thanks everyone, managed to sort the problem out.


It was the alternator bearing, luckily i managed to get a replacement pretty cheap so its sorted now

Now just to try and fix the random cutting out, its just had a carb rebuild and new floats so cant be that. it only happens when idling, someone said it may be the idle solenoid.

any thoughts??

cheshire190e wrote:thanks everyone, managed to sort the problem out.


It was the alternator bearing, luckily i managed to get a replacement pretty cheap so its sorted now

Now just to try and fix the random cutting out, its just had a carb rebuild and new floats so cant be that. it only happens when idling, someone said it may be the idle solenoid.

any thoughts??

I think you can check the idle solenoid by plugging and unplugging the wire to it while the car is idling, if it's okay you should hear a "click" when you connect the wire. Or you could do as i did and unscrew it and connect it to 12v and listen for the click, but I'm not sure on the 1.7 engines.


If not that, you probably have a vaccum leak somewhere or a blocked breather pipe maybe. Test with WD-40 or carb cleaner or similar, spray on all the hoses and when the engine revs up that's the leaky hose.

ok nice one, i shall try that later on today.

hi everyone,

what does the idle solenoid look like exactly??

where abouts is it on the carb, cheers

Solenoid looks like a small cilinder with a spadeplug on it, and a bolt-like connection on carb side.
Hangs about halfway the height of the carb, right hand side. If you remove the air filter housing, you'd look right onto it. (although some carbs don't have this solenoid -- Especially later type 440 carbs tend to not have them. I got one without right now.)

When not cutting out, how is the idle rev? 800-1000-ish, or lower?
If lower, then you may try to set idle a bit higher. (duh )

Yeah my first reaction was to set the idle abit higher, but it only cuts out some of the time, its not everytime.

Sometimes it idles perfectly but then others its just way too low and cuts out. Its confusing, sometimes its perfect then other times I have to drive round with the choke pulled out abit to stop it cutting out.

thats why i thought it could be the solenoid, do you think this could be the problem?

Could very well be, yes.
But then again, the Solex CISAC 28-32 isn't exactly the most predictable or adjustable kind of carb I spent about 6-8 months to get it more or less right

Just another few steps to think of:
-Did you check float height when you fitted the new float?
-Did you check the carb base for straightness?
-Did you use new gaskets between carb and manifold?
-How tight did you pull the bolts that hold the carb on the manifold? (too tight will ruin your seal.... too loose and it'll be even more too loose in no time...)

Ahm..., now I can't think of anything else, or it might be the fuel filter in de carb itself, or even dirty jets... though that might be a bit far fetched.

[edit]
Oops, I'm mixing you up with someone else...
If it's not air coming in through unwanted holes, first thing to check would be your carburettor. Good chance your float is dangling completely under...
You can get a spare float at Renault dealers.