is my Esprit a bit of a head case?

[dave cardone]

A few weeks ago, I was moving my newly-purchased 89 non-SE Esprit from one storage place to another. It was wet that day and when I was only about a mile from my destination, the car stalled.

It started right back up but refused to idle. So, I had to start it up and drive right away. I made it to my destination but had to keep on the gas the whole way. As soon as I would let off the gas, the car would die. Also, the check engine light came on for the first time since I bought the car a few months ago.

So, I was mad.

I parked it and left it alone for awhile so it could think about what it did wrong.

I came back a couple weeks later and it started right up. I took it for a short spin and it was fine, no symptoms at all. No check engine light either.

What the heck happened? Any ideas?

[mgb driver]

I recently purchased a 1988 Esprit Turbo that may have the same type of problem. The PO told me he thought it was a defective fuel overboost swtich, and had hard wired a by-pass switch to the fuel pumps that was used in those times the fuel pump cut out on its own. I've only had to use the switch one time and it worked! Had me on my way in a very short time. I have read either in the shop manual or here in the forum that there is a sensor that shuts off the fuel supply when you are coasting for increased fuel economy. I don't know if that is a separate sensor or not. This is something I still need to resolve on my car when I get the first opportunity.

Kevin

[dictys]

It may be a sticking throttle position sensor which control the rpm at idle. This causes this problem, I found this on my car after regular use it went away (it had been unused for 2 year before I brought it). or you could clean it.

Rgds
Dictys

[danny B]

When the ECU detects a fault it can go into limp home mode which limits fuel, boost etc. This leads to a terrible idle. Happen to me a couple of weeks ago when the menifold pressure sensor hose split.

The fault could be related to any number of sensor problems (real or imagined) and it really needs to e checked using the code reader or freescan to confirm exact problem.

[kylie]

danny B said:

When the ECU detects a fault it can go into limp home mode which limits fuel, boost etc. This leads to a terrible idle. Happen to me a couple of weeks ago when the menifold pressure sensor hose split. The fault could be related to any number of sensor problems (real or imagined) and it really needs to e checked using the code reader or freescan to confirm exact problem.

If its a similar model to mine the 89's missed out on the ECU, hence no checking of codes on computer.