Scottish Elises

Just finished cleaning the Monkey Mobile and fixing* a few bits so it hasn't been driven for about a week. Started on first turn of the key but within a minute heading up the road the MIL light was flashing and it was only running on three cylinders (max).

Turned round and went home. Stopped, opened the bonnet. Closed it again. Started it again and it ran fine.

Any ideas what I should check?

Pete

*Washer jets one is blocked. Took off front service panel, established I's probably get washer fluid everywhere. Closed it again.
** Dropped door. Looked up fix on internet. Ordered parts.

Can't help with the misfire (although could be water in the plug?). My exige only had one washer working and water everywhere. Turned out to be a gnawed hose under the scuttle panel. I think it got caught in the wiper mechanism. Was difficult access on the exige but believe that it may be better in the elise. I am sure there is a thread on here about it somewhere.

Stewart wrote:Can't help with the misfire (although could be water in the plug?). My exige only had one washer working and water everywhere. Turned out to be a gnawed hose under the scuttle panel. I think it got caught in the wiper mechanism. Was difficult access on the exige but believe that it may be better in the elise. I am sure there is a thread on here about it somewhere.

Just putting it off TBH. Had to change the oil in the Citroen this afternoon as well. Got sump oil down my sleeve.

Amount saved on doing it myself rather than getting someone else to do it - 30 quid.
Cost to replace 2 fleeces (it was cold) which have oil soaked sleeves. More than 30 quid.

Doh...

Remove the four spark plugs and see whether there is any difference between them ... I wonder if you're getting oil or water leaking into one bore, slowly?

Cheers,
Robin

it had sat for a couple of months without use, and started and ran fine with me (bar the flat battery of course) so i doubt its oil or water in the bores robin.

Much more likely you got water somewhere it shouldnt have when you washed it i reckon. Thats why you shouldnt wash cars

Tried to remove spark plugs and ran out of time (do you just pull the lead really hard?).

It's been under cover for a couple of weeks now, although water was still dribbling out of places. That is possible I did clean under the engine cover a bit....

Time will tell.

Yes, you just pull hard. If you're unlucky the coil pack will come away in your hand and leave the HT "stalk" attached to the spark plug.

If you had mentioned that you had cleaned inside the engine bay, I would not have bothered with that suggestion though

Had this problem when Murrays washed my Sport 160. I believe they pulled the plugs, gave them a clean and all was fine afterwards.

Fingers crossed!

I had this on my S1 in the past and it was water in the plugs... My Esprit was prolific for this after a wash, I had cut a wedge shaped sponge for frying out the plug bores after washing the car lol...

Mark