Firts of all I want to say “Hi!” to all of you, because I am new to the Elise as well as the forum!Just bought a MkI Elise 111S today, and the problems started imediately! Whilest standing at the traffic lights for quite some time the water tempearture reached 107 degrees celsius before the fan started. Didnt think anything bad, but while on the journey home (easy cruising at around 130kph) the fan didnt switch off any more, even when the temperature went down below 90 degeress celsius. When I wanted to switch off the engine, it ran for about 5 seconds after the ignition was turned off!! Tried it again some more, out of 4 tries the engine ran 2 times for about 5-6 seconds after ignition was turned off.Anyone had the same problems, any help you can give me?Car is built 1999 and has 20.000kms on the clock.
That sounds very hot! A standard Exige rarely gets over 90 degrees, even when sitting in traffic.
Just came back from a spin, cooling system and running temperatures seem allright, has to be the hot day and traffic jam which made it run so hot. I also discovered the engine turn off problem: I cant switch off the engine, when the lights are on! If I switch off the lights (with ingnition off), the engine stalls. Is this normal with the MkI 111S?
Hi drifter,engine should not stall when the lights are switched off and running temp should be about 86C, have a very good look around your car for poor earth connections, check the earth strap from the engine to the chassis, even if it looks ok, replacing it. The strap is at the end of the gearbox and bolts to the chassis.I would imagine the ignition circuit is finding its own earth path somewhere and thus carries on running when you switch it off at the ignition switch and turning the lights off is breaking the path it has found and then stalls the engine…if it’s not your earthing then carry on looking at the rest of the wiring for bad relays etc…hthPhil
Drifter - I had that problem (the lights) when I had a quick-shift gear stick fitted. Seems to happen when the cigar lighter is wired back to front. Nice party trick, but probably worth getting sorted.
Thanks for your help guys!@Adrian: The short shift kit is fitted, could you please explain what you mean with: “when the cigar lighter is wired back to front”. Sorry, my english is not that good and I dont know the car very well at the moment, so I dont understand what you mean, but it sounds like a good hint to me!
Drifter, I would suspect Adrian means the connections to the cigarette light socket, which is in front of the gear stick, had its connection put back on the wrong way round after it was refitted following the quick shifts fitting.You may find the positive connection is going to the negative point on the socket and visa versa.I hope that helps.Ian [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]ps. Adrian, if that’s not what you meant, then sorry but my English is not up to it either!
![http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]ps](http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif%5B/image%5Dps){kind=link}
Drifter - as Adrian has said, this is down to the Cigarette lighter being wired the wrong way around. It was a common problem on that car for some time. When wired in reverse, the cigarette lighter keeps a small amount of power connected to the coil hence why the engine ‘runs on’ after you have turned it off (when other circuits are energised - in your case the lights)Swap the connections over on the lighter and you should be sorted.Regarding the temperature - that is way too hot. I would check your fan electrical connections because even in this weather in traffic, it should not get above 100. If you let it continue to do this you could be risking a head gasket failure.Regards,Steve M
Thanks again for all your help! I am very glad that the small amount of Elise drivers here can count on all your experience!Car is going back to the mechanic on wednesday to get a 15.000km service, he will have a look at the cigarette lighter and the cooling system. But I think everything is allright with the cooling system, in normal running condittions the temperature doesnt rise over 92 degrees.Can anyone tell me the switch on and off temperatures for the fan of my 111S?
Just wanted to tell you that it really was the Cigarette lighter wired the wrong way! THANKS, saved me a fortune!!!