Car Still F*cked

[Marc.]

So.

Finally had my Aux Belt replaced yesterday. I picked the car up, drove it home (about 3 miles). All was well, it drove fine.

I get in it this morning, and something isn't right. The Engine Management Light is flashing steadily, and the engine sounds really rough, the idle is really lumpy. The only way I can describe the noise is like an American V8, without the "good" part.

However, when I took the car to 70mph as a test, after driving with the issue for about 10 miles at around 40mph, the light stopped flashing, and the car sounds fine again? Initially I thought it might have been an exhaust problem (I need to replace a rear hanger) but it sounds okay now? I am at work so have no idea what it's going to be like when I finish. As I pulled into the car park, the battery light on the dash lit up again, which made me panic that the belt had slipped off, but when I restarted the engine it had turned off again, and a quick look under the bonnet shows the belt still on the pulleys.

What is wrong with it? Or is it something I need to solve by driving into a wall at 30mph?

 

[leeds_182]

Injector?

 

[Chi]

Plug it in

 

[Marc.]

Injector?

Not a clue. Would that correct itself mid-drive?

Plug it in

...to what? I'm a complete novice with cars!

 

[VR46-G@Z]

When mine ran like a V8 and engine warning flashing it was my spark plug no.3 had bitten the dust... I had smelly smokey exhaust symptoms with that as well.. Sounds similar to your issue, as above get in plugged in(diag plug under ash tray) and get the fault codes, I'd bet you've got a misfire on a cylinder, could be coil pack, HT leads, plugs or injector...

 

[leeds_182]

My engine light was flashing and I had an intermittent misfire. Swapped the coil pack and plugs but still didn't help. It turned out to be the injector on cylinder three so swapped that and now running sweet.

 

[DannyR]

Not a clue. Would that correct itself mid-drive?!

Could do, I would say injector too

 

[charltjr]

I had that, terrible idle, flashing emissions light, cleared itself up under load. It was an injector on mine too. Best get the codes read and see if it points you at a specific cylinder.

 

[DannyR]

Just pull the fuel rail off and get someone to crank it, you'll soon see which injector is failing.

Preferably do this with a cold engine.

 

[The Fatty]

Or you can don't he normal injector test of disconnecting one at a time to find which one doesn't make a difference when you unplug it.

 

[Marc.]

You're all speaking a vaguely familiar language to me. I'll see if I can find someone to have a look

 

[Daniel]

Is it running ok now?

 

[Mr R.]

Is it running ok now?

 

[Marc.]

Is it running ok now?

I've been at work so not had a chance to start it. By the time I got to work it seemed to have cleared though.

Should it be an injector, what's the damage to replace one of those?

 

[The Fatty]

Or you can do the normal injector test of disconnecting one at a time to find which one doesn't make a difference when you unplug it.

EFA - typos!

 

[The Fatty]

I've been at work so not had a chance to start it. By the time I got to work it seemed to have cleared though.

Should it be an injector, what's the damage to replace one of those?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-Clio-Sport-172-182-2-0-16v-Genuine-New-Petrol-Fuel-Injector-IWP-042-/301034629621?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model:Clio|Cars Type:2.0 16V Sport&hash=item46170fe9f5 - £32

About 30mins or less to fit it yourself provided you have more skills than a monkey..!

 

[Daniel]

I've been at work so not had a chance to start it. By the time I got to work it seemed to have cleared though.

Should it be an injector, what's the damage to replace one of those?

You can buy a second hand rail with injectors for under £30. Piece of piss to fit.

Also, do you have an engine cover? I've had it before where I've leant on the coil pack whilst working in the engine bay and disturbed a plug lead. If you've got an engine cover, this theory is void!

 

[The Fatty]

You can buy a second hand rail with injectors for under £30. Piece of piss to fit.

Also, do you have an engine cover? I've had it before where I've leant on the coil pack whilst working in the engine bay and disturbed a plug lead. If you've got an engine cover, this theory is void!

whilst thats very true, I think your better off just buy a new injector to replace the one thats gone though, as the second hand rail could have one that going to go again in 100miles (unless the seller can advise how old they are).

 

[The Fatty]

saying that, there are some full injector rails for sale on the RSSW facebook group at the moment going for £10!! https://www.facebook.com/groups/Renaultsport.sw/

 

[Daniel]

whilst thats very true, I think your better off just buy a new injector to replace the one thats gone though, as the second hand rail could have one that going to go again in 100miles (unless the seller can advise how old they are).

But he can buy a second hand rail and injectors and try them. If it cures the fault, bosh!
If it's still the same, he's only wasted £30 or so but has a spare set.

In saying that, I've got 4 spare injectors you can try @MarcJP If they work happy days just give me a drink, if they don't just post them back.

Let me know.

 

[DannyR]

Or you can don't he normal injector test of disconnecting one at a time to find which one doesn't make a difference when you unplug it.

That's all well and good if you know it's an injector and not a plug, lead or coil pack.

You could pull one injector plug off and it stays the same but it's actually the lead that's knackered.

 

[The Fatty]

That's all well and good if you know it's an injector and not a plug, lead or coil pack.

