2005 LOTUS ELISE check engine

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a small amount of clean engine oil into the filter, screw onto its
spigot and tighten BY HAND sufficiently to make a secure seal,
typically 2/3 to 3/4 of a turn after the sealing faces have made
contact. Overtightening using a filter wrench may damage the
canister and/or complicate subsequent removal. Before refitting the undertray, start the engine and check for
oil leaks. Re-check the security of the filter, further tightening
by hand if necessary. Check the oil level (see above) when the
engine is fully warm.
Used Engine Oil NOTICE: PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT: Do not pollute
drains, water courses or land with oil. Use only authorised waste
collection facilities, including civic amenity sites and garages providing facilities for disposal of used oil and used oil filters. If
in doubt, contact your local authority for advice on disposal.
Transmission Oil The transmission should be checked for oil leaks, for the cor
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rect oil level, and the oil renewed, at intervals specified in the
Maintenance Schedule.
To check the oil level:
- A garage lift or inspection pit must be used.
- Remove the engine bay undertray.
- Wipe clean the area around the socket headed level plug on
the front face of the transmission end casing.
Servicing & Maintenance
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- Remove the plug, and check that the oil is level with the bottom of the hole. Note that the release of oil trapped
by the plug, should not be confused with an indication of

correct oil level.
- If necessary, add only the specified lubricant (see ‘Recom
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mended Lubricants’) via the level plug hole until the oil level
stabilises at the bottom of the plug hole.
- Refit the level plug with a new sealing washer, and tighten securely. Refit the undertray.
To renew transmission oil:
WARNING:
• Engine oil is hazardous to your health and may be fatal
if swallowed.
• Take all suitable precautions to guard against scalding
from the hot oil.
• Prolonged and repeated contact with used engine oil may cause serious skin disorders, including dermatitis and
cancer.
• Use protective gloves to avoid contact with skin as far as possible and wash thoroughly after any contact.
• Keep out of reach of children.
Servicing & Maintenance
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Transmission
filler/level plug
Drain plug

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As a precaution, every week when the engine is completely
COLD, and without disturbing the filler cap, check that the level of coolant in the translucent tank is between the ‘FULL’
and ‘LOW’ marks moulded on the front of the tank. If topping
up is required, wait until the coolant has fully cooled before
turning the cap a quarter turn counterclockwise and allowing any remaining pressure to escape. Only then may the cap be
completely unscrewed. In order to maintain protection from freezing damage and
metal corrosion, use only an approved coolant mixture (see below) to top up the tank to the ‘FULL’ mark. Refit the cap, and
turn clockwise until the leg on the cap locates in the slot at the
front of the tank.
NOTICE: If the cap is removed when the engine is warm, the coolant may boil and a small coolant loss may occur. The com
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pletely cold header tank level should be checked at the first subsequent opportunity.
Cooling Fans
: Two cooling fans are fitted below the radiator in
the air intake duct. The fans are energised at high coolant tem
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peratures, or when the air conditioning (if fitted) is selected. The
fans will also run if certain types of engine fault are detected, and
may operate during a 20 minute period following ignition switch off to prevent ‘hot soak’ boiling. An electric coolant circulation pump may also be heard running during this period.
WARNING: Keep hands, tools and clothing away from the radiator
cooling fan area, as personal injury could result from the
fans starting up without warning.
At service intervals, the air duct and matrices of the engine
cooling radiator, a.c. condenser and oil coolers, should be
checked externally for clogging by insects, leaves or other debris,
and if necessary, a water jet used to clear the finning. Take care not to damage or distort the delicate finning of the radiator or
the cooling performance will be degraded.
Anti-Freeze/Corrosion Inhibitor It is most important that the correct coolant specification is
used in order to inhibit boiling and protect the engine and heat
Servicing & Maintenance
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Auxiliary Drive BeltA single, multi-rib type auxiliary belt is used to transmit drive
from the crankshaft to the alternator, water pump, and (if fitted)
air conditioning compressor. The belt is automatically tensioned,
and requires no periodic maintenance other than a visual check of its condition. If the belt exhibits any evidence of physical dam
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age, cracking, fraying, perishing, abrasion or contamination, it
should be renewed. In the case of contamination, the cause
must be identified and rectified, and each of the pulleys must be thoroughly degreased before the new belt is fitted. It is recommended that auxiliary belt replacement be en
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trusted to your Lotus dealer.
Sparking Plugs The Elise uses a direct ignition system with an individual
high tension coil mounted atop each of the four spark plugs and protected by a plastic cover, screw fixed to the engine.
WARNING: The voltages produced with this ignition system can
cause serious and potentially fatal injur y. Never touch
any ignition components when the engine is running or being cranked.
The spark plugs should be renewed in accordance with the
Maintenance Schedule, with the gaps set to 0.043 in. (1.1 mm).
This operation should be entrusted to your Lotus dealer.
Servicing & Maintenance
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If the battery is to be disconnected, the following precautions
should be taken: i) Ensure that all electrical loads (e.g. lights) are switched off. If
the car is fitted with security coded audio equipment, check
that the code is available for entering after battery reconnec
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tion.
ii) Wait for at least ten seconds after switching off the ig-
nition to allow the engine management system to adjust the

