Lack of power when accelerating. Advice needed please!

[chimpsinties]

I think my engine's only running on 3 cylinders. It's only a 1.2 so I'm not expecting much but when I pull away from some lights or go uphill the engine really struggles. It seems to pull fine for a couple of secs but then it kind of stutters/shudders a bit and has no power.

What could be wrong? At first I thought it might be that an HT lead had come loose but they're all on fine.

It's annoying cos it's just been in the garage for some work on the brakes for the MOT

Please help

 

[chimpsinties]

I've heard it could be related to the Renault coil pack being a bit dodgy.

I could get a new one and fit it I guess but I'm kind of flying blind here. Might just stick it in the garage (again)

 

[ripp]

at idle speed does the engine sounds/revs normal? exhaust fumes smell like petrol? if you're running on three you should feel a judder when revin' it standing still. try to unplug/replug the leads, maybe give them a clean if they seem clogged up, maybe even remove and inspect the plugs if necessary.

 

[Will.]

May sound harsh but it might just be because it's such a low power engine. My 1.4 was s**t as soon as you went up a hill.

If it was running on just 3 cylinders, it would feel a lot different to usual all the time.

 

[lucasv1987]

Sounds like the coil pack to me

 

[chimpsinties]

at idle speed does the engine sounds/revs normal? exhaust fumes smell like petrol? if you're running on three you should feel a judder when revin' it standing still. try to unplug/replug the leads, maybe give them a clean if they seem clogged up, maybe even remove and inspect the plugs if necessary.

The engine revs normally in neutral. No smell of petrol that I can notice. I checked the leads but was at work so couldn't check the plugs.

May sound harsh but it might just be because it's such a low power engine. My 1.4 was s**t as soon as you went up a hill.

If it was running on just 3 cylinders, it would feel a lot different to usual all the time.

I know the car is s**t slow anyway but this is definitely something wrong. I've had it for nearly a year now, you don't think I'd suddenly go, "Hey, this car seems slow"

Sounds like the coil pack to me

Like I said in an earlier post, from what I've read this sounds like the culprit to me too.

I've got a friend of a friend who's a mechanic so he's got the car now. He drove it and said immediately he could tell there was something wrong. Let's just hope it's not too expensive :dapprove:

Thanks for the random musings #cough# I mean advice.

I'll let you know what he says

 

[chimpsinties]

Just got word from the garage.

He changed the coil pack and leads.

Charged me £113 for the pleasure. Bit gutted with the price to be honest but I guess if he spent a long time trying to diagnose it it's fair enough.

If I'd known it was definitely that I probably could have done it myself for about half that price. Never mind.

Cheers for the help chaps

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

Sounds like a bit of a rip tbh, im not a mechanic but surely you could have gotten away with just the coil pack if that was the problem rather than coil pack and leads?? but in the end if its going better atleast thats something.

 

[chimpsinties]

I didn't do the leads in the last service so they were probably in need of a change anyway.

At the end of the day, you've got to ask what's your time worth. Do you want to spend a Saturday under the car or doing other stuff. Plus I could have spent more money buying bits I didnt need trying to narrow down the problem.