Idle behaving weird and cutting out completely : (

[Michael]

Had not used the S2 for around 4-5 wks, battery discon for last 3. Reconnected and started....car was reving itself and settled down. Allowed to warm up, then went for short drive.

At the lights and sitting at idle, it petered out. Started up fine. Seems to cut out if i rev it once then let go of throttle completely - it drops to about 600rpms then just stops.

Fuel fine. Checked oil - poss a lttle low and topped up. No major leaks going on.

This is all going on at 9pm on hogmanay in the pouring rain and wind etc so couldnt do proper check. Now away from home and tools, so still havent!

Ran fine beween EDI and GLA. Just dodgy at the lights.

Might be my imagination but there is a mild constant squeek like something is rubbing/running without lube- my intiial fear was pistons aagainst the cylinder walls hence the oil check. Im hoping its not friction somewhere that is causing it to stall. Any ideas peeps?

Thanks in advance!!!

[robin]

My prime candidate is that you need to redo the ECU calibration with the old ignition on, so many full pumps of the throttle, ignition off, count to 30. But I don't know what the right number of pumps is for the S2 ECU - it's bound to be less than 10, so you could just do 10 and see what happens.

It's an S2 so has the plug top coils - could still be moisture in there considering how extreme the weather has been in recent days? Is it running nicely apart from idle? If so that's unlikely to be the problem.

It might also be a sticky IACV - always worth getting some carb cleaner, removing the IACV (four Torx head screws IIRC) and squirting a load into the removed part and the bore.

Another possibility is a vacuum leak, but not sure how that would have come about since you last used the car. There is a little hose from the manifold to the fuel pressure regulator that might.

An outside candidate is that cam timing could have slipped a tooth, though TBH not at all likely (this could have happened if one of the valves was a little seized).

Best of luck.

Cheers,
Robin

[Michael]

Thanks a lot Robin.

The cam timing thing sounds a bit scary, no?

Come to think of it when i first turned there was an obscure clicking and winding noise the first time.

Tried again, thinking it was simply normal friction, and it started.

Running nicely apart from idle, i believe.
Its been in a garage, well ventilated.


Also, when it cuts out, there is a small whirring noise and then the noise of suction for about 2 seconds - which i have never heard before.



I'll give these things a try though.....Cheers!

[mac]

I'd stick the battery on charge too.

When you first started it and the revs went up and down did you give it any encouragement with the gas pedal?

Might just be that it's not found the righ IACV setting.


Cheers

Mac

[ninja]

same thing happened to me and it took mac, ian and ali hours to fix it!

turned out to be a combination of things but mainly the IACV

ninja

[robin]

Thanks a lot Robin.

The cam timing thing sounds a bit scary, no?

Yeah and really unlikely so don't lose too much sleep over it.

Come to think of it when i first turned there was an obscure clicking and winding noise the first time.

More likely the starter motor ...

Also, when it cuts out, there is a small whirring noise and then the noise of suction for about 2 seconds - which i have never heard before.

That'll be your IACV most probably; when the engine is shut off the ECU returns the IACV to closed position (I think). 2 seconds of suction sounds perhaps a bit long but I don't suppose you actually timed it - it's normal to get the engine pushing or pulling some air after it's stalled - essentially you are running it as a compressor off the stored energy in the flywheel - normally the suction noises are masked by the exhaust note, but once stalled you can hear them.

Good luck - Robin

[simon]

Just drive it and it'll sort itself out. Don't use it for short journeys, take it for a few long drives. Mine was like this when I bought it new and it was because the battery had gone flat between being built and me getting it, nowt to worry about.

[roadboy]

What he said.

Dan@JPS

[Michael]

What he said worked! Took it to GLA from EDI and back. Perfect again!! Brilliant. Ive got a lot of faith in this standard K series!

Cruised with a black Gallardo for a couple of miles on the way back....that sure cleaned things out!




The Lotus doesnt start the Nissans 2 litre engine as i found out....the battery doesnt have the same cranking current 380A vs 480A i think - the battery is quite a bit smaller.