baronbennyt

Thanks, I really want to get to the bottom of the problem. It's driving me round the bend!

Another great track day at Goodwood was on the cards this morning until I caught a serious bout of the 'Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious'. They say bad luck comes in threes... 1. I had yet another engine/electrical cut out - coming out of the first right hander after the main straight under power, the car just died without warning (engine, lcd dash and all electrics cut). I coasted to a standstill just off the track and turned the green battery cut-off switch off and on again. The car came back to life! This is now the fourth track day in a row that this has happened to me. It's seriously frustrating since I pay a lot of money for these track days and it's missed track time for me but, more importantly, it's bloody dangerous! (even the hazard warning light don't work when I have a cut-out). It has also happened to me on the road when I hit a particularly vicious bump. Lotus Bell & Colvill had run a complete electrical check before Goodwood and found nothing - typical! The consensus from others at the track was: its the lithium battery, or a solenoid problem, or still an electrical issue which needs yet closer investigation. Have any forum users experienced something similar / can offer any advice? 2. The car is now snaking under heavy braking - I brake very hard before corners but always in a straight line and allow plenty of laps for warm up and cool down. Until recently, the 3-Eleven has always been rock-solid under heavy braking but at the last two track days (including Goodwood today) it has started to feel extremely twitchy with the rear in particular feeling very nervous and loose, which really dents the old confidence. Could it be worn bushes? Again, have any forum users experienced something similar / can offer any advice? 3. The underside panel of the roll hoop broke - the car has been suffering from quite a severe vibration noise from the rear at high speed (e.g. above 120mph). I had always assumed it was the rear wing supports which can move from side-to-side a bit under load and even asked Lotus Bell & Colvill to tighten the rear wing supports, but it appears that the problem has always been the the underside panel of the roll hoop...This element came away on one of the straights at Goodwood today and I had to come into the pits for the final time! The panel has sheered away from the bolt on the passengers side. On closer inspection some observed that the bolt was not appropriate for the fastening and didn't have a washer. Poor quality control! I love my 3-Eleven and always expected a few niggles along the way, this being British and a Lotus after all! But, these issues have dented my affection somewhat. Hopefully Bell & Colvill can make it right...

At Goodwood motor circuit today. Noise reading (static) was 100db at 4,800rpm. The track day was 105db. I received one warning for noise on the drive-by test along the start/finish straight in the first session.

Today was the first time I had the 3-Eleven with the Jaguar XKR-S GT. You couldn't get two more different performance cars if you tried: the scalpel and the hammer! The 3-Eleven is going into storage for a few weeks after recently enduring a number of track days and long weekend blasts (during which it performed faultlessly). Time though for some proper tlc before its next exploits...

Happy co-incidence but we're good chums now!

A great day too for the 3-Eleven team thanks to Bell & Colvill!

I'll be at the B&C track day this Thursday at Castle Combe. Anyone else going? I'll be in the 3-Eleven. And I'll try not to run out of fuel this time

The Lotus 3-Eleven is now down to receive this Hangar 111 (Komo-tec) engine upgrade in October: 455-465bhp versus 405-410bhp and 395lbs/ft versus 315lbs/ft.

Looking forward to meeting you and your Elise Sport 220 too Keith. I'm not quite as quick in the 3-Eleven this year having broken my ankle at the end of last. Excuses, excuses...! Fingers crossed for dry weather on 10th May.

That's exactly what happened to me, only I fell just short of the petrol station!

I was on a 100db day with LoT and the 3-Eleven came out at 96db, which was a big relief. I've delayed the Komo-tec 475bhp upgrade with Hangar 111 until October so I'm still running stock

So, the first track day of the year in the 3-Eleven at Castle Combe with 'Lotus on Track' last week did not start well: having returned home the night before the track day after a long business trip I found there was no life in the car. It quickly became apparent that the battery had died after I failed to click the kill switch before I left the country. But those nice chaps at Lotus Bell & Colvill (B&C) in West Horsely, Surrey sent round a technician who quickly identified a small button behind the battery that woke it from its hibernation. Phew! The 3-Eleven has also been treated to its first annual service recently at B&C which fitted new rear tyres (Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2) and front brake pads. The Lotus had been a bit wayward at its final track day of the year at Bedford last September so the new boots were definitely needed. And the result? Well, I've got to know the 3-Eleven pretty well now having done almost 4,000 miles in it and enjoyed many track days, so at a warm Castle Combe we were both in our element. Probably the fastest I have driven it to date, but there's still plenty more to come from the lightweight if not the driver... If you have a Lotus and are thinking of taking it on a track day for the first time then I couldn't recommend 'Lotus on Track' enough. Everyone drove quickly but courteously and the atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly. Everything was perfect on the day then until this idiot ran the car dry trying to get to the nearest petrol station having left it too late on the circuit. Live and learn...next track day will be with B&C on 10th May. Bring it on!

So, the first track day of the year in the 3-Eleven at Castle Combe with 'Lotus on Track' last week did not start well: having returned home the night before the track day after a long business trip I found there was no life in the car. It quickly became apparent that the battery had died after I failed to click the kill switch before I left the country. But those nice chaps at Lotus Bell & Colvill (B&C) in West Horsely, Surrey sent round a technician who quickly identified a small button behind the battery that woke it from its hibernation. Phew! The 3-Eleven has also been treated to its first annual service recently at B&C which fitted new rear tyres (Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2) and front brake pads. The Lotus had been a bit wayward at its final track day of the year at Bedford last September so the new boots were definitely needed. And the result? Well, I've got to know the 3-Eleven pretty well now having done almost 4,000 miles in it and enjoyed many track days, so at a warm Castle Combe we were both in our element. Probably the fastest I have driven it to date, but there's still plenty more to come from the lightweight if not the driver... If you have a Lotus and are thinking of taking it on a track day for the first time then I couldn't recommend 'Lotus on Track' enough. Everyone drove quickly but courteously and the atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly. Everything was perfect on the day then until this idiot ran the car dry trying to get to the nearest petrol station having left it too late on the circuit. Live and learn...next track day will be on 10th May. Bring it on!