Good check for broken coil

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Bumpy macaroon
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Currently Drives:: a megane.................doh
Location: East Anglia.

Good check for broken coil

Postby Bumpy macaroon » Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:07 pm

Saw an AA man do this a while ago, last weeks the OH's meg started to run lumpy guessed it was misfiring then the toxic fumes light came on. took a gamble and bought a new coil (they now have a brown cap) and copied what the AA bloke did.

1 remove the metal casting bolted to the front face of the engine at front behind the radiator, its held on with two 13mm nuts in recesses, so you need a 13mm socket with a short extender bar. (when removing the casting tip upwards otherwise the nuts will drop below the engine requiring removal of the undersheild)

2 locate the fuel rail, black metal tube running lengthways from just above the alternator towards the battery,

3 locate the four wiring plugs for the fuel injectors located just behind the fuel rail pointing diagonally down (roughly 4 o clock position)

OK so heres the test by removing one of the plugs with the engine running listen and look for the engine revs dropping or almost dropping out. if it does reconnect the plug and move on to the next, if when removing the plug you get no change then its good odds that the corrosponding coil is blown, dont stop however reconnect and quickly check the rest just to make sure. then turn off engine and change the coil identified. once changed repeat the test all should now give a change.

tip - the plugs are secured with a metal clip which has to be pulled down wards in line with the plug body, they have a tendency to pull out completely and then drop i found it easier to remove all with a small pair of flat pliers, ensure plugs are pushed in and then start car and do tests, once complete refit the clips by removing plug, locate clip but dont push in, keep slight pressure on the clip relocate plug and the push clip in, it will push in and then move back out by a few mm. warning this can be a little fiddly, take a breath and dont get stressed :banghead dropping the clip will almost certainly require removal of bottom engine shields. you can also hedge your bets and not bother with the clip/plug over ther alternator as for some reason i found it more of a pain.

4 make sure all plugs are relocated and engine is running now switch off

5 refit the casting there are two cables one slots into recess at each end of casting midway down, the other runs along the top held in locating lugs, also ensure no wires are trapped.

6 take car for a run, at this point i patted myself on the back and won smartie points from the OH.

I spoke to my brother in law who as luck has it owns his own garage, he agrees with the method it is safer cutting the fuel as opposed to removing the coil from the spark plug whilst running as the change in load can blow a serviceable coil. its also not only the megs his work citroen a V6 is doing the same 5 down one to go apparently

Hope this makes sense, would of liked to have taken photos but was in a rush to go on holiday,
Bumpy and full of coconuts.
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andywills
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Currently Drives:: 04 Megane 1.6e 16V VVT

Re: Good check for broken coil

Postby andywills » Wed Aug 20, 2008 12:41 pm

or you could just swap one coil at a time untill you find the faulty one
Renault Megané Dynamique 1.6e 16v VVT 2004

markren2004
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Location: Leeds

Re: Good check for broken coil

Postby markren2004 » Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:37 am

they work in pairs, so always change at least 2 at a time (outside 2, and inside 2).
There is another much simpler way to identify the one with the issue.
The problem one will generally have a wet spark plug when you take it out.

you can also check for a spark....but to do this you have to remove the spark plug and refit it to the coil outside of the engine and then start it up, for this method you need to be careful and know what your doing. The one thats not working won't spark the same.

andywills
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Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 10:17 am
Currently Drives:: 04 Megane 1.6e 16V VVT

Re: Good check for broken coil

Postby andywills » Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:19 am

but that does not necessarily mean two coils have gone...anyways, i've got a diagnostic for that sort of thing
Renault Megané Dynamique 1.6e 16v VVT 2004

markren2004
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Location: Leeds

Re: Good check for broken coil

Postby markren2004 » Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:38 pm

andywills wrote:but that does not necessarily mean two coils have gone...anyways, i've got a diagnostic for that sort of thing

I agree...but i'd rather have each coil pair to have exactly the same manufacturer/revision/date stamp...but thats me.

markren2004
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Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 4:49 pm
Location: Leeds

Re: Good check for broken coil

Postby markren2004 » Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:42 pm

markren2004 wrote:
andywills wrote:but that does not necessarily mean two coils have gone...anyways, i've got a diagnostic for that sort of thing

I agree...but i'd rather have each coil pair to have exactly the same manufacturer/revision/date stamp...but thats me.
and if one of the pair has gone the other probably won't be far behind,for the sake of £20 prevention is better than cure :-)


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