Re: mk2 Clio DCI. Lumpy idle
Johnboyw, thanks for the reply.
Okay, apologies in advance for the lengthy post!
2002 1.5DCI with 89k miles.
I bought it around Sept/Oct last year. One of the first things I did was to clean the EGR valve, only for the bloody thing to snap in half! No lumpy idle at this point. Managed to get the rest out along with the shinny silver u-shape pipe thingy. Gave it a good clean and all looked well. Ran fine for a few weeks until the cold weather set in. Since around December the weather here as been freezing every night/morning. Around minus 3 degrees. Around this time, I noticed that when starting engine in morning it was very lumpy. Almost like it was firing on 3 cylinders. If I kept my foot on the pedal, nothing really happened until around 10-15 seconds, then the revs picked up and tons of black/blue smoke would billow out. As soon as I'd drive 20metres down the road the problem would go. Warm starts after that were fine, but if left for any significant time then the rough idle would return.
I changed the glow plugs and gave the EGR valve another clean, but the problem persisted. I felt the colder it was (weather wise) then the rougher the idle.
Changed the fuel filter and still same issues.
Went out and bought a new fleabay EGR valve. Popped it in and still same problem. By this time It would be around January and every morning for the past 5-6 weeks it had been minus 2 or 3 degrees. Every cold morning start was the same. Lumpy idle around 500rpm and no response to the throttle pedal until around 20 seconds, when it kicked into life, with plooms of smoke.
Yesterday I connected to Clip with the following faults
DF084 EGR Valve position sensor circuit
DF061 Pre plugs circuit
DF131 Combustion cylinder No.2
Cleared the DF0161 and DF131 problem but the EGR valve problem returned straight away.
All that said, I went out this morning and fired her up. The weather was a bit warmer today around 1-2 degrees and immediately it started up with less lumpiness. The throttle responded straight away and after a couple of revs, the engine ran smooth. Even after work, when It had been sitting for 8 hours, it started easy.
Since my problem, I've done a lot of research on it and frustratingly the forums posts aren't updated with the fix solution or point to cleaning/replacing EGR valve, which I've already done.
My only other problem with the car, is the water pump is on it's way out, I think. The coolant reservoir needs topping up regularly as it's disappearing, with no obvious hose leaks. No signs of oil in reservoir or the mayo crap inside oil cap, so I've ruled out head gasket. Could the water leak be my problem for lumpy starts? I've considered it a few times, but keep dismissing it, as I thought the rough idle would not disappear at all if that was the case? But then again I read in other posts about the water coolant sensor. My temperature gauge appears to be working fine.
I'm getting close to the stage of selling it for spares and repairs, as I don't want to continue to throw money at it, in the hope it might work. But then once it's up and running I get around 60 mpg and my 40 mile round trip home is cheaper than a petrol car, so I think to myself any repairs would be cost effective.
If anybody has had similar problems and have fixed it, then please let me know. I'm convinced its something to do with the cold weather though?
Thanks to everybody who have managed to not switch off and read all of my post!
