"low fuel" limiter?

[Jay_G]

Right, I'm either gonna sound thick as s**t, or I have found something I didn't know! On the way to the petrol station, pulled out of the slip road, floored it up the road, engine is warm, temp gauge in middle, and then all of a sudden I limited at 5-5.5, the gear change symbol didn't light up, and it sounded a bit miss firey? But definetlly bounced a few times cos it caught be by complete suprise, felt like fuel cut. it did it in the next gear, and in neutral. The fuel needle was on the bottom of the red, said I had 30 miles till empty at 25ish mpg.

My question, do Clio's "limit lower" where they are low on fuel? Or was it dodgy fuel, or really low on fuel.

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

No

 

[Bluebeard]

Either not warm or really low on fuel.

 

[DannyR]

Was your oil pressure/temperature right though?

Water temp gauge means nothing, oil parameters will limit you.

 

[pastieman]

I love the way people think the car is warm just by looking at the temp gauge

 

[DannyR]

I love the way people think the car is warm just by looking at the temp gauge

Lol it does make me laugh!

 

[Bluebeard]

I love the way people think the car is warm just by looking at the temp gauge

Mk1 clio > All others.

 

[DannyR]

I don't think I've owned one where the oil gauges actually work

 

[Bluebeard]

I haven't owned one that doesn't!

 

[Martin_172]

its still not going to limit at 5-5.5k though even if your in the f**king north pole! sounds like its missfiring

 

[Russ_16v]

Either 3 things have happened:

although water temp gauge was showing normal, the car was not up to temperature and it was on the 'cold' limit. (though that should be more like 6500 rpm)

You have a fualty coolant temp sensor

did you switch the car off at all before driving? Even when mine was warm, if i stopped for 5 or 10 mins, then got in and drove off, there is a little time for some of the coolant to cool down enough that when you drive off the colder coolant passes the CTS and momenterally makes the lower limiter cut in.


Of course there is other things, you had the traction control on, a plud breaking down, plug lead, loads of possible things

 

[Dan519]

fuel surge. Would have to be really low to happen though

 

[Jay_G]

The water temp gauge was in the middle, that's all I know temp wise! It did sound like it was missfiring, and it was between 5 and 5.5, it didn't stay level either, he spluttered up (I.e power disappeared completely at 5,2 and kept "limiting" upto 5,5.

Just the weird thing I put fuel in, and straight away it was better, and no problem at all. The plugs where apperantlly changed 2-3 months ago, might have to do the whole lot my self.

Noted about the oil temp tho

And also, I hadn't stopped, had been driving for 35-40 mins, and don't have traction!

 

[Jay_G]

fuel surge. Would have to be really low to happen though

That's exactly what it felt like. *note to self* don't pay attention to miles to empty

 

[sbridgey]

The plugs where apperantlly changed 2-3 months ago

Maybe the wrong plugs were used?

 

[Jay_G]

On regards to the plugs, they would cause a lumpy idle right? Because the car constantly has a lumpy idle, you can feel the whole car shaking/vibrating slightly. It's not just when cold either

 

[Silent_Scone]

They are a bit lumpy anyway. Why would you ever trust your trip computer anyway? If the needles on red you're practically empty. Cold limiter is normally 6,800 on the 1*2s

 

[Christopher]

Fuel surge on an empty tank.

 

[Christopher]

Mk1 clio > All others.

I've got an oil temp gauge on mine.

It's the best thing about the RSM.

 

[Silent_Scone]

The RSM is dead cool. So much cooler than a satnav, who doesn't have one of them already anyway

 

[Laine_16v]

fuel surge. Would have to be really low to happen though

While in neutral?

 

[Christopher]

The RSM is dead cool. So much cooler than a satnav, who doesn't have one of them already anyway

Renault make the Nav removable too. So it rattles around like a tw*t when you're pressing on.

RSM > Nav

 

[Martin_172]

I've got an oil temp gauge on mine.

It's the best thing about the RSM.

its not real oil temp though is it? its a guestimate bassed on coolant temp apparently?

 

[Dan519]

While in neutral?

starvation then. same result

 

[Jay_G]

starvation then. same result

You could be right with the starvation issue. I now think its temp related

Just dropped the gf to work, and on way home I wanted to check it had completely went, temp gauge was just under middle at this time, took it to 5 and it spluttered gain, jumpin up and down between 5k and 6k, exhaust was popping a lot too (standard backbox, stainless centre, so wasn't loud, but could defo here it). It's completely impossible to drive through it. It also does it in neutral. With little throttle applied (I.e I didn't have foot to the floor) it isn't violent, I can hold it at them revs, exhaust pops a lot again, but soon as I add more power it splutters and bounces again.

