2005 Clio 182 FF - Occasional track car
Discussion
Great thread, keep it going and get it back on the track.
Miss my 172 Cup, for fun they are bang for buck one of the best cars out there surely.
Really wanted to get back in one, but I run one car as a daily driver, I have 2 kids and 90% of the time I have a bike in my boot, the Clio would be just be too small for this, so bought an FN2 Type R. Which is great for what it is, has the rev hungry engine, feels a bit more special (ish) to sit in, but it just isn't as fun as the Clio.
Miss my 172 Cup, for fun they are bang for buck one of the best cars out there surely.
Really wanted to get back in one, but I run one car as a daily driver, I have 2 kids and 90% of the time I have a bike in my boot, the Clio would be just be too small for this, so bought an FN2 Type R. Which is great for what it is, has the rev hungry engine, feels a bit more special (ish) to sit in, but it just isn't as fun as the Clio.
Thanks. I'll sort the brakes next week and get booking. I've been driving it since moving home to work and can't help but attack the roundabouts and go through the entire rev range. Tracking it was meant to calm me down!
EP3's were on my short list, but consumables seemed steep. I do love those engines though.
EP3's were on my short list, but consumables seemed steep. I do love those engines though.
New Fedoro DS2500's fitted in the on/off rain last night. Done it, included bleeding in 2 hours start to finish. Well, I say bleeding, I bled 3 of them, the last one's nipple has seized, so I've had to leave it. Next time I work on brakes, I'll have to fit a new caliper 
The pads, brembo and fedoro's never seem to fit, so you need to get a grinder out and trim some of the fat. Then this happened, a close call I think you'll agree, it could have ended a lot worse!
Luckily I have a fast swooping road just on my door step, so I went to bed them in, always good fun. 4 soft 45MPH to 15MPH, then 10 firm from 60MPH to 15MPH, then a dordle without braking to get air on them to cool. Engine braking and the popping is always good fun!
Now lets goracing track daying!
The pads, brembo and fedoro's never seem to fit, so you need to get a grinder out and trim some of the fat. Then this happened, a close call I think you'll agree, it could have ended a lot worse!
Luckily I have a fast swooping road just on my door step, so I went to bed them in, always good fun. 4 soft 45MPH to 15MPH, then 10 firm from 60MPH to 15MPH, then a dordle without braking to get air on them to cool. Engine braking and the popping is always good fun!
Now lets go
Eugh, these things always come at the worst time right!
So, I was enjoy my new commute of ~8 miles in the clio, and on a drive back to the other half's 2 weeks ago, the car started making a rotational bearing noise when idle (not moving), so it was declared as bearings. As well as that, the clever clio people thing the dephaser is on it's way out. So, it's time to replace the cam belt, which means doing the aux belt, and pulley and water pump.
A quote from a local man can get it done for £580 (me sourcing parts), a local Renault specialist wanted £850! The chap I've found made all the right noises at discussion point, has done many 182's and know about the issues with timing, so has the tools etc.
So, it'll be done in the next week or so, making the thought of a track day, due to cost, a dream until 2019. Although I may book something between Christmas and new year, to celebrate the anniversary of it crapping the alternator our the engine bay.
I'll have spend more fixing this car in 2018, that it cost to buy. Hey ho...
So, I was enjoy my new commute of ~8 miles in the clio, and on a drive back to the other half's 2 weeks ago, the car started making a rotational bearing noise when idle (not moving), so it was declared as bearings. As well as that, the clever clio people thing the dephaser is on it's way out. So, it's time to replace the cam belt, which means doing the aux belt, and pulley and water pump.
A quote from a local man can get it done for £580 (me sourcing parts), a local Renault specialist wanted £850! The chap I've found made all the right noises at discussion point, has done many 182's and know about the issues with timing, so has the tools etc.
So, it'll be done in the next week or so, making the thought of a track day, due to cost, a dream until 2019. Although I may book something between Christmas and new year, to celebrate the anniversary of it crapping the alternator our the engine bay.
I'll have spend more fixing this car in 2018, that it cost to buy. Hey ho...
Give Mark Black (Midlands Renault Specialists) a call. He has a strong reputation and has done belts and bits on both my Meganes.
Not sure what he'd charge for a Clio but I bet it'll be considerably less than £850... Only downside is he'll be a bit of a drive from you but I drive up from Kent to him!
https://www.facebook.com/Midlands-Renault-Speciali...
Not sure what he'd charge for a Clio but I bet it'll be considerably less than £850... Only downside is he'll be a bit of a drive from you but I drive up from Kent to him!
https://www.facebook.com/Midlands-Renault-Speciali...
