[zardozrdr]

I've been experiencing fuel starvation on high speed left hand turns, specifically Thunderhill turn 2 and 8, with 2/3 tank full.

I brought the Exige in to the dealer (still under warranty until August) for a few issues and was told that the fuel starvation problem is not warrantied unless it can be proven in city streets.

Called Lotus USA for explanation. They are well aware of this problem but Warranty rep + supervisor both insisted that it's a "street" car (I tried to reason with them but EVERY answer was, it's a "street" car).

They need me to prove it on the street. Not only will it be impossible to repeat this safely on city streets but they won't allow me to take the mechanic to a empty parking lot to show what's going on. "It's autocrossing" they claim and warranty does not apply.

Is this correct? Does this sound fair?

Aren't Exiges designed/intended for the track? Having "track pack" option doesn't mean much either.

Oh, and they offered to sell me a "track" gas tank.... sweet.

 

[ZJChaser]

big left handed looping onramp/offramp maybe with just a little gas in the tank.

 

[Demonized]

Hell, an over rev can void your drivetrain warranty.

Are they correct? somewhat.. it's a design flaw, but you would probably only notice it in a track environment.

Is it fair? Not really, design flaw, after all.

 

[Demonized]

big left handed looping onramp/offramp maybe with just a little gas in the tank.

:up:

That'll do it.

Or park the car so the passenger side is sloping downward, with less than 1/8th tank of gas, show them it won't start or won't run, push it on to flat ground then show that it stats. :shrug:

 

[Simba]

It's a "design flaw" that doesn't happen on the street in common use, so it's not surprising that they're not willing to cover it. Doing so would be extremely expensive, as they'd either have to revise the fuel tank or produce a surge tank, and retrofit just about everything.

It would also set a precedent as to covering "track" problems which would again be a double plus ungood for warranty costs.

Just toss a surge tank on the car yourself, and call it done. IMO a surge tank SHOULD be a factory option, but, it isn't, so whatchagonnado.

 

[...m...]

...what can they do about it even if you prove it on public roads?..sure, they can repair any damage caused by the fuel starve condition, but they can't supply you with a different fuel system design since lotus only supplies the stock system...

...i think it's aftermarket on your own dime or nothing...

 

[agirls]

Yeah, and Lotus's track only car has no warranty, right? So I understand why they do not cover problems that occur only on the track.

 

[jasper]

congratulations - you're a faster driver than the limits of the car

The solutions are
1. drive slower - not really the point
2. less sticky tires - not as bad an option as it sounds, if you don't care about times and want to drive for fun
3. surge tank
4. fuel cell

 

[khamai]

Tell 'em when you Park perpendicular on a hill in San Francisco you can't start the car.

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

 

[AZReason]

Solution #5

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f100/fuel-cutout-solution-62989/

lots of labor (did it myself with a couple of neighbors for the hard parts) but the fix is cheap.

 

[marcinr]

What's the symptom of fuel starvation on hard left handers?

 

[spectre]

I have heard they are updating the 211 free of charge...with no warranty and why because it's designed to be a track car.

 

[ZJChaser]

he isnt out driving the car, fuel starve is demonstratable on the street. The problem is the materials used in the stock tank. when the tank is new they work pretty well but the adhesives that seal the baffles inplace inside the tank breaks down rendering the baffles useless. Thats why you may realize that the car didn't fuel starve so easy at first then after a year or so it did. if you take the pump assembly out there will be a bunch of chunks of sealant just loosly sitting in there that used to seal the baffle in place.

 

[wdonovan]

I think you're wasting your time. What do you expect Lotus to do? Warranty the engineering department to redesign the fuel system then replace them retroactively? I think that's unrealistic. Even if they admit it is a deficiency, it doesn't mean it is a defect. And it certainly doesn't mean there is anything at all they could do about it. That of course if they even wanted to. Why not spend your energy trying to find a solution? In tank baffles, an accumulator (not unlike the Accusump).....

 

[lotusfan2]

if you take the pump assembly out there will be a bunch of chunks of sealant just loosly sitting in there that used to seal the baffle in place.

That doesn't sound good - isn't that going to clog up the fuel pump?

 

[zardozrdr]

It's a "design flaw" that doesn't happen on the street in common use, so it's not surprising that they're not willing to cover it. Doing so would be extremely expensive, as they'd either have to revise the fuel tank or produce a surge tank, and retrofit just about everything.

It would also set a precedent as to covering "track" problems which would again be a double plus ungood for warranty costs.

Just toss a surge tank on the car yourself, and call it done. IMO a surge tank SHOULD be a factory option, but, it isn't, so whatchagonnado.

It's a design flaw that can potentially cause an unforseen spin at high speed which can result in a crash/injury.

My point is that lotus sells the idea of the perfect track day car... i certainly did not get one for use as a grocery getter. I made sure the one i got had all the track options available so it's more capable at the track.

Since it's a well documented design flaw and lotus has re-engineered a new "track" tank to solve this issue, in my opinion, lotus should man up and fix the problem.

Yes, it may cost them a lot of money to warranty this, but to me it's a issue related to safety. Had they market the car as a family car and I used it for what it was not designed for (on track), then I would have no hard feelings.

 

[kmt63]

i think they should fix the tanks with a better sealer.its there fault for using a sealer that does not last.while they are in there fixing the sealer.add a better sump.

 

[zardozrdr]

I think you're wasting your time. What do you expect Lotus to do? Warranty the engineering department to redesign the fuel system then replace them retroactively? I think that's unrealistic. Even if they admit it is a deficiency, it doesn't mean it is a defect. And it certainly doesn't mean there is anything at all they could do about it. That of course if they even wanted to. Why not spend your energy trying to find a solution? In tank baffles, an accumulator (not unlike the Accusump).....

You sound like you work for the lotus warranty dept. Apparently lotus has redesigned a new track tank.

To me, if I can prove fuel starve regardless whether on city streets or on track, they should warranty it. I don't think I'm mis-using the car when driving on the track.

I disgree that it's a deficiency since I've had no problems with fuel starve when i first got the car. From what I've gathered, it's a defect on the seal compound used for the baffles that deteriorates over time.

The thing that gets me is that the warranty guys made me feel like I was misusing the car by taking it to the track or autocrossing.

 

[zardozrdr]

i think they should fix the tanks with a better sealer.its there fault for using a sealer that does not last.while they are in there fixing the sealer.add a better sump.

I agree. The stock tank works... just bad choice of sealer.

 

[zardozrdr]

What's the symptom of fuel starvation on hard left handers?

Loss of engine power, as if the gas pedal stopped working.