Clio Mk 3 - 1.2 16v loss of power (2006)

[Skull]

No warning lights but ...the engine temperature bars fluctuate frequently between 2 bars and 4 bars.

When cold occasionally loses power like a limp mode?

Garage run diagnostics and gave codes for pre and aft cat Lamba sensors and temp sensor.

I've changed both of the Lamba sensors but it ran even rougher / cut out eventually, but when I went and took it back to garage for advice it ran OK (warmer ?)

I've cleaned the throttle body with brake cleaner as advised by the garage and I'm now thinking the temperature sender unit may be the faulty sensor and miss-fueling when the coolant is cold. I partially (photo) disconnected the sender cable and drives OK (no dash temperature reading and the radiator fan runs constant and turns off approx 3-4 minutes after ignition is turned off). So it seems to be running as if the ECU thinks the engine is warm ...this is obviously only a temporary measure as the radiator fan would probably fail prematurely and would expect fuel consumption to increase.

There seems to be a variety of sensors available for this model ...where is the best place to source the correct part and does anyone have a similar experience / remedy

In hindsight I think INITIALLY the temperature sensor should have been disconnected to see if that remedied the power loss rather than change BOTH the Lamba sensors.

[Skull]

8200469166 Seems to be the part no. although they are tiny numbers and my eyes are old I guess I will have to part/price check at the dealers ....

Nb It's very quiet in the Renault forum on here

[Skull]

Dealer (SEAT) quoted 8200699074 £31.74 inc VAT

There seems to be a large variety for this particular part dependent on model so going to shop around ....

[lexi]

World Car Parts do a lot of sensors for all sorts of cars. Very few Renault owners on here.

[Skull]

Cheers Lexi checked them but no joy

Ordered it from SEAT in the end as above ..... hopefully that will sort it for my daughter

Might have to get her to join proper Renault forum...http://www.renaultforums.co.uk/

[demag]

I had a similar problem on my 1.4 16v Megane Scenic. When cold it seemed to bog down and misfire. Bought a temperature sender from Eurocarparts and it cured it. Apparently the sender sends data to the ecu to regulate the mixture but was receiving wrong info hence the poor running. I think it was 8 quid from them. Gsf didn't stock them although there were plenty on ebay.

[Skull]

demag

Cheers, there is a vast array of temperature senders for the Clio ...spent ages looking for a cheap version but ended up going for the safe route with the same part no. (the dearest sensor ) as I figured it's worth it. Just a shame as there are second hand engines for £120 with a sensor already fitted

[Skull]

New coolant temperature sensor fitted .....

No better I'm afraid so it's back to the garage for further investigation ....

[Skull]

Garage have agreed to have another look (hinting at the wiring) but daughter is skint at the moment ...

[Skull]

Hasn't been back to the garage yet as my daughter's funds are limited but whenever she has used the car she reports that the power loss only happens occasionally (sometimes never on a short trip across town) and only for a second or 2.

Have I fixed it

Only time will tell ....but is it possible that the car has now tuned in to or self calibrated to the new sensors (Cat pre and aft, temperature sender)

or perhaps it's the warmer weather

[Skull]

Garage has had another look at this problem - called in to collect and they seemed confident they'd found the problem - Throttle Body, they had fitted a NEW one and it drove OK but needed programming (£40 in total £205) so had to leave the car there until the next day. Drove OK on the way home (less than 2 miles as MoT has expired). Went for MoT today and it's still driving the same losing power / eratic idling / hunting, so I went back to the garage in another car (emissions OK but MoT failed on a broken front suspension spring ).

I told them that it was still running the same when cold, the Mechanic/owner was on a day off so I asked if they still had the old part? They said they were looking for it the other day but couldn't find it I had meant to ask for the old part but forgot in all the excitement ....

Explained the symptoms again and what had been eliminated and they started on the Supermarket fuel as a possible problem ...we're all guessing now Anyway asked them to call me Monday with a response ...

[myglaren]

What's the betting that the 'old part' is still where it always was?

[Skull]

No I'm pretty sure it's NEW or at least shiney

[Skull]

I've been and spoke to the garage again and they seem happy enough to have another look ...I will have to get the front suspension spring and MoT re-test sorted first though ...

[Skull]

Front suspension spring replaced Including a drop link that had siezed nyloc fixings

MoT passed but picked up an advisory for a noisy rear wheel bearing that wasn't there 7 miles ago

Garage carried out further investigation and replaced my cheap e-bay Labmda sensor (open circuit) with a new better quality one. Took the rear one off as a precaution and fitted one of the original ones .....it will have to go down as a lesson for buying cheap e-bay electrical items. A lot of time and money spent by me and mechanic chasing what appears to have been a faulty new (but cheap) part .....maybe the throttle body was OK maybe the temperature sensor was OK I might have spent £250 more on the car than I needed to

Drove OK this morning ...a little fluthy but not a total loss of power like it had after the cheap Lambda sensors were fitted. A lesson learnt ...only time will tell

Daughter now wants to sell and buy a Ford Ka - Dad was only trying to help