Help required - new to site

[izibecoz]

Hi Guys,

I am new to this site - but have been informed you guys are the best place to have questions answered and offer advice.

I have a lotus Elise S2 111S - very low milage and I am extrememly happy with the car.... However!!

Recently the car decided to throw an error and put the engine management light on - limit revs and stop VVC kicking in

Anyway long story short - and after replacing cam possition sensors and various other parts.... and also 2 seprate trips to Lotus in Edinburgh - I have been informed that the car requires a new ECU.
Now I am happy with this diagnosis -but not happy with a 4-6 month wait to get the part!!!!

Lotus have checked everything in the car - wiring, sensors etc and also the ECU , and have stated that the ECU although not operating correctly is actually not fried or broken, It just needs to be reflashed?? BUT and this is what peed me off........THEY CANT DO IT!!!

So my question is -- does anyone have a 111S ECU i can buy ( any honda conversions been done and ecu now lying baout the garage! ) - or know of any company that can re flash the current ECU??

Any help is very much appreciated.

Oh and I am in Aberdoom! Scotland

Izi

[philthy]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-Lotus-Elise- ... 3a679eb60f

HTH

oh and

Did the garage tell you of any fault codes that popped up?

edit - just realised thats for an S1 elise, somebody might be able to confirm (robin?) if there is any difference?

[Shug]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-Lotus-Elise- ... 3a679eb60f

HTH

oh and

Did the garage tell you of any fault codes that popped up?

edit - just realised thats for an S1 elise, somebody might be able to confirm (robin?) if there is any difference?

Yip - different ECU on the S2 sadly Phil.

[philthy]

Ah well, worth contacting douglas valley breakers, I see they have 2 x S2 111s in.

[campbell]

And the S2 ECU was shipped by Lotus as I understand it, it's not the out the box MEMS used by Rovers etc as the S1 was...so not being able to get it done by, er, Lotus, seems a bit odd to me.

[izibecoz]

Thanks Guys - I have contacted the breakers.... fingers crossed!!

[woody]

There's a thread on SELOC a couple of weeks ago about a specalist down south taking a standard ECU and re-flashing it to fit to an S2 111s. The OP wouldn't name the specalist, but a search of the tech section there should throw up the thread and allow you to PM the OP for details?

[izibecoz]

Hey Woody - Yeh thats Col1, apparently an ECU from a 190, but bizzare he wouldnt name the place!

The whole topic is a bit weird if you ask me - hence I am trying to do this properly and as easy as possible.

I have been using SELOC since I got the car - and only just found this place through a recomendation from a friend. Hence I have two topics going --- on seleoc its named Aaaaaaaaarrrggg

C

[campbell]

We have quite a few split-personality sorts who live both here and SELOC (and others sometimes too, like Pistonheads, Norlog, M-LOC or whatever!).

Helps to keep balance in The Force

[izibecoz]

Bugger.... no ECU's in douglas valley breakers

Any other suggestions guys........

Izi

[tut]

Emerald but more expensive.

tut

[izibecoz]

Warrenty company are currently trying to agree on if emerald is something they will fully cover ( i hope ) or if they just cover most of the cost.

Only down side I suppose is having to get it on a rolling road to map the car properly. Guy Dave at Emerald has a base VVC map, but still recons it will need ironed out - so another 200+ bucks to do that

Would really preffer to have a new ECU, second Hand ECU installed - and stop the need for faffing about!!!!

[roadboy]

It worth mentioning that ECU doesn't just fall over for no reason and the two main reasons for failure are connecting the battery the wrong way or faulty VVC control solenoids.

If the solenoids are faulty and they replace the ECU then your new ECU will be fooked too. Make sure they check the solenoids before replacing the ECU as it sounds like they've just been swapping parts rather than finding a proper diagnosis.

f you can't find one anywhere then an Emerald is another option but its not a two minute job to set up and will cost ~£1000 fitted and mapped. The Emerald will be a pain in the arse unless you spend quite a bit of time mapping it to perfection and that's not cheap.

/2p

Dan

[izibecoz]

Hey Dan,

Yeh the aberdeen garage wanted to "Strip" the entire engine down to find the fault.... told them to poke that up there arse!

Ended up getting the correct diagnisis from Lotus, as I got the fault codes from them, and quick google agreed with the diagnisis which related to the faulty cam pos sensors.

Had that replaced, and the fault cleared... for 10 second when I booted it and the managament light came back on and then same issue.

Since then thy have found the altinator needs replaced, and checked all wiring ( no issues ), earth ( no issues ) and the out puts from the sensors are now correct ( no reading before replacement )
The solenoids have been checked and are fine - but apparently, ( and I amnot a mechanic etc ) these ECU's are pretty flaky and very easy to break. They seems to go into this stupid mode when the car has thrown a few errors and then re set its self with the number of times the car is turned on/off. think it is 5 ignition starts that clear the ecu warning lights etc.
Anyhoo - I have the lotus technician's e-mail stating that there is no physical issue with the ECU and this has been verified ( dont know how"! ) - it only needs to be re flashed and it it will be ok.... but they dont do it........which is completely weird to me, I mean the dealer, or lotus direct cant or wont do it!! bizzare.

So i can either try to source an ecu myself - or try and find some where that can re flash the ecu back to standard...... Feeeeckkkkk!!!!

Grrrrr

C

[CubanGav]

Which garage is it at? I ask only so I can steer clear.
On another topic - fire up a pic of your car. I've waved at a few loti recently who don't seem to be on here.

Gav