Author Topic: Lotus Europa Engine missfire  (Read 1359 times)

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Offline vito84

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Lotus Europa Engine missfire
« on: Monday,February 05, 2018, 12:13:15 PM »
Good Evening

Last month something get wrong with the alternator so Lucas ammeter and delco remy alternator breakdown.
I've fitted a reconditioned original alternator and checked all the connection. All work fine, but the car doesn't start.
Spark plug seems to be ok,(i've a distributor with lumenition), fuel flow through the carbs but I don't know where is the issue.
Any advice?
Mine Europa have a twin cam engine.
Thank you

Vito
https://www.facebook.com/lotuseuropatwincamrestorationproject
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Offline BDA

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Re: Lotus Europa Engine missfire
« Reply #1 on: Monday,February 05, 2018, 12:22:05 PM »
A few questions -

Does the starter turn?
Does the ignition work (do the spark plugs spark?)
  You can get an inductive light that you touch to a spark plug or coil lead to determine if it's getting juice.
  You can also pull a plug and ground it while someone turns the engine over.

If you are not getting juice to the ignition switch, that could be because of bad connections to the ammeter. Check those connections.

Offline vito84

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Re: Lotus Europa Engine missfire
« Reply #2 on: Monday,February 05, 2018, 07:38:51 PM »

Yes, starter motor runs, ignition display turn on and there's spark in every spark plug. I've bypassed the ammeter at the moment until the new one arrives.
https://www.facebook.com/lotuseuropatwincamrestorationproject
Lotus Europa TC
Lotus Elan S2
Lotus Elan +2
Lotus Elise S1
Lotus Esprit S1

Offline 4129R

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Re: Lotus Europa Engine missfire
« Reply #3 on: Monday,February 05, 2018, 10:12:34 PM »
Try turning the engine over with spraying "Easy Start" into the carbs.

You will need two people to do this or a lead from the battery to the starter relay instead of turning the key to activate the starter.

Offline EuropaTC

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Re: Lotus Europa Engine missfire
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday,February 06, 2018, 12:03:12 AM »
Try turning the engine over with spraying "Easy Start" into the carbs.
You will need two people to do this or a lead from the battery to the starter relay instead of turning the key to activate the starter.

I have done the same thing in the past when the car is coming out of a prolonged winter lay-off. What I do is remove the flexible tube between the air box and air filter casing. a quick squirt into the air box and then replace the flexible. It hangs around long enough to get sucked into the carbs when you turn it over with an open throttle, then blipping it usually does the trick.

If it's only been standing a month then I wouldn't have expected the fuel pump to be empty though - can you see petrol in the glass bowl or evidence of wetness on a spark plug if you pull it immediately after trying to start ? 

It's quite possible to have a spark under atmospheric conditions which isn't strong enough to ignite the fuel under compression and given that you've not changed timing or anything else, then that's where I would be looking. Can a cold start coil fail or have been damaged during the alternator episode ?

The alternator and ammeter failure catches my attention and makes me wonder if there was any other fall-out - burnt wiring or overheated connections for example ? A description of what happened might help, did it just stop charging or were there fireworks and drama ?

Brian