Twink start up vibration

[Stevie-Heathie]

Hi all, it's time once more for me to call upon the list for some
advice:

My Plus 2 has developed a judder on start up. It use to happen every so
often, but now it's pretty well each time I turn the key. The twink
fires on the button as usual, but then vibrates as if something's
off-balance or the engine is severely misfiring. The vibration remains
when the engine is revved gently. I initially thought it disappeared
when I drove off, but now I believe it stops when I depress the clutch
to select first gear. It only ever happens on initial start up.

Anybody have any ideas as to what might be the problem? Many thanks in
advance as usual.

Cheers,
Steve
1970 Plus 2S
Chester, NW England
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["Normile , Jim M.&qu]

If the car starts at low revs and stops shuttering at normal idle of above,
check for burnt exhaust valves.
Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Lane, Jr. [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 12:08 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [lotuselan] Twink start up vibration


From: "Paul Lane, Jr." <[email protected]>

Steve,

Fouled plugs, fuel feed, ignition wires, even a bad battery?

Paul

Steve Heath wrote:




ONElist: your connection to people who share your interests.

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[rodbean]

Steve Heath wrote:


Steve,

I wonder if this could be clutch related. Do you have any slippage or
noises during normal operation?

Another thing to consider.... intermittent vacuum leak.

Just some shots in the dark.

Rod

[kstrutt11]

Check the engine to geearbox bolts, mine hav come loose before giving
similar
problems.___________________________________________________________________
___________

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 19:40:41 +0100
From: Steve Heath <[email protected]>
Subject: Twink start up vibration

Hi all, it's time once more for me to call upon the list for some
advice:

My Plus 2 has developed a judder on start up. It use to happen every so
often, but now it's pretty well each time I turn the key. The twink
fires on the button as usual, but then vibrates as if something's
off-balance or the engine is severely misfiring. The vibration remains
when the engine is revved gently. I initially thought it disappeared
when I drove off, but now I believe it stops when I depress the clutch
to select first gear. It only ever happens on initial start up.

Anybody have any ideas as to what might be the problem? Many thanks in
advance as usual.

Cheers,
Steve
1970 Plus 2S
Chester, NW England
~

[brettengelaz]

Steve:

I've had the exact same symptoms on a 124 Fiat caused by a leaking head
gasket.
When cold, a small amount of water would leak in to #3 and it would have a
miss
until it warmed up and the head sealed..This went on for a week or two then
the
gasket really blew out and the problem was obvious, fizzing coolant, water on
the #3 plug, etc...A new gasket and more frequent re-torquing was the
solution.
Pull the plugs just after one of these episodes, you should find some clues.
Oh, then check compression while you have the plugs out.....
Good Luck
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
Brett Engel PSO Engineer
Cisco Professional Services
(602)-912-1852 [email protected]
Cisco Systems Suite 120
2390 E Camelback Rd Phoenix, AZ 85284
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------

[Stevie-Heathie]

Just come back from 2 weeks working in the States (Alabama, Mississippi,
New Orleans, LA), without spotting a single Lotus .

My start up vibration has now bee tracked down - wait for it - bell
housing copming away from engine block !!!!!! Two of the bolts holding
the crucial joint together were missing and two more were loose. Scary.
I've now got the right bolts, and they are to be loctited and replaced
tonight.

INTERESTING LOTUS FACT:
At Superform Inc in Riverside CA they make Aluminium nose cones using a
gas pressing/blowing process for Boeing 777 wingtips and the Panoz
Roadster, and they even have a completed car there in the factory - very
ugly but sounds great. They let me start it up but not drive it.
ANYWAY, the Superform engineer told me that "some guys from Lotus" had
been at the factory the week before, and Lotus is apparently looking to
open a facility in Riverside.
Very inter-esting, Mr Bond . . .

Steve
1970 Plus 2S