Engine problems.. Any ideas?

[RobM77]

My S2 111S has been sat in my garage for three weeks, and this morning when I drove it there was a fluttering sound over my right shoulder and the engine wouldn't pull much. I could get up to speed and drive normally, but as soon as I asked any more the engine growled and refused to deliver.

My thoughts are water down an HT lead socket or a broken VVC mechanism. Any ideas?

thanks

[Chris49]

I've had a simular problem and I cleaned the dizzy cap and spark plugs. There was just enough water around them to cause a problem.

Not sure if your car has been subjected to any rain etc, but if it has then that would be my first check.

HTH

[bogie]

likely just water, get down Halfrauds and get 2 cans of potions - theres some water disperser stuff and then the waterproofing stuff that you spray on, do one, followed by a liberal dowsing of the other on all cables/plug joints etc, theres a couple of weak spots for water ingress on an S2 I found, but this solved it - was never bothered for years

[RobM77]

Thanks very much. I'll have a good look tonight when I get home. If it is water it's strange it should happen after three weeks in the garage! It's lived outside in rain and wind before with no problems.

Edited to say: now I'm awake I've driven the car again and it's almost certainly just running on 3 cylinders, nothing more serious than that. :-) I'll have a look tonight.

Edited by RobM77 on Monday 12th January 13:08

[stinkysteve]

RobM77 said:

there was a fluttering sound

thanks

Bird nesting in your airbox?

Seriously though, there's loads of mice hiding out in garages at present, worth checking your filter's clear.

[stinkysteve]

RobM77 said:

there was a fluttering sound

thanks

Bird nesting in your airbox?

Seriously though, there's loads of mice hiding out in garages at present, worth checking your filter's clear.

[Gad-Westy]

RobM77 said:

Thanks very much. I'll have a good look tonight when I get home. If it is water it's strange it should happen after three weeks in the garage! It's lived outside in rain and wind before with no problems.

Edited to say: now I'm awake I've driven the car again and it's almost certainly just running on 3 cylinders, nothing more serious than that. :-) I'll have a look tonight.

Edited by RobM77 on Monday 12th January 13:08

Rob, if you think its on three cylinders, probably the first thing to do is whip the plugs out, keep them in order and look for the odd one out to tell you which cylinder is missing. If that's the case, then your next suspects are lead, plug, coil (if the S2 uses 1 per cylinder) or the injector. Good luck with it, doesn't sound too serious.

By the way, when my Cat collapsed it displayed symptoms like the ones you describe, just to throw a spanner in the works!

[clanger]

stinkysteve said:

RobM77 said:

there was a fluttering sound

thanks

Bird nesting in your airbox?

Seriously though, there's loads of mice hiding out in garages at present, worth checking your filter's clear.

Had a mouse nesting in the plenum a couple of year's ago - well pleased I found it before starting the car

[stinkysteve]

Gad-Westy said:

RobM77 said:

Edited by RobM77 on Monday 12th January 13:08

Rob, if you think its on three cylinders, probably the first thing to do is whip the plugs out, keep them in order and look for the odd one out to tell you which cylinder is missing. If that's the case, then your next suspects are lead, plug, coil (if the S2 uses 1 per cylinder) or the injector. Good luck with it, doesn't sound too serious.

I'm sure my k has 1 coil for 2 cylinders, not sure if vvc is the same though.

p.s. Hello Gad Westy, from 2008 NE spotted, my missus thinks you're a star!

[Gad-Westy]

stinkysteve said:

Gad-Westy said:

RobM77 said:

Edited by RobM77 on Monday 12th January 13:08

Rob, if you think its on three cylinders, probably the first thing to do is whip the plugs out, keep them in order and look for the odd one out to tell you which cylinder is missing. If that's the case, then your next suspects are lead, plug, coil (if the S2 uses 1 per cylinder) or the injector. Good luck with it, doesn't sound too serious.

I'm sure my k has 1 coil for 2 cylinders, not sure if vvc is the same though.

p.s. Hello Gad Westy, from 2008 NE spotted, my missus thinks you're a star!

Hi Steve. Hope you and your missus are enjoying the car.

The S1 111s uses 2 coils as well but I know some cars, maybe later K's had 1 per cylinder and they live on top of the plugs.

