I guess it had to finally happen...
Discussion
After many years of running various Esprits as everyday cars, I finally got stranded by the side of the road for the first time, in one of my S4s's.
And it wasn't just any road - it was a freeway exit, during rush hour. Only two lanes, no emergency lane, half way up the exit, I was blocking one lane. Cars banked up behind me as far as the eye can see.
People driving past me yelling out their car windows 'Buy a Ford!' or 'You should have bought a 4x4!'
Anyway, tow truck came, took me home, only after I caused a massive rush hour blockage.
This is what happened. As I was downshifting, to slow down as I was coming off the freeway, by the time I reached third gear, nothing would happen when I was pressing the accelelator. That began at the begiining of the exit, which was going up a hill. I rolled half way up the hill and got stuck there. I would crank it, and it would idle (very roughly) and when I would press the gas pedal, it would go up to about 2,000rpm and then die. I would crank it up again, and same thing would happen. Over and over. Also, it wouldn't go above 2,000-2,500rpm no matter how much I would press the gas pedal.
The car was acting like a carb model when it gets flooded, or when the carby gaskets have dried up.
Temperature outside was a melting 42'C (I 'think' somewhere towards 110+'F?). All gauges showed normal, no overheating of the engine. No 'Check Engine' light came on. Everything seemed normal.
Once the car was home, about an hour later, it started straight away and I drove it around the block. All normal. Lotus mechanic came over and checked it - all appears normal.
Any ideas of what it might have been would be appreciated as the Lotus guy is stumped.
Although days this hot are rather common here, I don't remember ever driving any Esprit in this temperature, simply because the massive windscreen just heats up the leather too much. So, unfortunately I don't remember how it would behave in this kind of temp.
In a way I am p***ed off as I was always bragging how I was never stranded anywhere by an Esprit and they never cost me anything but standard maintanance.
Oh, also this is the S4s that only did 7k miles when I bought it - it was in storage for years. I replaced all the belts, hoses and fluids and it now has 12k miles. Yet it still drives 'worse' than my daily driver S4s that has 41k miles.
And it wasn't just any road - it was a freeway exit, during rush hour. Only two lanes, no emergency lane, half way up the exit, I was blocking one lane. Cars banked up behind me as far as the eye can see.
People driving past me yelling out their car windows 'Buy a Ford!' or 'You should have bought a 4x4!'
Anyway, tow truck came, took me home, only after I caused a massive rush hour blockage.
This is what happened. As I was downshifting, to slow down as I was coming off the freeway, by the time I reached third gear, nothing would happen when I was pressing the accelelator. That began at the begiining of the exit, which was going up a hill. I rolled half way up the hill and got stuck there. I would crank it, and it would idle (very roughly) and when I would press the gas pedal, it would go up to about 2,000rpm and then die. I would crank it up again, and same thing would happen. Over and over. Also, it wouldn't go above 2,000-2,500rpm no matter how much I would press the gas pedal.
The car was acting like a carb model when it gets flooded, or when the carby gaskets have dried up.
Temperature outside was a melting 42'C (I 'think' somewhere towards 110+'F?). All gauges showed normal, no overheating of the engine. No 'Check Engine' light came on. Everything seemed normal.
Once the car was home, about an hour later, it started straight away and I drove it around the block. All normal. Lotus mechanic came over and checked it - all appears normal.
Any ideas of what it might have been would be appreciated as the Lotus guy is stumped.
Although days this hot are rather common here, I don't remember ever driving any Esprit in this temperature, simply because the massive windscreen just heats up the leather too much. So, unfortunately I don't remember how it would behave in this kind of temp.
In a way I am p***ed off as I was always bragging how I was never stranded anywhere by an Esprit and they never cost me anything but standard maintanance.
Oh, also this is the S4s that only did 7k miles when I bought it - it was in storage for years. I replaced all the belts, hoses and fluids and it now has 12k miles. Yet it still drives 'worse' than my daily driver S4s that has 41k miles.
andecorp said:
Oh, also this is the S4s that only did 7k miles when I bought it - it was in storage for years. I replaced all the belts, hoses and fluids and it now has 12k miles. Yet it still drives 'worse' than my daily driver S4s that has 41k miles.
