MAJOR PROBLEM HELP NEEDED

Level 8 User Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 328

Hi All

I need some advice URGENT

the car engine nearly blew up today.

Came off a roundabout and accelrated away upto 30, went to ut the car in to 3 rd gear and the revs hit the roof. So i pulled over reve where topping out at max, the smoke coming out of the engine was thick grey. So I quickly turned the engine off, NOTHING! Revs where still at max, engnine was still running , thick smoke out of the engine. So i jumped out of the car and popped the bonnet, ENGINE WAS STILL ON water was pressuring out of the header tank. THE ONLY WAY i killed the engine was to disconnect the battery!!

Car was still pressurisng water out of the header. After 5 mins i took the header tank cap off and depressurised the system. I thought one of the three:

Head Gasket
Cracked radiator
Burnt out clutch as there was a burnt rubber smell

However someone came out and offered their help. No crack in the radiator, head looked A1. So we topped the water up and watched for a leak... NONE!. So i fired the engine up again and other than a bit of thick smoke at first the car was ok????

Its been running fine every since. I had the rad temp switch replaced yesterday but i cant see how this would cause all the above???

Can anyone work it out as i have to go to Leeds on sunday??

HELP

Col

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

You could have put it in 5th and stalled it. Very strange problem indeed, possibly an injection pump problem?

Site Subscriber Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 1139

nice thought there Hawk! stalling the engine.

Level 8 User Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 328

HUW

I dont think it would have worked!!

If the keys were in my hand and the engine was still going at full revs!!!!!!!

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

yeah sure it would

Level 8 User Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 328

that doesnt solve the problem though does it!!!!!

WHAT THE HELL happened???

col

Gay Rights Activist Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 1268

What car is it mate?

off topic: whereabouts in Cumbria you from?? Im from Dalston.....

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

maybe the throttle/pump linkage was jammed wide open by the sounds of it....its a diesel innit? dunno why the pump wud keep pumpin after u pull the keys out tho

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

welcome back freak btw....long time no see....where u bin?

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

Pump is mechanically driven off the cam belt, no ECU as such so in theory it would have kept going, although the stop soleniod should have kicked in and shut the engine off when you turned the key.

Level 8 User Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 328

so im still lost!! Why all the smoke and the pressurised water system??

Jonny been really busy recently, not had the time.

Stan: Renault 19 1.9TD South Cumbria

SO WHAT DO I DO!! lol

Of all the problems , i have to have this one!

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

well im sure if you rev any engine at max rpm under zero load for any length of time they will start to make smoke and pressurise the water. Wouldnt worry too much about that at the moment.

Like Huw said, there must be something wrong with the stop solenoid if it continues to run after to you take the key out

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

Righty stalling the engine is what you WILL do next time, hes done the battery etc now so don't dwell on it. The other rick is to throw a jacket on the air intake to starve it, some old diesels run on their sump oil when the fuels cut off if they are worn intresting yet pointless fact.

The stop solenoid like Huw said obviously stuck thus the engine continued to run with the key in your hand.

The engine would have been running at its maximum governed speed so theres no way it should have blown up.

Water system, should be pressurised normally so should hold pressure (about 1 BAR over atmospheric) if the caps faulty it will hold no pressure so coolant will easily pour out of it at higher revs.

So check cap, squeeze the coolant hose, you shouldn't hear anything from the cap, if it hisses when you squeeze the hose get a new cap.

The smoke, was it smoke or steam? The water going out of the header tank would have caused a bit of stam if it touched the engine, or was it exhaust smoke blown back under the car and then exiting through the engine bay?

I would have a look at the throttle linkage, it obviously stuck holding the revs high. This may be the cable or the linkage catching or merely grime makign it stick.

The solenoid should be looked at, it may be faulty or the relay that holds it open may be faulty.

i'm surprised the alternators not killed itself when you unpluged the battery.

Level 8 User Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 328

So you reckon its a faulty solenoid or relay??

whys the car working now??

Smoke was coming out of the exhaust and under the bonnet. Exhause smoke and steam from the water hitting the engine. It peed out most of the coolant out of the cap and over the sound proofing fabric on the underside of the bonnet.

Do you think it will happen again??

Im totally confused

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

Dunno could be either, has it happened before? Does th estop colenoids arm look oily?

cos it wasn't damaged beyond repair thats why it works. Sticky linkages only stick now and again.

Check for a frayed throttle cable, I had the same on my 16V chamade, stuck on full throttle a few times, I had pics etc in my progress report (no pics work the now due to a server issue).

Dunno it may happen again, look at the linkage/cable.

Is that really hard?

Gay Rights Activist Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 1268

Its been ok since? maybe the solenoid is on the verg of sticking...as in a bit sticky?! remove it and clean

Level 8 User Joined: 07 Sep 2004 Posts: 328

Chris

Is bloody hard when you dont even know where to look!!!!

I aint a mechanic like you. i only build and fix pc's! Oh and landscape.

Col

Newbie Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 3

Im a renault mechanic, if a turbo diesel engine overrevs or 'runs away with itself' then 99.9% of the time if a turbo problem...turning off the engine will have no effect atall as the engine is infact burning the oil from the sump..., if you had left it the engine overrevving the engine would eventually have stopped when the oil ran out...and the engine probly would have seized...if this does happen again put the car in a medium gear...3rd...put the handbrake on...and try and stall the engine, and get the turbo replaced staright away...also when the turbo is replaced...inspect the intercooler...as most of the time they fill with oil...if you dont clean the intercooler and flush it...the engine will only 'run away with itself' again.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

why does the turbo need replacing?

I look forward to an explaination on this one.

Gay Rights Activist Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 1268

This is why i dont go to garages^^^!

Newbie Joined: 30 Dec 2004 Posts: 3

Most turbo problems on renault diesels are caused by the bearings inside the turbo...but it couuld be a multitude of things...such as an oil leak...it may NOT be the turbo...but as i said before most of the time it is...and all the symptoms point to the turbo...