[RobM77]

Sadly I don't have the right plug spanner to get right down to the plugs on a k series. I've just taken my Dad round the block in the car and he doesn't think it's running on three cylinders, and more likely my other thought, which was the VVC mechanism's up the creek. I'm taking the car to B&C after work on Wednesday as it needs some paintwork looked at for a warranty consideration anyway. I'll report back with their diagnosis! Thanks for all the replies - much appreciated

[Gad-Westy]

RobM77 said:

Sadly I don't have the right plug spanner to get right down to the plugs on a k series. I've just taken my Dad round the block in the car and he doesn't think it's running on three cylinders, and more likely my other thought, which was the VVC mechanism's up the creek. I'm taking the car to B&C after work on Wednesday as it needs some paintwork looked at for a warranty consideration anyway. I'll report back with their diagnosis! Thanks for all the replies - much appreciated

If you think its the VVC, you could give the solenoid a light tap with a mallet. They often stick which would be a possibility if the car has been stood.

[RobM77]

Gad-Westy said:

RobM77 said:

Sadly I don't have the right plug spanner to get right down to the plugs on a k series. I've just taken my Dad round the block in the car and he doesn't think it's running on three cylinders, and more likely my other thought, which was the VVC mechanism's up the creek. I'm taking the car to B&C after work on Wednesday as it needs some paintwork looked at for a warranty consideration anyway. I'll report back with their diagnosis! Thanks for all the replies - much appreciated

If you think its the VVC, you could give the solenoid a light tap with a mallet. They often stick which would be a possibility if the car has been stood.

Thanks. I've just tried that and been up the road and back and sadly the problem's still there. The electrical connections all looked fine too. I like your thinking though; it's my everyday car, and it seems a bit odd to me that it should drive absolutely fine every day, then it's parked up over Christmas for three weeks and suddenly doesn't drive anymore! It's five years old now and has never missed a beat.

[S Works]

If the VVC's canned that's a bummer. Hope you can get it fixed Rob.

[RobM77]

S Works said:

If the VVC's canned that's a bummer. Hope you can get it fixed Rob.

Thanks! So do I!! I dropped it at Bell and Colvill after work today, so I'll find out tomorrow. eek!

The BMW cost me just over £2,000 today, so I really hope the Lotus doesn't add to that. I'm also currently writing a cheque to the Inland Revenue for quite a significant amount. This has probably been the most expensive week of my life...

[bordseye]

clanger said:

Had a mouse nesting in the plenum a couple of year's ago - well pleased I found it before starting the car

probably so was the mouse!

[RobM77]

I heard back from Bell and Colvill mid-morning and my timing belt had slipped! They've no idea why and have checked out the engine and its VVC mechanism thoroughly, and it's all in perfect working order. I now have a new timing belt on the car. It was due for a change at the next service (5 years), although they tell me that Lotus now recommend 4 years.

[kambites]

RobM77 said:

I heard back from Bell and Colvill mid-morning and my timing belt had slipped! They've no idea why and have checked out the engine and its VVC mechanism thoroughly, and it's all in perfect working order. I now have a new timing belt on the car. It was due for a change at the next service (5 years), although they tell me that Lotus now recommend 4 years.

Mine was done on four years. I thought that had always been the recommendation?

[RobM77]

kambites said:

RobM77 said:

I heard back from Bell and Colvill mid-morning and my timing belt had slipped! They've no idea why and have checked out the engine and its VVC mechanism thoroughly, and it's all in perfect working order. I now have a new timing belt on the car. It was due for a change at the next service (5 years), although they tell me that Lotus now recommend 4 years.

Mine was done on four years. I thought that had always been the recommendation?

The service book for my November 2003 111S states 5 years, and I was going to have it done a few months early this August. Because of my job (I use lots of hire cars and trains) the car's only done 26k miles. The belt isn't actually worn at all and B&S have no idea at all why it slipped. Thankfully no damage done and I'm just £500 lighter! (slightly depressing since today I spent £2,000 on the BMW and the day before I had to buy a set of tyres for the FRenault for £650!!).

[kambites]

Oh well, could have been a lot worse than 500 quid, all things considered.