Car starting problem

Mimikyu

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Tallon

Go back to the mechanic! It's obviously not fine

If it's something since he looked at it, he should be having a look for you

Mimikyu

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Mimikyu

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Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime

could it be the throttle body ?

I remember the old vectra doing this. never found out why

ben36

I had the same problems you describe on my ford focus and it was the throttle body.

HellFireClub

Your mechanic needs to check the basics for this kind of problem:

(1) Throttle body

(2) Spark plug condition

(3) Check for diagnostic fault code and for basic sensor values being returned.

As the problem seems to go away when the engine heats up, it's cold starting/running problem, not the hardest thing to diagnose, if your mechanic won't look at the car and carry out basic checks then you need to change your mechanic obviously.

Mimikyu

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HellFireClub

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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I don't see anything there in the list of work that was done, that would cause the fault you are complaining about. I remember working on a car once that wouldn't idle properly and the problem was that a manifold vacuum hose had a crack in it and was drawing in air, the only way to keep the engine running was to use the accelerator, until the crack in the hose was sorted out. But this happened regardless of whether the engine was hot or cold. In theory, you could have a perished manifold hose on its way out and if it was a bit disturbed as part of a battery replacement, maybe it could cause the same problem but it's fairly unlikely.

On a problem like this, you kind of have to go back to first principles and use solid diagnostic techniques, starting with the most obvious.

I'd personally start with checking for engine fault codes, recording any that may exist, clear them down, and run the car again and see if any of them occur again. You could have a temperature sensor (ambient air sensor or engine coolant temperature sensor), sending an incorrect value back to the ECU and this could cause a completely incorrect fuel quantity to be send into the combustion chamber. On the Renault engines, you have an idle control valve that can cause this particular problem you're having.

Any mechanic should also carry out basic checks such as throttle body, spark plug condition, REGARDLESS of when this was last done, or assumed to have been done.

congo_90

I would agree with most. Dont rule out perhaps the spark plugs were fitted badly causing compression loss?

when the car starts does it rev erratically in trsffic? Normal idle is 750 to around 850 when cold.

I would have a
2nd opinion and get a quote in writing to state fault then show to your mechanic. I would advise you to also change mechanic as this one seems like hes not much use.

Why was the battery changed?

Edit
Just re-read your post. A crack in the sump?