hi any advice appreciated,ive just fixed my daughters car (yet again)this time it was the old fav.the clutch cable.after fixing the cable,i started the car,and it was erratic idling hi/lo hi/lo, once it had pre/ignition.at first it would cut out at junction's,but not now.once it would not start,for acouple of minutes.is it possible ive dislodged a cable at the passenger footwell(brains)or in the engine compartment.ive previously fitted the handbrake cable=fitted a new radiator and thermostat=fixed the squeeling from front pads.but this has me stumped please has anyone got any possible causes,any advice greatly appreciated.thank for reading this.

is the engine management light flashing up at you?

no no warning lights,drives ok,took it up to 80mpg on motorway for 20miles,still idles poorly possible hint of smell of petrol fumes ,as if running too rich.any ideas?

As a similar post, I'd check the MAP sensor and piping.

Pete.
1242cc cinq,turbo cinq,Cinqs&Seis Yahoo group,Clubcento

i seen your article concerning map sensor and piping prior to sending this post,i will try what you said and get back.just to bring you up to date i had to drive the car home without a clutch,any problems from that?

No, no problems driving without a clutch. Most Cento owners are very adept at it.

Cheers

D

Grumpy old git going fast downhill rather than downhill fast!!

cheers pete it was the sensor piping,it had came loose with me plunging my arm in to check the clutch cable.fixed it in seconds.one i owe you.keep up the good work =great forum.thanks to all.bye for now.

lol, i'd hate to have to do a clutchless gear change? would have me cringing as it grinded into gear lol

If you time your changes properly it won't grind.

Cheers

D

Grumpy old git going fast downhill rather than downhill fast!!

indeed, i wouldnt like to do it in my own car but just before my brother got shot of his old feista, he tried driving without the clutch. Stopped the car, turned off the engine and put it into first. Floored it, and started the car and off we went!


Cinq Sporting - and yes, its broom yellow!

Ah, thats the easy bit. Does no harm to the car at all, in fact those watching Rally Cyprus would have seen Marcus Gronholm do exactly that at the start of the last stage.

The tricky bit is timing gear changes while moving. Each gear has a particular engine speed that will allow seamless changes and is very satisfying when you get it right, and sounds bloody horrible if you don't.

Cheers

D

Grumpy old git going fast downhill rather than downhill fast!!

Originally posted by rallycinq
Ah, thats the easy bit. Does no harm to the car at all, in fact those watching Rally Cyprus would have seen Marcus Gronholm do exactly that at the start of the last stage.

The tricky bit is timing gear changes while moving. Each gear has a particular engine speed that will allow seamless changes and is very satisfying when you get it right, and sounds bloody horrible if you don't.

Cheers

D

Grumpy old git going fast downhill rather than downhill fast!!

Click to expand...

Err, 'flooring it' with a cold engine will harm the car. Also if the changes aren't timed right then it will cause some harm.

Eh, he didn't do it from cold, the post quite clearly says he switched the engine off, which would imply, your honour, that the engine had been previously running. My learned colleague stating that the accused was using a cold engine cannot be proven. Furthermore, 'flooring it' with the car in gear will not suddenly result in a load of revs until the engine gets up to speed.

I will concede that if the changes aren't timed right then some harm maybe done, but surely a cento owner will be so adept at the practice, what with clutch cables snapping left right and centre, that the changes will be timed right every time.

This ends my submission.

Cheers hic

D



Grumpy old git going fast downhill rather than downhill fast!!

Originally posted by rallycinq
No, no problems driving without a clutch. Most Cento owners are very adept at it.

Cheers

D

Click to expand...

Driving a car without using the clutch is one of those things you should learn as soon as possible. It's surprising the sheer variety of cars that you have the opportunity to drive 'when clutch cables go bad!' Of course, you will find the best cars to practice on are company cars, hire cars, etc etc....

Tosh


**Men don't stop playing because they grow old; they grow old because they stop playing.**

Whats the basic technique to clutchless gear changes. Bein a cento driver i feel i ought to learn. Wish i had my mums old Fiesta to practise on now.

GeX
"Women are hurt by the smallest things, like papercuts and... childbirth!"

Originally posted by rallycinq
Eh, he didn't do it from cold, the post quite clearly says he switched the engine off, which would imply, your honour, that the engine had been previously running. My learned colleague stating that the accused was using a cold engine cannot be proven. Furthermore, 'flooring it' with the car in gear will not suddenly result in a load of revs until the engine gets up to speed.

I will concede that if the changes aren't timed right then some harm maybe done, but surely a cento owner will be so adept at the practice, what with clutch cables snapping left right and centre, that the changes will be timed right every time.

This ends my submission.

Cheers hic

D



Grumpy old git going fast downhill rather than downhill fast!!

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I didn't say it was a cold engine. From what you were saying though, it sounded like it will never do any harm. Flooring a cold engine will harm it though. High engine load also damages cold engines as well as high revs.

I am sorry my learned friend, the statement accredited to your goodself at 18.18.56 on the sixteenth of May this year states, and I quote cos I canny do the little text thing 'Err, 'flooring it' with a cold engine will harm the car.'

This is the only reason I mentioned cold engine, cos sure as eggs is eggs I didn't.

Regards

D



Grumpy old git going fast downhill rather than downhill fast!!

Originally posted by GeX
Whats the basic technique to clutchless gear changes. Bein a cento driver i feel i ought to learn. Wish i had my mums old Fiesta to practise on now.

GeX

Click to expand...

First - practice only between fourth and fifth, as they are the easiest to get right.

In simple terms, modern gearboxes have 'cones' inside to speed up/slow down adjacent gears so you can engage them. If, during your normal driving, your changes are a bit 'lumpy' you will have trouble initially. Find somewhere long and straight (and hopefully reasonably quiet) and drive at about 50mph in 4th gear. Listen very carefully to the engine, to get a 'feel' for the revs you are using. (Initially you <could> look at the rev counter to see what revs you are doing)

Change into 5th normally and listen to the engine note change, then back into 4th, back into 5th, back into 4th, back into 5th, back again into 4th, and finally into 5th again. You should by now have a feel for the revs at 50mph in 5th gear. You will then be able to slip the car out of gear without pressing the clutch at all. Now you are coasting in neutral, and your revs will drop. If you try to change into 4th now without the clutch it will be VERY difficult because you have to try and rev the engine all the way up to match the sound, (and revs) to what you had before. So change into 4th normally with the clutch, and then without the clutch slip the car out of 4th, and letting the revs drop only very slowly, try to change reasonably smartly into 5th, but gently, without forcing the change. The gearstick will probably feel very 'rubbery', because the synchromesh cones will be working overtime. If it doesnt work then use the clutch to go back into 4th, and try again. You may have to try a few times, but then one time it will just almost fall into gear.

If it doesnt work properly, remember that it is the 'gentle art of clutchless gearchanges' that you are striving for. No force, only persuasion. By doing this only using 4th and 5th gear, it will be much easier, and by carefully 'feeling' the stick, you should hopefully make a few good changes.

Once you've managed that a couple of dozen times, then you could try changing from 5th to 4th, but remember - when going DOWN the box, you have to <increase> the revs to suit the lower gear.

This is why it is best done with a very strong gearbox. Land Rovers are good for this.

Hope this helps. If you manage to do some good changes you'll be very pleased with yourself indeed, and rightly so. But don't forget if you try to force anything, you can do some damage, so be very sensitive to the feel of the whole process.

Let me know how you get on.

Tosh

**Men don't stop playing because they grow old; they grow old because they stop playing.**