HELP! Car cutting out!

[Thornesy]

Hello All!

Car: Clio 172 FF (2002)

I need help!! OK - Girlfriend borrows car and goes for a sunbed.. when she gets back she tells me the car kept dying and she had to keep turning the key to start the engine again whilst driving..

I was dubious at first, but I took it for a spin and thats exactly what happens.. it seems to only do it at low speed.. kind of when just rolling in 1st gear.

The engine doesnt stall, its seems to just die and the battery light comes on. The battery isnt flat and its been starting fine. Turning the key once this has happened, the car starts perfectly, with no warning lights or anything.

The car has just had 36k service and had cam and aux belt changed. I wouldnt think this is relevant though!

I remember my mate having a problem with his PH1 172 when it came back from repair and the inertia button was left loose in the engine bay. When he went over a bump, the car cut out and it turned out to be the fuel cutting out. I've not found such switch under my bonnet, so not sure if it could be something daft like that?

Any ideas ? Common Fault?

Any help much appreciated! Cheers guys

 

[Thornesy]

Oh - One other thing to mention.. had a new backbox (standard) the a month or two ago as mine was all rotten and fell off. Since then, it almost sounds like i have a performance exhaust fitted.. its much more loud than the original one that fell off!!

 

[edde]

The engine doesnt stall, its seems to just die and the battery light comes on. The battery isnt flat and its been starting fine. Turning the key once this has happened, the car starts perfectly, with no warning lights or anything.

I remember my mate having a problem with his PH1 172 when it came back from repair and the inertia button was left loose in the engine bay. When he went over a bump, the car cut out and it turned out to be the fuel cutting out. I've not found such switch under my bonnet, so not sure if it could be something daft like that?

Your car doesn't have the inertia button so thats out.

I'd get the car plugged into a diagnostics machine see what fault codes are being thrown up but check the throttle body and the tdc sensor see if there clean/working.

 

[Thornesy]

The engine doesnt stall, its seems to just die and the battery light comes on. The battery isnt flat and its been starting fine. Turning the key once this has happened, the car starts perfectly, with no warning lights or anything.

I remember my mate having a problem with his PH1 172 when it came back from repair and the inertia button was left loose in the engine bay. When he went over a bump, the car cut out and it turned out to be the fuel cutting out. I've not found such switch under my bonnet, so not sure if it could be something daft like that?

Your car doesn't have the inertia button so thats out.

I'd get the car plugged into a diagnostics machine see what fault codes are being thrown up but check the throttle body and the tdc sensor see if there clean/working.

Cheers Edde - I'm gonna take it to my mate on the weekend. Its really strange, as it never did it this morning. I'm gonna leave it running idle on the carpark at work to see if anything happens.

Do you think Renault would stick it on the diags free of charge?

 

[edde]

Cheers Edde - I'm gonna take it to my mate on the weekend. Its really strange, as it never did it this morning. I'm gonna leave it running idle on the carpark at work to see if anything happens.

Do you think Renault would stick it on the diags free of charge?

Nope they charge a minimum free between £20 and £80 to run it.

The computers not cheap £5k plus licences etc so they need to make money with it.

 

[Scex]

Id place money on one or more of your coil packs running less than they should Happened to me a few weeks back, cut out and now and then started and died and ticked over really badly like sitting on 1000 then dropping to 0 then back to 1000 etc..

 

[Thornesy]

Cheers for the ideas...

It never did it this morning. Sat in it on the car park at lunch with engine running for 30 mins.. nothing happened again

Took it for a quick drive round the car park in 1st / 2nd gear taking it slow.. nothing again!

I cant figure it out.. i'd be much happier if wasnt an intermittent thing! Hopefully shouldnt be too expensive to sort out in any case!!

 

[Thornesy]

Has been happening some more now!

Still appears to be a low revs.. i left it running on my drive and the car was really spluttery. The engine almost stalled a couple of times but it saved itself and spluttered some more!

The idle revs are pretty low.

Occasionally, if driving at say 25/30mph the car will judder.. Its like changing gear and coming off the clutch very quickly.. that kind of split second judder!!

Other thing i noticed is when it cuts out, and I start it again, the petrol gauge shows completely empty for quite a while (even though trip computer detects 125 miles still)

A few months ago it was struggling to start first thing in a morning.. turning the key would almost start the car, but it wouldnt quite turn over. Turning the key straight away after that, would start it fine.

It almost seemed like the fuel pump wasnt getting quite enough through to the engine..

But.. its gonna get looked at this weekend! Its really annoying to drive at the moment!

 

[edde]

Check the fuel plug relays connections.

 

[Thornesy]

Update - Had a look at the car today with my mate.. seems to be some crap in the throttle body. Cleaned that out, but car still cutting out. We think the throttle body needs replacing. Its making some very strange noises.. makes random clicking noises when the engine cuts out!

How much is a new throttle body and gasket gonna cost?!

 

[edde]

Update - Had a look at the car today with my mate.. seems to be some crap in the throttle body. Cleaned that out, but car still cutting out. We think the throttle body needs replacing. Its making some very strange noises.. makes random clicking noises when the engine cuts out!

How much is a new throttle body and gasket gonna cost?!

second hand throttle body try new ones arn't cheap.

 

[Thornesy]

Will take a look on ebay!!

 

[TToP]

Sounds like a misfire by the way you get the judder every now and again, have you tried the coil packs? Possibly the fuel filter? (if it was this I would expect it to be less intermittent).

James

 

[Thornesy]

Been messing around with it some more today. Removed airfilter and housing to take a look at the throttle body. Start the engine and leave it idling for a few minutes.. idle is a bit erratic and the engine cuts out. After the engine has cut out, the throttle body starts making some very strange clicking noises.. Seems like the electronics in there could be shot.

It looks like the throttle body is shutting the valve completely cutting off air from getting in..

Need a new throttlebody urgently.. cant find any 2nds on the net either. Looks like i'll be calling Renault on Monday!

I'm convinced its throttle body anyway..!

 

[Thornesy]

Booked the day off work today (as i dont have a car working to get me to work) as Walker Renault (stourbridge) told me the new part would be delivered before 10am today.. got a call at 9am to say it has not turned up! Wasted a days leave from work now!

 

[caz]

same problem with mine - have a second hand throttle body waiting to be fitted hopefully this weekend! hopefully the clio it came off didnt have the same problem!
then its bye bye clio =)
have the alloys for sale with brand new tyres, apatheticxtheory@hotmail.com if your interested at all

 

[Thornesy]

Well Walker Renault finally got the part in on weds.. had to get someone to give me a lift to the garage (as i have no car at the moment).. got there.. and it was the wrong part!!! I was so F-in angry!!

Anyway, I called the guy back with my chassis number and he found the right part, but then says he cant get one till next weds!!!

So I called Renault Birmingham instead, who are getting me a part in for tomorrow!

How come the smaller renault garage cant get the part till next weds, yet the other garage can! I wish I had the time to wait for a 2nd hand part as some have come on to ebay now! damn!

 

[J03]

coilpack my money..

 

[Thornesy]

Well, got the new throttle body from Renault finally..

£258.41 later and its fixed the problem

Shame I couldnt get a 2nd hand one, but at least its fixed