Losing power - HELP! - Megane II CC - F4R

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vladwest
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:40 pm
Currently Drives:: 04 Megane Coupe-Cabriolet 2.0 16V

Losing power - HELP! - Megane II CC - F4R

Postby vladwest » Mon Mar 26, 2018 4:36 pm

I'm going crazy because i can't figure out what exacty the problem is. F4R 2.0 16V 99KW


When I bought the car I hadnt checked for coolant at all, drove it probably on a empty reservoir for 6 months :shock: - NO sign of anything, no overheating! Only previous week did I fill up the canister. The next day I was out at night at a snowy road, left the car idling while the heater was blowing, suddenly felt horrible smell, thought it was pollen filter and didn't check the boot. There was little bit of steam under the front and out the exhaust. Next day I'm driving, car feels sluggish and still smells when blower is on. Popped the hood and everything was wet in coolant - nothing left in the tank. The air-extraction point cap had popped and sprayed all over. Closed it and AFTER that I refilled with 1L concentrate,on the way back home car was OK again. The same evening put in a liter of water. Next day again - no power, went and topped up with more coolant, still no power. Removed NOW closed air cap, let the coolant spill out and closed again. Perfect, NO air lock, power is available once again, 2 days straight no smell no nothing. This morning it smells once again, once again has no power, once again coolant has spilled as if from nowhere - but not the whole can :banghead :banghead . NO other leaks except the aforementioned cap. I'm a newbie!! Any thoughts??

grandadbobby
Advanced Driver
Posts: 499
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:05 pm
Currently Drives:: megan dynamique estate 1.9dci

Re: Losing power - HELP! - Megane II CC - F4R

Postby grandadbobby » Mon Mar 26, 2018 11:24 pm

Hi,
it sounds like the head gasket is leaking and pressurising the water system.
Look for tell tale signs of water in oil and oil or sludge in the water. You don't mention over heating so presume the water pump is working but any extra pressure will prevent the water from circulating properly.
If you are not a diy person, you need a garage to check for fault codes and diagnose this problem as it could worsen quickly and overheat the engine.
Good luck
Bob.

vladwest
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:40 pm
Currently Drives:: 04 Megane Coupe-Cabriolet 2.0 16V

Re: Losing power - HELP! - Megane II CC - F4R

Postby vladwest » Tue Mar 27, 2018 9:45 am

grandadbobby wrote:Hi,
it sounds like the head gasket is leaking and pressurising the water system.
Look for tell tale signs of water in oil and oil or sludge in the water. You don't mention over heating so presume the water pump is working but any extra pressure will prevent the water from circulating properly.
If you are not a diy person, you need a garage to check for fault codes and diagnose this problem as it could worsen quickly and overheat the engine.
Good luck
Bob.


Hello. I am constantly checking the oil and water, none of them seem to have mixed with each other, so I believe it can't be the head gasket, and I hope so. Also I have hooked up to diagnose the car several times, only thing I get as a fault code are the airbags which is normal because my clockspring went out and I'm still looking for a replacement. I have thoroughly searched for another leak - no sign really. And also overheating was never a problem, I've never had the dash needle climb up at red zones, always normal. By the way, previous day the car hesitated on start, after having driven lightly for an hour. Tried to start it a second time but it needed gas. One more thing - when the engine is running and I remove the dipstick, it starts whining loudly - the noise goes away when I put it back in?

grandadbobby
Advanced Driver
Posts: 499
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:05 pm
Currently Drives:: megan dynamique estate 1.9dci

Re: Losing power - HELP! - Megane II CC - F4R

Postby grandadbobby » Tue Mar 27, 2018 1:35 pm

Hi,
it's possible that the head gasket can allow compression, however small, into a cylinder without mixing oil and water.
That would explain the water, the power loss, bad start and no fault code.
Take out the plugs and see if they are all the same colour, it might give something away.
As for the whining when the dipstick is removed, never heard of that, but suggests maybe something to do with the breather system.
Does it do it when the oil filler cap is removed and does smoke come out of there ?
Bob.

vladwest
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:40 pm
Currently Drives:: 04 Megane Coupe-Cabriolet 2.0 16V

Re: Losing power - HELP! - Megane II CC - F4R

Postby vladwest » Wed Mar 28, 2018 6:11 pm

I'll let it idle with the oil cap off and update you. By the way the loss of acceleration comes and goes unexpectedly. Today the car ran okay on the first start, then after I had it parked on lot for a few hours, upon start it hesitated again and couldnt accelerate properly. I'm almost positive its the spark plugs as all the symptoms are present - works louder like a diesel, had a few misfires, couldnt start one or two times and also my city mpg is way way worse. Plugs have probably never been replaced, many things on this car were left broken and unfixed by the previous owner and now I'm the one paying for it. Should I replace the whole pack with the wires and coils or just the plugs? And if i do only the plugs, if the problem is in the coils or wiring could it damage the brand new plugs right off?

grandadbobby
Advanced Driver
Posts: 499
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:05 pm
Currently Drives:: megan dynamique estate 1.9dci

Re: Losing power - HELP! - Megane II CC - F4R

Postby grandadbobby » Wed Mar 28, 2018 7:52 pm

Hi,
anything wrong with the coils and leads would have shown a fault code, anything electrical or sensor related will show a code so the coils should be good. I suggest you look at the colour of the plugs as you may find one or even two different.
New plugs can only improve it but won't explain the water problem.
If the thermostat were sticking it would overheat.
I do wish you well with this but I have to say that when it's standing, there could be slight water entering a cylinder to cause a misfire.
Good luck
Bob.
ps if there's no 'blow by' out the oil filler on idle and it doesn't use oil, the engine should be worth doing the head gasket if it's required.

vladwest
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2018 3:40 pm
Currently Drives:: 04 Megane Coupe-Cabriolet 2.0 16V

Re: Losing power - HELP! - Megane II CC - F4R

Postby vladwest » Wed Mar 28, 2018 8:08 pm

Thank you for all the info and again I hope it's just the plugs. I will consider checking for fault codes once again just in case - in which section are the ignition settings located? I might have missed something. I believe i'm using OBD II, if that matters

grandadbobby
Advanced Driver
Posts: 499
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:05 pm
Currently Drives:: megan dynamique estate 1.9dci

Re: Losing power - HELP! - Megane II CC - F4R

Postby grandadbobby » Wed Mar 28, 2018 11:34 pm

Just check the engine but it might check all systems anyway.
Bob.


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