3.5 days and 1,600 miles in a 7

[dhubbard422]

The following is a summary of my recent 3 and a half day trip driving my new-to-me Superformance S-1 half way across the US. With some luck, I got the car back home without too much trouble...

 

I bought a 7 (a Superformance S-1) sight unseen a little over a week ago from a member on this list… While the seller and I are both from the Austin, TX area, he had shipped the car to LA while working there. I considered shipping the car back to Austin, but I decided I’d rather have a little adventure and do a fly-n-drive. Other than getting the 7 (and me) back to Austin - without resorting to towing it back - the primary goal was to enjoy as many wonderful roads as possible between LA & Austin.

 

http://usa7s.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=64&pictureid=450

 

Day 1: Marina del Rey to Big Bear Lake, CA which was only 150 miles, yet it took almost 5 hours on the curviest roads I could find out of LA.

 

Highlights: The 7 was exactly as the seller described it – like new. I also fit in the 7, although my left foot has trouble getting behind the clutch, even with minimalist shoes I brought with me; I have size 13 feet.

 

LA is also car crazy. Several folks were hanging out of cars to take photos of the 7. At the first gas stop a pretty woman says “nice car”… this isn’t normal behavior. The Angeles Crest Hwy & Rim of the World Hwy were very scenic, but fairly slow due to Sunday afternoon traffic.

 

 

http://usa7s.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=64&pictureid=451

 

 

http://usa7s.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=64&pictureid=453

 

 

Troubles: The 1st break down occurred in the hottest part of the afternoon while climbing a hill on The Angeles Crest Hwy – the water temp started climbing towards 200 – 205F, then the car abruptly started missing and lost power. After a short cool down period the car restarted and then ran great all the way to Big Bear Lake…

 

Troubleshooting: Read service bulletins that night to see if there were any similar symptoms reported. Found a bulletin that seemed relevant about a loose fuel relay/fuse connection.

Edited October 17, 2013 by dhubbard422
Trying to fix picture links...

[dhubbard422]

Day 2: Big Bear to Cottonwood, AZ (390 miles ~8 hrs)

 

It was 37 degrees in morning so I wandered around town, had a leisurely breakfast and then I tried to troubleshoot the random problem while waiting for it to warm up a bit. It’s really hard to see the fuse/relay block under the passenger side of the dash…. so, I took pictures of it with my phone and blindly felt around under the dash, but, I couldn’t see or feel any loose connections.

 

Highlights: Three sections of road on day 2 were really quite nice. The first was a fast downhill blast out of Big Bear to Lucerne Valley. The next two were on either side of Prescott AZ; the roads from Wilhoit to Prescott and from Prescott to Jerome, AZ were nice and curvaceous, although the speed limits were way too low…

 

Troubles: Had 2nd non-scheduled stop while climbing out of desert near Congress, AZ.

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/picture.php?albumid=64&pictureid=453

 

http://usa7s.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=64&pictureid=453

 

Troubleshooting: Again, the car abruptly started running rough and quickly stopped as the water temp increased to just over 200F in the afternoon as I was climbing a hill. I also noted that the fuel pump was whining loudly. By late afternoon, the heat coming off the transmission tunnel is pretty high too. Spent some time on my knees with head under the dash… Car again started after a short delay and ran well the rest of the afternoon in the cooler temps at the higher elevation.

 

Lowlights: The desert was really warm and boring, especially in a 7… I bought a bandana in TwentyNine Palms, soaked it with cool water, wrapped it over my head and snugged my cap down tight. This gave some relief from the sun, but the cool comfort evaporated way too quickly at speed in the dry desert air.

 

Then the 2nd unplanned stop was less than 50 yards from a cyclist that had lost control of his sport bike while going up the hill; some emergency personnel were already on the scene and more arrived while I again waited for car to cool down.

 

There was also a stretch of road that was simply covered in grasshoppers... mile after mile the 7 was greeted with the sickening crunch of grasshoppers.

