is there something wrong with my elan? (Fuel consumption)

[steble]

I'm not particularly bothered about my car using a lot of fuel, although it is a lot for the amount of power it puts out but........ I was wondering if there is something wrong with it.

I have recently noticed it doesn't have very good MPG.

Did some trials, put £10 in and got about 40miles out of it.

Put £20 in the other day, 15.8l so about 3.5gallons. (BP ultimate) and looks like i'm going to get around 70 miles.

this works out to just 20MPG. Is this normal or is there something wrong.

You can smell fuel coming from the fuel tank area of the car, (could easily be the exhaust mind). I just assumed this was normal for these cars, is that wrong?

Any advice much appreciated.

Cheers
Steve

[Enright]

I have moved this to the "Ignition and fuelling" section, where there are numerous similar threads.
You need to have a browse through them and work through a similar fault-finding process to trace your issue.
You've got to start from base timing and ensure that everything works as it should: spark plugs, coil packs, thermostat, coolant temp sensor etc.

[theelanman]

Steve
you shouldnt smell petrol........get the filler neck checked......
I reckon an average about 30mpg......without really trying......
I can empty the tank faster if I drive with more spirit........

as Neil says.....get the timing etc checked.......

do you have elanscan?.....you could try to get a reading using that and post it up....

good luck
cheers
G

[steble]

I have moved this to the "Ignition and fuelling" section, where there are numerous similar threads.
You need to have a browse through them and work through a similar fault-finding process to trace your issue.
You've got to start from base timing and ensure that everything works as it should: spark plugs, coil packs, thermostat, coolant temp sensor etc.

I did a search for 'MPG' and 'Fuel Consumption' and sweet fa came up lol

[steble]

Steve
you shouldnt smell petrol........get the filler neck checked......
I reckon an average about 30mpg......without really trying......
I can empty the tank faster if I drive with more spirit........

as Neil says.....get the timing etc checked.......

do you have elanscan?.....you could try to get a reading using that and post it up....

good luck
cheers
G

could link me in the direction of an 'elanscan'? and I will buy one.

[Enright]

I have moved this to the "Ignition and fuelling" section, where there are numerous similar threads.
You need to have a browse through them and work through a similar fault-finding process to trace your issue.
You've got to start from base timing and ensure that everything works as it should: spark plugs, coil packs, thermostat, coolant temp sensor etc.

I did a search for 'MPG' and 'Fuel Consumption' and sweet fa came up lol

Oh!
I tried a couple of similar searches like "+running +rich" and "+high +emissions" and came up with this, which I thought was quite relevant:
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=23958&p=301444&hilit=+running+rich#p301444
But if you just go up a level to here: viewforum.php?f=38 ...then there should be lots of related ones which discuss running-issues in detail - I've recently put loads of "miscellaneous" problems under this section and it was amazing how often the same things would crop up time and time again. You can soon spot them just from their subject title.
It basically comes down to making sure that the same few components are doing their jobs properly. If you're not getting error codes (see paper-clip test) then there are realistically only a few things that can cause running issues.

[theelanman]

Steve
you shouldnt smell petrol........get the filler neck checked......
I reckon an average about 30mpg......without really trying......
I can empty the tank faster if I drive with more spirit........

as Neil says.....get the timing etc checked.......

do you have elanscan?.....you could try to get a reading using that and post it up....

good luck
cheers
G

could link me in the direction of an 'elanscan'? and I will buy one.

its at the bottom of Geoff Smiths signature.....
but.....

[theelanman]

Elan Scan Cable

[steble]

Elan Scan Cable

Thank you

[steble]

I have moved this to the "Ignition and fuelling" section, where there are numerous similar threads.
You need to have a browse through them and work through a similar fault-finding process to trace your issue.
You've got to start from base timing and ensure that everything works as it should: spark plugs, coil packs, thermostat, coolant temp sensor etc.

I did a search for 'MPG' and 'Fuel Consumption' and sweet fa came up lol

Oh!
I tried a couple of similar searches like "+running +rich" and "+high +emissions" and came up with this, which I thought was quite relevant:
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=23958&p=301444&hilit=+running+rich#p301444
But if you just go up a level to here: viewforum.php?f=38 ...then there should be lots of related ones which discuss running-issues in detail - I've recently put loads of "miscellaneous" problems under this section and it was amazing how often the same things would crop up time and time again. You can soon spot them just from their subject title.
It basically comes down to making sure that the same few components are doing their jobs properly. If you're not getting error codes (see paper-clip test) then there are realistically only a few things that can cause running issues.

Thank you for the help.

Car appears to be running fine, just uses a fair amount of fuel

[CalElan]

If you can smell it I'd try and track that down - vapor is highly explosive.
Is the smell always there or only on a full tank or when taking corners too enthusiastically?

best of luck..

