Megane 225 Died on Motorway

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turbo_ste
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Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby turbo_ste » Thu Dec 01, 2011 4:28 pm

The mrs was driving our Megane 225 this afternoon, as she was travelling along on the motorway the car simply died, she got a 'check injection' light as well as the 'stop' and 'service' lights, she was doing about 75 on the motorway.

She pulled it onto the hard shoulder and tried to start it, it would turn over but not fire up, just shows the usual 'press brake and start' message. AA guy came out and told her the cambelt had gone but he said the top of the enigne would turn but the bottom wouldnt?

I'm not sure how much he tried as he didnt even plug in his diagnostic and he seemed like a bit of a tool, it is now on its way home on the back of a truck. After quizzing her, there wer no noticeable noises or bangs, it just stopped, there is nothing leaking from it and it is now not showing any message other than the usual start up screen.

Going to have a close look tonight but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas???

Thanks in advance :?

tomalamix
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby tomalamix » Thu Dec 01, 2011 9:58 pm

it really looks like a belt broken... :?

Rapidshed
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby Rapidshed » Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:43 pm

bleeding women!

if it snapped at 75 it would have been a bloody loud noise of valves actually smashing into pistons and breaking, or bending etc, why did aa man not take off the belt cover?

and if he'd suspected the belt why turn the car over and over thats just more damage,

if its the belt mate you may be super lucky and have no internal damage but at that speed i doubt it,

good luck fella

Rapidshed
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby Rapidshed » Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:45 pm

my guess if no noises is lack of fuel so maybe pump or fuel lines/filter.

turbo_ste
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby turbo_ste » Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:56 pm

Hi guys, thanks for the replies, first thing I asked was if there was any noises or bangs apparently nothing, it just stopped. Had a look tonight and belt has snapped but on appearance (in the dark) it doesn't look anything out of the ordinary, there's no visible damage, no oil leaking or any fluids for that matter and it made no sounds when it went, just stopped running

Need to have a ring around tomorrow and get some quotes for a belt change, don't suppose I'll know if there's any damage til it comes apart, if anyone knows of a decent specialist around Lancaster area I'd be grateful

I've only had the bloody thing two days, talk about bad luck - also to add insult to injury the not too clued up guy driving the recovery truck scuffed (badly) my newly refurbed gunmetal wheel, bad day all round!

tomalamix
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby tomalamix » Fri Dec 02, 2011 10:25 am

Fortunately for you you didn't ear a loud noise, its, despite the bad luck, things ran like it should, the valves had bended and that doesnt make a big noise, its supposed to be that way in order not to damage anything further more. The engine cuts out.

The AA guy didnt get it out because its not a job to do on the side of the road, you can see for your self when you checked that the belt were snapped.

The work now is to take the engine head out and check any further damage and swap everything that is damaged...

Rapidshed
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby Rapidshed » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:05 am

when the valves bend and hit the head i can tell you mate it makes a bloody racket, on more than one occassion whilst racing mine have doen that on multiple cars, and all depends on the luck factor as some i've had bend slightly some have shattered into bits causing more damage and noise.

yes bud its head off, dont just pay to replace belt and hope as its not a good idea, even some small dneting/damage to head will only hausnt yu later.

turbo_ste
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby turbo_ste » Fri Dec 02, 2011 3:36 pm

Right, spoke to Renault (DSG Morecambe) - they have said that some of the 225's have an auto-cut facility if the belt goes which immediately stops the engine, he also said if the valves had gone it would have made a noise you would definitely notice! He said it sounds like mine auto-cut right away as there was no sound - he assured me that this is a good thing.

The mechanic there told me he has had a few 225's in which he has been able to just put a belt kit on and they have been fine, but they would need to get it in, remove cam covers and check it all turns over properly etc, price for cambelt fitting, resetting all codes and filling levels back up etc - £647 all in (will take them 2 days to do) plus I have to get it taken to them.

What do you guys think?

