08 exige 240 - first impressions

[Mag]

800kms in 2 days. break in period. Running her pretty hard up to and down from 6k rpm, been to 7K more times than I can count with 3 hands.

Good car. Just some things worth noting:

- Idle when not warmed up stays around 1500rpm, then settles around 900 but hunts a bit.

Under semi-spirited break in inhibited driving. No difference with/out AC on.
Relative Humidity 60 - 85 %
AmbientTemp 23 - 30C

- lower loading driving constant temps 88-89C
- higher loading driving constant temps 90 91C
- After hardish driving, heat soaks quick, temps don't go down at idle, rise up to 97-99C. But lower to above 2 temps relatively quickly.
- At idle, if turn on AC and fans come on temps will lower 1-2C.

- Reverse, 2nd and 4th gear particularly hard to engage

- Clucth slipping when quick shift then full throttle. Engine will redline, then catch on mysteriously. This has happened to me in 3rd and 4th gear pulls in total of 4 times. pretty consistant.

Will need to take in to dealer for this one but one time this happened, I saw the LSD light on. Could it be that? But why would the rpm be allowed to shoot past redline...

Front right speaker grill starting to rattle. Box I had in the trunk knocked off bother light connectors - becareful of this!

Gear shift pretty knotchy, and probably what bothers me the most, is the flimsey center console construction.

AP brakes over sensitive when driving in slow city traffic. BUt for high speeds braking, they feel spot on. Balanced...

Stock set up VERY forgiving to drive. Well balanced. Am able to drive the car semi causaully, and still be very fast. It just handles great.

Finding it really hard to adjust to this pedal set. Heal toe is difficult to control the pressures seperately needed on pedals when brake/throttle pedals are so close to one another. Do most of you find you're doing outside toe rather than heal toe?

This car is just awesome. Very impressed over all but need to sort out the clutch issues.

[apple_geek]

i think you need to let the clutch break in properly if its brand spanking new. dont be redlining the crap out of it nor quick shifting. the clutch will sometimes "stick" if you do this, just take it easy on it and it should be ok. glad you like the car

[apk919]

Originally Posted by Mag

Will need to take in to dealer for this one but one time this happened, I saw the LSD light on. Could it be that? But why would the rpm be allowed to shoot past redline...

The traction control light comes on when it's active (limiting wheelspin)... I suppose that's what you mean by the LSD light.

Originally Posted by Mag

Box I had in the trunk knocked off bother light connectors - becareful of this!

Get yourself a Sector111 bootie or similar. Don't put anything in the trunk that's not secured or restrained!!!!

Originally Posted by Mag

Gear shift pretty knotchy, and probably what bothers me the most, is the flimsey center console construction.

If you can, get this mod done.

If you have the latest version of the shifter, it might not be as simple as it was for me. In any case, reinforcing the shifter mechanism makes a world of difference...

[Joe168]

Originally Posted by Mag

800kms in 2 days. break in period. Running her pretty hard up to and down from 6k rpm, been to 7K more times than I can count with 3 hands.

You have "3" hands... Can you show a picture of your third hand?

Just kidding! Congratulation for your new ride. Hope you get some good roads to run it hard in H.K.

[EliseAtLeast]

Originally Posted by Joe168

You have "3" hands... Can you show a picture of your third hand?

Just kidding! Congratulation for your new ride. Hope you get some good roads to run it hard in H.K.

Just don't show us your "third leg"

[OTB]

Myself (and I believe most people on this planet) prefer to use the side-to-side with the right foot rather than heel-toe. I purposely set my pedal up so I can plant my right foot entirely on the accelerator, or shared between brake and accelerator. I never want to go back to true heel-toe again!

[shay2nak]

clutch slippage during gear changes would equate to a delay in throttle response, right? Well, in my TSX as I'm shifting from 1st to 2nd under accleration, I'll get a delay before the power comes back on again.

[Mag]

thanks for the advice on the shifter brace. Will look into this when I have the center console off.

Yea the "LSD off" light flashed momentarily, may be it sensed slip.

I might just be gassing too early. Clutch should be broken in by now at 1000kms. Never tried the launch control, not one 1st gear drag race type start. This happens in 3rd and 4th gear. Driven twin and triple plates for years, so can understand if the 240 TRD unit is not as grippy but suprised how it allows rpms to spike up to redline as if the clutch was half way engaged.