Sorry to hear about that. People shouting at you, how rude. Thats really stinks. Hey one time in how many years it left you stranded, id say thats pretty damn good. Strange though how it starts right up and works fine an hour later though. Maybe the car was built on a Monday?
im jokingFirst thing that comes to mind is the computer. Being that you have 2 S4s's, you may want to pull the computer from the other and keep it with you in the one that stopped working. Then try to duplicate the temp/driving conditions (in a less traveled road that is ). If it happens again, make a quick swap of the computer and see what happens.
Go here www.espritfactfile.com/ and click on ECM, then Karl Franz and the ECM Saga. Sounds like that could be similar to your problem. Good luck.
John
94 S4
http://24.25.100.254/
). If it happens again, make a quick swap of the computer and see what happens. Go here www.espritfactfile.com/ and click on ECM, then Karl Franz and the ECM Saga. Sounds like that could be similar to your problem. Good luck.
John
94 S4
http://24.25.100.254/
I also forgot to ask how was the battery? I would assume you were running the air on full when it was that hot. The poor alternator might not have been able to keep up. A low voltage condition will make the sensors, fuel injection, and ignition act really weird and may make the car even backfire.
Calvin
Calvin
I had the air con only in the second position as it was enough. People complain about the air con systems not being strong enough, but I always found them adequate. Maybe they are upgraded for Aust cars?
Anyway, stereo was on like normal and air con in second position. The car would crank up straight away every time, and the battery is 6 months old. I was getting a backfire thoguh, when I was trying to rev it when it wouldn't go above 2,000-2,500rpm.
Anyway, stereo was on like normal and air con in second position. The car would crank up straight away every time, and the battery is 6 months old. I was getting a backfire thoguh, when I was trying to rev it when it wouldn't go above 2,000-2,500rpm.
This sounds like vapor lock to me. The first sign I had that my fuel vent hoses were bad, I had the same thing happen to me, only I was still on the freeway. If it isn't the vent hoses, it could be the fuel cap or possibly the charcoal canister system (which I have never had experience with).
Scott Rushworth
'89 SE
Scott Rushworth
'89 SE
Thanks everyone. Traced it to the fuel pump.
For the last few weeks, after 1/2hour or so of driving in traffic, I would get a 'woo woo' sound in the cabin. After eliminated all obvious causes (air con, fans, etc), we thought it might have been one of the cooling fans up front out of balance or something.
But using the headphones 'thingy', we found it was the fuel pump making that noise. The noise was so bad in the cabin sometimes, that you couldn't even listen to music.
Anyway, that noise would come on everytime the pump would get hot. Obviously on Mon, it got so hot, it just decided to stop working. Replaced it yesterday and no more sound and the car drives much better - idle is improved, response time etc.
Ran Freescan too, but no error codes apart from 35, when the car stalled.
For the last few weeks, after 1/2hour or so of driving in traffic, I would get a 'woo woo' sound in the cabin. After eliminated all obvious causes (air con, fans, etc), we thought it might have been one of the cooling fans up front out of balance or something.
But using the headphones 'thingy', we found it was the fuel pump making that noise. The noise was so bad in the cabin sometimes, that you couldn't even listen to music.
Anyway, that noise would come on everytime the pump would get hot. Obviously on Mon, it got so hot, it just decided to stop working. Replaced it yesterday and no more sound and the car drives much better - idle is improved, response time etc.
Ran Freescan too, but no error codes apart from 35, when the car stalled.
i had exactly the same thing happen to me 3 months ago in my 89 esprit i took the fuel pump out and replaced it and that was the problem,by the way 86 GM multiport fi pump is the exact pump,i know because i matched it up with the original,hopefully this could save someone some money
>> Edited by SENNA01 on Tuesday 20th January 02:05
>> Edited by SENNA01 on Tuesday 20th January 02:05
SENNA01 said:
i had exactly the same thing happen to me 3 months ago in my 89 esprit i took the fuel pump out and replaced it and that was the problem,by the way 86 GM multiport fi pump is the exact pump,i know because i matched it up with the original,hopefully this could save someone some money
Yes, forgot to mention. To anyone in Aust, the pump is off the Holden VS Ute. A$175.75 from any parts shop. Lotus wants A$450 if you get it from them.
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