Norma Died On Me

[Nige]

Driving in to work this morning Norma (my recently aquired N/A) gracefully expired without undue drama. Had a couple of intermittent starting problems last week which had not reappeared but I suspect problems are related. Norma has been recovered to home and I'm currently at work having got here by other means. I'll dig into the manuals and have a root around the car this evening, any early pointers would be appreciated.

Symptoms as follows:

Last weeks failure to start on 2 occasions. Engine cranked well but wouldn't fire. Check under bonnet for the obvious loose leads etc revealed nothing, 5-10 minutes later car starts first go and runs fine. Second occasion removal of distributor cap (it is an N/A) and a clean out, further check of all leads etc, nothing obvious, after half an hour car starts fine and although initially a bit lumpy (missing) settles down and does a trouble free 200 mile run. Car used Friday without problem and again over the weekend. Today car starts fine, couple of early misses (parked out overnight) but settles down, 10 miles into journey CEL light comes on and car coasts to a halt. Engine cranks well but investigation suggests that there is nothing coming from the coil (test lead with bulb) to the distributor and no current/volts from the loom into the connectors on the distributor. Fuel pump working when ignition switched on before cranking (can hear it) so problem is most likely electrical. Current theory is dodgy immobiliser (laserline fitted seems fairly common on 1990 era cars) but unusual to immobilise whilst driving, more likely a failed relay or blown fuse. Manual, wiring diagram and test meter should lead me to the problem but as said any steers would be really helpful.

[Stef]

Good luck

Ribbit..........Croak

[Nige]

Cheers Stef , like the Ribbit............Croak bit

Update, just got home and had to move Norma to get access to the garage to get the S2 out for tomorrow, prepared to push , but thought I'll just try, started first go and ran ok. I how I like looking for intermittent problems.


Ribbit.................Recalcitrant sod!

[Doug]

maybe it's the CAS?

[Monty]

Check the points LMAO hehehe

Maybe it got a kick up the back side from the other lonely M100 that u leave in the garage

Maybe it`s a clogged Turbo

[Nige]

Such helpful and constructive comments No more than expected mind you .

Just got in from the dark, no fault codes stored in the ECU and it starts just fine. Daughter has given it a good talking to so that seems to have done the trick. Need daylight to investigate further, fortunately Clemo lent me his copy of the EML sect of the manual which is now scanned in so I have something to work with. I'll just have to have a turbocharged drive into work tomorow, you wouldn't know how nice it is to have the choice .

[Monty]

Might be worth changing plugs leads or possibly coils

[Nige]

On the list Monty, plug leads are new anyway, I'm certainly thinking the coil might be the suspect. I think this is going to be a steady process of elimination. Have asked Laserline for a user guide for the alarm/immobiliser as I don't have one hopefully that will allow me to eliminate that. Nothing much else going on, other than the other half due to have a baby by the weekend! Look on the bright side, I get 2 weeks paternity leave to sort the car out, (takes cover to avoid incoming!).

[Sy V]

Two weeks what? Have the services gone soft recently?
Paternity leave!
Bloody tree huggers!

[Nige]

Yes, definitely gone soft, but it would be churlish to refuse . Apparently I even have human rights now, I'm quite affronted by the concept

[Scott J]

CAS, points, Turbo, what a helpful bunch of mates you've got and just becasue you bought car with half the bits missing

Hope your family all stay healthy enjoy the paternity leave.

[Nige]

Scott,

That'll be the increased performance through 'adding lightness' school of thought. The Turbo powered drive in to work this morning was great, clear roads for a change and Zig Zag hill is as its name implies great fun turbo'd or not.

[clemo]

this to me sound the pick up coil/hall effect sensor inside the distributor cap .

[Doc Fizzix]

Engine cranks well but investigation suggests that there is nothing coming from the coil (test lead with bulb) to the distributor and no current/volts from the loom into the connectors on the distributor.

Is this a normally aspirated Elan? You say "coil" and "distributor", do you mean "CAS"?

Just a suggestion, check the ground on the "coil"

[chris.t]

When it starts to miss fire are you burning a lot of fuel? if so coolant sensor might be worth a check, had an intermittent fault with mine once.

if it starts again whip the plugs out and see if they're dry or wet, that will tell you if it's limited to a particular cylinder. Sorry if this sounds like an egg sucking lesson

[clemo]

i have ordered a pick up coil form SJ'S and it will be with you not this friday but the next as it is a lotus order....
if it works great (which i think it will)
if not i will keep it as a spare and whip the coil my car and send it to you to test...
speak soon

[Nige]

With the post above and the telephone conversations we have had today I just want to say what a top bloke Clemo is. He has identified the most likely cause of the problem and done something about it entirely off his own back, absolute star. Hopepully a replacement pick up coil will resolve the problem. CAS, pish, who needs a CAS ?