O/T Renault D7F 1.2 Litre engine, erratic idle and cutting out

[Tyrone]

This is in my daughter's 1998 Clio. It had been idling very erratically and cutting out at junctions, etc. Which isn't great for a learner driver! A bit of a search on the forums found a solution of cleaning the Idle Control Valve with carb cleaner. On removal, the ICV was indeed well gunged up with black deposit. Duly cleaned and reinstalled the car was running great. 3 weeks later, the erratic idle returned, the car would not tick over from cold without extra throttle and even when warm the revs were dropping when the car came to rest. It isn't as bad as it was previously.

 

Should I take out the ICV and clean it again, 20 minute job but not one I anticipated having to do quite so soon or should I look for other potential culprits,like the TDC sensor and the temperature sender.

 

She has her test on Monday and I was going to get plenty of driving hours in this weekend.

 

Brian Ramsey, NE Area Rep

Then raise the scarlet standard high.

Within its shade we'll live and die,

Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,

We'll keep the red flag flying here.

 

Edited by - tyrone on 12 Nov 2010 09:47:38

 

Edited by - tyrone on 12 Nov 2010 15:51:02

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Is there an ECU reset function .... like on Rover k-series ? Ignition on, throttle pedal to floor and fully released 5 times, then ignition off. Don't start engine. Works on my Mazda 6 too !

 

edit: further thoughts ........ what is the service history ....... has the fuel filter ever been replaced ? Have a look at the spark plugs - gap and colour. Is the air filter clean ..... if it hasn't been changed for a year, it will be full of dust .... replace it. Put a bottle of injector cleaner into a full fuel tank.

 

Good luck to her for the test

 

 

Edited by - Stationary M25 Traveller on 12 Nov 2010 10:51:15

[Tyrone]

Don't know about the fuel filter and I suspect service history is 'uneven'. I haven't checked the plugs , but I did change the air filter and give it an oil change when we bought it, this coincided with the rough idle, cutting out & huge amounts of judder while driving, so my daughter (and SWMBO) assumed it was my fault for 'messing about with it'. It was undriveable, so I replaced the MAP sensor which at least made it driveable, less judder, but the rough idle and cutting out was still there. Cleaning the ICV seemed to cure it completely.

 

Brian Ramsey, NE Area Rep

Then raise the scarlet standard high.

Within its shade we'll live and die,

Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,

We'll keep the red flag flying here.

[Allen Payne]

Not sure if it's the same 1.2 engine as in my Clio but mine has a metal box (about 2" square) covering a bunch of wires at the rear of the engine, it had worn through some of the insulation on the wires causing misfires and the engine cut to out.

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Electrics and French cars don't often go well together ... especially if the weather is wet !

 

 

[James_Russell]

My old Clio had a D7F engine with the same symptoms- never cut out but it did Idle 'wherever it felt like'!

I never did anything about it though so this post is pretty much pointless, apart from adding that when I researched the problem everyone said ICV.

I'd also like to defend the clio- mine was a marvellous car and I wish I'd kept it

 

Q41 ACF Classic Grad #98

[Tyrone]

It cost £250 with 4 months road tax, 12 months MOT, JVC CD player and a canny set of alloys. If we get a year out of it then it owes me nothing. It is a hoot to drive and needs no defence!

 

I've never been a great one for additives, injector cleaner isn't likely to 'loosen' grot in the fuel tank or other places and cause more problems, is it? Any recommendations, Wynns or Redex seem the obvious choices.

 

Brian Ramsey, NE Area Rep

Then raise the scarlet standard high.

Within its shade we'll live and die,

Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,

We'll keep the red flag flying here.

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

I have used Wynns or Millers injector cleaner in the past ... the type where you put the whole bottle in the tank when filling up. Cleans injectors, pump and pipes. Any grot in fuel tank tends to lay on the floor of the tank, which is where is will stay.

 

Tend to put a measured dose of regular Redex additive into every fourth tank in the Seven, and every month or so in the Mazda.

 

 

Edited by - Stationary M25 Traveller on 12 Nov 2010 13:05:42

[Bricol]

When you did the air filter change and any other playing about, did you disconnect any of the breather/recirc hoses? Have you got one of them back on in the wrong place?

 

Are they all on - no cracks or leaks anywhere, giving strange readings from any sensors, or leaking air the engine side of the air flow meter,especially the small bore hoses to MAP sensors? Had a Golf GTi do it intermittantly - finaly tracked down to a split in the hose to the brake servo - as the engine rocked on it's mounts, it opened/closed the split.

 

Exhaust leak - have come across a car where it was sucking in leaking exhaust fumes, choking the air filter and restricting the air flow - and a I guess not pre-combusted air probably isn't that good for combusting again . . .

 

I do have a similar problem on a carb Pug 106 that had stood for several years - dismantling and blowing out the crud in the carb helped. But if I thrashed it to where-ever I was going, it worked . .. drive carefully and it would stall and often not respond to the go command (not good when the starter also sticks and doesn't work . . )

 

Bri

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

But if I thrashed it to where-ever I was going, it worked . .. drive carefully and it would stall and often not respond to the go command

Probably not what he wants to tell his daughter this weekend !!!!!

 

 

[Tyrone]

I checked the hoses and sensors I could find when I cleaned the ICV but it is possible that the air inlet hose or the hose from the filter housing to the throttle body has worked loose.

 

I thrashed the nuts off it last night and it worked fine. Luckily, she won't have to drive it the same on Monday, she's taking her test in the instructors Suzuki Swift. 😬

 

Brian Ramsey, NE Area Rep

Then raise the scarlet standard high.

Within its shade we'll live and die,

Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,

We'll keep the red flag flying here.