QUESTION
I tucked my Elan S1 away after Lotus Marques completed extensive work on the engine and cooling system back in May of 2020
I have pulled it out every 2 weeks or so to run it so nothing seizes up, but each time I have done this it has not been firing on all cylinders.
I investigated and it appears cylinders 3 and 4 are receiving spark, but no ignition is happening.
When I removed the spark plugs the tips were wet.
I have run the car a handful of times now, for extended periods of time in the hope that as things warm up it will magically fix itself but no luck.
Can you please provide some diagnosis and recommended action plan I can follow
I.P. - Melbourne, Australia
ANSWER
This is an interesting question and is not straightforward to answer without being able to see and hear your Elan engine operating
Have you cleaned all the plugs and then checked one by one that you have a good spark when the engine is cranked?
How old is the fuel because the lighter hydro-carbons will evaporate as the Elan fuel tank is not sealed (constantly vents to atmosphere)
The symptoms you describe of poor starting and mis-firing plugs are typical of depleted fuel
Once the fuel has gone off it makes starting any engine really difficult
Once started the fuel will not combust fully and the plugs will foul up and leave them wet
This problem has been previously observed in the Lotus Marques workshop when customer cars remain here waiting for parts from overseas etc.
This often results in having to drain the tank and fill up with fresh fuel before an engine will start and run properly
Also recommended is to install a can of Nulon Octane booster - available from Repco, Super Cheap, Auto Barn and other guilty parties
Copyright © 2020 Lotus Marques
I tucked my Elan S1 away after Lotus Marques completed extensive work on the engine and cooling system back in May of 2020
I have pulled it out every 2 weeks or so to run it so nothing seizes up, but each time I have done this it has not been firing on all cylinders.
I investigated and it appears cylinders 3 and 4 are receiving spark, but no ignition is happening.
When I removed the spark plugs the tips were wet.
I have run the car a handful of times now, for extended periods of time in the hope that as things warm up it will magically fix itself but no luck.
Can you please provide some diagnosis and recommended action plan I can follow
I.P. - Melbourne, Australia
ANSWER
This is an interesting question and is not straightforward to answer without being able to see and hear your Elan engine operating
Have you cleaned all the plugs and then checked one by one that you have a good spark when the engine is cranked?
How old is the fuel because the lighter hydro-carbons will evaporate as the Elan fuel tank is not sealed (constantly vents to atmosphere)
The symptoms you describe of poor starting and mis-firing plugs are typical of depleted fuel
Once the fuel has gone off it makes starting any engine really difficult
Once started the fuel will not combust fully and the plugs will foul up and leave them wet
This problem has been previously observed in the Lotus Marques workshop when customer cars remain here waiting for parts from overseas etc.
This often results in having to drain the tank and fill up with fresh fuel before an engine will start and run properly
Also recommended is to install a can of Nulon Octane booster - available from Repco, Super Cheap, Auto Barn and other guilty parties
Copyright © 2020 Lotus Marques