clio somtimes won't start

i need some help and advice with my renault clio as it is doing my head right in. i got the car in january and since then it has nothing but money spent on it. i think that was mostly due to pervious owners.
somtimes my car will not start..... it trys to turn over when i turn the key
the fly wheel does go round but will not fire up so to say sometimes it starts first times but, after a while the battery just goes flat. the car has had a full renault service, new battery and a good general clean of terminals ect..

What's the full model of the car, and what year is it?

thanks for you help as i really need it at this stage it a
1999 1.2 RN

THANKS AGAIN

I'm not as familiar with the newer Clios, but I know the older 1.2 RN... has it got monopoint fuel injection (one single injector in a throttle housing)?

Have you checked that there are sparks when you've got the problem? If you can narrow it down to a fuel problem or ignition problem, it'd help you a lot on finding the trouble. You can buy a cheap in-line device that basically has a neon spark gap inside it, and you place it on a spark plug with the lead plugging onto the other end. Alternatively, just take a plug out or use a spare one, stick the lead on the end of it and make sure the spark plug body is earthed to the chassis well and get someone to turn the engine over while you watch the plug.

I'd check all electrical plugs are pushed firmly on to the various sensors and devices under the bonnet, like the MAP sensor, idle speed stepper motor on the throttle housing, throttle potentiometer, injector plug, etc. Take each off, clean plug and socket, perhaps spray with WD40 and push in and out a few times.

i have cleaned all sorts of things under the bonnet i have even had a full renault service from the main dealer. the problem is dead strange because most of the time it starts first time, then its like a different car.
e.g i was out driving the other day and the car was going fine i was on a driving lesson at the time and my aunt was driving we got to a roundabout and she stalled as learners do....... so i asked her to restart. when you turn the key it just turned the starter motor and the fly wheel it was trying..... but it didn't fire up and i just ended up with a flat battery :confused:
but now i think i have another problem when the car is just idling you can sort of hear it and see it splutering only slighly and the rev counter needle is moving slighly aswell

thanks for the help

ps i think i will just stick it on ebay or scrap it soon :evillol:

coil pack?