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keeps cutting out !

P

Perkins

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Help !

Can anybody give me any suggestions about where to start looking ?

We have a 1986 1.1 GTL, which runs brilliantly - normally. The problem we have is that every so often, but not on every trip, the car suddenly just cuts out completely. If you pull over and wait, it will restart after a minute or two.

It does this when it is cold or hot.

The motor runs without any hickups. I have replaced points, plugs, leads, dizzi cap and rotor arm, coil and fitted Boyer Bransden ignition.

I have tried wiggling all the under bonnet cables to see if I can find a loose connection, but to no avail.

My two thoughts are that it's maybe a bad connection in the ignition switch on the steering column, or something completely different - a sporadic problem with the fuel pump.

Can any one help who may have had similar problems.

As the breakdown only occurs now and then it's not the sort of thing you can take to a garage (very last resort) as I just know it will not perform the problem when I want it to.

All suggestions welcome.

Thanks
 
There have been a couple of problems like this from way back. I recall both ended up being fuel problems, either blocked filters in the line or where the fuel enters the carb or exited the tank, and in one case too much fuel pressure.

Here's that one - I'll pop off and see if I can find some of the others.

Fuel pressure too high
http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=224

Condenser
http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=2428

Possible fuel blockage - no feedback on this
http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=2082
 
Hi Malcolm,

Thanks for the quick reply. Plenty of ideas there, to keep me out of mischief.
I have replaced the fuel filter inbetween the pump and the carb and also checked the gauze inside the pump and cleaned out the carb, but I will do it again to make sure.

Strange thing is, it was playing up like this last summer and then it was OK for a few months and now it is doing it again. That's why I replaced all the ignition bits inbetween and thought I'd cracked it.

I also sprayed the whole lot with damp start as the car is in daily use and the weather is particularly wet at the moment.

When it was playing up last summer and we were trying to start it, a friend of mine said it sounded like it was hunting for fuel, as it would fire, but not run.

I didn't realise there was a filter on the sender unit - how can I clean that easily ?

Thanks,

Perkins
 
Have a look at the fuel filter. I had exactly the same problems when I was in Switzerland. After they had taken the carb off at the garage, put it together wrong, another garage told me that the original garage has made a right mess of the original carb, and it needed a new one. Total cost was close to 1000 euros. And the problem was eventually diagnosed as - blocked fuel filter!!!
 
Did you clean the gauze filter where the pipe goes into the carb? Just unscrew the brass union where the fuel pipe goes in and it's behind that.

The one in the tank is fiddly (tank out), but is rarely a problem in my experience unless a car has been sitting for years and the tank has filled up with bits of rust.
 
This is a problem with my car too, and I haven't got around to getting it sorted out.

My car did stand for approximately 6 years with occasional drives, so it might be the filter in the petrol tank.

I will of course give feedback when I find out.
 
I did change the main fuel filter, but didn't clean the small one in the union with the carb. I didn't know it existed ! I take it we are talking about the Zenith if28 ?

I will have a look when it stops raining - why do cars always go wrong when the weather is b-awful ??

Will keep you posted with results.

Thanks again,

Perkins
 
Perkins said:
I did change the main fuel filter, but didn't clean the small one in the union with the carb. I didn't know it existed ! I take it we are talking about the Zenith if28 ?
Click to expand...

That's the baby. :D
 
my anglia van used to do this
it was a blockage on the fuel pickup pipe in the tank itself
took a while to find as when the suction from the pump dropped off,after being broken down for 20 mins normally! it would then restart and then would be ok for weeks
the inline fuel filter still had a bit of fuel visible in it too which also confused me
 
Do you hear a sucking sound if you open the petrol filler cap? That would suggest the breather pipe for the fuel tank is blocked.
(Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, don't know if this applies to the R4, I just know it has happened with other cars.)
 
Hi, I thought Boyer Bransden produce the ignition systems for motorcycles only. What type you fitted on? Pavel
 
Boyer Bransden do make ignition systems for bikes, but they also make a system for any car fitted with a 12v negative earth electricals and points in the ignition system. If you search through their website, you will find it in there somewhere, but it is well hidden ! It did also make starting much much better and normally the car runs without a hitch - much smoother than before I fitted it, and it is supposed to stop points burning. I have done about 10,000 miles on the last set and there is no evidence of burning at all.

Fortunately, for once the car conked out on the drive this afternoon. I had just cleaned out the filter on the inlet pipe to the carb and then cleaned out the float chamber - actually there were both already clean !

I started the car and it was running perfectly for about 5 mins, then it just stopped and would not start again.

I could see fuel being pumped into the main filter as I turned it over, so I guessed it wasn't a fuel supply problem.

I then undid a plug and held it against the block (lead connected of course) whilst my better half turned the key. Hey presto - no spark. Tomorrow I will buy a condensor and start down that route. Everything else on the ignition side has already been renewed, so I am hoping that is the problem.

Any other ideas are welcome.
 
Aghhhhhhhh....
Just fitted condenser and the car started first tug, only to cut out 3 times on me in about 5 mins.
It's driving me nuts and more importantly my wife, as it is her only mode of transport, so she keeps pinching my car !!!
Any other suggestions as to what could be at fault in the ignition circuit ? I'm chasing that route, as last time it cut out, there was no spark at the plugs, but as I said earlier, all the ignition bits and pieces have been gradually replaced. Does anyone know if it is possible for a problem to occur somewhere under the dash - that's the only place I haven't looked ?

Suggestions gratefully received.
 
Under the dash wiring is only related to the low tension wire (that goes from the ignition switch to the coil (+) terminal). It is unusual to have problems there but next time you will catch it cutting out check if you have 12V at this coil terminal. It has happened to me once with a coil with spade terminals, the female terminal was loose and made intermittent contact.
 
Hi Angel,

Thanks for the info, I couldn't tell from the Haynes wiring diagram if there was a relay in there or not, for my year of car. Anyway, your test proved all was OK on the feed side.

In exasperation, I changed a perfectly good set of points and rewired the low tension side of the dizi. It ran for 20 mins no problem, so fingers crossed it will be OK.

What bothers me is that I couldn't see any obvious problem - maybe a crimped terminal was not properly done somewhere and had gradually deteriorated.

Tomorrow will tell, on the way to work - that is bound to show up the problem if it is still there !

One thing for sure on a R4, it will always be something simple.
 
I thought, yet again, that I had finally fixed the car, only to be let down 3 times in 1 mile. It nearly got the full Basil Fawlty treatment, but broke down where there were no suitable bushes !

In desperation, having tried everything else, I bypassed the Boyer Bransden ignition which I have praised no end - and hey presto, it has run without a hitch ever since.

I called Boyer Bransden, who were very very helpful and who sent me a new unit, to France, in only 3 days and charged me the sum total of £30.00. New unit fitted and is running a treat. Great service and a 5 year guarantee on the new unit.

Is there a moral there, to start with the least likely thing and work backwards ?

Thanks for all the suggestions and help.

Perkins
 
Hi!



The soulotions: Vakuum in then tank!

I have had to R4 with the same problem. On the first R4 I drillet a 1 mm hole in the tankcap. The problem was fixed.

The car I have now i sawed a cut in the top of the tanktube or what you call it.

I have R4 for 15 years.

Tor
 
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