[epipete]

There is a veiled concern here that your fuel loss is down to the tank, so firstly, not least because of safety, you should test, check and rule that out, if it is leaking then it will be liquid rather than vapour and so should be apparent!

[steble]

There is a veiled concern here that your fuel loss is down to the tank, so firstly, not least because of safety, you should test, check and rule that out, if it is leaking then it will be liquid rather than vapour and so should be apparent!

If you can smell it I'd try and track that down - vapor is highly explosive.
Is the smell always there or only on a full tank or when taking corners too enthusiastically?

best of luck..

Smell not there all the time. It is there for a little while after putting fuel in.

And there for a few minutes after starting up, I just assumed because it was a lotus and made in a shed.

I will take a good look around guys thank you

[theelanman]

erm....Id start with a look at the fuel tank.....
then filler neck......there was a Lotus recall for a fracture between the neck and the tank back in the day......so if yours was on the list heres hoping it got done....
if that's all ok.......Id give it a full service and check the timing......

do you know when it was last serviced?.........the cars do like to be used rather than sat...........

also....erm......theyre hand built cars.....which is why everyone is different

[epipete]

image.jpg

May be this would be useful

[steble]

image.jpg

May be this would be useful

that will probably be very useful thank you.

I will let you all know how I get on

[Scott J]

At this time of year 25 mpg around town (20 in winter), 28-30 mpg mixed driving, and 33 mpg long long M way run, thats what I got over 50,000 miles.

[steble]

My Elan failed its MOT yesterday on two things.

1. My hazard light 'tell tale' light isn't working. I believe this is the red area on the switch??? From other threads on here I see SJ sell them. but they are bloody expensive!

2. emissions!!! badly, mine is pre cat so has 3.5% to play with. but it came in at 10.44%!!!!!!! (I thought my plugs were black when I changed them the other day)

again from reading other threads it could be a magnitude of things, so i'm trying to narrow down my options here, if you could help please.

As last year the reading was only 0.82%, and the car has only done 2800miles in that time I feel it maybe something quite sudden.

I'm sort of hoping it is the lambda sensor as that would cause a sudden switch, I have found one listed on ebay for just £13 so its probably worth replacing it anyway to tick something off the list.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oxygen-O2-Lam ... XQVERS17nR

any input much appreciated.

[Fredjohn]

For a new hazard switch try contacting maz_r. He obtained some from Germany and may still have some left. However before you do this, take it out, clean all the contacts and switch it on and off a few times. Mine stopped working (the warning light bit), but a little fettling got it back in action.

For the emissions, check the usual things including a new air filter. BUT if you have a pre-cat car (an SE?), unless you have changed the ECU chip and fitted a sensor to go from an open loop to closed loop system, you will not have a lambda sensor. So you can't replace what you don't have. A quick look at the turbo and you will know: the sensor fits into a big hole just to the left of the turbo shield as you look at it. If there's no sensor, there is a big blanking plug instead.

Always warm the car up, and make sure you cycle the cooling fans on and off a couple of times before you go for the MOT. (As per WSM instructions for reading the emissions). This will ensure a decent reading. However, your results point at something more basic than that. Injectors, fuel pressure regulator, air filter, timing, timing, timing are the places to start. There are far more knowledgable people than me on here who can be more precise on the detail of all these items.

Good luck!

[steble]

For a new hazard switch try contacting maz_r. He obtained some from Germany and may still have some left. However before you do this, take it out, clean all the contacts and switch it on and off a few times. Mine stopped working (the warning light bit), but a little fettling got it back in action.

For the emissions, check the usual things including a new air filter. BUT if you have a pre-cat car (an SE?), unless you have changed the ECU chip and fitted a sensor to go from an open loop to closed loop system, you will not have a lambda sensor. So you can't replace what you don't have. A quick look at the turbo and you will know: the sensor fits into a big hole just to the left of the turbo shield as you look at it. If there's no sensor, there is a big blanking plug instead.

Always warm the car up, and make sure you cycle the cooling fans on and off a couple of times before you go for the MOT. (As per WSM instructions for reading the emissions). This will ensure a decent reading. However, your results point at something more basic than that. Injectors, fuel pressure regulator, air filter, timing, timing, timing are the places to start. There are far more knowledgable people than me on here who can be more precise on the detail of all these items.

Good luck!

Ah that's annoying! They listed that this lambda was for my car, and i've just ordered it! lol

I'll be honest I assumed it had a lambda, I haven't actually opened the bonnet yet to have a look lol

If it doesn't have a lambda does it use the MAF sensor (if it has one) to control the fuel input?