Engine cutting out - 1.6VVT

[jim-boy]

Hi folks, can anyone help me with this problem affecting my car which is a 54 plate 1.6 VVT Tourer with less than 28000 miles.
Tonight it started first time and idled at 800 rpm as normal for a few minutes. When I started to actually drive it, it was very hesitant and sluggish and eventually stalled at the first junction. It took a while to re-start, revved up easily but died as soon as I took my foot of the pedal. When I did get going, it was obvious that the engine just wanted to cut out and had to be revved up above 3000 just to keep going. This performance was repeated all the way home, luckily not too far, and although the engine was now at normal temperature, cut out again as soon as the revs fell off when I got home.
Any ideas or suggestions (apart from arson) would be appreciated.

[shropslad]

We have a 53 plate 1.6 VVT with 112000 miles on the clock & ours is exactley the same, it starts but cuts out it won't idle at all & the revs just die when you take foot off the gas pedal.
the problem is intimittent but is getting worse.

Sorry I could not help but will be after advice on this thread. Lets hope some one knows what the cause is.

Mark

[pw981]

are there any strange noises coming from the engine? Try searching the forum for "dephaser pulley" it is part of the VVT system what is a common problem on the 1.6, your problems may be related to this issue.

[walibe]

I suspect for both of you this is probably a sign the dephaser pulley is on its way out. Mine was like this for about 6 months before a grinding noise was audible when first starting the car.

The bad news is its a £400-£600 fix if your out of warranty.

[tuckms]

I didn't think that the dephasor pulley caused it to stall at low revs, it just gave poor performance and a bit of an engine jump at around 1800rpm. I had a similar problem with intermittant stalling and the local garage changed the TDC sensor on the top of the engine, it might be worth having it cleaned/changed before going and get the dephasor done.

[walibe]

I'm not sure, I was unfortunate enough to have a coil, camshaft sensor and dephaser pulley fail in quick sucession :/.

[jim-boy]

Thanks for the replies and advice everyone. Would you believe that car is now fine and running perfectly? No hesitation or stalling.
I will take it in to a local (Non Renault) garage and have them check it over although how they will find what's wrong now I don't know.

[IainMW]

This could be early symptoms of Dephaser Pulley failure, but the other options are as already mentioned, Coil's, TDC sensor and possibly the injection computer.

[scoobies]

I am really glad I read this thread.

When I first got my 2005 1.6 vvt megane I always felt it was really poor at pulling away. It would hesitate and jump in 1st gear - really not smooth. 19 months ago (when I first got it) I took it to a Renault dealership (AC) and they said there was nothing wrong with it.

I took to a different dealership months later. They said it seemed OK but had reflashed the engine management system and to see how it went. It felt a bit better at first but went back soon afterwards. On the second occasion I did mention the dephauser pulley.

Now in the last month or so I notice that after you start it often cuts out unless I rev it - but even then it still does. I have thought maybe they never put enough anti-freeze in the car when it got serviced in the summer.

As it runs out of warranty in 5 months I will book it in again.

Interesting I always knew I have been overcompensating the clutch at pull off (even my mates notice me doing that). However in the last three months I have been getting a hire car most weeks (when I fly on business) and they are typically a focus, astra, Brava 1.6 cars - I can tell you in comparison that pulling away the smoothness is night and day.

Must go and call the garage.

[IainMW]

What really gets me is that the Depahser pulley fault has been known about for years now!
All Renault Technicians need to do is read the technical documents

There is a set proceedure that has to be followed to test the operation of the Dephaser.

RTFM! (Read The "insert expletive" Manual)

Scoobies: As AC seem to have Scotland tied up for Renault dealerships, try and find a Parks Renault dealer.

There have been a number of positive posts on here about a Parks dealer near Glasgow.

[scoobies]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the advice. In fact the second time it was Parks I visted in East kilbride (nr Glasgow). Generally they are far superior to Arnold Clark - and it is Parks I have used since for servicing etc. At least they reprogrammed the computer - which I am sure I have read is the standard first action on this issue. I was too lazy (well my wife told me to stop moaning) to be persistent. However even shen acknolwedges it is hard to pull away in this car and that it has started to cut out after it starts.

I called today to get this sorted (as well as my loose indicator). I never mentioned anything that I knew from this forum but explained about the jumpy movements in first gear and that the computer had been re-programmed. The service guy - said bring it in and well have a look at it. Then I told him that it was beginning to cut out after I started the engine. He imediately said is this when it is cold (with a tone of "I think I know the issue) and I said yes.

So hopefully this time it will be sorted.

I'll keep you posted on the results.

PS Apart from the issue - since switching to Parks I have been very satisfied with their service. Professional and curteous. Oh and they also imediately acknoledged the indicator bulb fitting issue (which I had already knew about from here) which will be getting fixed.



Thanks gents.

[walibe]

scoobies. Your symptons are are idenical to the Dephaser Pulley failure on my car. First loss of power, jerk 1st gear, difficult to get going. Then the engine dies when starting it. Uneven idles and finally a noise like a bag full of spanners will kick in, probably shortly after your warranty runs out. Make sure they replace the Dephaser Pulley mate.

[scoobies]

oops - deleted duplicate mail

[scoobies]

Arghhhh

OK folks - I have had my car booked in today. The result has been "There is no problem evident". They explained it was taken out for a test drive and everything seemed OK and there was no mis-fires (I never actually said it misfired). They checked the sensors and attached the clip and nothing had been registered. I asked if a dephaser pulley problem would show up on the computer and I was told the "camshaft dephaser puller problem would show on the computer" - is this correct?

They also said there would be a noise when starting. I was told unless there is a noise when starting or the issue shows up in the diagnostics nothing can be done under warranty. They did say to leave it overnight - unfortunately I can't - but that does not make much difference. In fact the cutting out just after starting has not happened for a week or so.

My main grips is the way it pulling away. I have said I will come in the next time and go for a test drive with the enginner to show him the issue - I can only assume they are looking for a major issue - but it is a smaller issue - that happens nearly all the time and affects your ability to drive the car smoothly.


This is 3rd time I have been now (twice to Parks) and I am beginning to think I am imagining the issue - but every time I get a hire car (which is every week) I realise how crap my car is when pulling away. (This is compared to a focus, 307, astra, punto, brava, mondeo, vectra)

Is there anything else I can do?

I am thinking about selling it now.

Cheers Scoobies

[m.bedforth]

I experienced similar problems with my 05 1.6vvT and was told initially by the dealers that there was no problem. It wasn't until they had it in overnight and then did a cold start that they said the dephaser pulley was faulty. This was replaced under warranty and the car has been fine since apart from one or two other minor things going wrong. If it wasn't for this forum I wouldn't have known firstly what a dephaser pulley was and secondly what to do about getting remedial work done. I suggest you take similar action.