problem need your help. what is this ?

[rushing]

My car keeps iddling when stationary. when im driving around 30mph its ok but very sluggish. its like water has got the fual tank, but not. its some times but not all the time it struggles to keep the engine running. yesterday i was stuck in traffic and the engine struggled and struggled to stay on and slowly cut off. i tried to keeo the revs up and it some times work.there is also some petrol smell. but checked every where no leakage .

there is a wire going on the engine and this meets two other wires in the middle . dont what this is but this was a bit lose. little round metal clips hold these three black tubes. but they were very lose. i tightened this but still no luck. im lacking a bit of engine oil. dont know if this is the probelm.

do i need to

1. have a service. last serviced 4000 miles ago
2. change my oil filter +fuel filter
3. is it the Oxygen sensor

i really dont have a clue as some times the car runs perfectly.

any suggestions please.

[Candles]

Is it jerky, like a misfire?

The black wires you refer to, are they hoses at the back of the plenum or electrical cables, and could you describe where they are more exactly?

[rip]

Oil sounds unlikely.
Only S2's have an Oxygen sensor (unless it has been retro-fitted like Enright has done). It looks like a spark plug sitting in the exhaust near the turbo. If you have an SE, chances are you will just have a hexagonal blanking nut here. Elanscan would help to diagnose this.
Fuel filter: sounds plausible. Dapinky found that the fittings for this can break up when removal is attempted, so you probably won't want to change this as a first course of action.

Have you tried Elanscan?

[Monty]

Are you getting an engine warning light?

Check your spark plugs and leads, but i`ve got a feeling it could be coil related
Has the coolant been changed or topped up lately and maybe some water spilled over? as the coils are diredtly under the expansion tank. Or maybe to much coolant in the expansion tank which overflowed on to the coils

[rushing]

i think it might be the spark plugs . i cant seem anything else as the car just a while ago ran fine then when i came to holt it started struggling to keep on. i think its the fual filter thats whi it smells . no engine light is coming on though? and no fual leakage . fual consumption is perfect to the gallon. i can smell a bit of fuel now and then though .



the tubes which go the engine are three of them they all interconnect with a litle papeclip style white three way plastic to the the main engine . if you lift your bonnet up and look the left you can see these tubes .

the anti freeze has not been changed for years . i see there is some in there though. it has not been spilled or leaked .i dont think it has a oxygen sensor as its a se turbo.
should i change all spark plugs and see if this works .dont know if this is a easy job. what is the coil your referring to Monty.??also what spark plugs should i get and how many. I have'nt got a clue about mechanics thats why i need your help.

help needed as im now worried to drive as i have to sometines Rev like anything when i hear the engine dying down to keep it alive

[rip]

the anti freeze has not been changed for years .

Then the corrosion inhibitor will not be working, which is a bad thing. Blue/green anti-freeze has a life of 2 years. Leaving it in there for longer is a false economy.

The coils are directly underneath the coolant expansion tank.

Changing plugs is easy and something which should be done at regular intervals. I am not sure from memory what type they are, but a motor factors will be able to cross-reference them, & there are probably also part numbers on this site.
4 cylinders = 4 spark plugs.

[rushing]

i thought the spark plugs are for only starting the engine . so a bad spark plug can make the engine run sluggish or misfire. has anyone got a picture of where this is.

ian might take the offer of meeting up sometime mate . im a novice when it comes to electrics and car mechanice . perhaps next sunday would be great . i will let you know . very kind of you to help out . really appreciate it mate .
jason

[rip]

i thought the spark plugs are for only starting the engine . so a bad spark plug can make the engine run sluggish or misfire. has anyone got a picture of where this is.

A Diesel uses GLOW plugs for starting only. A petrol fires each SPARK plug off every other revolution.
The plugs are on top of the engine under the black-painted cover (assuming you have one).
Other than that, it will be easier to show you than explain.

[M100 TWO]

Can you get the motor on boost in any gear?

[rushing]

hi yes i can get motor boost in any gear. some times i think it is the spark plugs as therte definatly is a misfire and the enginne sometimes does not start staright away. struggles to start. this does not happen often.

Rip i found where the spark plugs were . i removed one with help of my neighbour who knew much more what he was doing. i only removed one . he said that it smelled very rich and around the base was liiteraaly darker than usual . he said that this is not normal. any way going to change the spark plugs today . all four.

is there anything in need to do when tightening them coz saomeone said that you need to tighten them to the right grip.

[Sy V]

I'm starting to think one of the sensors has gone down and the ECU is being tricked into overfuelling the system.

Jason, I would only remove and clean the sparkplugs for now as it sounds like they're going to get fouled up again. You might as well foul up the existing ones until we source the problem.

Have you heard us talk about a paperclip test?

[GeoffSmith]

I'd suspect the coolant temperature sensor (CTS) which ElanScan could diagnose.

[Monty]

I did ask early if there was an engine check light

Have a read of this on how to get the error codes
http://lotuselancentral.com/repair/aldl.htm

BTW, make sure the spark plugs are gapped to 0.8mm

[M100 TWO]

rushing 4th gear approaching a hill at 60 floor the throttle, do you get a miss fire what reading are you getting on the boost gauge?

[rushing]

I changed spark plugs . problem not resolved still the same . this only happens when engine gets warm or the car has had a long run and come stationary.
I think its the ECU . Sy you might be right im taking the car for a diagnostic . Can someone tell me where i can the find the diagnostic sockett. Where is is located . This is for the garage to plug in there coputer .


I think it is one of the sensors. the engine tries to cut off when it gets hot. That is when i have done about 30 miles . i have to keep everything at high rev to keep the engine going.

Really dont know what sensor it is . If its the sensor is this expensive?

[rushing]

can any garage do the diagnostic test or do i have to go to a lotus specialist.

[dans]

I did ask early if there was an engine check light

Have a read of this on how to get the error codes
http://lotuselancentral.com/repair/aldl.htm

As monty stated above you really want to read that link to do a diagnostic test yourself in 5 mins. It will explain where the diagnostic socket is.

[Sy V]

I agree, regardless of your PM. Do this first.

[GeoffSmith]

There is more information and this diagram and photograph of the ALDL socket in the Wiki.

[GeoffSmith]

If it is the coolant temperature sensor, you can get them from Rockauto in the US in two or three days for about $12 + postage (+ tax if you're unlucky).