setting of some components ready for re-starting.
iii) Ensure the alarm is disarmed. If the battery is disconnected
when armed, the alarm will be triggered.
iv) Disconnect the
negative (earth; black; ‘-’) battery cable first,
and re-connect last.
WARNING:
If the battery positive terminal is inadvertently earthed
(e.g. when using a spanner) whilst the negative terminal
is still connected, the resultant short circuit with heavy sparking and current flow could cause serious burns.
To remove the battery, pull off the breather pipe (if applicable),
release the single screw securing the clamp bracket at the
base of the battery, and manoeuvre the battery from the base
retaining shoe.
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Batter y clamp
Electrical
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WARNING:When lifting the battery out of, or into the car, be aware
of the considerable weight and take all appropriate precau
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tions to safeguard personal health. Injury can result from improperly lifting the battery.
Keep the battery upright, and protect from sharp knocks
and shocks.
Reconnecting the Battery
WARNING: Failure to follow the correct battery re- connection pro
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cedure detailed above could result in serious burns.
Refit the battery, with its terminals outboard, by reversing the
above procedure. Remember to push on the breather pipe (if
applicable), and reconnect the battery cables as detailed below.
Refit the battery cover.
i) Check again that all electrical loads are switched off.
ii) Connect the positive battery cable first, followed by the neg
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ative (earth) cable.
iii) After reconnection, a change in the engine performance
characteristics may be noted for a period whilst the computer
controlled engine management system ‘re-learns’ some of its
settings.
iv) If necessary, enter the security code into audio equipment.
Battery Charging Under conditions of normal daily use, it should not be nec
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essary to use external battery charging equipment. In a low usage regime, however, it is important to maintain the charge
state of the battery using a trickle charger, or an automatic bat
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tery management conditioner such as that available through Lotus Dealers. Starting difficulties may be encountered after an
unattended period of 3 weeks. A battery conditioner is able to continuously monitor battery charge state and switch on and off automatically in order to maintain the battery in a fully charged
state without danger of damage through overcharging.
If the battery becomes discharged to the extent that the
car cannot be started, the recommended course of action is
to fit a substitute battery whilst the original battery is trickle
Electrical
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‘Jump’ StartingIf the battery becomes discharged to the extent that the en
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gine cannot be started, proprietary good quality ‘jumper cables’ may be used to connect with the battery of a second car in order
to provide the energy necessary for starting.
WARNING: It is most important that the correct procedure is fol
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lowed in order to avoid damage to either car’s electrical system, and most importantly, to minimise the danger of a
spark induced battery explosion. Check that the slave car
also has a NEGATIVE EARTH electrical system.
i) With the engine of the slave car running at a fast idle, use one jumper cable (red) to connect the positive (+) terminal of
one battery to the positive terminal of the other battery. Take
care during this process to avoid inadvertently earthing a free end of this cable to the metal body or chassis of either car.
ii) Connect one end of the other jumper cable (black) to the negative (-) terminal of the discharged battery.
iii) A spark will occur when the other end of this cable (the final connection) is connected to an earth on the slave car. This
connection should therefore be made to a point away from
the battery, and away from any fuel vapour area or moving
parts. An engine hanger bracket is often ideal.
iv) Start the car in the usual way, and run at a fast idle.
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JUMP STARTING
Electrical
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Unladen weight - total 912 kg ) inc.
(heaviest) - front 344 kg ) full fuel
- rear 568 kg ) tank
Max. weight - total 1162 kg > incl.
- front 441 kg > occupants
- rear 721 kg > & luggage
Trailer towing Not permissible
Capacities Engine oil (refill inc. filter) 4.7 U.S. qt. (4.4 litre)
(+3.7 U.S. qt (3.5) litre if front mounted oil coolers are drained) High/low dipstick mark difference 1.6 U.S. qt. (1.5 litre)
Transmission oil 2.4 U.S. qt. (2.3 litre)
Fuel tank 10.6 U.S. gall. (40 litre)
Cooling system 12.7 U.S. qt. (12 litre)
A.C. refrigerant (R134a) 1.2 lb (0.55 kg)
Front Suspension

T ype Independent. Upper and
lower wishbone co-axial
coil spring/telescopic
damper unit; anti-roll bar
Steering axis inclination 12° nominal
Geometry specification - Standard: Mid-laden ride height (reference height for geometry check)
- front 135 mm below front end
of chassis siderail
- rear 135 mm below rear end
of chassis siderail
Castor - optimum + 3.8°
- tolerance range + 3.5° to + 4.1°;
max. side/side 0.35°
Camber - optimum - 0.1°
- tolerance range + 0.1° to - 0.3°
max. side/side 0.2°
Alignment - optimum Zero - tolerance range 0.5 mm toe-out, to
0.7mm toe-in overall
Technical Data
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