HELP!!!!!! Wont Start!!!!

General Meets + Track Day Reports
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So here we are all set for the 31st booked into the Castle Hotel for Tommorow night.Just thought I would pop over to fill up with petrol… never had a problem with starting before, always fires up straight away.Absolutely no sign of life from the engine [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image]Almost feels like the imobiliser has decided to refuse to work at all.I must have taken 4-5 attempts cranking it over for 5 to 10 secs. Long enough to have flooded the engine and not a hint of any combustion misfire or anything…No smell of unburnt fuel at the exhaust.Heeeeellllllppppppp. any suggestions

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A very nice man…very nice man… from Lotus assist says there is power to the ECU and the imobilser would stop the engine from cranking… help!!!

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Try checking the fuel pump fuse - mine melted! (Elise S1)

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The not so very nice man left after he could not actually locate the ECU, although I am not sure that would have made much difference if he had.Symptoms are:-Engine Cranks, No spark, no “pulse” to the injectors, the AA chap removed and cleaned the crank sensor, he said this checked out OK. So my only option is to get the car trailed back to Kings of Warwick, hope for spare time in the service department schedule + some sort of miracle fix then…Get to my meeting in London for 9:30 back home to pick up X111GED Junior (11year old Son, Tom) who has been looking forward to Wednesday (maybe even as much as me)… Train to Leamington Spa wearing red pixie boots and Nomex suit (no space for GPS, Laptop, Video and other covert measureing devices) 2 helmets, toothbrush, 4 pairs of spare underpants for Junior…etc Taxi to Kings… ohh bo**ocks its just not worth the effort…No no … come hell or high water I will be there just dont be surprised if its in a J reg Saab 9000… now where did I leave that ever so slightly modified Amal valve…Jimbo Thanks I will double check the fuses.Im sure that even Bruno could not find a suitable “smiley” for these circumstances.

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RoyPerhaps a direct phone call to Nick Adams at the factory may point you in the right direction. Bet it’s something simple, as Jimbo suggests…hope so anyway.Fingers crossed that it’s sorted today.CU tomorrow [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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I had exactly the same problem!!It took almost a week to locate the problem… well if its the sam thing, they found a burnt out wire which controls a sensor… im not very mechanicaly minded, but i am sure if u contact Ribble Valley Lotus they will tell u what the problem was!! so maybe you can get it fixed quicker! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

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quote:Originally posted by X111GED:Almost feels like the imobiliser has decided to refuse to work at all.Phewww…Broken Immobiliser (good guess ehhh!)Definitely mobile now!!! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]See you all tonight/tommorow.Thanks for all the suggestions.Great Response from KINGS - “Credit where Credits due”

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WOOHOO !!!See you there !

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Blime, what a tense read!I’m glad it had a happy ending! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

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Actually, I don’t think it did have a happy ending… Didn’t Roy (X111GED) have the problem again on the morning of the Big day ?

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quote:Originally posted by Admin5:Actually, I don’t think it did have a happy ending… Didn’t Roy (X111GED) have the problem again on the morning of the Big day ?DavidYou’re sort of right - Roy did have the same problem when he tried to start his car first thing in the morning [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image] However, after a bit of tinkering by Roy & a man from the AA, the car fired up, & he arrived at the circuit about 1.5 hours later than planned [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image] (Has Roy now claimed the title of “Exiges Drama Queen” ? …only kidding, mate [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] )PS David, any news from TT on ya mota ?

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quote:Originally posted by Pesky: he arrived at the circuit about 1.5 hours later than planned [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image] …PS David, any news from TT on ya mota ?Excellent stuff… Didn’t realise he made it (day a bit of a blur)… Nice one.As for the car, TT took it away yesterday.They’ll tell me today/Monday what’s wrong. I think it’s a head gasket, but it could be more terminal.I won’t be able to make it to Donington tomorrow for the SIDC day [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image] (and no, I won’t take the Skyline)

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quote:Originally posted by IDG:I’m glad it had a happy ending! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]Tense it was, I was convinced that someone was trying to give me a message about the Day (whoooooo) . As it happened after a repeat of the starting problem at 8:00am I was eventually up and running by 9:00. Obviously not the Immobiliser as this had been completely wired out… It was most peculiar as the engine was obviously getting no fuel or spark… what brought it back to life is still a mystery. They way the fault cleared might give some clue, the AA chap disconnected the plug lead to pot 4 and attached some sort of spark checker, I cranked the engine for 4-5 seconds, long enough for the AA to confirm no spark, just as I was about to release the key, bang up came the engine starting easily on three. I suspect that the spark checker might have a much lower resistance to a real spark plug so this might disturb the voltages flying around in the ignition system and kick something back into life.If it happens again I will as a first check remove one lead at the distributor and try to restart on three. (But hopefully a final diagnosis can be had when I get the Car back to Kings next Tuesday.Pesky: Drama Queen Indeed [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image]… Huh … this was nothing I’ll put a post on the board about real on track drama (Sideways at 110 through Craners [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/shocked.gif[/image]