Misfire at idle ONLY! Fred, Danny, Mick!

[lokqust]

My 172 cup is driving me insane.

When the car idles there is a misfire - you can hear it in the exhaust spluttering and the car shakes quite violently.
Also when I sit in the car and the fan comes on to cool the engine the car shudders for roughly 3 seconds and then goes back to the misfire.

To make it worse it runs faultlessly with any throttle at all. This problem only happens at idle, hot or cold.

So far I've replaced the coil pack, leads, plugs, TDC sensor, pre-cat lambda, injectors and the MAP.

All replacement parts have been genuine Renault(£'s).

Does anyone have any idea what I could try next?

 

[04kendalld]

got the same issue

 

[lokqust]

Its just so annoying, I can hear the honeycomb in the cat being smashed to pieces and does my head in when sitting at a junction.

 

[Fred@BTM]

check injectors and lambda

 

[lokqust]

check injectors and lambda

They are all brand spanking new. I think I'll take the TB off and give it a once over with some carb cleaner because I haven't done that yet. From what I've read in other threads the coolant temp sensor can cause issues but not sure if that's relevant in this case?

 

[scotty2hotty81]

Fault codes? Does the idle sit higher? I had a inlet temp sensor cause this but it was a current fault code in the Ecu

 

[lokqust]

Idle is just the usual, sits at 500 and doesn't fluctuate on the rev counter. Does throw up the EML every 4 weeks or so but that was giving the lambda fault code. Where is the inlet temp sensor located in the bay?

 

[Johnpacey1]

Looking at the inlet it's on the right, just on the side of the first inlet.

 

[rich-6]

Idle speeds too low, Normally sits around 7-800rpm once warmed up

 

[lokqust]

Sorry rich 6 just checked again and it sits at 800. I've now cleaned the TB and temp sensor but still doing it. The lambda is a new Bosch unit that I fitted about 5 hours ago.

 

[lokqust]

Just fired it up without the inlet temperature sensor connected and it made no difference. Plugged it back in and no difference.

Should there be a difference in running?

 

[scotty2hotty81]

Disconnecting it makes no difference, it there for a reason! It will only be temp sensor if it's faulted in the memory, which it will now as you have run it without it plugged in.

 

[Fred@BTM]

you have new injectors?

 

[lokqust]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPjhYgA7Q18&feature=youtube_gdata_player


This shows the coughing from the exhaust and the engine spluttering.

 

[lokqust]

you have new injectors?

I got another set from Renparts and then sent them to be cleaned and have new seals put on

 

[Fred@BTM]

that's normal?

 

[scotty2hotty81]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPjhYgA7Q18&feature=youtube_gdata_player


This shows the coughing from the exhaust and the engine spluttering.

:S I wouldn't panic tbh

 

[lokqust]

This is the third RS I've had, granted its the first cup, and none of the previous were like this as far as I can remember. Usually when I jump in it after its sat for an hour it won't start first time or if it does it splutters into life with some hesitation then does the weird idle routine.

 

[Fred@BTM]

well i can hear what sounds like a random metalic tap, have a listen when the engine is hot by the drivers front wheel, i'm betting if anything cam timing, top end sounds a bit noisy too

 

[Dan519]

compression test it. I've seen a couple that have run like this and have had poor compression on 1 or 2 cylinders

 

[lokqust]

Cheers for the help guys.

I'll leave it alone now and ask the question when belt time comes round again.

 

[mattyRB 182]

I would say timings out had a 172 in at work which sounded very similar and the exhaust cam was a tooth out

 

[Owen_m]

Spark plugs and.Leeds. it doesn't do it when reving because you'll have a more lively spark the.

That's what I think anyway, take them out and check the gaps.

 

[MicKPM]

I'd be tempted to get it checked over fully and save wasting cash.

As Dan has already suggested, a compression test and even a timing check would be a good place to start but a quick session having the live data checked properly by someone that can read the Matrix may reveal something out of the ordinary to.

I'd be very surprised if the ATS was the cause of this issue and it's more likely to be caused by the map trying to compensate for something electrical/mechanical by pulling out the ignition.

Mick

 

[BarryClio]

Mines idles like this too, took it to a renault expert, they used CLIP and found nothing wrong with it. Never mind the fact that the car shakes like a washing machine on idle and the EML flashing lol.

I don't wanna start spending £££ on possible causes either

 

[Chip-mk1]

Compression tester is cheap to buy, 20 quid ish, and you can do it yourself in 20mins or so. Just a case of taking off top half of inlet and taking plugs out.
If you do have low compression you want to be dealing with it sooner rather than later.

 

[MicKPM]

Barry, it doesn't matter if it's CLIP, AutoLogic, SPX, Snap-On or a cheap eBay reader... If you don't know what you're looking at you won't find a problem.

I'd be very surprised if "code reading" put an accurate finger on a misfire issue on a Clio II

All I'm saying is you get what you pay for in all trades.

Mick

 

[Chip-mk1]

Barry, it doesn't matter if it's CLIP, AutoLogic, SPX, Snap-On or a cheap eBay reader... If you don't know what you're looking at you won't find a problem.

I'd be very surprised if "code reading" put an accurate finger on a misfire issue on a Clio II

All I'm saying is you get what you pay for in all trades.

Mick

Indeed, especially with a mechanical failure.

 

[lokqust]

Update (sort of); Just had the car into my local specialist and he suspects the timing to be slightly out so looks like a belt change is on the cards in the near future.

 

[Pulsator]

As i apologise for posting a new thread this is the issue i have, although mine had a belt change 6000 miles ago - im assuming the timing can be adjusted without replacing the belt again ??

 

[Alex_6n2]

I now have this exact same problem...

Just changed my plugs and that hasn't fixed it, so I either now do the injectors/coil pack, or take it to Fred and get him to do the belts.

It did run REALLY rough the other day, but then magically fixed itself after 15 minutes. Now the EML just flashes on idle

I'm not sure if the garage that changed my alternator is at fault. Because it seems to have had no end of problems since I got it back

 

[imprezaworks]

If it was fine before the alternator take it back to said garage

 

[jesus]

Get it plugged in to see what fault codes it throws up before spending money on possibilities.

 

[Dan519]

I'd be very surprised if "code reading" put an accurate finger on a misfire issue on a Clio II

Get it plugged in to see what fault codes it throws up before spending money on possibilities.

frustration reaches new levels.....

 

[not normal dan]

frustration reaches new levels.....

plugging it in seems to be the answer to all the threads, if only being a mechanic was that easy. Plug it in an as if by magic the computer tells me what's up! If only.

 

[jesus]

It's worth a try though - if it says there is an injector issue for example and tells him which one, it will save spending money on coil packs/leads/spark plugs etc. that isn't needed. That's what I'd be doing anyway!

 

[stevescort172]

Gonna check tomorrow see if mine does this.

 

[Alex_6n2]

Well I just purchased the Torque app from Google Play store and have got one of the Bluetooth readers so going to use that to see if I can see what the fault code is.

It needs to be serviced anyway so when I take it to Renault (Want to preserve the FRSH) I will get them to check it too

 

[MikeClio172SPT]

Ive seen this happen.... when the timing belts been changed..... throws up a lambda error code, lumpy idle, gear stick shaking around when in neutral, & popping through the exhaust at the rear. Do you know if the belts been done on it?

 

[Alex_6n2]

Last AUX/Cambelt change in the service book was at 55K. Done by Renault. Car is now on 71K

Aux belt tensior wasn't changed when my alternator was swapped a couple of weeks ago I don't think