NO POWER

[fosters2020]

I WONDER IF ANYONE CAN HELP...THE TURBO ON MY ESPRIT SEEMS TO HAVE STOPPED WORKING...BUT THERE IS NO SMOKE OR ANYTHING I AM BEGINNING TO THINK MAYBE ITS JUST A LOOSE HOSE? BASICALLY IS DRIVES LIKE A NORMALLY ASPIRATED CAR, BUT THERE IS NO PULL AT ALL, TO GET TO 60MPH TAKES ABOUT 11 SECONDS, AND IT WONT ACCELERATE PAST 100MPH EVEN WITH FOOT FLAT DOWN? CAN ANYONE HELP? I DONT WANT TO TAKE IT TO LOTUS AND GET FLEASED!!

[lotus4s]

Check the hoses from the turbo to chargecooler and chargecooler to intake plenum first.

It is also possible for the large flex hose from the air filter box to the turbo to delaminate inside and collapse under boost. Pull it off and inspect the inside.

Edited July 9, 2009 by lotus4s

[abrussich]

Another possibility is that the waste gate valve has slid on it's shaft thereby leaving the wastegate open all the time. It happened on mine Had to have a turbo repair shop fix it to keep the shaft from sliding out of position. Result would be same as yours no Turbo boost, but everything seemed to be as it should be.

Look at the turbo where the wastegate shaft extends out to the actuator arm. The lever at the end of the shaft should be almost up against the turbo housing. if there is a gap then you may have this problem.

Al

[Bibs]

Hi Steven

Firstly, posting in capitals is not ideal, please post in normal sized letters.

What model Esprit do you have, where are you based? I'm guessing an S4 or late GT3 due to lack of boost gauge. Have you got Freescan, any idea about Freescan? Any other symptoms apart from it's slow? Any change in noises, check engine light, stalling, backfiring?

All helps for a better diagnosis and suggestions. You'll also be surprised how easy theses cars are to fix and indeed how cheap Lotus are to work on your car, a third of the price of a random BMW dealer.

[mr.oogieboogie]

check the rod that attaches to the flap is still attached mine corroded away. So when the diaphram moves the rod that opens the flap to the turbo nothing happens. Jump in the boot look at the rod to see if its attached

[Splodge s4]

check the rod that attaches to the flap is still attached mine corroded away.

This has just happened on mine. What did you do, just buy another rod, the end bit with the hole in it? The threads on mine are pretty rusty so not sure how easy it will be to get it off. Where did you manage to buy a new rod from? Thanks for your help mate.

[mr.oogieboogie]

hello garry, these are repariable with a bit of welding and a small plate, although you can buy aftermarket ones, see superdaves web site www.espriteperformance.co.uk i think although i may have a spare one soon choice is yours. i can see you undoing it as it will more than likley rip the diaphram when it turns

[Vulcan Grey]

Not sure which car you have?

Also check to see if the EBPV after the catalytic converter. If that is closed, and not opening properly, then the car will be very slow. Most people bracket that open or use a long bolt to hold it open.

If you hear a whistle that increases with throttle, then you might have a loose silicone hose from the turbo to the intake, that will also make the car feel normally aspirated.

[Splodge s4]

Here's the waste gate & its clear what's happened, exactly as Pete said, it corrodes & snaps:

It came off easily enough & the end bit unscrews. Geoff at esprit Engineering is sending me a new end bit in the post so all in all quite an easy fix. Thanks for the offer Peter!

This was a thread I dug up from 2009 as it seemed similar to my problem so i'm sure the original poster sorted his out!

[mr.oogieboogie]

im glad it was a simple fix

[x6gas]

As already mentioned I'd check the EBPV between the cat and the exhaust silencer. I had exactly these symptoms on my S4 a couple of years ago. The valve wasn't opening fully which meant that the engine wasn't breathing properly resulting in a drop off in power and the extra back pressure was stalling the turbo so no boost.

Ridiculously enough in an attempt to keep my car 'original' I replaced the EBPV and it was recently the cause of more trouble so whether this is the problem or not I strongly advise to do what most have done already and wire open the valve or replace it with a spacer.

Anyway, hope it's an easy fix (like others I suspect it will be something simple and inexpensive to sort out - certainly hope so).

Cheers

[GodFatha]

On my other car, a VW, I had similar symptom. The car accelerated much slower than usual and couldn't get over 120-130 km/h...the catalyst had given up on that car, I doubt it's the case here but worth having in mind.

[CarlC]

I had major problems with boost until I changed the hole waste gate actuator capsule. Although under a pressure test it appeared to be working normally it was not holding pressure and so the car was not boosting consistently or fully. For about £100, I would just get the whole capsule replaced as the origonally ones do perish. Its an important part for getting the most out of the turbo.

[waynef]

On my other car, a VW, I had similar symptom. The car accelerated much slower than usual and couldn't get over 120-130 km/h...the catalyst had given up on that car, I doubt it's the case here but worth having in mind.

Just out of interest when you car did this did you get like a whistling sound similar to a bearing whine when reving.

It's just that my Esprit after a hard bout with an Impreza seemed to lose power and will not boost. There is no warning light on, no smoke she revs under no load perfectly, and if i let her cool down and then take off up the road she's fine then once up to temp i lose about 40% power and get a strange whining noise. Funnily enough the last turbo i had blew when i had put the CAT back on, seems a bit of a coincidence that i've readded the CAT for MOT and within two days of running and C-Service this turbo has also blown.

Personally i think i've just killed my fourth turbo, really annoyed as this one is only 2 years old with less than 7000 miles on it. I have freescan but am unsure what i should be looking for so any help would be a bonus on this.

The only strange thing is when my turbo went before it ran rough and smoked a lot. But this time it runs perfect and only loses power once its warmed up a bit???

The wastegate is absolutely fine and ALL hoses have been checked the symptoms are the same as the original post car will drive like normally aspirated and will not go past 100 with foot flat to the floor in 3, 4 or 5th gears.

Any ideas would be appreciated but my money is on turbo vane broken. :|

Edited May 13, 2010 by waynef

[waynef]

Not often you get good news with the Esprit

The garage rang today to say my car was ready and .....no cost it was a stuck wastegate.

Lucky for me it was stuck open but only did this once hot.

Will pick her up some point this week a very happy man.

[Splodge s4]

Not often you get good news with the Esprit. The garage rang today to say my car was ready and .....no cost it was a stuck wastegate.

Good stuff, so with your free repair & my free end bit from Esprit Engineering were looking good & back to full power!

[mr.oogieboogie]

cool i have only had mine stick shut, usually when its been left for a week or two

[waynef]

Well good news with our cars is seldom but definately worth while, I was contimplating getting rid as had only just forked out £1400 on C service and MOT. New turbo was really not on the cards especially when the one i have only has 7000 miles under its belt.