove the pax seat and trim pannel etc.

that said, the pump wiring is routed though the engine bay, easier to get at it from there to test.

if you un-clip the fuel line from the rail, it will become very obvious if the pump is running or not, when there is a good amount of fuel in the tank, they are almost in-audible, so just cause you can't hear it, does not mean it's not running.

All that said, the pumps themselves are very reliable, they don't just die, 99.99% of the time it's another issue if the pump is not running.

I would suggest you start at the pump fuse and trace back with a meter including checking the ECU trigger for the fuel pump, and the imob connections (99% likely to be the problem).

[bordseye]

Thanks Scuffers. Solved the problem - it was the small plug into the multi function relay that had vibrated half out and shut off the fuel pump. Now pushed back in and held in with a zip tie.

According to the mechanic who suggested this problem, its reasonably common. The plug has no retaining clips and is plugged into the relay from below so road shocks like a pothole can gradually vibrate it loose.

Engine now starts and runs OK though I have not yet done a road test so its always possible that there is another issue