esprit V8 engine problem
Discussion
Hi. Im a female owner in NZ. I took my lotus V8 year 2000 for a drive and after refuelling was cruising fine. I went to overtake a vehicle and there was no power in the accelerator. The car then "hunted" (surging in power). It backfired and within 10 minutes stalled . I pulled to the side of the road and it had no brakes. Later when help arrived, we tried to restart it and its quite rattly in the engine. it wont idle at low revs but will idle at high. However, you cannot drive it as it stalls. We are not near anyone who is a specialist in Lotus engines and there are only 8 esprits in NZ like mine. Can you help?
Hi You might get more help on Lotus Esprit World Web site, they have technical forums and one devoted specifically to the V8.http://www.lotusespritforum.com/forums/. Are you sure the petrol you filled up with was ok? Otherwise it sounds like some ECU sensor problem but I am no expert, post you popblem over at the forum and search previous posts.Sorry I can't be more helpful.
Jimmy
Jimmy
Edited by Shelsleyf2 on Saturday 20th October 06:24
Heya, thanks for your help. I will try that. Once again this question for anyone who may be able to assist. I have it at a mechanics and it has no compression in the left bank (left side). Would valves hit pistons if cam belts slipped? will cost me big money to pull engine out and strip down. is it possible cam cog keyway sheared like someone else has said in previous forums? I want to find out as much as possible to assist my mechanic. Anyone know of best places in England to purchase affordable engines? May have to ship one out.
Don't know much (abything) about the V8, except they were developed from the 900 which I do know about. On the 900 walves can hit pistons and valves can hit valves if a belt slips. Loads of places for spares in the UK, Paul Matty, is great, Chris Neal may be better for newer V8, both have agood shipping service to the Asia Pacific. Go on the Elite Forum, Garry Kemp has some new engines, and Is a grat source of parts. And the real Esprit Expert is here some where, (Esprit2?)
From what an ex-Lotus Master Tech told me (he worked at the factory), chances are the engine's proper broke. He also told me Lotus at the time didn't know of a single car that had completed more than 30,000 miles without engine replacement.
Use the opportunity to stick a nicer engine in that beautiful bodyshell.
Use the opportunity to stick a nicer engine in that beautiful bodyshell.
Hi Julie the Lotus specialist is in Auckland, dont go down the road of getting an engine in from UK, they can do all the worst case senario stuff here. All you would have to do is transport the car up to Auckland and they will sort it for you. They hold quite a bit of stock for engine parts etc otherwise its usually a few weeks wait. Keep smiling not all bad.
I will send you some mail with details etc, also mine.
Kylie
V8 Sport 350
I will send you some mail with details etc, also mine.
Kylie
V8 Sport 350
jewelz - Another fellow Kiwi here.
Not wanting to sound like a doomsayer here, but the last V8 Esprit I saw in at Lotus NZ with no compression in one bank was indeed a snapped cambelt and a bank of bent valves.
Good news is that it's not insanely expensive to fix, although it's not exactly going to be cheap. To achieve nil compression on a bank doesn't generally have any good causes, sadly.
Echo what Kylie's said above, send it to Ken at K.W. Historics, the NZ Lotus Agent and he'll be able to sort out your pride and joy for you. His rates are very very reasonable too, he does all the work on my car as well as Kylie's
Not wanting to sound like a doomsayer here, but the last V8 Esprit I saw in at Lotus NZ with no compression in one bank was indeed a snapped cambelt and a bank of bent valves.
Good news is that it's not insanely expensive to fix, although it's not exactly going to be cheap. To achieve nil compression on a bank doesn't generally have any good causes, sadly.
Echo what Kylie's said above, send it to Ken at K.W. Historics, the NZ Lotus Agent and he'll be able to sort out your pride and joy for you. His rates are very very reasonable too, he does all the work on my car as well as Kylie's
Edited by Esprit on Friday 26th October 05:40
Would be nice!!!The way it went doesn't sound like a cambelt failure to me. If it ran for 10 minutes after the first hint of trouble it could be something else. When a cambelt goes the damage is instantaneous, not over 10 minutes.
So, get it checked again, preferably by the Lotus specialist. If it has lost all compression in one bank that's pretty unusual too. I'd expect bent valves in the firing order, not just in one bank - the diagnosis sounds suspect to me....
Anyway, good luck with it, hopefully it won't be too expensive to fix!
So, get it checked again, preferably by the Lotus specialist. If it has lost all compression in one bank that's pretty unusual too. I'd expect bent valves in the firing order, not just in one bank - the diagnosis sounds suspect to me....
Anyway, good luck with it, hopefully it won't be too expensive to fix!
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