My first Elan, my first problem...

[JJDraper]

You don't say what carburettors you have, but I assume they have a gauze filter under the banjo petrol connectors. Check that first - any muck in them suspect crud in fuel... If you have Webers, undo the tops of the carb and have a look in the fuel bowl - any muck swilling about? Ditto above. If there is no crud in either of these places I doubt fuel blockage is at issue.

Fuel pump problem is possible, I had a Hillman Imp that had a pinhole in the pump diaphragm. The engine would die due to fuel starvation & come back to life when the whole engine block cooled down - worse in hot weather (we have had precious lttle of that recently..). You could check the fuel level in the carbs after the engine dies by undoing the tops & peering in. Low fuel level in the bowl is usually quite obvious.

You mention you have Lumenition electronic ignition - is this Optical triggering? If so you will not have any points. Remove the Distributor cap and peer inside. If you have a funny black Maltese Cross type thingie under the rotor arm, you have Optical triggering, lucky you! No points to worry about & no condensor either. Careful not to break the blades of the rotor!!

Lumenition does affect Tachos in strange ways.. see archives.

Could be coil, symptoms fit. Eliminate as a cause by substitution with another, either borrowed or buy new at Halfords etc.

Failing this lot - What does the temperature gauge say when the engine dies? Is it overheating? Is there any water in the radiator? If it is overheating and/or there is no water in the radiator, seek help of a mechanical nature! I stress this is a last resort, as these final symptoms suggest all is not well in the head gasket/piston region...

Jeremy

[collins_dan]

The Lumenition was at the root of my problems. Here's a link to the article referenced: http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/bouncing_tach.shtml

Disconnecting the tach with the Lumenition still in resolved the problem, until I could replace with Petronix.

Dan

[ianf]

Just a thought but both myself and a couple of friends have had Rotor Arm failures. They look ok but fail. Mine started with a high rev misfire and finally stranded me coming home from the MOT! It looked fine but apparently new ones today aren't what they used to be.

Have you checked the earth on the luminition did the box get hot when the car stopped? Again a friends experience.

Ian

[cliveyboy]

Daveyboy
If you want to know what voltage coil you have check this link
http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/lsb_co ... coil.shtml

If yours is the 9v coil it will have a small electronic component attached to the top called a ballast resistor.
If it does not then you should have a 12v coil.

Just incase you do not know the theory behind it. when you start up the car the starter motor draws a lot of current from the battery and the voltage can drop slightly so you might not get 12v going to the ignition system. In order to guarantee the coil has enough voltage a lower voltage coil is fitted. When the car has fired up the ballast resistor cuts in and keeps the voltage at 9v so you do not burn out the coil with 12v.

Cliveyboy

[zuckerlowe]

Hi,
I think most potential sources have been identified but would like to offer a potential solution if it turns out to be rust in the tank. I suffered fuel starvation on my Dolomite Sprint where rust would block the outlet pipe of the tank. I washed out the tank as best I could then repositioned the pipe a little off the bottom of the tank, covering the end with some gauze. On the +2 this isn't possible but my last modification is... Place a powerful magnet fairly close but not right next to the outlet from the tank. Any bits of remaning rust will stick to it as they migrate around the bottom of the tank. I've fitted an old disc drive magnet to my +2, gaining access via the tank sender, where you can determine the state of the tank quite easily; mine seemed rust free but you never know what rubbish you pick up at some garages with the old type of underground tanks.

Cheers
Steve (1968 +2 which has just passed it's MOT but is still reluctant to start when cold!).

[thor]

I'm having similar problems with my +2 now, it's just out after the winter lay-up.I suspect crap in the fuel but never know.. Fix tried today: The Lotus original petrol hose in hard plastic was cracked by the pump outlet, and wrapped with some dodgy soft rubber stuff, after taking this off the crack became apparent, in addition the hard hose was squashed a fair bit there as well, not doing petrol flow much good.
I put some redex in the tank, and replaced hose from pump to carbs (with large purolator filter in the middle to keep an eye on..), and the hose between the carbs. Know NOTHING about the Dellortos, so didn't chance peering in. The car kept dying and stuttering on me today, VERY annoying.... there seems to have been a slight leak from the back carb (towards the cabin) earlier today visible under the airbox, but this seems to have gone away, muck causing blocked jet now gone away?

[DaveyBoy]

I should have posted an update, but my problem seems to have been fixed . Replaced the coil and haven't had any problems since. There would seem to be many potential causes of what seem to be very similar symptoms.

Still, one problem fixed, another one rears its head. My radiator dumped its coolant all over the road the other day. Split lower pipe...part on order...but I get the feeling it's going to take a while to discover all of the tired parts.

[thor]

Daveyboy; my problem seems to not appear unless I drive for a bit, i.e. warmish engine... am now wondering to swap for a new coil, trying a blue Bosch instead of the Lucas Sports. Seems this was similar to your problem.

[Hamish Coutts]

Thor,

Is there a strong smell of petrol when the engine starts to stutter? Or is there any fuel dripping from the air box. If there is read the posts in the thread I started called ... and the next problem is. Could be you have the same flooding problem as I had. It's easily cured.

Hamish.

[thor]

Yes there was actually a bit of fuel dripping from the airbox closest to the cabin at one point ! What to do?

[thor]

New Bosch blue coil now purchased, will fit tonight....... and pray.

[Hamish Coutts]

Thor,

The misfire could be caused by too rich a mixture caused by flooding. Take the airbox cover off and have a good look. If there is a fuel problem, you will see it leaking out. It could be too high a fuel pressure (if you have an electric pump fitted), wrong float level, a piece of grit/rust stuck in the needle valve or a leaking needle valve. If you have a rust problem with your tank then this may be the cause.
The main symptom is that the problem occurs after the engine has been running for a few minutes. It will start running on 2 then probably stop.

Stop the engine and leave it alone for a while and it will start and run normally. Then the whole cycle will start all over again.

However, first establish there is flooding. What kind of pump is fitted?

Hamish.

[thor]

It only occurs after driving a bit, not on say a short drive on a cool night(i.e. engine warm), and then usually no stuttering, just a fairly instant cut-out of power. It happened last autumn a couple of times too, only times when I drove quite a bit. Only a very small leak inside the airbox and under, more drops than a proper flooding I'd say.-

The pump is the standard mechanical one, so too much pressure me thinks is not an issue....

So doesn't this look like a coil issue? I've just spent ?55 for the bl**dy Bosch and really don't fancy spending time getting the fuel tank out, Hamish...

[Hamish Coutts]

Thor,

If you have a mechanical pump then pressure shouldn't be an issue - I agree. Sudden loss of power, to me, is electrical and your new coil should solve the problem. What happens to the rev counter when the engine cuts out?

As for rust in the tank, I would try and get a filter between the tank and the pump to keep the crud from getting to the pump. I use one of the glass tube type thingies. (the ones you can take apart & clean) It's also a good way of keeping an eye on how much rust you trap and ergo the extent of the rust problem.

Hamish.

[thor]

After a fiddly time fitting the blue Bosch coil last night and a test drive the results are brilliant. Today went driving in Oslo city traffic with about 21 degrees. Super smooth engine, better tach action than with the lucas (when it was working..), and generally a very pleasant time....
Throw away the Lucas, fit Bosch!

A big sigh of relief, Hamish...!

Parked by my local supermarket on the way home next to an ORIGINAL Cobra, with an Alfa Bertone coup? 4 spaces down! Honest, I'll put a mobile pic in my gallery for whoever doesn't believe it.