First Emira Breakdown?

[Aero]

This obviously sounds like gearbox, as has been stated previously.

But random question based on my own ignorance of the system... do we know what fluid Lotus uses in the chargecooler system for the supercharger? I believe that's a closed system with its own pump, and routes to a dedicated radiator. Does it use a water-based coolant? Or something else?

page 236 of the manual says:
Engine and Charger coolant additive
Total Glacelf SI-OAT
Monoethylene glycol with OAT/pink

Dont know about dedicated radiator. Seems like it would have that since it appears the trans is out of diesel .

 

[Hethel Merman]

What concerns me is that normally a manual transmission does not have an external cooler and a pump and lines. They are normally just a self-contained unit, but perhaps they are different on this car? I'm just wondering how you could suddenly lose transmission fluid like that...

Maybe a driveshaft seal got pinched or the drain plug fell out? Aren't Lotus famous for testing every car's handling and performance on their own high-speed test track? Or have they stopped all that in their quest to be more mainstream?

 

[Porter]

What concerns me is that normally a manual transmission does not have an external cooler and a pump and lines. They are normally just a self-contained unit, but perhaps they are different on this car? I'm just wondering how you could suddenly lose transmission fluid like that...

The gearbox has its own external oil cooler (oil-to-water heat exchanger), a dedicated external oil pump, and a check valve with integrated filter where the oil circuit connects to the gearbox.

Oil Cooler:

Oil pump:

Check valve on gearbox, with integrated filter (hose removed in image):

Hope this helps. The coolant side of the trans oil cooler seems like it might be combined with the chargecooler coolant circuit and routed to the dedicated radiator for that in the front right bumper opening, but I don't have explicit evidence in the service manual that says so. I'll have to look at a car and trace the lines to figure that out.

 

[Lots_Of_Trouble]

The gearbox has its own external oil cooler (oil-to-water heat exchanger), a dedicated external oil pump, and a check valve with integrated filter where the oil circuit connects to the gearbox.

Oil Cooler:
View attachment 21911

Oil pump:
View attachment 21912

Check valve on gearbox, with integrated filter (hose removed in image):
View attachment 21913

Hope this helps. The coolant side of the trans oil cooler seems like it might be combined with the chargecooler coolant circuit and routed to the dedicated radiator for that in the front right bumper opening, but I don't have explicit evidence in the service manual that says so. I'll have to look at a car and trace the lines to figure that out.

I wouldn't be surprised if its one of these that got loose

 

[KJD]

❓ QUESTION - Gearbox oil cooler

In the Evora 400 series, Lotus included the fitting of an oil cooler system, based upon Toyota standard parts. Do we know if a gearbox oil cooler system is fitted to the Emira.

www.emiraforum.com

Also talked about here, but @Porter has covered it better.

 

[KJD]

The coolant side of the trans oil cooler seems like it might be combined with the chargecooler coolant circuit and routed to the dedicated radiator for that in the front right bumper opening, but I don't have explicit evidence in the service manual that says so.

I’ve been having a head scratch about that too.

The service notes are strangely vague in some areas.
eg: the new engine oil cooler is only mentioned in passing in other sections.
Nothing about working on it specifically.

 

[Pugwash]

Is there anything in there about how the wipers work?

 

[Lots_Of_Trouble]

So the Saga continues....

Lotus HQ,have to be fair,been chasing this today for me,however contradicting messages are coming back from Silverstone.

I've had assurances from HQ that this case is escalated and getting priority,they even sent a specialist to Silverstone to look at the car today after AA failed to deliver it yesterday.

11am I get a message saying my car is fixed,issue was the transmission hose line was leaking,they were arranging to get the car back to me end of day,result...

3pm no update so I ring Lotus Silverstone, who tell me that whilst my car had been looked at,its not fixed...

HQ confirm they got the message wrong,fair enough,but still expecting a quick turnaround.

Late email from Silverstone.
The car has been looked at by their own team but its now going to be worked around other jobs as not a priority....

So make of thay what you will.
I'm expected to settle that a brand new car will be out of action for weeks....

Did HQ send a specialist or not???

I'm being told mixed messages,no clue when I'm to receive the car back, this is becoming abit of a nightmare...

 

[Porter]

Did you call Lotus HQ back after the update from Silverstone to tell them there's no specialist on site and their dealer has openly stated that addressing the issue is a non-priority?? I can't imagine what their response would be.

 

[912Matt]

So the Saga continues....

Lotus HQ,have to be fair,been chasing this today for me,however contradicting messages are coming back from Silverstone.

I've had assurances from HQ that this case is escalated and getting priority,they even sent a specialist to Silverstone to look at the car today after AA failed to deliver it yesterday.

11am I get a message saying my car is fixed,issue was the transmission hose line was leaking,they were arranging to get the car back to me end of day,result...

3pm no update so I ring Lotus Silverstone, who tell me that whilst my car had been looked at,its not fixed...