 

http://www.usa7s.net/vb/picture.php?albumid=64&pictureid=454

http://usa7s.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=64&pictureid=454

Edited October 17, 2013 by dhubbard422

[dhubbard422]

Day 3: Cottonwood, AZ to Ruidoso, NM (470 miles, 9 hours)

 

It was another beautiful morning. I made an early start and headed south on Hwy 260. The section of 260 between Camp Verde and Payson was one of, if not the best of the entire trip. This section is very fast and scenic. It is at elevation and in the pines and very pleasant. Tom, another Superformance S-1 owner, is a lucky guy to have this area so close to home. Hwy’s 60 and 380, the bulk of day 3… were unfortunately not quite as much fun or as scenic.

 

Highlights: The road between Camp Verde and Payson.

 

Lowlights: The car had unplanned stop #3 in the middle of nowhere on 380 in western NM… Again, it died at the hottest part of the day, as the engine temp was climbing and as we were climbing a modest hill. 20 minutes later we were on our way again, although I was more worried that it might not continue to restart.

 

 

http://usa7s.com/vb/picture.php?albumid=64&pictureid=455

Edited October 17, 2013 by dhubbard422

[dhubbard422]

Day 4: Ruidoso, NM to Austin, TX (583 miles, 10 hours)

 

Before leaving Ruidoso I again tried to get under the dash in order to see if I could find anything loose. I pushed up on the wiring connectors and down on the fuse… and the fuse suddenly moved a significant amount before seating securely. I was relieved, yet I felt like a doofus… could a lose fuse have been my problem from day 1?

 

By the start of day 4 I was simply ready to be home. Unfortunately, the hottest and longest day was ahead of me. I considered breaking this day up into 2 days, but I figured that I’d have plenty of time to explore the best roads that West Texas and the Hill Country have to offer in the near future.

 

Highlights: The car didn’t simply die. It ran strong all day long. It ran hot occasionally, but the pump never whined

 

Lowlights: It was hot. I saw 95-degree temps in Odessa, Texas. The temps inside the car were very high and uncomfortable. It was a very long day.

 

In summary:

My favorite roads were:

· Big Bear Lake to Lucerne Valley (a fast downhill blat)

· Wilhoit, AZ to Prescott, AZ (very tight, low speeds and unfortunately a speed limit that was too low...)

· Prescott, AZ to Jerome, AZ (very tight, low speeds and again, a very low speed limit... very scenic though)

· Cottonwood, AZ to Payson, AZ (a beautiful fast run through the pines)

I heartily recommend all of these roads, but the sections of desert between them may be better enjoyed in a car with AC!

 

My Superformance S-1 is very nice, but it needs additional sorting:

· I need to address the highly variable engine water temp and I’ll start with the service bulletin.

· I plan to also investigate the fan. Something may be odd with the forward mounted fan…

· The temperature in the car is too damn hot. Need to investigate solutions to venting the tunnel.

· I need to look for side mirrors that do not rely on the doors. Maybe something mounted to the windshield? Doors are nice at speed, but they do add to the heating problem.

· The exhaust is loud. I need to review solutions that others have done to quiet the BLAT a bit…

· I need to see if the car is in need of additional modifications as described in the service bulletins

· I need to add a limited slip diff…

 

This was a 3 and a half day trip in a 7 (that was new to me) covering just under 1,600 miles. It was fun, but… it had it’s moments that were flat out boring and uncomfortable. The section of the trip between Wilhoit, AZ and Payson, AZ was very, very nice. I’m looking forward to enjoying and updating my 7 – it should be an interesting experience!

Edited October 9, 2013 by dhubbard422

[Croc]

This is the type of post I love. The excitement, the drama, the agony and the excitement at the end of spending some money on your new baby to fettle it into perfect condition and make it yours! Really well done!! :hurray:

 

May you have many happy drives, :driving::cooldude:

[mrmustang]

This was the black S1 out of California for $13.500?

 

I tried buying that car back in January at $18,000, he never called back, then he posted it here at what you bought it at and I missed it as I was on a plane.....:nopity:

 

 

Great buy for you, and great ride regardless of the minor issues. :cooldude:

 

 

Enjoy the ride.

 

 

Bill S.

