Clio 2002 Starting Problem

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Sat 9 Dec 2006 22:02
Clio 2002 Starting Problem - joanne2704
Hi

Can anyone help????

I have a Clio and it has a starting problem. When I start the engine from fine it starts first time. If I go on a short journey it sometimes has a problem starting. The car attempts to start but doesn't fire up, it can then take upto 20 minutes for it to start, then it seems to run fine till it happens again. This seems to be an intermitant fault. The car has had a Battery check and also checks on the Starter Motor, it also had a full service last week so the spark plugs etc are all fine.

Can anyone help or advise me we what to do?

Renault want to charge £85.00 plus VAT for a diagnostic, but I am hoping someone on this site has had or knows about this problem and can tell me what it is.

Here's hoping and thanks for reading
JO
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Sat 9 Dec 2006 22:30
Clio 2002 Starting Problem - Bill Payer
Try a forum search (over on the right) for the words: Clio starting .
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Sat 9 Dec 2006 22:31
Clio 2002 Starting Problem - Screwloose
Jo

A few more details of the engine type and size would help. Only a guess; but this seems very like a crankshaft sensor issue. Part-swapping to trace a fault is usually very cost-inefficient; but as they're only around £20 from Reno [on most engine sizes] maybe this could be an exception.
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Sat 9 Dec 2006 22:40
Clio 2002 Starting Problem - joanne2704
Hi

Thank you for the reply. It is a 16V 1.2 Clio. Hope this can help.

Jo
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Sat 9 Dec 2006 23:00
Clio 2002 Starting Problem - Screwloose
Jo

Thanks for the extra details. If the engine cranks over, but doesn't fire-up, then I'd still be strongly expecting this to be the crank sensor; but the 1.2 16valve has two other little specialities that might be worth considering.

The first is the loose, steel, crash box that surrounds the wiring plug on the ECU [down the back of the engine] - this commonly frets the wiring and can cause odd effects.

The other is the rubber-encased engine wiring loom itself; these are a very common failure [the dealers fit hundreds] and, if the crank sensor doesn't fix it, wiggling the loom with the engine idling, to see if it falters, might be another idea.
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Sat 9 Dec 2006 23:40
Clio 2002 Starting Problem - PhilW
Jo,
Have a look at this thread -
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=24036&...f

--
Phil
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Sun 10 Dec 2006 11:35
Clio 2002 Starting Problem - joanne2704
Thanks to everyone for all their help so far, I will let you know the outcome.
Jo
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Wed 20 Dec 2006 18:30
Clio 2002 Starting Problem - joanne2704
Hello

Just to update..... I found a Garage in Leeds who did a Diagnostic Test on the car for half the price Renault were charging. It was cheaper doing it this way rather that trying to get somebody to replace all three sensors which it could have been any of them. It turned out the problem was a TDC Sensor and the Wiring Loom which needed replacing so I got it done and the car is fine.

Thanks to everyone who replied.

JO
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Wed 20 Dec 2006 21:56
Clio 2002 Starting Problem - Screwloose
Jo

Thanks for coming back with the outcome; it's always nice to know.

It was a pretty safe bet to go for the crank sensor ["TDC sensor" in Renospeak] as they're very common failures and fit the symptoms to a tee; but doing it the way you did was even better. The sensor's modified loom is intended to overcome plug corrosion issues.
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