Help needed!

[JJordan]

Hi all,

I have a 2003 clio 172 and basicly i was pulling onto the motorway last night and the car just lost all power there was a big pop (pretty sure it was the exhaust backfiring) and then it just cut out. Tried starting it but nothing was happening. Anyway got it towed home, went to have a look at it this morning, tried starting it again and there was a wurring noise (sorry for the sh*t spelling!) rather than ticking over and then the louest backfire ever!! it was honestly like a cannon going off! i was wondering if the cambelts gone? it was booked in to have it done in 2 weeks time. The enigne stop light is on aswell.

any ideas?

Thanks very much

Jordan.

 

[LiamR172]

Mine done this sort of thing. Turned out to be the coilpack burst. Causing it to run on 3 cylinders and backfire

 

[JJordan]

Did yours still run though? Mine won't start at all!

 

[Cookson]

Have you checked your aux belt is still on? If so, then look a bit further down to check the cambelt, or take the top cover off

 

[JJordan]

Is the aux belt the one near the alternator? If so then yeah it's still on. I'm gonna have it apart tonight and have a check but its the popping that the exhaust is doing that puzzles me. Thanks for your help

 

[LiamR172]

No at this point my car wouldnt start at all!

Not sure what caused it but it turned out to be a fuse blown and then my coilpack has burst, there was melted plastic seeping out of the bottom of it!

I was driving along and it started running on 3, i tried to turn round and get back home (2 secs away) but the car died and i had to be towed home.

First thing i done was replace the coilpack which made it start but it was still running on 3. Checked the fuses and replaced the blown one, still on 3. Checked the leads 1 by 1 and it turned out to be one of them!

 

[Dan@SJM]

Is it turning faster than usual?

 

[JJordan]

It seemed to die very quickly rather than running on 3 then cutting out. It's sort of turning over in one sound if you know what I mean. Like a long wurr as I turn the key rather than tuning over fast. I'll just have to check the Cambelt tonight, but there's no damage to the aux belt. Thanks for you help!

 

[Matt W]

Exact same symptoms when my cambelt went. When was it last done?

 

[Dan@SJM]

Open the oil cap, get someone to turn the key and see if you can see the cam turning. Assuming its a dohc engine. It's sounding very much like cambelt failure tbh.

 

[MicKPM]

I don't think cam timing is the issue with this one but check it to be sure.

Change the coil pack... had one recently doing exactly the same and the bang was so loud it set car alarms off in the carpark outside my workshop.

 

[Dan@SJM]

When mine dropped a valve a few years ago it was popping out the exhaust lol

 

[MicKPM]

Yeah lol, that would deffo do it.

 

[JJordan]

Thanks for the replys, ill check the Cambelt, an if its not the Cambelt then ill check the coilpack. Again thanks for the help ill let you know what I find!

 

[JJordan]

Well finally found out what is wrong with the clio, turns out it had jumped out of timing due a cambelt pulley failure and has bent the valves, there going to replace the valves, do the cambelt and aux belt and basically get the car running again for £960. so do you think thats a fair price?

 

[mattjk]

Ouch horrible feeling, you know straight away if its the cambelt when the starter motor whirrs - no compression.

price doesnt sound too bad to me.

 

[Cookson]

Spare engine would be cheaper

 

[JJordan]

yep horrible feeling indeed! i know a spare engine would be cheaper, but i suppose if i give them the go ahead they can start working on it straight away, rather than trying to source a new engine. on the plus side i now have calfs of steel from cycling everywhere! haha