1.5 DCi Non-Starter - potential Camshaft/ECU issue - please help!

[lukestkd]

Hi all,
Apologies for the vague descriptions below!

My 2004 1.5 DCi wouldn't start on christmas eve. I had the AA out to no avail. The guy seemed to think it could be something to do with the camshaft sensor.

The car is trying to start, but not turning over. On the 22nd the ECU warning light came on for a few minutes when we were idle at some lights but went off quickly after. I'm fearing it could be the ECU?

I'm going to try to get it into a garage tomorrow, I'm just wondering if anyone has had the same problem or has any advice for me?

Many thanks

Luke

 

[Mackerfly]

What do you mean by trying to start, but not turning over?

 

[lukestkd]

I've just seen this site, and I'm wondering if it could be a throttle body fault? http://www.ecutesting.com/renault_clio_throttle_body_964.html

 

[Mackerfly]

Unlikely, I haven't encountered one where it needed a new throttle body on a 1.5, does it turn over at all?

 

[lukestkd]

What do you mean by trying to start, but not turning over?

When I turn the key,the engine tries to start, but doesn't. It sounds like its almost about to start, but doesn't.

 

[Mackerfly]

Does the starter motor turn the engine over as fast as normal or is it slower, surely the AA man had some idea of what was at fault?

 

[lukestkd]

Unlikely, I haven't encountered one where it needed a new throttle body on a 1.5, does it turn over at all?

No it won't turn over at all. When I was trying with the AA guy the engine just kept trying to start but wouldn't. I can't think of a way to describe it. Almost juddering but not starting.

 

[Mackerfly]

Things you need to check are to make sure the imoberliser light going out and try disconnecting the battery to reset the ECU to erased any faults, it's a bit hard to diagnose a car over the net.

 

[lukestkd]

Things you need to check are to make sure the imoberliser light going out and try disconnecting the battery to reset the ECU to erased any faults, it's a bit hard to diagnose a car over the net.

Appreciate that. Thanks for the pointer, I'll give those a try. Not sure if it helps but the warning light I had the other day briefly was

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Electrical fault light. or EML - engine management light.

Dci's dont have a throttle body, its a FBW to ecu ran type throttle control.

Mine has done this once before oddly but never since.

Do the imob reset first to see if its stopping the fuel pump kicking in, if its not that, check your egr valve isnt stuck in WOP ( wide open posistion ) that can stop the engine trying to star or run like a bag of nuts. By the sounds of it, your imob is stopping the fuel pump kicking in hence the just turning over and no fireing

 

[lukestkd]

Electrical fault light. or EML - engine management light.

Dci's dont have a throttle body, its a FBW to ecu ran type throttle control.

Mine has done this once before oddly but never since.

Do the imob reset first to see if its stopping the fuel pump kicking in, if its not that, check your egr valve isnt stuck in WOP ( wide open posistion ) that can stop the engine trying to star or run like a bag of nuts. By the sounds of it, your imob is stopping the fuel pump kicking in hence the just turning over and no fireing

Cheers Raz! I don't want to blag my way through this, so can I just check what I need to do beyond disconnecting and reconnecting the battery? Will I need a code when re-connecting it?

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Nope, disconecting the battery willnot recode anything. Your radio will need its code putting back in tho. ( should be written on a stivker in service book or original dealers paper ) if not then you can still get the code easy.

Disconect the battery ( make sure you have your keys outside the car ! ) wait 30seconds or longer, reconnect possitive then neg. Go o crank it over but let the glow plugs pre heat first ( the EML light will come on for a few seconds and then go out ) then try crank it over.

Keep an eye on the imob light, if it stays solid then it will need resetting , if its flashing fast and i mean faster than usuall, its not reconizing your key so you'll have to rest it.

Imob reset -

key in egnition turn to the one just before cranking over ( possition 2 ) leave it 30 secs. Turn off and leave key in for another 30 secs and then turn to possition 2 again for 30secs and crank over straight after .

Thats how i remember it, mightbe slightly different

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Whilst you have battery disconnected, check theTDC sensor ( crank shaft ) on the gear box, it'll be a bitxh to get to with pipe work everywhere. Looks like a butteryfly, with two alen bolts or torxs. Undo that carefully, and clean all the crap off the magnet at rhe end. Replace it back on how it came off and make sure the conections arent corroded. Check the wiring to the ecu for damga and check wires going to fuel pump.

As for the egr valve, it might not be it but they can caulse havok with starting issues , if you wish to do so, take that off and clean it out. ( comes in two parts, solniod and the valve will still be in the unit ) take thevalve out , clean it making sure it opens and closes nicely, refit and reconect battery. Try cnraking again.

 

[lukestkd]

Nope, disconecting the battery willnot recode anything. Your radio will need its code putting back in tho. ( should be written on a stivker in service book or original dealers paper ) if not then you can still get the code easy.

Disconect the battery ( make sure you have your keys outside the car ! ) wait 30seconds or longer, reconnect possitive then neg. Go o crank it over but let the glow plugs pre heat first ( the EML light will come on for a few seconds and then go out ) then try crank it over.

Keep an eye on the imob light, if it stays solid then it will need resetting , if its flashing fast and i mean faster than usuall, its not reconizing your key so you'll have to rest it.

Imob reset -

key in egnition turn to the one just before cranking over ( possition 2 ) leave it 30 secs. Turn off and leave key in for another 30 secs and then turn to possition 2 again for 30secs and crank over straight after .

Thats how i remember it, mightbe slightly different

Hi Daz, I can't get to the positive bolt with the tools I have here (car not at home). The imob light goes off when i turn the key to position 2, could it still be an issue with the imob?

 

[Mackerfly]

The imob light will either not come on at all or will flash fast if you have a problem with it, I've just remembered there's 3 black relays in the fuse of next to the battery, one is for the starter motor, one is for the feed to the ECU and the last one is for the cooling fan, check the contacts on the relays and swap them around if needed.

 

[Dr HMS Derv Destroyer]

Hi Daz, I can't get to the positive bolt with the tools I have here (car not at home). The imob light goes off when i turn the key to position 2, could it still be an issue with the imob?

nope, if the light goes out then its not imob issue. try what Mackerfly said. DONT change relays with the negative terminal on.

if you can get the red off then leave it. its mostly the neg that does everything.

silly question, but have you got fuel in the clear lines in the engine bay or are the empty?