Stitched up by renault, need some ammo

[colwill197]

Hi all,

so I took my car in to be diagnosed for a lowing manifold. I got told to come at 8. Only to be told when I got there that they wouldn't start until half past because their technician don't get there till then. First annoying moment they take the car I can hear them ragging it out back. Half hour later sorry we can't find a fault. I insist they take it for a drive as I think it is. 45 minutes later sorry nothing. Now I thought about it maybe they aren't lying as they want the business especially at this time of year. So I pay my diagnostic fee the service manager comes with me and takes all the plastic seat covers out and I I'd farewell. Go to start my car no turn over just a buzzing sound try again nothing just the dials bouncing about half a cm up and down with this buzz. I storm back in and say it will not start. I have a varley redtop and have ha for around 6 months just like to point out and have never had issues with starting or it ticking over a lot before starting. When I got up at half 7 it started straight away. Anyway back to this morning they tell me it's the battery and it's completely flat. I argue a but but am so late for work I go to halfords but a battery for £70 and some connectors for £10.

So first question, I have checked the top of the manifold with an inspection mirror, how do I check the flexis?

Second can someone advise on the battery front, do you think they shorted it out? It didn't even turn over that's what gets me. They blamed the cold but again it surely would turn over

 

[colwill197]

Side note they also used atleast a quarter of a tank of fuel and reset my trip mileage which was the mileage I had had the car so great

 

[nutnutwelshman]

Were did you go fella what bunch of monkeys I would put in a Conplaint against the del work shop manger and to RUK

 

[colwill197]

Hi mate, slough because it was more convenient. Booked it through RUK who asked me where I would like. You are quite local what dealership do you use, if you do? What happened to the battery sounds impossible to me

 

[nutnutwelshman]

You need to push very hard and not back down did you buy the car from Renault ??? I use SMC Wych hill in Woking which is 20 miles away

 

[colwill197]

I will phone them and demand a free diagnostic session at another dealer and also athey pay for the battery or give me one as I still have the reciept

 

[nutnutwelshman]

Get on to RUK ask for Holly or Rachel they help't me a lot

 

[colwill197]

Okay cheers mate. Are Woking any good? I think addlestone are, service manager seemed to know his stuff about rsports although thinking about it he did try to get me to do my belts a year early maybe Woking then.

can anyone shed a technical light on the battery front? Is it possible when checking the manifold they caused the alternator to short that battery, is that possible?

 

[nutnutwelshman]

Battery pm Foxspeed no one apart from Wych hill goes near my car

 

[Mentalpen]

With the trip re-setting they may have disconnected the battery to check the manifold.

Not sure why they have charged for a diagnostic as i'd have expected free if renault wanted them to look at it.

as for the flexi, when warm the flexi if holed can close when warm, that happened on mine and would only blow when cold.

 

[colwill197]

The large trip doesn't reset when taking the battery out anyway and they said they didn't take the battery out and they said we have reset your trip computer as though I wanted them too

 

[J_gadd4]

Dont even get me started with ****ing RUK or a dealership ive been waiting 12 weeks for a manifold and they have had the car for 2 months now ! The ******ss,

But to check your manifold jack the car up so you can get under and get someone to start to the car and just listen near the manifold and if the exhaust is cold try putting your jand and feeling for the gases comming from, dont do it to long or you wi burn your hand lol

 

[colwill197]

Hi mate,

cheers can you reach to the flexis? I have checked the manifold pretty sure it's not there so if it is blowing will be flexis.

I think I may need a higher jack as I could barely get it high enough to place the axle stand on a setting where I could get under the car. Would it be safe to park the front of the car on a curb and jack it up off the curb and put axle stands underneath? I don't see why not?

 

[Paddy_R]

As long as the axle stands are on solid level ground you should be fine.

 

[Robo_#1]

I'd be worried about the Jack slipping off the curb if that were me. You could do a similar thing with large (solid) blocks of wood. Or its time to invest in a new jack/some ramps.

Always put safety first, its all to easy to drop a car off a jack and do serious damage to it or you.

Like Gadd said if you can get the car high enough then you should be able to see/reach the flexi. I check mine any time my car is on a ramp (for alignment checks etc.)

 

[colwill197]

Okay I will check the flexis tonight and will park it high up a flat curb or get a flat slab or something. Can anyone shed light on the battery front and what I should say to RUK. I find it very hard to believe that a battery can go from being fine and starting the car straight away to not even turning over. They said the am page was too low an it would have drained and drained until it stopped but surely it would atleast turn over. Do you think they shorted it somehow?

 

[Womble]

I can explain a little about the battery. A battery is an item to store electric, so the car will start. The alternator supplies and runs all the electric items, so the battery is just a cupboard that when it has some electric removed it is filled back up. This process of constant topping up reduces the capacity as the electrolyte breaks down every time it is charged and it lies in the bottom of the battery reducing its capacity If you go back to the cupboard it is a bit like getting a chocolate biscuit out and leaving the wrapper on the cupboard, soon you will not be able to put anymore biscuits in as it will be full and instead of having a lot of capacity your store will only have enough room for one biscuit. Back to the battery once the capacity has been reduced by the electrolyte the effort required to start the car will put more strain on the plates, these then bend and short out internally and the battery dies, usually instantly. So a batch of starting stopping combined with a frost finishes the battery. As the red top battery is not designed for this, hence why the car has a proper battery fitted at the factory, it is only a matter of time that trouble will happen. If manufactuers could fit smaller lighter batteries they would. A small battery in a race car is fine as the demands are not as high. They don't require starting and stopping.

Hopefully I have explained myself clearly and not upset too many people on a Friday afternoon.

As for the blowing flexy are you sure it is not the join at the bottom of the manifold? Tighten the clamp and see if the blowing goes away that's what mine was.

 

[colwill197]

Hi mate,

so in answer to my question renault probably did not cause it, it was a coincidence? You have not offended me I just wanted to be sure before I call RUK.

so that's one problem out the way the next is proving this manifold is blowing. I am 99% sure it is and so I will get it up tonight an double check the flexis again, rest a weight on the throttle and see if I can find it.

 

[Paddy_R]

so that's one problem out the way the next is proving this manifold is blowing. I am 99% sure it is and so I will get it up tonight an double check the flexis again, rest a weight on the throttle and see if I can find it.

Batteries die, sometimes quickly (I've seen nearly new ones go) and sometimes after years upon years of faithful service. As you said it could just be a coincidence. As for placing a weight on the pedal your bound to know somebody who would stick a foot on it for you.

 

[colwill197]

I do but I like working on my car alone, strange I know . We all have our OCD's. Plus I will need to find a quiet car park for the curb.