Mk1 Oasis F4R

[SparkySparks]

Accounts sorted, thanks admin.
Project thread time.
After spending 9 months in my mates garage behind his project (c1j oasis) I finally got it out.
A nice standard 1.2 Oasis, only structural rust was on passenger sill and a bit under the rear shock mount, cosmetic was only a scab on the drivers arch.
When i had picked it up I drove it to an mot on which it failed on a bush in the wishbone, rust and exhaust leak.
All that fixed for the next time round and i was using the clio

It got lowered and renault 19s and I was using it as my daily, loved it. Just wish it had more power.

With the Megane (now with a new owner)

Had to change the heater matrix and it was all good with warm air again (all done just after the snow)

Started to research into different engines. I have done c1j and b18ft in renault 5's so basically the same, decided I wanted some na power for once as since ive had turbo ive not looked back.
So bypassing the easy f7p i went for an f4r. Stupidly got the wrong one though.

A phase 2 172 engine with fly by wire throttle and more complex immobiliser.

None the less Im pushing on,

All removed.

Volvo 440 alt bracket

after 3 attempts I finally got the correct belt a 5pk850 and adjuster from ebay.

New clutch

I had also got a dci gearbox, then realised I had got the later one with abs driven speedo, as i wanted to keep my speedo I needed a mechanical one and sourced a 172 gearbox.

In with some persuasion.

 

[SparkySparks]

Needed to swap the selector to have the correct length throw

Still needs adjusting actually.

Alt adjuster needed a tweak

Fuel line hooked up (after 4 attempts its now holding pressure)

Bonnet was fouling on the front edge of the manifold

So sliced out

And now it shuts no problem.

sold the beast and got a new daily.

Mocked up the exhaust

Have since got a proper cat and gutted it. Still need 2 sensors.
Managed to squeeze a 172 fuel pump in the tank with the built in fpr.
Also have 172 hubs brakes and shocks that im trying to get the necessary bits to fit, my latest idea is getting 172 drive shaft cv joints to swap onto my driveshafts.

And this is where my project is coming to a halt.
The engine came with an engine loom, ecu, uch, key, throttle, immob ring.
After trying to splice into my existing loom and failing I have bought another engine loom with the scuttle loom this time and a 172 interior loom hoping it would be plug and play. This is not the case it seems. So Im going to have to ask you loads of questions as this car is starting to get on my nerves, ive almost put it up for sale a few times.
Cheers all.

 

[Akay]

Nice one, @Coops Turbo has an F4R MK1 as well.

I would just run the full 172 wiring setup, and shorten it/swap plugs for lights etc if needed, you can lose a fair bit of it (airbag and SRS stuff) but need the airbags deactivating in CLIP to keep the lights off.

 

[SparkySparks]

Yeah I think hes already been pointed my direction.
Thats my intention, I have it all connected up and cranking on the key but its got no spark or ignition of any kind.
Im trying a few checks tonight to see if i can see anything obvious.
New key batteries.
Checking all the fuses again.
Bridging the relays.

 

[Coops Mk1]

I've no experience of the FBW setup but in theory same as the phase 1 really, just smash all the wiring from donor car in and it should fire, however seems you have a different loom from car engine came in? as such could cause issue as believe there are phase differences. what you need is a full working setup from a FBW car, internal and engine looms, and fit all that with key/ecu/uch all matched

that should get it running at least!

 

[Christopher]

Looks great, should be fun!

 

[SparkySparks]

I had the throttle working by extending the correct wires, but it only opens full or not atall, i dont know if thats how its supposed to be before its idling or not. But with the loom that will just plug in.
It came with a loom but i have had to buy the scuttle/connecting to interior and interior loom aswell, and I have the engine loom from that aswell, along with the speedo/dials.
This should all be plug and play. I have so far plugged it all in and earthed all the earth points i can find and its not giving me ignition unless i bridge the relays. So tonight im going to check the main green relay before i really start asking for help haha.
The uch ecu and key all came from the same car, i assume. I never actually saw it. But surely if all is working as it should, even with a duff or mismatched ecu i should get ignition and fuel pump prime.

 

[White16valver]

Good work!

The F4R conversion always seemed to be a lot of work from what I can remember when the Mk1s were common and more people were trying it, so I hope you can maintain your faith and persevere until it works

 

[SparkySparks]

Thanks. I chose this one really because I had hoped it would be easy. Fairly straight forward so far, just the important bit holding me back.

 

[SparkySparks]

Ok. Had a good liik at it tonigt. It seems im getting everything working as it should apart from the coil. Fuel pump and ecu. We bridged the fuel pump relay and got live to the fuel pump but it seems not to be being earthed on the circuit as the the ecu must be earthing it.
My question is without the fan connected will it cut ignition or do i just have a major earth problem?

 

[daveski]

Would love a mk1 f4r. Good luck getting it sorted.

 

[White16valver]

Ok. Had a good liik at it tonigt. It seems im getting everything working as it should apart from the coil. Fuel pump and ecu. We bridged the fuel pump relay and got live to the fuel pump but it seems not to be being earthed on the circuit as the the ecu must be earthing it.
My question is without the fan connected will it cut ignition or do i just have a major earth problem?

