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Lotus Turbo Esprit Issue

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Trb57

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Hi Guys, new to this forum. My name is Tim Beaubien / TRB57 and have a 1977 MGB, a 1952 MG TD and just recently picked up a 1988 Lotus Turbo Esprit. I actually chased this car for 10 years and we finally came to a price.
The car has 19,000 original miles and is very clean. I bought from the second owner and he put very few miles on it. He would start the car about once a year and do about a 10 mile drive then back into heated storage.
Recently the car is running rough on start up but levels off after about 5 to 10 minutes. Still runs very sluggish and then stalls after about 20 minutes and will not start until the next day. I’m thinking fuel pumps??? Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks, TRB57 / tim B.
 
Your first guess seems to be spot-on. Fuel pump first, run time suggests a possible cat-converter too. Remember that ethanol clogging things can also be involved.
 
Very quick test for CAT is to hit the thing and see if it rattles. Could be a broken piece of the CAT clogging the exhaust. If not conclusive and the FP checks out, pull the front O2 sensor so the exhaust has somewhere to go and then take it for a drive. If it pulls strong with the O2 sensor out, bad CAT.
 
I have no knowledge of the Esprit but just started following this forum since I have an Elan Plus 2 on the way which should arrive this week. However, I have and have had several cars from this era and have to say that the fuel pump guess certainly fits the symptoms. Has the Esprit got an OBD port? I know the early OBDs weren't all that good but might be a place to start in the unlikely event that the FP is not at fault.
Tom
 
Tom said:
Has the Esprit got an OBD port?
Click to expand...
not likely.

Ethanol fuel and time in static could be a factor. Not so much the fuel pump as ethanol gumming up jets and small ports in the fuel delivery.

But the run-time still suggests a CAT-converter clog.
 
Last edited:
TRB57 / tim B.
Did you ever resolve this issue?

Regards,
tim. E.
 
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