[Klasik-69]

Ok, there needs to be some adjustments;

 

1. Car is too hot inside Wrong, car is a friggin oven and is actually to your benefit. You will lose weight without having to go to the gym or reduce your eating habits. A definite big PLUS

 

2. Car is too loud This is actually a safety feature built into the design to let others that you're coming, and you're so friggin hot you may not be able to steer or brake, so get the Hell out of the way. Another big PLUS

 

3. Engine runs hot Well, so are you so why not share the pain here.

 

4. Need for mirrors (not on doors) Ok, let's think about this. You're hot, the car is hot, your size 13 boot is stuck under the clutch pedal, the friggin noise from the exhaust has given you a migraine, and you're worried about who is behind you. Forget who's behind you, you're looking for the closest bar so you can have a drink. By the way, if you drink enough, you won't notice how hot you are, and you won't give a damn about how hot the engine is either, and you sure won't care about the friggin noise.

 

 

ALL YOUR PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED :cheers:

[dhubbard422]

No. I paid a good deal more for mine. This was gbilawsky's #53. It had less than 2,300 miles on the clock when I picked it up in Cali. Still, it was a good deal and the car was as described - like new.

 

This was the black S1 out of California for $13.500?

 

Bill S.

[dhubbard422]

I wondered why I lost 4 pounds on the trip! I did eat better and less, but I expect that you're right and that I just need to drive the 7 more! :rofl:

 

Ok, there needs to be some adjustments;

 

1. Car is too hot inside Wrong, car is a friggin oven and is actually to your benefit. You will lose weight without having to go to the gym or reduce your eating habits. A definite big PLUS

 

2. Car is too loud This is actually a safety feature built into the design to let others that you're coming, and you're so friggin hot you may not be able to steer or brake, so get the Hell out of the way. Another big PLUS

 

3. Engine runs hot Well, so are you so why not share the pain here.

 

4. Need for mirrors (not on doors) Ok, let's think about this. You're hot, the car is hot, your size 13 boot is stuck under the clutch pedal, the friggin noise from the exhaust has given you a migraine, and you're worried about who is behind you. Forget who's behind you, you're looking for the closest bar so you can have a drink. By the way, if you drink enough, you won't notice how hot you are, and you won't give a damn about how hot the engine is either, and you sure won't care about the friggin noise.

 

 

ALL YOUR PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED :cheers:

 

Thanks for making me laugh!

[locost7018]

Try a product called "Purple Ice", by Royal Purple, in the radiator to lower the water temp. It works in mine. Actually 205deg is about normal running temp for modern engines, although my se7en runs about 190deg most of the time. Russ

[dhubbard422]

Try a product called "Purple Ice", by Royal Purple, in the radiator to lower the water temp. It works in mine. Actually 205deg is about normal running temp for modern engines, although my se7en runs about 190deg most of the time. Russ

 

I've heard good things about "Purple Ice", but I'm gonna' try Evans Coolant. A friend used it on his Indy car team with great results. http://www.evanscooling.com/

 

I'm also going to lower the temperature of the thermostat and the fan switch as suggested by Superformance to 160 from 190 degrees. They claim that this change will also reduce "cabin" temps.

[xcarguy]

Breakdowns, grasshoppers, doo rags, desert, pretty girls . . . That's one man-sized, man-up road trip! Congratulations on Seven ownership!

[slomove]

.............. After a short cool down period the car restarted and then ran great all the way to Big Bear Lake…

 

..........I also noted that the fuel pump was whining loudly. ...............

 

Sounds like fuel pump cavitation, i.e. fuel boiling in pump. That may happen at higher temperatures (when the vapor pressure of the gas is also higher) and when the fuel suction line from the tank is somehow obstructed (clogged filter or pickup tube).

[dhubbard422]

That was one of my thoughts too, but apparently, a bad electrical connection can cause the same symptoms. Per a Superformance service bulletin: "As the weak connection (between fuel pump fuse and fuse block) heats up, the spade expands and looses it grip on the fuse or relay. The increase resistance cause the fuel pump to lose voltage and the fuel pressure drops off until the car dies."

 

Seating the fuse appears to have solved the problem, but I need to keep an eye on this issue. I also need to replace the fuse.

 

Troubleshooting issues with fuel systems that return the unused fuel to the tank are new to me... I have more experience with old-school systems, i.e. carburetors! I have learned that there are some new systems for fuel injection that do not return (warm/hot) fuel to the tank, but that they are somewhat more complicated to tune.

