Clio over-revving after a jump start

ergo

Ok, I need some advice here.

Basically my '98 Clio (which I've had for a year now) was dead as anything this evening when I went to start it. I'm 95% certain I had left the head lights on about 2 hours previously and this was the cause of it.

Myself and a couple of lads tried to push-start it twice but nothing. Then we started it first time with jump leads but straight away the engine sounded like it was being revved up ridiculously.

I drove it on anyway cos I had to get home but every time I stopped at lights and had to release the clutch it revved up to a very high sound (I've no rev counter to quantify), everything sounds OK ish when actually driving but, for example, I can be going nicely in 2nd gear at a good enough pace without my foot on the accelerator at all (and I've pulled the accelerator pedal out, it doesn't make a difference, ie it doesn't seem to be stuck down).

So, what have I done? can I fix it? i have no knowledge of cars except the old getting from A to B. And how far should I drive this to a mechanic ? ie if I got out on the open road and wasn't at all stopping owuld it be OK to drive it back to Wicklow?

any thoughts I would greatly appreciate... ie. is the clutch gone?

PS: some of the lads might have been messing with stuff under the bonnet when we were trying to attach the jump leads, is it possible something was knocked out of place to make this over-revving be happening?

FuzzyWuzzyWazza

I had the same over-reving with my last Renault, was dirt in/on the throttle valve or body causing it to stick. Used to be very noisy at lights ect. but wouldn't actually cause much harm as long as there where no other problems with the engine or more importantly cooling system.

If I where you I would just be happy it is still going, as with any Renault you will never know when its going to stop.

ergo

thanks but this over-revving is ridiculously loud and surely must be doing some harm to the engine...?

and to be able to go along at about 30mph in 2nd gear without the foot on the accelerator at all? would dirt on the throttle valve cause that..? thanks for replying

mloc123

Dis-connect the battery, leave it for over an hour and re connect it. That will reset the ecu and should solve it. I presume its the 1.2 8v DIET engine, seems to be a common problem for some reason, when the battery runs flat and needs a jump start it happens or has done a few times on an old clio I had.

peepsbates

same prob on a fiat cinquawhatsitsname, a rubber washer had become loose
at the end of the throttle cable and wasnt allowing it to close properly,
simple as gluing it back into place

ergo

mloc123 wrote:

Dis-connect the battery, leave it for over an hour and re connect it. That will reset the ecu and should solve it. I presume its the 1.2 8v DIET engine, seems to be a common problem for some reason, when the battery runs flat and needs a jump start it happens or has done a few times on an old clio I had.

thanks a million mloc for this advice. this is exactly what I did and straight away, it was back to it's "normal" self. It's been running OK since, I really appreciate this. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions, I might need some of the other pices of advice if problem recurs, for the moment am back on the road

mloc123

No problem, it only happens after a jump start so you should be fine in the future.