Car sputters and dies when entering neighborhood - LotusTalk

qball · 01-04-2009, 07:49 PM

My Exige S has always done this odd behavior.

I live in a gated community, so I have to stop and allow the gates at the guard shack to open when I come back into the neighborhood...

Once the gates open, I drive forward about 100 yards and make a brief left turn and I have to stop at an intersection to check the oncoming traffic in the opposing two lanes (there is a landscaped area so you can't see with out stopping and checking).

I scoot across the two lanes, and then I have to break to avoid a dip in the road (drainage curb), and then I have a small bump/hill (about 30 feet long and goes up and down a total of maybe 2 feet).

Then I have to stop before turning left.

At this point when I stop, my car always sputters and dies.

I'm not why the combination of left turn, stop, brief accelerate, break, brief accelerate and stop, causes the car to sputter and stop.

I end up going a max of maybe 15 mph.

I have a Gotham tune, but I recall this happening before the Gotham tune.

I wonder if it's some sort of magic combo to fuel starvation?

Any ideas?

Amarao · 01-04-2009, 08:02 PM

Do you just hop in and go? No waiting around for it to warm up?

I just hop in and go in my 06 Exige and for about a mile or so I get this sort of problem. It's never stalled, but it sputters and throttle response is all sorts of weird.

qball · 01-04-2009, 08:06 PM

No, this is coming BACK into the neighborhood. It's warm at that point... I've been driving around for a while.

Startup is not an issue. Gotham took care of that!

Seb · 01-04-2009, 08:09 PM

Does it die when you push the clutch in?

There is no way it can die if the car is in gear and doing 15mph

qball · 01-04-2009, 08:11 PM

No, you didn't read.

It dies, when I come to the last stop and I'm braking. Clutch is in, break is being depressed, and car is in neutral.

Rugbyduck · 01-04-2009, 08:20 PM

Time to get the tires rotated...

qball · 01-04-2009, 08:29 PM

Yeah, it's something about the last brief acceleration, the quick stop at the drain/curb, and then the little hop over the hump with the final brake that starves it of fuel or something.

Not a major issue, I just press the Start button and it restarts.

Weird.

MickOpalak · 01-05-2009, 05:56 AM

Check your Johnson rod.

...m... · 01-05-2009, 06:10 AM

...my elise exhibits similar behavior when i back into my garage every day, although i generally catch it before dying by feathering the throttle - something about very brief low-throttle bursts creeping over the incline followed by a simultaneous release of load and throttle while coming to a stop, i think - like you, it's preceded by a few minutes of low-speed idling along to get there...

qball · 01-05-2009, 06:25 AM

Maybe my muffler bearings are getting worn out!

lol

cemaykan · 01-05-2009, 06:39 AM

I think your exige is just upset it came back home...

)

My dog used to that to when it figured it was time to end the walk he would just stall and sit on his butt

xtn · 01-05-2009, 06:45 AM

You've stumbled upon an Easter Egg in the ECM programming.

What you described is the perfect sequence of pedal inputs, steering inputs, and timing required to perform an ECM reset.

xtn

Ren Man · 01-05-2009, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qball

Maybe my muffler bearings are getting worn out!

lol

If they are just make sure to get the ISOMETRIC bearings they are good for at least an extra 20 HP

chapster5 · 01-05-2009, 10:44 AM

Your car doesnt like where you live, maybe its being bullied in the neighborhood? time to move me thinks lol

Seb · 01-05-2009, 12:34 PM

Simple. The clutch isn't disengaging correctly.

In order to check for this, you park on level ground with the car in first gear with the clutch depressed, and hold the revs at 4k. If the car moves, then its the clutch, if not, then perhaps an ECU issue.

Sorry about misunderstanding.... I knew I wasn't getting something.

JWA · 01-05-2009, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qball

Maybe my muffler bearings are getting worn out!

lol

It's all ball bearings these days!

qball · 01-21-2009, 09:50 PM

Update, the car still dies at the same spot.

I noticed it did it today in a parking lot with speed bumps.

As I drove over them slowly, the car would die.

Seb · 01-22-2009, 05:42 PM

Could be a weak arcing coil, or an incorrectly gapped plug.

EliseSC · 01-22-2009, 06:43 PM

Could be rats.

01-04-2009, 07:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
qball Wizard of Pugz! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 4,507 Images: 3	Car sputters and dies when entering neighborhood My Exige S has always done this odd behavior. I live in a gated community, so I have to stop and allow the gates at the guard shack to open when I come back into the neighborhood... Once the gates open, I drive forward about 100 yards and make a brief left turn and I have to stop at an intersection to check the oncoming traffic in the opposing two lanes (there is a landscaped area so you can't see with out stopping and checking). I scoot across the two lanes, and then I have to break to avoid a dip in the road (drainage curb), and then I have a small bump/hill (about 30 feet long and goes up and down a total of maybe 2 feet). Then I have to stop before turning left. At this point when I stop, my car always sputters and dies. I'm not why the combination of left turn, stop, brief accelerate, break, brief accelerate and stop, causes the car to sputter and stop. I end up going a max of maybe 15 mph. I have a Gotham tune, but I recall this happening before the Gotham tune. I wonder if it's some sort of magic combo to fuel starvation? Any ideas? Last edited by qball : 01-04-2009 at 08:07 PM.

