Car rumbling and shaking

[Mr Webb]

Hi all

I put my car away last night and nothing was wrong with it. Started it up this morning and seemed to be rumbling and shaking more than usual. Car seems to rev OK but there is a strange noise on tick over. Something ain't right!!

Car is a MK2 just about to have its cambelt and 24,000 mile service. The orange light on the right of the dash that looks like an engine is permanently on too. Cannot get my hands on my owners manual until next week.

Anyone know what this problem could be?

Thanks.

 

[Mike T]

coilpack

 

[Mr Webb]

Thanks Mike

I have read loads on here about peoples problems with coils so thats what my first thought was.

Is it OK to drive the car like this or should i get it transported? My dealer is about 10 miles away?

Cheers.

 

[Jamesv6]

^^^ What Mike says.

 

[Mr Webb]

Should I drive it the 10 miles to the dealer or get a tow?

cheers.

 

[® Andy]

Get a tow because all the time the coil is down that cylinder isn't firing, and so it's dumping unburnt fuel out the exhaust which could kill your very expensive cats! An even better alternative is to get yourself to the dealer and buy the new coil and take it to the car ... it's a relatively easy job to fit on a Mk2, or if you've got AA/RAC cover they'll probably fit it for you.

 

[Mr Webb]

Thanks Andy.

 

[Mike T]

or get 8 mates to push it for two pints each - still cheaper!

 

[k1ano]

or remove the fuel injector plug from the failing cylinder to limp the car to the garage ... Martin

 

[Mr Webb]

Thanks all. My mechanical skills aren't good I'm afraid so I wouldn't be confident to even find out which one is bu88ered!

If I call recovery out are they not going to just tell me to s0d off?! It may be a bit like saying my car doesn't work because the engine has had it but I have a spare one in the garage so can you put it in for me so I can be on my way!!

Anyone had any success in this tactic?

Cheers.

 

[k1ano]

I would hope the recovey guys would realise that with the engine light on and the engine misfiring that you would be concerned to drive it ... After all I think the manual might suggest you get the car to the dealers by hook or by crook.

Martin

 

[Mr Webb]

Thanks to everyone for their advice.

I bought a coil from Renault yesterday (£53.70) and then called out the recovery. His initial reaction was to tell me he doubted he could do anything but once I told him I had taken the liberty of buying a new part that I thought had failed he was happy to have a look. £5 tip and all done!

I watched him at work and he did as has been described - started the engine and then one by one separated the plastic connectors - if the noise got worse it wasn't that one. Turned out to be the middle one in the back row (no 2???). The new replacement was a different make (something beginning with V .. (Velco??) As I bought the car straight from Renault UK I would have thought they would have changed the coils to the better make already but they hadn't!

For anyone reading this that hasn't any mechanical expertise it really is a very straight forward job and only takes minutes. All you need is an 8mm socket and extension, a torch, a small screw driver (to separate connector) and the coil. Undo the connector then the nut, remove the coil, push the new coil until the hole is against the metal, tighten and reconnect.

I will buy a spare and keep those bits in the back now as a few others have done.

Does anyone know if now that one has gone does that mean others will follow or is it completely random?

Does anyone know how to reset the orange engine warning light?

Thanks.

 

[® Andy]

Does anyone know if now that one has gone does that mean others will follow or is it completely random?

Does anyone know how to reset the orange engine warning light?

The consensus tends to be that after your first coil has failed then others will probably follow simply because the first failure signaled them getting to "that age" i.e. whatever mixture of damp or heat or whatever it is that makes the coils so damn unreliable.

The warning light should reset itself after a while of running properly.

 

[Mike T]

valeo

 

[Jamesv6]

http://www.v6clio.net/forum/viewpost.php?p=40658&f=26

 

[JRP]

does the engine warning light come on when ever a coil fails then ?

 

[Mr Webb]

does the engine warning light come on when ever a coil fails then ?

It did with mine about 5 minutes after I started the car. If a coil has gone you will know as soon as you start the car. It is quite noticeable on tick over that the car rumbles a lot more than usual and just won't feel right.

 

[JRP]

Well i bougt one to keep as a spare today, i hope it is really noticable :approve: