Lots Of Troubal Usually Sporadic?
Discussion
Not a happy bunny tonight. Took el Beast to get a new battery today, then as the sun was out decided to go for a run in the country while the sun was drying the roads out.
All going well for about 20mins until the car stalled in mid-flow and wouldn't carry on - so I spent this afternoon not having a nice pub lunch and a B-road burn-up but parked up in deepest darkest Kent.
The engine would turn over, start, run for a second and then stall immediately. Sound coming from engine bay appeared to be the fuel pump still priming/running despite the fact that ignition was at position 1or2 and/or when keys were out of ignition. However, when ignition was switched to position 3 it would stop.
RAC man came out and had a go at diagnosing the problem but could not find the solution, even when speaking to Lotus mechanic.
RAC guy is convinced that it's an electrical problem, perhaps some kind of short in the system which is causing the pump to "back-power" (I think that's what he said). After a while though this noise stopped (perhaps the battery was dead). Very frustrating.
My only option was to have it shipped to my nearest garage for help on Monday, so it's been taken to Motorway SportsCars in Canterbury.
Having eventually got home I've had a look through the forums and elise-faq and it sounds like it might have something to do with the battery shorting out perhaps.
Anyone else had this kind of problem?
I'm really gutted
and hoping against hope that it's not going to be something which costs several hundred quid's worth of labour to diagnose but only 10p for a part.
oh yer i had a thingy sensor in the exaust that just cut the engine in mid flow too...but that was picked up by the RAC man, seemed to look 4 it.
so probly not that , but this is my (admittedly poor) contribution to the help desk that has seen me well.
The others probly be able to diagnose it to the minutest detail
so probly not that , but this is my (admittedly poor) contribution to the help desk that has seen me well.
The others probly be able to diagnose it to the minutest detail
Just slept on it and didn't want to diss Lotus - I think perhaps my Topic title was unfair.
I just miss me beast, waaaaaaaaaaa
Sunday Edit
So, it appears in my somewhat emotional state yesterday I was unable to spell trouble.
I called the RAC this afternoon as I was expecting to get a call to let me know the car had reached the garage but didn't hear anything.
I was
to be told that there had 'evidently been a bit of a mix-up at the contractors sir', and the car hadn't been delivered as promised. Despite the fact that I'd called the garage in the presence of the RAC bloke and written the name of the garage, their opening hours and the contact name on the recovery sheet. I also spent the journey home talking to the recovery driver who told me he would probably be taking it there as he was working today. Bunch of f
ing monkeys. 
So instead of sitting tight in a nice workshop waiting for Dr Loti to arrive tomorrow, it's sat in a yard in the pi55ing rain.
To say I was
would be an understatement. Mr RAC monkey got the full S Works 
and was left in no doubt as to what would be acceptable
1) RAC to call garage first thing tomorrow morning to apologise for inconvenience
2) Car to be delivered first thing Monday morning.
3) RAC to call S and grovel profusely whilst telling me it's been delivered and is ok.
If not, well, we'll see won't we. Put it this way I will turn into a ranting mentalist if it's not there by noon.
>> Edited by S Works on Sunday 14th March 18:14
>> Edited by S Works on Sunday 14th March 18:15
>> Edited by S Works on Sunday 14th March 18:16
I just miss me beast, waaaaaaaaaaa
Sunday Edit
So, it appears in my somewhat emotional state yesterday I was unable to spell trouble.
I called the RAC this afternoon as I was expecting to get a call to let me know the car had reached the garage but didn't hear anything.
I was
to be told that there had 'evidently been a bit of a mix-up at the contractors sir', and the car hadn't been delivered as promised. Despite the fact that I'd called the garage in the presence of the RAC bloke and written the name of the garage, their opening hours and the contact name on the recovery sheet. I also spent the journey home talking to the recovery driver who told me he would probably be taking it there as he was working today. Bunch of fing monkeys. So instead of sitting tight in a nice workshop waiting for Dr Loti to arrive tomorrow, it's sat in a yard in the pi55ing rain. To say I was
would be an understatement. Mr RAC monkey got the full S Works and was left in no doubt as to what would be acceptable 1) RAC to call garage first thing tomorrow morning to apologise for inconvenience
2) Car to be delivered first thing Monday morning.
3) RAC to call S and grovel profusely whilst telling me it's been delivered and is ok.
If not, well, we'll see won't we. Put it this way I will turn into a ranting mentalist if it's not there by noon.
>> Edited by S Works on Sunday 14th March 18:14
>> Edited by S Works on Sunday 14th March 18:15
>> Edited by S Works on Sunday 14th March 18:16
fergusd said:
Sounds like an earthing problem to me . . . you sure all the battery leads removed for the new battery have been correctly refitted and not damaged ?
s'the first place I'd look
Fd
Indeed that sounds like what the RAC bloke was thinking too. My problem is, that I was in the middle of nowhere, with no real knowledge of the car, nowhere to store it to do any investigating of my own and literally 2 minutes to make a decision. What do you do? You either have it sent to an expert or get stuck with a car that ain't going anywhere on the off-chance that someone might be able to guide you to fix it yourself.
A total fait accompli mate - cheers for the info though, will be calling garage shortly to see if they've managed to have a look at it.
They think it's the fuel pump relay which is knacked which sounds reasonable - apparently it's looking "a bit mouldy" a new one's on order and they'll fit it tomorrow. Estimate was a couple of hundred quid to supply and fit.
Fingers crossed it'll work and won't cost even more.
I want my beast back for the weekend (even though it looks like it'll be raining then )
Fingers crossed it'll work and won't cost even more.
I want my beast back for the weekend (even though it looks like it'll be raining then
)Plotloss said:
couple of hundred quid to fit a fuelpump relay ? Am I missing something ?
Struck me as rather a lot for a bit of wire as well...
As is usually the case the cost is going to be weighted because of the labour. When it went in to them I didn't know what the problem was, so they've spent time locating the problem and then will charge for the part and fitting. Add VAT and you're over the 2 hundred mark I'm sure.
I know it's a lot for a small part but think about it what's the choice I had - I was stuck, with a new car which had basically stopped
, in a country lane, on a Saturday afternoon, with no ability to fix it myself... ( I really wanted to type "WITH AN OWL" there too for you Fast Show fans 
) What could I do?
I literally had 2 choices - have it taken home, or have it taken to a garage. Stuffed if I did, stuffed if I didn't. I just want my car back!!!!
S Works said:
Now we need some sun!!
We should be so lucky:
www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=5021
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