I broke it.

[Kimbers 1,766]

After deciding to keep my Evora I took her out yesterday for a good run after cleaning her. Everything was fine for miles and then I came up a slip road onto the dual carriageway. I gave it "The big one" to accelerate up to merging speed and it was fine. Backing off at a steady 70 it was fine. Then I put my foot down in 6th to overtake and it sounded like a bag of nails.

To be precise, it sounded like it was missing a cylinder or 2. Lifting off again it was fine and sounded lovely so I gently put my foot down and it was also fine accelerating gently.

I dropped it 2 gears and tried again booting it and sure enough, I did my nodding dog trick as it farted and bubbled but no acceleration.

Now, I know I hate mechanical stuff but I know it can't be plugs or leads as its fine even when accelerating gently. Am I to assume I have an injector fault or is there something else I am missing?

[Barrykearley 6,838]

After much careful consideration - I would indeed agree - you’ve broken it

[pete 1,789]

Sounds fuel related

[RichardC 124]

Have you got an OBD fault code reader? That may give you a clue.

Edited September 6, 2020 by RichardC
typo

[Chillidoggy 4,340]

It must have overhead you saying you were going to shift it. They’re sensitive like that, you know.

[C8RKH 6,224]

Electrical or fuel surely?

[RichardC 124]

Throttle position sensor or airflow sensor sensor would be my first suspects.

[Chillidoggy 4,340]

Change the spark plug leads, plugs, coils, and anything else with electrical string attached to it.

[Kimbers 1,766]

5 hours ago, RichardC said:

Have you got an OBD fault code reader? That may give you a clue.

No mate I don't

My dad says it sounds like a CPU issue and that he had heard a few others with similar issues? 

[21gg 399]

Ive just replaced an o2 sensor which had thrown a code. However its still stalled a few times (its an ips) and ran rough a few times. Its was on 1/4 tank of v power. Its ben refueld a few rimes over lock down but this fuel may be 2? Months old. I filled it up yestetday and after 5 mins has run fine for the 400 miles ive done today. 

[RichardC 124]

Far more likely to be a sensor or injector issue than the CPU. Common things are common. Is the MIL light on?

OBD readers are cheap as chips now and I've come to the conclusion that it's worth carrying one in your glovebox. One of the bluetooth/wifi dongles that synchs with your phone would do the trick.

 

After my broken drive belt breakdown , I have installed one of these:

https://www.scangauge2.co.uk/

I've just wedged it between the windscreen and dashboard, shoved the cable down the crack behind the dashboard and plugged it it. Looks a bit retro but seems to be a well built and reliable piece of kit. Now I've got a voltmeter, a water temperature gauge, a digital speedometer that is accurate (73mph on the Lotus one = real 70mph) and can read/clear OBD codes. It does lots more besides that I've yet to investigate.

[C8RKH 6,224]

I had a OBD Reader dongle plugged into that car all the time and run it through Torque on my Android phone. Worked a treat and the OBD dongle was about £25 from fleabay. Use it on the Evora 410 now, no issues. The BT dongle needs no extra power cable just plug it in, pair with the phone and go.

 

[Goatboy 52]

Had the car been sat for a while before you took it out? More than a few owners have found have found running issues after a long time of no use. Appears clearing any fault codes and having a good long drive to make sure the battery is fully charged often resolves the issue. 

[jep 845]

My NA had a perhaps similar issue, it would not rev over 4000rpm. Faulty exhaust actuator if I recall correctly, I can check the invoice if nec. 

Justin 

[Kimbers 1,766]

OK, well, I thought I'd check it out again today. "Lets see if its still doing it!" Says I, so I jump in and drive for 5 mins and shes lovely as ever! Yay! so I get to the A11 and boot it. Shes still fine, if running a little warm. Then after cruising for about a minute there's a pop and I felt a clunk through the car and bub-bub-bub I was on 4 cylinders. Slowing down I turn off to head home and theres another pop and I am now on 2 and the engine warning light comes on.

Even worse, its slowing down and nothing I can do is stopping it....and then I noticed I have forgotten my phone.

So an hour later its cooled down and it starts and I fart my way along sometimes smoothly, sometimes on 4 and occasionally on 2.

Guess thats that then! 

 

[Barrykearley 6,838]

I simply cannot believe you have broken it again !!

[LOTUSMAN33 1,454]

That’s rotten luck, I always seem to have car trouble when I have no phone or wallet

Time for a trip to see a Lotus specialist or dealer along with a nice bill

Good luck getting it sorted soon.

Dave  

[C8RKH 6,224]

Sounds electrical. I had something similar on my VX220 and it was the coil pack that was breakdown down. Fitted a new coil pack and bam, good as new again.

The spark plugs were last changed on the button, for the OEM correct ones. Do you have a good independent down there you can speak too? Is the Orange light on? If so, get a bluetooth ODBM dongle (£10-15 from ebay/Amazon) and get Torque on your phone and then check the codes asap.

Can't believe she's doing this to you man. She never gave me a problem apart from a drivers window actuator going that was fixed under warranty in the first 3 months of ownership.

[Kimbers 1,766]

I dunno what is wrong mate but one of my oldest friends works at E S Motorsports just down the road. he has agreed to sort it, service it and MOT it for me......plus unfortunately while driving it this afternoon I noticed a Noisy O/S rear wheel bearing so may have to get that sorted too!

[Barrykearley 6,838]

Seriously these cars are normally massively reliable - it does sound like a coil pack related issue though. Fingers crossed it’s cost effective to fix

[C8RKH 6,224]

It's definitely not terminal as it would not be intermittent. Get a COVID test for it!

[DaveC72 778]

+1 for an OBD dongle jobby and Torque.  As well as providing you with diagnostics, it can provide you with a cheeky little heat-map of your journeys, where it can overlay your speed over your route on a google-map saved to your phone.  Which is nice, if a little (lot) incriminating.

I had a similar issue after a lot of consecutive roundabouts and hard acceleration between them on my old S.  Seem to recall disconnecting the battery for 24 hours, giving the battery a good charge and never saw it again - something to do with sensors and variances which was cleared by resetting.  Engineering - it's not an exact science you know...

 

 

[Kimbers 1,766]

Well she's gone. Seeing Daves face as he backed it on to the low loader wincing as she went from 6 to 4 then 2 cylinders in the space of 100 yards didn't fill me with confidence!!

[Cdm2018 145]

6 minutes ago, Kimbers said:

Well she's gone. Seeing Daves face as he backed it on to the low loader wincing as she went from 6 to 4 then 2 cylinders in the space of 100 yards didn't fill me with confidence!!

I know that feeling twice ! I could hear the sniggers from the watching neighbours and the smirks from passing rat run motorists as the Evora was being loaded on back of AA lorry    

[Barrykearley 6,838]

She will be back in no time all fixed