HQ confirm they got the message wrong,fair enough,but still expecting a quick turnaround.

Late email from Silverstone.
The car has been looked at by their own team but its now going to be worked around other jobs as not a priority....

So make of thay what you will.
I'm expected to settle that a brand new car will be out of action for weeks....

Did HQ send a specialist or not???

I'm being told mixed messages,no clue when I'm to receive the car back, this is becoming abit of a nightmare...

Not a priority, WTF?!
Having heard this, I’m not sure choosing Silverstone for collection/servicing is a priority for me.

 

[SteveB]

So the Saga continues....

Lotus HQ,have to be fair,been chasing this today for me,however contradicting messages are coming back from Silverstone.

I've had assurances from HQ that this case is escalated and getting priority,they even sent a specialist to Silverstone to look at the car today after AA failed to deliver it yesterday.

11am I get a message saying my car is fixed,issue was the transmission hose line was leaking,they were arranging to get the car back to me end of day,result...

3pm no update so I ring Lotus Silverstone, who tell me that whilst my car had been looked at,its not fixed...

HQ confirm they got the message wrong,fair enough,but still expecting a quick turnaround.

Late email from Silverstone.
The car has been looked at by their own team but its now going to be worked around other jobs as not a priority....

So make of thay what you will.
I'm expected to settle that a brand new car will be out of action for weeks....

Did HQ send a specialist or not???

I'm being told mixed messages,no clue when I'm to receive the car back, this is becoming abit of a nightmare...

Pure speculation on my part but I’m wondering if this could be a consequence of the new arrangements Lotus has made with its dealers (direct selling model). If a breakdown out of warranty then the dealer would be free to charge the customer for work at their going rate. If a warranty repair or work under a Lotus maintenance plan, presumably the costs would be billed to Lotus at a pre-determined rate. If this hourly rate is less than the dealer can charge for other work then it would be in the dealers interest to de-prioritise warranty repairs!

 

[Porter]

I don't know that the agency model was going to change the way that warranty service is handled. It was mostly a switch from a dealer middle-man buying and then reselling to customers at margin, to an "agent" who sells the car on Lotus' behalf and it stays on Lotus's financial books until the customer purchases. Different revenue model for new car sales.

 

[TomE]

Silverstone are one of the best dealers in the UK. I'm astonished they're saying a warranty fix on an unusable car with less than 150 miles on the clock is not a priority. Interested to hear what they and HQ say tomorrow.

 

[Pops68]

#bulletdodged

Hate this for you guys, what a disappointment after all of this. I would be absolutely livid if that happened to me.

#bulletdodged indeed! What a huge dissapointment this would be. That would suck all the fun out of my new toy! Looks like I made a smart decision getting out and possibly considering a slightly used one in a year or two!! If they get things sorted out that is...

 

[Green]

#bulletdodged indeed! What a huge dissapointment this would be. That would suck all the fun out of my new toy! Looks like I made a smart decision getting out and possibly considering a slightly used one in a year or two!! If they get things sorted out that is...

You two call dodging a bullet buying a corvette and a Cadillac? Thanks for the laugh!

 

[NicolasB]

You two call dodging a bullet buying a corvette and a Cadillac? Thanks for the laugh!

Hard to beat a 7 year powertrain warranty and a large dealer network Certainly not as pretty as an Emira, but will probably not spend much time in the shop from the sounds of things.

 

[kitkat]

Sorry you're going through that @Lots_Of_Trouble , that's genuinely unacceptable service.

 

[Concept24]

The gearbox has its own external oil cooler (oil-to-water heat exchanger), a dedicated external oil pump, and a check valve with integrated filter where the oil circuit connects to the gearbox.

Oil Cooler:
View attachment 21911

Oil pump:
View attachment 21912

Check valve on gearbox, with integrated filter (hose removed in image):
View attachment 21913

Hope this helps. The coolant side of the trans oil cooler seems like it might be combined with the chargecooler coolant circuit and routed to the dedicated radiator for that in the front right bumper opening, but I don't have explicit evidence in the service manual that says so. I'll have to look at a car and trace the lines to figure that out.

How are you going to look at an Emira? Does your dealership have one?

 

[Lots_Of_Trouble]

Did you call Lotus HQ back after the update from Silverstone to tell them there's no specialist on site and their dealer has openly stated that addressing the issue is a non-priority?? I can't imagine what their response would be.

I've got some senior people in contact with me,which is impressive on their part tbf, I sent them a message last night as it was late informing them of the above and that it's not acceptable

 

[Lots_Of_Trouble]

Sorry you're going through that @Lots_Of_Trouble , that's genuinely unacceptable service.

Completely agree,this is really making me wonder if I want to keep a relationship with Lotus or not...

HQ seem concerned, Silverstone understandably have their priorities, but the difference in relationship and priorities between them both is not ideal for the customer.

Surely it's in their interest to get a brand new model/car up and running again...