Anyway, carried driving home, temp gauge on middle at this point, tried again and voila fault has gone. No spluttering, pulls all the way up to 7k without a problem. Same in neutral with little throttle applied. So it seems to be temp related at least. I will drive it again later tonight and see if it comes back

Any ideas now?

 

[Jay_G]

Can anyone help?
Bumpedty bump

 

[DannyR]

Yes as said before its the oil temperature, coolant temperature has nothing to do with this.

I imagine your missus works 10-15 minutes away, about what it will take for oil to get to correct operating temperature.

Might need an oil change, could be thick and s**t and just not getting warm, that could be a load of b****cks, also worth checking oil level.

 

[Jay_G]

Thanks for your reply mate, yeah I know about the oil thing (made that mistake yesterday )

But the thing is, it's not actually limiting? It's a phase 2 if it makes a difference, and it has the gear stick light, and it 100% does not light up. The fact is its limiting all over the place, the revs jump up from 5-6k, it feels a lot like fuel cut. It feels like the ecu is cutting back for whatever reason, but the gear stick light doesn't light up, although it does if it was hitting 6.5k!

I'm just hoping people can help reach a synopsis so I can replace the parts!

 

[Bluebeard]

Tried a coolant temp sensor?

 

[Owen_m]

try regapping and cleaning you're spark plugs/or changing them + leads bet you it helps on idle.... i had very similar problems not a 1*2 though. but same concept.

sounds like what everyone else said that fuel was the issue !


Could be you have a sensor fault/ or a fault code! in which you're ecu has gone in to (what i know as d rate) where it won't allow the engine to rev over a certain maximum (which depends on a lot of things) in order to prevent damage

I'm up far too late!

 

[Jay_G]

Daniel

Nope, I haven't tried anything as of yet! Depending how cheap they are, I haven't got a load of money to chuck at it. Do you think a CTS is a good shout then? thanks for your help this far.

Owen_m

Thanks mate. Funnily enough I did think about limp mode, but I thought limp mode limits your speed aswell! I will try the spark plugs. They where supposed to be changed in January (only got a halfords receipt as proof though!)

Thanks for your input guys

P.s I dont a fault reader, but I tried that dash trick that shows a letter if you have a corresponding fault, and nothing came up!

 

[Jay_G]

Another update. Took the car to town to pick up mates, about 25 minute drive each way, most of it motorway. The needle on the temp gauge didn't touch half way, it was sat one "one line" below it. So the fault is still there, and it's temp related. Is the CTS still worth replacing?

What sort of temperature does the lambda sensor "kick in". Not sure If I remember correctly, but the ECU ignores the lambda untill it reaches a certain temperature. I know coolant and the lambda are unrelated, just thought id check another possibility.

 

[Laine_16v]

Yes as said before its the oil temperature, coolant temperature has nothing to do with this.

Wrong way round

 

[Jay_G]

This is still happening, even with a full tank of V-Power. Now that I actually have some time to crack on with it im going to.

Someone mentioned plugs/leads breaking down, is there anyway to check this? And would it still affect it when the coolant temp is bang on middle on the gauge?

A mechanic mate mentioned a MAF sensor, and possibly a lambda due to the temp problem (but I presume the lambda goes into affect much earlier?)

If anyone can help this, I'll provide infinite beers at next years CSS!

 

[sbridgey]

What spark plugs does it have?

 

[Russ_16v]

It wont be maf as 172s dont have them, they have a map sensor instead but i doubt its that.

 

[Jay_G]

Cheers Russ, cleared that one up. Possible on the lambda?

I don't know on the spark plugs, owner gave a receipt for them, on which it only
Says "Bosch spark plugs 510"

Cheers guys

 

[sbridgey]

Bosch spark plugs 510

I believe we may have a winner.

They should be NGK... IIRC.

 

[Jay_G]

I believe we may have a winner.

They should be NGK... IIRC.

I hope your right! I did just look on the Halfords site (where they where bought) and that comes up and the recommended plugs for the car.

 

[sbridgey]

Well the correct one are NGK-R PFR6E-10's.

From what I have read no other plugs work properly.