Rapidshed
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby Rapidshed » Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:33 pm

think there's no way to tell mate whitout looking, its one of those crap situations, where you already have a wedge to shell out but it'll cost you double to get it done 100% right, on the other hand you may pay this then have another issue which invlolves head removal in a week/,onth/year etc.

how many mikles had the car done out of interest

and if the engine shut down at 75 surley it was actually still turning until it came to a stop, the car did noit just stop dead from 75, in which case the engine was turning and with such low tolerances the valves may have hit the cown on the pistons, and bends to the valves means they wont sit right when closed and you'll have air or fuel seeping in and it'll not run right.

or any bits of metal will work themselves into making more damage.

tough one bud i'd pay the 600 then get shot, or take it to any back street garage and pay half that then get shot.

c12mgf
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby c12mgf » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:11 pm

Happend to me with my vectra gsi few years back, again doing around 50 and belt snapped, auto engine cut on these aswell but 12 valves bent. The auto cut feature is the to limit the damage done not to stop it altogether, there is no way an engine can stop dead at any speed really, unless yot aibgt moving,

tomalamix
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby tomalamix » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:34 pm

autocut feature?? there isnt so such thing on renault, not even on other brands.

the last ive seen, and its not an autocut feature, is more a mechanical parts saver, was fitted on Fiat Uno Fire engines (The same engine that Fiat fitted EFI), and there the feature isnt an autocut system, it just leaves enought space to do not let the valves bend in case of a broken belt scenario, and the engine doesnt work also because the valves arent working

there isnt an autocut feature, unless you call the valves bending and the consequent engine cut-off a cut feature...

The noise and wreckage stops in a few seconds, 2 or 3sec because the engine cuts out, there is no way to destroy further more after it stops, unless you keep trying firing up the engine,in that case you will be hammering the valves or bits that can be inside.

bottom line, you have to take the head out and make an damage assessment.

good luck

turbo_ste
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Currently Drives:: RenaultSport Megane 225

Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby turbo_ste » Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:37 pm

Hey guys, thanks for the replies, I'm just passing on what Renault told me, it's booked to go in on Monday, 2 day job apparently, I guess they will assess everything while it's apart

With regard to the noise when it happened, there was so little noise that the passengers didn't realise anything had happened until they were on the hard shoulder, I'll obviously find out more on Monday but Im half prepared for a giant bill

Merry frickin Christmas!

c12mgf
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby c12mgf » Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:09 am

just spoke with my mechanic brother in law, who advised me that some cars can avoid damage to valves if the belt snaps. there is such a thing but is NOT a feature as i put it, its the design of the engine itself, not sure if the megane has this type of engine though.

he told me that some cars are fitted with a non-interference or free-running engine (Thus if the timing belt snaps, there would be no damage to the valves)

sorry tomalamix for not being exact but there is something that can stop the engine being wrecked.

if anyone can tell you that the megane has one of these then there may be a good chance you might be ok.

hope this helps

turbo_ste
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Currently Drives:: RenaultSport Megane 225

Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby turbo_ste » Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:59 am

That's what he mentioned, an interference engine, couldn't remember the word!

They are starting it Monday anyway so I'll keep everyone posted when I know more

tomalamix
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Re: Megane 225 Died on Motorway

Postby tomalamix » Sat Dec 03, 2011 5:28 pm

c12mgf wrote:just spoke with my mechanic brother in law, who advised me that some cars can avoid damage to valves if the belt snaps. there is such a thing but is NOT a feature as i put it, its the design of the engine itself, not sure if the megane has this type of engine though.

he told me that some cars are fitted with a non-interference or free-running engine (Thus if the timing belt snaps, there would be no damage to the valves)

sorry tomalamix for not being exact but there is something that can stop the engine being wrecked.

if anyone can tell you that the megane has one of these then there may be a good chance you might be ok.

hope this helps


yes, thats what ive said, check my previous post...

cheers


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