Lumpy lumpy 1.4 RT

[StevieP]

After my sparkplug-shooting-out-of-head saga the garage have put it back with a helicoil. Also after a lot of hassle with exhausts and whatnot my car is still really REALLY poorly sick!!!

Itll start on ignition, and even continue to run if I pull a HT lead out, but the engine vibrates and makes the car really shake and the gearbox too. Sounds awful as well. If I pull off with less than 2k rpm itll stall or lose power, have to change gear over 3krpm otherwise itll lose power again and the revs will start to drop and it will sound like it wants to stall. The exhaust is also a bit blacker than usual, not sure if thats cus Ive gotta rag it everywhere just so she doesnt stall... Acceleration especially from a standing start is appauling and top speed is rubbish at around 85mph, in 5th she will start to lose power.

Just wondering if the cause of the prob is related to my sparkplug shooting out of its hole a month or so ago. Since Ive had her back on the road shes been so so lumpy and a pain to drive. Could there be some internal engine damage? Valves, cylinders or cambelt trouble?? Cambelt was changed a couple of years ago and Ive only done 20,000 miles top since then.

Any helpful diagnosis would be welcome before I have to get her along to a garage.

Steve.

 

[steve_rt]

the engine will run on 3 cylinders anyway, but sound sh*te.

have you had a comp test since the damage was done? sounds like no pressure? had a mate with a polo who had a cracked manifold, therefore no pressure, therefore alwyas wanted to stall as soon as you came off throttle.

 

[StevieP]

It wil idle fine but if you dont give her more than enough revs when pulling off shell stall.

Anyone got a runabout car for sale, about £50? lol

 

[steve_rt]

do a comp test,im by no means an expert, but it could be down to pressure? chris or ben prob have better advice

 

[Chris_H]

Saab 9000 you can have it for a ton.

They didnt take the head off to heli-coil it?

Anyway have you checked all the basics? Like HTs on correctly, air leaks, cam timing?

 

[StevieP]

Cam timing, havent got a clue on that one.

Ive assumed that the HTs are on correctly as it was in the garage. I think they took the head off to heli-coil it as there is some sealant stuff under the rocker cover.
Didnt think HTs would cause this prob but if they could, what order should they be connected? Got a Haynes manual but its not clear which number is which on the dizzy cap etc...

Air leaks, where am I checking for this on this one?

Lol, would love a Saab actually!

 

[steve_rt]

if its running on 3 cyclinders it will act like this.

if you look at your dizzy face on, the order should be as follows:

3 1

4 2

where 1 is at the timing cover end.

surprising how easy it is to do this, after rebuilding my old micra engine, i got to turning it over and thought i had wrecked the bugger as it was backfiring and sounded awful, only to find out that i had put the HTs on the wrong way round, so 1 was at dizzy end, 4 at timing end, etc. It was 4am after all!

 

[StevieP]

steve r u on msn? if so could ya add me, b easier than posting on ere

mailto:thesweeneyyousl*g@hotmail.com">thesweeneyyousl*g@hotmail.com

replace the * with an a

 

[StevieP]

Hmm, just tried the HTs, must of done them up wrong as it made a pop sound when I tried starting it up.

The HT leads arent original Renault ones by the looks of it, they say Silicone Power Lead on and two are long of equal length, and two are short, again of equal length.

Looking at the Dizzy cap from the offside...

4 2

1 3

Hope that was right? Connected 1 to the plug closest to the offside, 2 to the next plug, 3 to the next plug and 4 to the plug closest to the dizzy cap itself. Sure Ive done something stupid here.

Could the dizzy cap be like this thou, steve mentioned could be this way too.

1 3

2 4

BIG ?????????? marks...

 

[steve_rt]

steve if no.1 is your timing cover end, you want the following numbers, both of above are wrong!:

3 1

4 2



if you set it up like this, and it still dont work, you know that either your HTs are f**ked, or its not them!

 

[Chris_H]

number 1 cylinder is the one beside the gearbox number 4 is at the cambelt end. Its the shortest lead thats number 1.

2 4

1 3

 

[Chris_H]

note that this is looking from the passenger side wing end of the car.

 

[steve_rt]

lol now hell be confused!i was always told that no.1 cylinder was at timing end,but on my RT it seems that, like chris says, they call that 4, and dizzy end 1. either way works (and it wont even be your leads after all this)

 

[f1web]

mine was like that. Changed a temp sensor and it has been fine since.

 

[StevieP]

Cheers, sorted it all now! Got new HT leads now thou and the plugs are fine as they are just about new. Car stil runs like sh*t!

Going to the garage sometime next week, fed up with it.

 

[nfbr]

Get timing checked and new spark plugs, had this problem with mine, sparkys and timing sorted it