Engine trouble 1.2 mk2 clio (drives but no power)

[Nash]

hello fella's i'm new here so go easy on me.

i was refered here by someone on my other forum www.pontycruise.com

well here's my problem, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

It came about yesterdaty as i was driving back from somewhere, the exhaust note got gradually louder and louder i thought it was just starting to blow, but then when i stopped at a set of lights the tick over dropped way lower than normal and the car was struggling to keep ticking over, i came to set off and it almost stalled, i had to proper boot it to pull away, when i did get moving i bet i didnt do past 40mph all the way home, it was really struggling!

here's what i've done so far:-
Changed the plugs - i checked all the plugs and the end 2 were fine however the middle 2 were black (unburnt petrol) i fitted the new plugs and it hasnt made a bit of difference, if anything, it's worse.

anyone got any idea what it could be?

i'm thinking injectors myself?

cheers for reading
my car is a 1.2 Clio 1998 Mk2 Phase 1 (8 Valve)

 

[edde]

Coils I'd say. I think there an all in one unit.

 

[Nash]

Coils I'd say. I think there an all in one unit.

you may be on the right track there!

I replaced the sparkplugs - no joy
Just fitted brand new H.T Leads - no joy

so going further back it would lead to the coil - sh1t! is this gonna be expensive!?

 

[edde]

you may be on the right track there!

I replaced the sparkplugs - no joy
Just fitted brand new H.T Leads - no joy

so going further back it would lead to the coil - sh1t! is this gonna be expensive!?

Shouldn't be to bad £40 each I think or so.

 

[seloc]

Hi From Stuart. Read Your Problems I Have Lots Of Problems With The D7f Engine With Ithe Injectors Failing. I Would Defo Say Injector. They Are Easy To Get At. I Have Spares At Work If U Interested?
Stuart

 

[Nash]

UPDATE

Replaced Coil - Still running like sh1t
Replaced H/T Leads with 3 sets!! - still running like sh1t
Tested the sparks on each lead - each lead is sparking absolutely mint!
i am seriously considering getting rid now as i've already spent 100 quid trying to sort it.
i'm so gutted! i need help or advice!?!?!

 

[Nash]

Hi From Stuart. Read Your Problems I Have Lots Of Problems With The D7f Engine With Ithe Injectors Failing. I Would Defo Say Injector. They Are Easy To Get At. I Have Spares At Work If U Interested?
Stuart

how much for a full set? i'm definately interested

 

[Fred@BTM]

doubt its injector, it'll probably be lambda sensor, MAP sensor or crank sensor

get it on a clip diagnostic computer

 

[Nash]

doubt its injector, it'll probably be lambda sensor, MAP sensor or crank sensor

get it on a clip diagnostic computer

how much for that?

 

[Fred@BTM]

renault charge £65 just for the pleasure!!!

where are you based??? as there are loads of Renault specialists across the country

 

[Nash]

Leeds, although i've just been talking to my uncle and he had a sierra with similar symptoms and he says he repalced his MAP sensor and it cured his problem straight away, i think am gonna try that first

 

[Fred@BTM]

take it to see j3ned in Accrington, he'll sort it

 

[andy_p7777]

my car is doing exactly the same mate. when the revs drop down to idle speed the car starts to struggle and the needle fluctuates, the light with the coil comes on.
i took my car to the renault garage and they charged me £65 for diagnosis and they couldnt find the fault as 1st.
they rang me up later on in the day saying it was the faulty manifold pressure sensor so it had to be replaced (£212in total).
car seemd alright till the day after when the car is doing exactly the same thing.
got it booked into garage for thursday hope they can find out whats up with it!

 

[ollie mc]

get a diagnostic done with a smaller garage, they wont bullsht u and they willl probs sort u out with cheaper parts and labour

 

[Nash]

UPDATE

OKay okay

got my car back today, the garage managed to get it running again but it still doenst drive properly, it's aweful, you can her that it's not firing on all 4 cylinders and it drives sh1t

I am thinking now that it's actually a sticky valve(s) because if you really put your foot down and give it some it sounds like it sorts itself out (as if the valave is being forced to work) then when ya let off the revs it's back to sh1t.

i think am gonna whip the head off, get it recond, new valaves, new head gaskett and then refit it, hopefully that should sort it.

 

[edde]

Check the injecotrs maybe when the pressure is higher there working better.
I wouldn't think the valves have anyhting to do with it.

 

[Nash]

? the garage i took it to said they reckon it's eaither :-

Sitcky valve(s)
Cracked head - no chance
Head Gaskett
they never mentioned the Injectors.

and they said i should expect a bill of around £500 for the pleasure of finding out.

i said no thanks.

 

[Nash]

YAY!!!! found the problem
took the head off this weekend!, had a look at the valves, all seemed fine...had a look at the injectors....fine....had a look at the Head Gaskett and NOT SO FINE!!
Here's the Head:- (look closely at the gap between the middle too cylinders in relation to the other cylinders

This is what the gap between the middle 2 cylinders should have looked like:-

And this is what the gap between the middle 2 cylinders ACTUALLY looked like:-

The metal has blown through causing the loss of compression and thus my car running sh1t.
I'm so glad this is all it was, i'm gonna but a full new gaskett set, timing belt, bang it all back together and hopefully that should be the end of the matter.
so well done to all those of you that said it was the head gaskett - i didnt think it was myself but yet again i was proved wrong.
Cheers

 

[davebem]

How many miles has your car done nash?

 

[Nash]

How many miles has your car done nash?

well i replaced my dash clocks for ones with a rev counter so they currently show 54,000

however when i got the car it was on 112,000 miles

i've had it almost a year so i'm estimating the mileage to be at somewhere like 135,000 to 145,000 miles

why?

 

[Nash]

if i bought a Sports head gasket, would i notice a differenece in the engines performance? i doubt it?

 

[davebem]

well i replaced my dash clocks for ones with a rev counter so they currently show 54,000

however when i got the car it was on 112,000 miles

i've had it almost a year so i'm estimating the mileage to be at somewhere like 135,000 to 145,000 miles

why?

I just wandered Ive had 2 cars with this engine and they seem very reliable, thats quite a lot, have you had any other problems after high miles with the engine? Mine is on 79k and hope to get a bit more out of it yet.

 

[Nash]

I just wandered Ive had 2 cars with this engine and they seem very reliable, thats quite a lot, have you had any other problems after high miles with the engine? Mine is on 79k and hope to get a bit more out of it yet.

i have not had 1 minutes trouble with the engine since i bought it, it's been absolutely spot on!

the only "major" work i've had do on it is replace the front brake pads and the front driver side wheel bearing

 

[theduck]

thats incredibly high mileage! You do realise that you should have photo's of your old dash (showing actaul mileage at removeal of original dash), and the new dash (showing mileage on that dash at fitting) you put in as proof of mileage for when you swapped the dashes, as its illegal to sell the car without declaring correct mileage.

 

[Nash]

bah, the last recorded mileage is on the old MOT i'll tell the buyer it's got high mileage and i have wads and wads of history with the car proving the mileage

 

[davebem]

That is really good going! from 0-79000 miles other than serivicing ive had to replace a rear bearing, have a new bolt for antiroll bar and front and rear brakes. You must have one of the highest mile mk2s in cliosport.

 

[Nash]

lol COOL! do i get some sort of award?

i need to post some pics of my car but i havent got a decent digital cam