Here we go then!
Discussing with my mechanic (and co driver on track days) buddy, he is sure it's felt down on power from the 1st one we do back in Feb '17 to the last one in Dec, here's hoping it's the dephaser causing it and this all brings it into a new life.
Seems there was a national shortage of aux belt kits. I had the last one from the supplier. Car is booked in on Monday to get sorted...
Cam belt and pulleys
Aux belt and pulleys
Water pump
Dephaser
cam caps
Discussing with my mechanic (and co driver on track days) buddy, he is sure it's felt down on power from the 1st one we do back in Feb '17 to the last one in Dec, here's hoping it's the dephaser causing it and this all brings it into a new life.
Seems there was a national shortage of aux belt kits. I had the last one from the supplier. Car is booked in on Monday to get sorted...
Cam belt and pulleys
Aux belt and pulleys
Water pump
Dephaser
cam caps
Edited by illmonkey on Thursday 15th November 08:48
Well that's all done and dusted, some £600 later. It does sound better, not squeak and pulls smoothers too. I am assuming it's the dephaser clutch, rather than a placebo!
Windscreen has a crack from passenger side to the middle, as I managed to crack it taking the wiper arms off. I also managed to put the wiper on incorrectly, so it goes off the screen and makes a nasty noice.
Tonight I will fix the seating for the wiper arm, and I've booked the windscreen in to be done next week, which means I am very close to booking a track day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!1111!1
Windscreen has a crack from passenger side to the middle, as I managed to crack it taking the wiper arms off. I also managed to put the wiper on incorrectly, so it goes off the screen and makes a nasty noice.
Tonight I will fix the seating for the wiper arm, and I've booked the windscreen in to be done next week, which means I am very close to booking a track day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!1111!1
Windscreen done and within 3 days a massive rock t
ts the screen and leaves a mark, very lucky there!
As someone has hit the Z4, I'm not using that until it's fixed. So I want the clio to remain in 1 piece. I've spotted a track day at silverstone for £199, pricey for this time of year, but cheap for silverstone! (always wanted to have a go). May do a last minute booking, if not, it's going to be a while
Anyway, it's sometimes the small details that make a big difference. This was getting annoying on my commute, so £20 later...
ts the screen and leaves a mark, very lucky there! As someone has hit the Z4, I'm not using that until it's fixed. So I want the clio to remain in 1 piece. I've spotted a track day at silverstone for £199, pricey for this time of year, but cheap for silverstone! (always wanted to have a go). May do a last minute booking, if not, it's going to be a while
Anyway, it's sometimes the small details that make a big difference. This was getting annoying on my commute, so £20 later...
illmonkey said:
Windscreen done and within 3 days a massive rock tts the screen and leaves a mark, very lucky there!
As someone has hit the Z4, I'm not using that until it's fixed. So I want the clio to remain in 1 piece. I've spotted a track day at silverstone for £199, pricey for this time of year, but cheap for silverstone! (always wanted to have a go). May do a last minute booking, if not, it's going to be a while
Was very close to a Whiteline ARB the other day, £25 off somewhere and had to stop myself. I just want to drive it as is, it's great, why waste a track days cost!?
Anyway, it's sometimes the small details that make a big difference. This was getting annoying on my commute, so £20 later...
ts the screen and leaves a mark, very lucky there! As someone has hit the Z4, I'm not using that until it's fixed. So I want the clio to remain in 1 piece. I've spotted a track day at silverstone for £199, pricey for this time of year, but cheap for silverstone! (always wanted to have a go). May do a last minute booking, if not, it's going to be a while
Was very close to a Whiteline ARB the other day, £25 off somewhere and had to stop myself. I just want to drive it as is, it's great, why waste a track days cost!?
Anyway, it's sometimes the small details that make a big difference. This was getting annoying on my commute, so £20 later...
Can't seem to stop spending money on it. Although this time it's mainly fixes...
Front right caliper's bleed nipple won't undo, and I believe the piston to be a little stuck. So, 2 new calipers and slider kits ordered for this weekends work. I may have also ordered a stud conversion kit and a fancy deep socket set for them, as the wheels will be off for brakes, I may as well...
Something I bought close to 5 months ago, is brake ducting, but I was hesitant in fitting as I had to remove the carbon canister. So, I done plenty of research and got around to ordering the parts required to blank it off and remove. Bonus is, all of these jobs require front wheels off and on stands, so I will 'save' time doing it all at once. Stud's should help with the swapping of wheels when I get to track.