You could pull one injector plug off and it stays the same but it's actually the lead that's knackered.

thats when stage 2 of the test takes place which I havent put on this thread (yet) although I have written it in a lot of other threads.

When you find the injector that makes no difference, remove the fuel rail and swap said injector with the one next to it, then redo the test. If the same injector makes no difference to how the engine is running when unplugged, then its the injector. Else its something else.

For example, say unplugging the injector on cylinder 3 makes no difference to how the engine is running, then I know the fault is currently on cylinder 3. I then swap the injector from cylinder 3 with cylinder 4 and redo the test. If I get the same (lack of) effect from unplugging the injector on cylinder 4 this time (which is now holding the same injector I unplugged before), then I know its the injector.

simple really.

 

[Marc.]

But he can buy a second hand rail and injectors and try them. If it cures the fault, bosh!
If it's still the same, he's only wasted £30 or so but has a spare set.

In saying that, I've got 4 spare injectors you can try @MarcJP If they work happy days just give me a drink, if they don't just post them back.

Let me know.

I'm not gonna say no to that offer mate.

Saying that, my old man popped in to my work to have a nose, and it's fine now. A bit lumpy when I first start it, but otherwise fine. The EML is still on, but I'm going to re-fit my decat anyway so I'm not bothered about that.

Could it just have been a dirty injector from when they were fitting the aux belt?

 

[Daniel]

They shouldn't have gone near the injectors!
Just coincidence probably.
PM me your address and i'll send them over on monday/tuesday.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Forum spirit on here never fails to keep faith in CS!

 

[DannyR]

thats when stage 2 of the test takes place which I havent put on this thread (yet) although I have written it in a lot of other threads.

When you find the injector that makes no difference, remove the fuel rail and swap said injector with the one next to it, then redo the test. If the same injector makes no difference to how the engine is running when unplugged, then its the injector. Else its something else.

For example, say unplugging the injector on cylinder 3 makes no difference to how the engine is running, then I know the fault is currently on cylinder 3. I then swap the injector from cylinder 3 with cylinder 4 and redo the test. If I get the same (lack of) effect from unplugging the injector on cylinder 4 this time (which is now holding the same injector I unplugged before), then I know its the injector.

simple really.

Too much effort, cranking while rail is out will show you exact injector straight away, and the rail is off ready to replace!

 

[The Fatty]

Too much effort, cranking while rail is out will show you exact injector straight away, and the rail is off ready to replace!

yes you can also do that if the injector has fully failed However that wont work if its just a sticky injector that's happy to work at low speeds.

 

[Marc.]

They shouldn't have gone near the injectors!
Just coincidence probably.
PM me your address and i'll send them over on monday/tuesday.

Will do mate. I'm off work next week so no rush.

Put your Paypal address in there and I'll send you back some beer tokens x

 

[bloke]

either get it plugged in or measure injector resistance.

 

[DannyR]

yes you can also do that if the injector has fully failed However that wont work if its just a sticky injector that's happy to work at low speeds.

The OP said it does it on idle but goes up the Rev range. Mine did the same at one point, you would of thought the other way would of made more sense

 

[Marc.]

So, used my car for the first time since Saturday. And it's gone, properly. All the issues before, but even thrashing it doesn't cure the problem. It seems to be a little down on power too, I may be imagining that though.

f**k, I am so sick of this car!

 

[The Fatty]

So, used my car for the first time since Saturday. And it's gone, properly. All the issues before, but even thrashing it doesn't cure the problem. It seems to be a little down on power too, I may be imagining that though.

f**k, I am so sick of this car!

you mean its gone as in symptoms are gone or gone as in fucked? your post is confusing.

 

[JamesBryan]

you mean its gone as in symptoms are gone or gone as in fucked? your post is confusing.

I read it as gone, as in broke.

 

[DannyR]

I imagine misfiring all the time.

At least all the advice we've given to diagnose the fault has been done.....

 

[Marc.]

Sorry, it's not broken down. Just seems to be the same issue as Saturday, but without it disappearing.

As for "not following the advice," that's only the case because I haven't had a chance, not the typical CS ignoring advice thing, that you're clearly getting at I will be plugging it in as soon as I can. I've also PM'd Daniel about the spare injector set he had. Just FYI.

 

[Gus]

Hi mate, I could help you out with this if you want - im in Oxford too and have spare injectors, spark plugs, ht leads etc. Any chance you can pop by tomorrow im located near the cutteslowe round about near summertown.

 

[Marc.]

Hi mate, I could help you out with this if you want - im in Oxford too and have spare injectors, spark plugs, ht leads etc. Any chance you can pop by tomorrow im located near the cutteslowe round about near summertown.

Awesome offer mate, the only problem is that I'm at a work meeting all day tomorrow

 

[Gus]

No worries Pm'd you my number so perhaps over the weekend might be better?

 

[Daniel]

@MarcJP I'm not going to be able to send those injectors until tomorrow or Saturday morn.

 

[Marc.]

@MarcJP I'm not going to be able to send those injectors until tomorrow or Saturday morn.

That's fine mate. Whenever you have a spare few minutes is more than fine!