PLEASE HELP....Lotus Elise S1 Keeps Cutting Out

[s1elisedriver]

Hi all i am an elise owner from Australia, and had this problem a while back and guess what.. its back again. I have come to a point where i just feel like driving this car off a cliff grrr. After i found the original ptoblem i was having which was my fuel pump not priming and car not starting, i tracked it down to be corroded wiring in the inertia switch. Now that was all fixed i take the car out today in 35 degree heat the car stopped on me, i waited bout 15 mins drove bout 1km and it stopped again..it kept repeating this till i got home, mind you it took me nearly one hour to get home even though it happen from the next suburb up from me lol. I can only point to the problem now to be is the fuel pump itself, anyone else have similiar issues please get back to me, mind you this problem has been occuring for years, im to afraid to drive this car on a hot day and it is really pissing me off...

[s1elisedriver]

Well it was going good for about 6 months ago wen we cleaned the fuel tank and changed the fuel filter, it handled hot days, today its happened again. It mainly happens wen stuck in traffic for a long time or something, the car just gradually stalls, you have to wait a bout 15 mins for it to start and gets you another 1km, im only happy it happened near my house otherwise i would of had to tow it, anyhow does this sound like the fuel pump playing up?

[s1elisedriver]

after it cuts out if i try start it again it starts then turns off straight away, i cant hear the fuel pump prime all the time.

[s1elisedriver]

I disconnected the fuel line that goes to the fuel filter and the fuel looks clean so Im buggered if I know what it is, its 27 degrees today and the car is running ok.

[s1elisedriver]

Ok I will check the dizzy cap Wen I get a chance. There was an electrical issue before, the wires that go to the inertia switch were corroded, we fixed that.. what other wiring should I be looking for?

[s1elisedriver]

Sorry for the delay guys, Timmeh ive tried what u said run the car to a high temperature and the bloody thing wouldnt cut out, I am going to changed the coil and MFRU and bypass the immobiliser just to eleminate these out see how i go, im pretty sure its a simple fix but finding the problem is like a needle in a haystack

[s1elisedriver]

KingoftheNorth said:

Hi!

I've experienced exactly the same kind of problems, I've checked vacuum in petrol tank, MFRU (I cleaned the contacts), but it all boiled down to a faulty immobiliser. I ordered a "Immobiliser bypass" from EliseParts, connected it and the problem is history!

It's worth giving it a try - the bypass cost £6,50! And connecting it is easy - after you've located the connector.

Regards,

Leif

Thanks leif, will the immobiliser still work after bypassing? where bouts is the connector located

[s1elisedriver]

bordseye said:

I also had a problem with the MFRU which turned out to be the plug working loose. However the cutting out was not temperature dependand like yours is.

In the old days I would have suspected fuel vapourisation but I dont think that can happen with fuel injection. So I guess its back to the old fashioned primitive checking approach. Next time it happens, open up the engine bay , take one plug out of the block and with the plug connected to the coil and resting on a bit of metal, turn the engine over to see if there is a spark. If there ius a spark then the problem is fuel.

Next step is to disconnect the fuel line at a suitable place and again switch on the ignition to see if fuel flows. Do this carefully . No fuel? Check the leccy supply to the pump.

thanks, i have tried both, yes there is spark and yes there is fuel flowing.

[s1elisedriver]

i had a look for the immobiliser today but ill be buggered if i can see it, all that's there is the ecu box.

[s1elisedriver]

i think ill just replace the MFRU for now see if that solves the problem and worry about the immobiliser later

[s1elisedriver]

KingoftheNorth said:

Hi!

You'll find the immobiliser connector inside the plastic cover that house the Cobra Alarm, left hand side of the ECU. My Elise is a 1996 S1, so layout may vary I suppose. I can send you a picture, if you'd like - I'm new at the forum so I don't know whether or not there is a PM service.

Order the Immobiliser Bypass at the same time you order the MRFU, as it is as cheap as £6,50, and very easy to install - and test (I suggest you test both seperately in order to identify the problem - that's part of the sport I think).

Leif

yes can send me the picture to [e-mail], i have ordered both already they should be here by next week, is bypassing the alarm also involve jumping pins? or is it just disconnect and connect the bypass unit?

[s1elisedriver]

oodam said:

I had the same problem and it was the fuel pump.

It would cope when the tank was above 18 litres normally but when it got below that (and oddly more prone in hotter weather) it would cut out. If I left it a while it would be fine for 10 miles or so. I thought it was too slow to fill the canister (built around the pump to enable cornering etc) but once it managed to fill the canister, I could drive until the canister was empty again. I could be wrong on that one but it explained the intermittent nature of the issue.

i dont know what to believe anymore it can be so many things and the only way im gonna know is when i drive the car in high humidity and wait till it breaks down, so it could be

- mfru unit

- immobiliser

- coil

- fuel pump

i should eliminate the first two by this week.

[s1elisedriver]

cheers leif, ive ordered them from elise parts still waiting to arrive i will let you know how i go

[s1elisedriver]

worldwidewebs said:

Any progress to date?

we changed the mfru unit today, but the weather has been rainy, wouldnt know if it resolves the problem until its a hot day.

[s1elisedriver]

worldwidewebs said:

Would be interesting to see what you find.

As I posted earlier, I have a similar problem and replaced the MFRU which did seem to cure it. However, I did a trackday last weekend and at about 3pm and after a number of decent sessions it stalled again whilst idling in the paddock.

So, obviously my issue isn't MFRU related after all but I'm struggling to reproduce it outside of a track setting. The loom's been out and all connectors checked/cleaned so I'm happy it's not that but I'm now looking for the next thing to try...

Have u bypassed ur immobiliser that would be the next thing ill be doing

[s1elisedriver]

worldwidewebs said:

I'll be giving it a go, but the only time I can really test whether it's worked is on a trackday. I could go for a 'spirited' drive all day long and then leave it idling and it'll be fine (and it's sleeting here now so no chance of it recurring) - I only seem to have an issue on trackdays when it gets really hot.

It's defiantly an electrical issue bypass the immoboliser then take it for a run let the car idle for a while let me know how u go. I'm pretty sure its that or the coil

[s1elisedriver]

worldwidewebs said:

I will probably try the immobiliser bypass but it could be left all day idling and it won't cut out - only after the best part of a day on track do I ever get any issues (unfortunately - as far as solving the problem goes). How's yours looking - all sorted now?

Well its going good for now.. although it hasn't really been hot, mine usually stalls in busy traffic on real hot days unfortunately its going to be raining all week so won't know for a while but if it happens again I will definitely bypassing the immobiliser

[s1elisedriver]

worldwidewebs said:

I can't replicate it like that - it has to be track hot unfortunately

Same with mine, no matter how long I leave it, it won't stall. Any progress to date on the bypass ?

[s1elisedriver]

KingoftheNorth said:

Hi!

What's status now?

it was 33 degrees yesterday and took out the lotus, it went ok with no problems. Im guessing changing the mfru unit has fixed the problem, still i cannot be 100% positive..

[s1elisedriver]

KingoftheNorth said:

Good!

Did you bypass the immobiliser as well?

no not yet, if it stalls again that's the next thing ill be doing, just got to eliminate these problems one by one fingers crossed.