01-04-2009, 08:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
Rugbyduck Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Beaverton, OR Posts: 2,795	Time to get the tires rotated... __________________ '06 Krypton Green Elise (touring/LSD/HT) '05 Magnetic Blue Elise (sport/HT) dedicated track car '07 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (4 door!) Excelsior-Henderson Super X/Ducati Monster 620 ie 3 Series BMW/Acura MDX Carver Yacht

01-05-2009, 05:56 AM	#8 (permalink)
MickOpalak Prez: The K.G.B. Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 5,302	Check your Johnson rod. __________________ 2007 Exige S265 - Krypton Green - Gotham 265 ECU - Volk TE37s - Toyo R888s - B&M Shifter - QuickSilver exhaust - stripes - harnesses - Pagid pads - Green air filter 2002 Jaguar XKR convertible 2000 BMW 528i President - Lotus Limited Southeast http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/LLSE/

01-05-2009, 06:10 AM	#9 (permalink)
...m... Denuo Volatilis Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2,714	...my elise exhibits similar behavior when i back into my garage every day, although i generally catch it before dying by feathering the throttle - something about very brief low-throttle bursts creeping over the incline followed by a simultaneous release of load and throttle while coming to a stop, i think - like you, it's preceded by a few minutes of low-speed idling along to get there... __________________ 2005 Federal Elise \| Touring \| Storm Titanium ...73,000 miles and aging beautifully... 2000 New Beetle \| Turbo \| Reflex Silver ...107,000 miles of steadfast service... Last edited by ...m... : 01-05-2009 at 06:18 AM.

01-05-2009, 06:39 AM	#11 (permalink)
cemaykan Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 149 Images: 1	I think your exige is just upset it came back home...) My dog used to that to when it figured it was time to end the walk he would just stall and sit on his butt

01-04-2009, 08:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
Amarao Hoon Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,415	Do you just hop in and go? No waiting around for it to warm up? I just hop in and go in my 06 Exige and for about a mile or so I get this sort of problem. It's never stalled, but it sputters and throttle response is all sorts of weird.

01-04-2009, 08:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
qball Wizard of Pugz! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 4,507 Images: 3	No, this is coming BACK into the neighborhood. It's warm at that point... I've been driving around for a while. Startup is not an issue. Gotham took care of that!

01-04-2009, 08:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
Seb <3 QR25DE Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 737	Does it die when you push the clutch in? There is no way it can die if the car is in gear and doing 15mph

01-04-2009, 08:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
qball Wizard of Pugz! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 4,507 Images: 3	No, you didn't read. It dies, when I come to the last stop and I'm braking. Clutch is in, break is being depressed, and car is in neutral.

01-04-2009, 08:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
qball Wizard of Pugz! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 4,507 Images: 3	Yeah, it's something about the last brief acceleration, the quick stop at the drain/curb, and then the little hop over the hump with the final brake that starves it of fuel or something. Not a major issue, I just press the Start button and it restarts. Weird.

01-05-2009, 06:25 AM	#10 (permalink)
qball Wizard of Pugz! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 4,507 Images: 3	Maybe my muffler bearings are getting worn out! lol

01-05-2009, 06:45 AM	#12 (permalink)
xtn McLareghini Bugatterrari Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 6,841	You've stumbled upon an Easter Egg in the ECM programming. What you described is the perfect sequence of pedal inputs, steering inputs, and timing required to perform an ECM reset. xtn __________________ 2006 McLareghini Bugatterrari, Storm Titanium... <mods> installed: air horn, Scroth 4-point ASM harnesses, Sector111 halon extinguisher and mounting bracket, Von Hep exhaust and rear panel delete, Pagid brake pads, red Volks CE28n wheels, Toyo RA-1 tires, Nitron SA coilovers, Sector111 (WorksBell) quick-disconnect steering wheel kit. awaiting installation: Scroth "pull-up" lap belts, Sector111 RTD Brace, Tony's heater bypass mod, and dropped steering rack mounting plates. </mods>

01-05-2009, 10:44 AM	#14 (permalink)
chapster5 Photochopper Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Merseyside, UK Posts: 2,639 Images: 6	Your car doesnt like where you live, maybe its being bullied in the neighborhood? time to move me thinks lol __________________ http://www.chuforiagraphics.com/ FOR ALL YOUR GRAPHICS NEEDS CONTACT KEITH ON: sweetdaddydelicious (AT) hotmail (DOT) com

01-05-2009, 12:34 PM	#15 (permalink)
Seb <3 QR25DE Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 737	Simple. The clutch isn't disengaging correctly. In order to check for this, you park on level ground with the car in first gear with the clutch depressed, and hold the revs at 4k. If the car moves, then its the clutch, if not, then perhaps an ECU issue. Sorry about misunderstanding.... I knew I wasn't getting something.

01-21-2009, 09:50 PM	#17 (permalink)
qball Wizard of Pugz! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 4,507 Images: 3	Update, the car still dies at the same spot. I noticed it did it today in a parking lot with speed bumps. As I drove over them slowly, the car would die.

01-22-2009, 06:43 PM	#19 (permalink)
EliseSC Supercharged Join Date: May 2008 Location: Piedmont, California Posts: 294 Images: 19	Could be rats. __________________ 2008 Lotus Elise SC, Canyon Red, Touring Pack, LSD, Starshield, Hardtop, Chin Guards, Janspeed Stage-II Exhaust, Beltronics STi Driver 2002 Ferrari 360 Modena, Rosso Barchetta, Carbon Racing Seats, Carbon Rear Grill, 'Scuderia Ferrari' fender shields, Bordeaux Interior Stitching on Black Leather, Chin Guards 2000 Mercedes Benz ML430, Black, Gray Interior, Brush Guard, Tail Light Guards, Hitch

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01-22-2009, 05:42 PM	#18 (permalink)
Seb <3 QR25DE Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 737	Could be a weak arcing coil, or an incorrectly gapped plug.