Still yet to book a trackday! But I wanted calipers to be done first. Pedal is a little spongy, as when I fitted new pads before, I couldn't bleed 1 of the calipers due to the bleed nipple. It's fine on road, but on track I imagine it'll cause problems.
Front right caliper's bleed nipple won't undo, and I believe the piston to be a little stuck. So, 2 new calipers and slider kits ordered for this weekends work. I may have also ordered a stud conversion kit and a fancy deep socket set for them, as the wheels will be off for brakes, I may as well...
Something I bought close to 5 months ago, is brake ducting, but I was hesitant in fitting as I had to remove the carbon canister. So, I done plenty of research and got around to ordering the parts required to blank it off and remove. Bonus is, all of these jobs require front wheels off and on stands, so I will 'save' time doing it all at once. Stud's should help with the swapping of wheels when I get to track.
Still yet to book a trackday! But I wanted calipers to be done first. Pedal is a little spongy, as when I fitted new pads before, I couldn't bleed 1 of the calipers due to the bleed nipple. It's fine on road, but on track I imagine it'll cause problems.
Saturday was a bit of a disaster, long story short;
Studs didn't hold so back to bolts - Reckon they need a good clean so will purchase a thread cleaner kit
Brake ducts are fitted, but part of the chassis is in the way for 1 of them, so it needs to be removed and cut back
On the above job I broke a washer jet for the headlights
On the ducts, I had to remove the horn, it's now just in the bonnet resting on something. So need to find a place to reallocate it
Carbon canister removed, easier than I thought!
The website selling the studs gives the wrong size for the nuts, so I have purchased a useless socket piece
Polished the headlights a bit, but really it needs an orbital, so going to see if anyones got one I can pinch for a weekend.
On the positive, I cancelled the calipers from ECP as I found a chap selling everything I need to convert to 4-pot brembo brakes for not a long more dosh. Very excited to get them fitted, they are not the best, MTEC discs & Brembo pads, but it'll do, those bits are easy to change.
Dry stud fitting & finished brake ducts. Although on the brake ducts, I'd like to get them to point at the caliper, but ran out of time!
Studs didn't hold so back to bolts - Reckon they need a good clean so will purchase a thread cleaner kit
Brake ducts are fitted, but part of the chassis is in the way for 1 of them, so it needs to be removed and cut back
On the above job I broke a washer jet for the headlights
On the ducts, I had to remove the horn, it's now just in the bonnet resting on something. So need to find a place to reallocate it
Carbon canister removed, easier than I thought!
The website selling the studs gives the wrong size for the nuts, so I have purchased a useless socket piece
Polished the headlights a bit, but really it needs an orbital, so going to see if anyones got one I can pinch for a weekend.
On the positive, I cancelled the calipers from ECP as I found a chap selling everything I need to convert to 4-pot brembo brakes for not a long more dosh. Very excited to get them fitted, they are not the best, MTEC discs & Brembo pads, but it'll do, those bits are easy to change.
Dry stud fitting & finished brake ducts. Although on the brake ducts, I'd like to get them to point at the caliper, but ran out of time!
Test fitting is always progress, even if it's frustrating you can't get it right first time. I put the 4 pots on my 172 Cup and had to test fit three times I think to work out what spacers I'd need for my wheels. You may need spacers for the OEM wheels so worth looking into.
I'd recommend the Autoglym headlight restorer kit, worked a treat on mine using a cordless drill. Before and after photos on my thread here.
And also on the headlights, I think you could just fit washer blanks for ease now. Pretty sure the MOT changes last year only require headlight washers for cars with Xenons made post 2008; although I may have made that up so you might want to double check!
I'd recommend the Autoglym headlight restorer kit, worked a treat on mine using a cordless drill. Before and after photos on my thread here.
And also on the headlights, I think you could just fit washer blanks for ease now. Pretty sure the MOT changes last year only require headlight washers for cars with Xenons made post 2008; although I may have made that up so you might want to double check!
BenLowden said:
Test fitting is always progress, even if it's frustrating you can't get it right first time. I put the 4 pots on my 172 Cup and had to test fit three times I think to work out what spacers I'd need for my wheels. You may need spacers for the OEM wheels so worth looking into.
I'd recommend the Autoglym headlight restorer kit, worked a treat on mine using a cordless drill. Before and after photos on my thread here.
And also on the headlights, I think you could just fit washer blanks for ease now. Pretty sure the MOT changes last year only require headlight washers for cars with Xenons made post 2008; although I may have made that up so you might want to double check!
