Very weird starting problem - Renault Clio 1.4L

[PhilR666]

If anyone can help, thanks!

Father in law bought left hand drive Clio to take to Spain. It broke down in France. Poor bugger had to go over with a trailer and two it back.

Problem? It won't start. Simple as that

Renault Garage here said it was 70% likely to be fuel injectors. He bought two more and still won't start. Since then he has changed the ECU (Brain). Admittedly he bought one from a car that was being scrapped so not new but assuming chances of it having an identical fault are to be fair slim.

Still won't start. Had diagnostics done twice, charged £40 ten £30 by the guy for the hours trying to find the fault but he couldn't. Since then father in law has changed literally probably every component in the injection system

He is about to give up and sell the car on for spares or repairs. He's wondering if there could be a wire broken in a harness but has now run out of time and patience

If anyone has ever come across something similar, I'd be really pleased to hear from you

Thanks if you can help.

[iva cosworth]

Wrong Forum fella.

You want General gassing.

[gmasterfunk]

ignition pack relay? there are two each running 2 cylinders that on the early old new shape would corrode. have they been checked or changed?

[tedmus]

Faulty engine earth?

[P I Staker]

Go back to basics, has it got fuel, has it got a spark, has it got compression?

[loose cannon]

If it's a clio mk2 check the T.D.C sensor and connector .

[cartoons]

I would never reply to a problem like this because i do bodywork and have limited mechanical/diagnostic knowledge. However,a few years ago i bought my parents a 1.4 clio off a friend who had owned it from new. As soon as they had it , they struggled to get it to start. Every time i went to it ,a double press of the key and it fired up. To cut a very long,infuriating story short, we stopped using the remote key (ie the central locking one) and used the spare plain one instead and its started first time ever since. I can't explain why, and neither can the mechanics i know ( or the previous owner, who never had this problem) , but it may be worth a try for you. It drove us all mad for weeks!!!

[_Nathan_]

loose cannon said:

If it's a clio mk2 check the T.D.C sensor and connector .

This, also applies to the Mk3 Clio.

[MG0o]

had no end of trouble sorting out wife's 1.4 Clio when she had it, turned out it was the crank case sensor just needed a wipe and reseat, lots of info on that one online.

[vrooom]

Crank sensor are common fault. give it a clean or put a new one.. it will start.

[Ultuous]

My 1.4s been a fker for the crank sensor for the last 108,000 miles...

AFAIK the problem lies with the wiring, not the sensor itself, so all removing it and cleaning it (bearing in mind it's inductive) does is give the wiring a chance to 'fix' itself (i.e. just fiddling with the wires has the same effect and has got me through the last 3 years!)... If we're talking Clio II (I'm guessing not from the 'L') then I believe there is an upgraded service assembly that comes with a more sturdy wiring design!

[PhilR666]

Hey thanks for all your thoughts everyone.

Ive been in touch with him to get a bit more info.

Immobiliser has been removed so probably not the actual key (though very good point).

Crank case seal was replaced when it broke down in France, by the garage, and then subsequently replaced again by my Father in Law.

Plugs are sparking so ignition is okay and there is fuel but the problem is that the single point injector is not injecting fuel into the engine. There is no problem with electrics re ignition but there is no fuel getting in to be ignited.

So sounds like we still don't have a solution yet but seriously if thanks for the suggestions and if anyone has any other ideas that would be great.

Thanks again

[x type]

My daughters clio 1.4 had a similar problem , was a git to start
Turned out to be the engine coolant sensor was faulty
it was telling the management system the engine was overheating ,
thus somehow preventing it from starting

The temp gauge in the car was showing cold so it wasn't obvious to see by the gauge
may be worth a try , the part was £4.50 I seem to remember .

[Prizam]

PhilR666 said:

Hey thanks for all your thoughts everyone.

Ive been in touch with him to get a bit more info.

Immobiliser has been removed so probably not the actual key (though very good point).

Crank case seal was replaced when it broke down in France, by the garage, and then subsequently replaced again by my Father in Law.

Plugs are sparking so ignition is okay and there is fuel but the problem is that the single point injector is not injecting fuel into the engine. There is no problem with electrics re ignition but there is no fuel getting in to be ignited.

So sounds like we still don't have a solution yet but seriously if thanks for the suggestions and if anyone has any other ideas that would be great.

Thanks again

To be honest, it sounds like so many things have been buggered about with the chances are that even if you do fix the original issue, it still wont start. And on the slim chance it does, it wont run right.