 

Sounds like fuel pump cavitation, i.e. fuel boiling in pump. That may happen at higher temperatures (when the vapor pressure of the gas is also higher) and when the fuel suction line from the tank is somehow obstructed (clogged filter or pickup tube).

[S1Steve]

I've heard good things about "Purple Ice", but I'm gonna' try Evans Coolant. A friend used it on his Indy car team with great results. http://www.evanscooling.com/

 

I'm also going to lower the temperature of the thermostat and the fan switch as suggested by Superformance to 160 from 190 degrees. They claim that this change will also reduce "cabin" temps.

 

Glad you made it home OK.

 

#1- The best way to reduce cabin temps , is drive it in the fall and winter.

They are hot, get used to it...LOL

#2- Swap the fan to the rear of the rad. Its sitting out front now. I have found this

to work well.

#3- Change the filter in the boot.

#4 Enjoy it.. PM me if I can help you in some way, I have 10 years of ownership.

You'll get it sorted out.

 

Steve

[twobone]

I'm not sure if you have a carpetted tunnel, but I put "B-quiet" heat and vibration insulation under caterham carpet and it made a difference

[Off Road SHO]

I'm the new owner of the OTHER S-1 recently bought in northern California, and we too had overheating problems as soon as we got away from the cool San Francisco area or climbed any kind of hill. Same symptoms, overly high temp reading but no boil-over, and eventually quit only to restart and sometimes run fine and sometimes a repeat engine die.

 

Along my trip back to AZ (with SWMBO) it finally became evident that I shouldn't risk getting stranded in an unfamiliar car, especially since I had a flight out of Phoenix scheduled in two days.

 

My car had been serviced just two weeks prior to me picking it up by a Lotus knowledgeable mechanic, who had been doing all of the service work on the car since the previous owner had bought it years ago, so I had a lot of faith in his work.

 

After the first overheating and quitting, we did find the coolant expansion tank a little low, maybe a quart), but filling it up did not cure the problems.

 

Also found an aluminized dryer hose that connects the cool/warm air valve, through some kind of connector with wires attached to it, and then on to the cabin air intake port on the firewall, had become disconnect from that wired coupler at the right front of the engine compartment. At first discovery, I thought that the coupler was the MAF sensor for the engine and that would explain the engine quitting on me. Well that didn't solve the quitting problem so I looked for other reasons.

 

Upon examination of the radiator area, I noticed there was a huge gap between the radiator and the nosecone, which would allow massive amounts of incoming air to NOT go through the radiator, but around it. From my experience in off road vehicles, this is a big no-no and really upsets the airflow-water flow equation.

 

Like Don, I am hoping that the loose fuel pump relay fuse (which was not loose in my car) is the problem, but I am not betting on it. I've been so busy with work that I haven't even had the time to get my car registered in AZ, but as soon as I do, I will hook up my remote temp sensor and start going for short drive to try and determine the cause of our problems.

 

Sorry for the long winded response.

 

Tom

[Klasik-69]

On the tunnel heat issue, there is a thin ceramic based insulation material available that I used on the firewall & floorboards of my 69 big block corvette that worked great. It's about 1/8" thick, white, and very pliable & was available from http://www.ecklers.com. Wasn't cheap but before I put it in, you could cook your dinner on the floorboards. No heat transfer at all. I didn't use it on my 7 because I race it primarily & don't worry about tunnel or firewall heat. Some guys have incorporated a footwell vent via a vent hose placed ahead of the engine, which seems like a pretty good idea.

[dhubbard422]

All, Thanks for the great comments and suggestions! I'm looking forward to fettling my 7. Also looking forward to the first autocross. However, it may be a few weeks before I can give the car much attention as I also help organize a vintage motorcycle rally (and trials event) for charity and it's rally time! http://www.harvestclassic.org

 

Thanks again,

Don

[CASwede]

Living in Austin with a 7. You are a lucky man. I remember a buddy of mine asking me to drive his new S2000 from San Antonio to Austin, because he didn't know how to drive a manual when he bought it. Great time. Devils Backbone, as well as any road between Dripping and Kerrville will keep a smile on your face for many years.