Exhaust mount
What is your opinion of the Powerflex exhaust mount (EXH020) for a 1993 Renault Clio? The only thing I’m concerned about is the lack of fore and aft movement these will allow when going on and off the throttle, as the OE ones allow approximately half-an-inch. I know there’s a spring-loaded flexi-joint at the end of the downpipe, but those springs are pretty strong and I’m not too sure just how much stress they relieve from the system, particularly the downpipe. I don’t need a broken one of those as they cost £650 for a Clio 182! The OE ones collapse under the weight of the exhaust and the little tentacles of rubber snap after about six months and I’m sick of spending £50 a year on daft exhaust mounts!
Anthony Pattinson
I have not personally used these exhaust rubber replacements, but given the results I have had with other Powerflex products, I'm sure they will be a perfect replacement.
Although the original bushes have a considerable amount of movement, the complete exhaust system should not be moving backwards and forwards during accelerating and decelerating, and the movement of the engine twisting due to torsional forces should be taken up by the flexi-joint at the end of the downpipe. If you are suffering excess engine movement, it may also be worth considering fitting the Powerflex engine stabiliser kit.
operating correctly, it may be worth getting the vehicle connected to a scanner and reading off the live data.
The good cold starting is a testament to the cold start system on the vehicle, which would confirm that this is working correctly.
damaged because of the fault. However, my son does not want us to replace things unnecessarily. It passes the MOT, including the fuel emissions test.
It could be something very simple, but I noticed it is gradually getting worse.
The car now has 80,000 miles on it and I was wondering how this strange fault could be still there after all this time and mileage. Could it be the ignition leads, coil, a sticking injector or a faulty sensor? David Lowe
If this is the same problem that has been with the vehicle for the past 52,000 miles then I would not think that the ignition leads or coil would be the problem; I am sure these would have deteriorated much sooner. Likewise, I believe that an injector would also have failed by now if it had been the cause of the problem. This would also apply to a sticking or burnt valve, although it would do no harm to carry out a compression test to confirm this is not the case.
From the symptoms you describe, I would first check the throttle potentiometer, which is located at the end of the inlet manifold by the throttle flap. Using a meter to check the resistance, it should be smooth and progressive. Another component to check would be the MAP sensor. Getting the vehicle plugged in to the Renault scanner should show up any faults in the system quicker than testing each separate component.