True, but obviously want it to work first time! I have 10mm spacers on the front, have been told they are enough, also running OEM 16"'s, which again I've seen are fine with these brakes. I'd recommend the Autoglym headlight restorer kit, worked a treat on mine using a cordless drill. Before and after photos on my thread here.
And also on the headlights, I think you could just fit washer blanks for ease now. Pretty sure the MOT changes last year only require headlight washers for cars with Xenons made post 2008; although I may have made that up so you might want to double check!
I've seen people knock that kit for the price, so ended up buying laods of wet and dry, but honestly, £20 for it to come with the drill attachment and take no effort sounds worth it!
Blanks is an idea, I'll look into MOT. I broke them the last time the bumper was off, so the jets are only 4 months old, can't be spending £30 every time I take the bumper off!
I thought of a 'cleaver' way to do the blanks, rather than the £50 for CF covers. I spent £1.50 on 2 rubber grommits things and popped them in the hole. Not perfect, but it's a fix.
I got a tap to clean the wheels, loads of brake cleaning fluid and they came up a treat, they were filthy before though, so not surprised it didn't stick!
The horn was a bd job, once refitted (as mentioned above) it made a horrible noise, probably resting on something. Weirdly, either side of my steering wheel made a different noise! Anyway, I worked on the car on Sunday and found a much better place for it after I removed the acoustic valve. The intake pipes were broken anyway, so I decided to order a 'induction kit' for the sum of £60, they've messed me about loads (wrong items shipped etc), but I finally have it all now, so will fit this weekend and can lose the airbox.
Onto the brembos. Honestly a very easy job, it's just time, not even a lot to be fair. Once fitted I done a bleed of the system, using some pressued header tank tool, which ended up with it forcing so much liquid into it, it pissed everywhere onto the drive! Due to this I panicked and rushed the fronts. Although the stopping power was much better, I was sure I'd not done a good job. But I needed more fluid so it'd have to do.
We ended up at a car event, that happened to have a store selling racing brake fluid! So a litre was purchased, when I got home I cracked on and involved the other half to pump the brakes rather than use the pressure bottle. Managed to do the whole job in under 60 minutes. Brakes feel much firmer and stop on a dime! I'm sure the rear wheels are coming off the ground sometimes
Managed to flog the old calipers, discs and pads for £150, so the upgrade has only cost £150. I still have the braided hoses to sell too!
Also thought the rear pads looked low, got a set of brembos for £13 delivered same day! so whipped them on.
Then had a little issue with the 'weekend car'... and the bearing has started making a racket on the clio
I got a tap to clean the wheels, loads of brake cleaning fluid and they came up a treat, they were filthy before though, so not surprised it didn't stick!
The horn was a b
d job, once refitted (as mentioned above) it made a horrible noise, probably resting on something. Weirdly, either side of my steering wheel made a different noise! Anyway, I worked on the car on Sunday and found a much better place for it after I removed the acoustic valve. The intake pipes were broken anyway, so I decided to order a 'induction kit' for the sum of £60, they've messed me about loads (wrong items shipped etc), but I finally have it all now, so will fit this weekend and can lose the airbox.Onto the brembos. Honestly a very easy job, it's just time, not even a lot to be fair. Once fitted I done a bleed of the system, using some pressued header tank tool, which ended up with it forcing so much liquid into it, it pissed everywhere onto the drive! Due to this I panicked and rushed the fronts. Although the stopping power was much better, I was sure I'd not done a good job. But I needed more fluid so it'd have to do.
We ended up at a car event, that happened to have a store selling racing brake fluid! So a litre was purchased, when I got home I cracked on and involved the other half to pump the brakes rather than use the pressure bottle. Managed to do the whole job in under 60 minutes. Brakes feel much firmer and stop on a dime! I'm sure the rear wheels are coming off the ground sometimes
Managed to flog the old calipers, discs and pads for £150, so the upgrade has only cost £150. I still have the braided hoses to sell too! Also thought the rear pads looked low, got a set of brembos for £13 delivered same day! so whipped them on.
Then had a little issue with the 'weekend car'... and the bearing has started making a racket on the clio
One thing I would say with Mr Clutch is go back through as much as possible of it for finger trouble - the techs are really pressed for time and occasionally slip up with routing of pipework/wiring etc that they had to move to do the job.
If I ever have a Clio again I'll drop the whole front end and engine/box and do the cambelt, clutch, water pump etc etc all in one go to make it easy.
If I ever have a Clio again I'll drop the whole front end and engine/box and do the cambelt, clutch, water pump etc etc all in one go to make it easy.
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