Question on the 08 dash. The rev shift lights dont seem to come on unless I've got the LSD turned off. This normal?

Oh, the seat feels really loose, 4 bolts that keep the rail to the chassis are tight, just the rail mechanism I think... assuming it's normal?

Finally figured out the pedal for "heel toe" , need to pivot higher up on the pedal.

going to change the engine oil to synthetics and higher quality transmission oil in a bit, morning drive tomorrow. Cant wait to rev her up to 8k!

[Mag]

Originally Posted by shay2nak

clutch slippage during gear changes would equate to a delay in throttle response, right? Well, in my TSX as I'm shifting from 1st to 2nd under accleration, I'll get a delay before the power comes back on again.

its not a power delay, power comes on promptly, just appears the clutch isn't catching. Could be poor driving on my part, but never experienced this before. I've driven other higher powered cars with tired clutches, the clutch would slip, but RPMs wouldn't spike. Its as if the drivetrain was 80% disengaged and engine reved freely.

If i let off the throttle, then 100% back on, it's ok. A bit annoying. May be I need to change to an ORC twin plate unit sooner than later.

[apk919]

Originally Posted by Mag

Oh, the seat feels really loose, 4 bolts that keep the rail to the chassis are tight, just the rail mechanism I think... assuming it's normal?

The movable part of the seat rail (attached to the seat) was not engaging properly with the stationary part of the rail; it made my seat feel loose and squeak occasionally. This was my fix...

[Mag]

thanks again nine one nine

dealer replied the seat is supposed to be a bit loose. the design allows the rail to slide easier. Not sure if that is a valid explanation.

[Mag]

so it wasn't my driving skill or lack there of. the clutch pump has a leak. that's why fast shifts didn't work, waiting between shifts did. when vigorously pumping the clutch, ir would stick for a second, release and I'd hear a leak noise.

on the oil, it was leaking, oil line in the front of the car. replaced with upgraded item.

On the middle console, had mine wrapped in suade, helped with shifting feel significantly.

[lwein]

we drilled out the alum acc pedal pad,there is a small steel pedal pad underneath it! Made a LARGE pedal out of alum,much thinner than orig,but just as stiff-riveted it back on,works great. the Right side of your right foot just falls onto the new pad..............

[Mag]

Originally Posted by lwein

we drilled out the alum acc pedal pad,there is a small steel pedal pad underneath it! Made a LARGE pedal out of alum,much thinner than orig,but just as stiff-riveted it back on,works great. the Right side of your right foot just falls onto the new pad..............

great idea!

[tmpcolt45]

well, my dad just bought a 2008 Exige S240 last week and I haven't seen him since so I guess he loves it alot.

[Stormy320]

Trying to follow the instruction on the brake bedding, but I'm not sure if I'm doing it right.

Any helpful tips out there?

[Noisycow]

Originally Posted by tmpcolt45

well, my dad just bought a 2008 Exige S240 last week and I haven't seen him since so I guess he loves it alot.

Funny!! Hope he comes back.

[Mag]

Originally Posted by Stormy320

Trying to follow the instruction on the brake bedding, but I'm not sure if I'm doing it right.

Any helpful tips out there?

Instructions for bedding in your brakes

[Stormy320]

Originally Posted by Mag

Instructions for bedding in your brakes

Thanks.

Am I making too big of a deal about this. Lotus has two different break in instructions.

One mentions make 20 stops from 55 to 30 in increments of 5. Drive another 100 miles and do nothing and then do another set from 70 to 30. Something like that.

How exact is this.

[lwein]

No,I also found it confusing and difficult to do on the street. I have bedded in Pagid black pads before,using their instructions,which are actually different than either of these,with no issues. I came to the conclusion that Lotus gave the dealer two different sets of proceedures. The first one involved 100mph braking,and I guess when the Lawyers saw that they issued the second set--which is the same as the AP brake site says.
The ref #'s on the top of the notices that Lotus sent out are 534 &534a(I think)
The AP procedure is the same as 534a,which I assume,is an addendum to 534. Neither one is the same as the instructions that come with the Pagid replacement pads,as i have stated above.
Bedding in on a track is a piece of cake,BTW.
And look at the bright side--we don't have to" fettle" anything
It has been my experience that the shifter is much more agreeable when not forced or jammed into the next gate,but the stiffening mod should be done,and it is much easier to do on the 08's,which have a slightly different shifter mechanism and knob(12X1.5mm thread) than the 07's