Irratic Idling...

[AndyHolt]

Ive got a 1.4 Si W reg, and have been having probs with the idling where itll drop really low(between 450 - 500), almost stall, shoot up to about 1000, then sort of level out before doing it again, and the natural decceleration when you take your foot off the pedal, or rev it and let it drop seems really lumpy, and you can feel the engine shake, anyone else had this problem??? Any Ideas???

 

[RobFenn]

Yeah mine has this problem, thing is doesnt happen all the time. I look like a learner driver sometimes as the car bucks around for the first 5 mins of driving (even when not cold).

 

[AndyHolt]

It doesnt help to much when you want a quick pull away from the lights and the revs drop, and you find the car stalling.... Quite frustrating at times....

 

[RobFenn]

My car is quite strange, it seems to have good and bad days, sometimes the gearbox is beautifully slick but most of the time its notchy and vague..oh well..

 

[Ben H]

Try the idle speed control valve (if its not an integral part of the throttle body). If you turn the engine on, then run around to the engine with the bonnet open and give the air pipe that goes to the idle speed control valve a squeeze. If the engine starts to stall, then you know it works.

Im afraid I cant offer specific advice about finding said ISCV on the 1.4 16v unit, but if its the 8v Energy 1.4 then none of the above appiles as the ISCV is part of the throttle body (I think).

Other than that, it might also be the throttle potentionometer adjustment (a Renault specialist job).

 

[AndyHolt]

Im putting it in at my local Renault garage, its the 1.4 16V, but thanks for the tips... Lets see what the so called pros can do about it...

 

[m888arc]

ello! u got the same surname as mee!!

 

[AndyHolt]

Its the name of kings....

renault claim that the problem is due to the way the engine runs, trying to use as little petrol as possible while idling, and occassionally has blips...

hmmmm.... I think i can smell something... I reckon all they did was run engine diagnostics and say nope all fine...

Still the service I got was good, I used to have a pug, and I was never quite happy with the service there, but renault even cleaned the car inside and out, and kept me informed all through the day, so big thumbs up to them on that side of things....

 

[steve_rt]

i think they are right, well perhaps not on yours as dpopping to a stall level isnt too normal is it, but both my 1.4 8v clio and my mums pug 106 1.1 do it while idling, its the ECU leaning off the mixture as much as poss while idling as far as i know!

 

[BRUN]

it could be the coolant temp sensor, apparently they go through these like mad at Renault, when i got mine that was the 8th they had used that day....

an as said above it could also be the throttle potentiometer, take your car somewhere else....

 

[George16v]

It is the Lambda sensor, mixture is too rich. used to have a 1.4 had the same problem

 

[Daz]

had mine do it today! Mk1, Phase (1997).

Nearly stalled once so I booted it.. but it would keep doing it.

I eventually let it nearly stall and not rev (see if it recovered itself)- it did correct itself and then sat at 700rpm happily after that.

Daz.

 

[JamesG]

USED to happen to me. replaced the negative lead from the battery to the gearbox and hay presto.

 

[steve_rt]

how did you work out that was what it was?!

 

[RenaultFreak]

you all just need to give the ISCV a good clean, any carb cleaner does the trick, on 1.4 enrgy engines its more difficult because the idle is set by a small motor in the throttle linkage but on newer rens or 16vs the ISCV is not an integral part of the manifold, just take the inlet hose, spray loads of carb cleaber or some redex and rev the engine , do this 8-10 times and the problem will be cured, it did wonders on my R21...