Electricity is in the box marked 'black magic' in my head lol

Sorry to be no help!!

 

[SparkySparks]

Yeah i keep having a think about it, but I think I need someone that knows them inside out, I do not.

 

[White16valver]

I always look towards the evil that is immobilisers if things are working individually but not working together!

 

[SparkySparks]

Well the immobiliser seems to be working as it should. The light is flashing untill i put the key in, turn the key to ignition and crank and the light stays on for 5 of 6 seconds and then goes out and stays out.

 

[Coops Mk1]

yeah I can be of little help tbh as mine just worked due to transfer of everything from a literally just running car into mine.

electrics are a nightmare, hence that was why I used that method to avoid complications

 

[SparkySparks]

No worries, That is what I thought I was doing though, buying everything. I did want a running car to swap over but got impatient, now theres loads of rear ended write offs going cheap 😞

 

[SparkySparks]

I think im going to try and clean up all the earths. maybe run a dedicated earth to that relay and a dedicated live to coil, see what happens.

 

[White16valver]

Cool, good luck, let us know what happens!

 

[SparkySparks]

So... today i had a look at my crank sensor. Took that off to get a look at it and it was caked in black stuff. Cleaned that up and gave it a light filing back to clean metal.
Connected my plug properly to it and chexk continuity between ecu and all earths and checked between ecu and coil live. I was fully expecting to find a broken wire. Nothing all good.
Connected it all up again and turned to position 2. I hear the ignition start up. Fuel pump relay is bridged out so that lived up and i got 12v at the coil. Cranked it and it coughed
Cranked it again and it ran!
I cant get the video on here but its on the facebook page.
I put the relay back in so its all operating as it should and it is indeed all operatig as ot should. So happy. Started it a few times just to make sure it wasnt a fluke. Its running great with no o2 sensors or exhaust. Engine sounds in good health. Unbelievable.
So next stage is to get all that wiring thinned and in the car. Also have no reverse so the linkage needs adjusting again. Not long till i can give it a drive i think.

 

[SparkySparks]

So to recap i think the problem was dodgy crank sensor and connection. And also alot of dodgy earths i had bodged up.

 

[Coops Mk1]

nice! love that it was something simple!

 

[White16valver]

Awesome work, well done

 

[SparkySparks]

Cheers, i was so happy when it fired up. Im going to have a look at getting the fan connected, get the cat on so ive got the sensor and try to let it warm up. If its dry tomorrow ill be adjusting gear linkage and doing that. Just a matter of routing the wiring over so ive got a throttle pedal and i 'can' test it up the road. So excited!

 

[SparkySparks]

With regards to thinning out the wiring. I assume if its not connected and its still working then its not needed and can be lopped off. Is there anything thats going to put my in safe/limp mode if i cut off like the airbag or something?

 

[Coops Mk1]

shouldn't do, I lopped off all my plugs in dash loom that I wasn't using, still need to do it right and chase wires back but plug chopping was fine

like an animal I chopped with engine running, see if it broke, lol!!

 

[SparkySparks]

Thats what im intending on doing haha.
Theres alot in the bay aswell though, air con and power steering stuff. Its not plugged in so its already open circuit.

 

[SparkySparks]

Second o2 sensor hole welded up. Wont be needing that.
Also routed the wiring around the cockpit so i can test drive it. Just need to get an exhaust on as its mega loud. Hopefully have progress on that tomorrow.
Also adjusted my gearstick so i have 5 gears and reverse. Despite my gearknob saying i have 4

 

[SparkySparks]

Got the (de)cat on last night and connected up the o2 probe. Ran almost the same id say, also my exhaust wont fit without more modification, so thats next.
Took it off the drive under its own steam, felt good man. So loud though! went up the road and back and resisted flooring it, but I can tell theres power there.
Rigged up a ghetto exhaust with some 2" and a spare backbox so the car could warm up whilst keeping the neighbours happy.
Up to full temp, no nasty out the exhaust, seems to run good, getting up to temp. I had my bluetooth obd reader going so i could monitor things, and had the fan hardwired up, its bringing the temp down so I think ill get away with using the oasis rad and fan.
Phone is full at the minute so i cant take more pics or videos, but id like to get a vid of it on here.
My only concern is a top end rattle, that im putting down to old oil in the tappets not warming up or cleaning through fully yet.
All in all a happy boy.

 

[SparkySparks]

Infact Ive just uploaded to the youtube.

Will do more
Cheers

 

[Coops Mk1]

nicely!

 

[White16valver]

Awesome! Top work, I wish I had your skills lol

 

[SparkySparks]

Drove it back to my house from my dads last night. Carefully. After thrashing it around first to see what would fall off. Just the exhaust it turns out.
Need to mount it properly, but the joints are fine.
First impressions..... It is quick. Ive not had a powerful na since i was 19 and that was an E30 318is with 138hp.
Its all power, im used to a little bit of turbo lag but its like a switch in this.
I love it.
Lots still left to do, will get a video up, sounds amazing.

 

[t90_lle]

Good build so far mate, wish I had half the know how to attempt something like this lol

 

[SparkySparks]

I have had a proper test drive now that its back at my place. I strung the exhaust up with some hefty zip ties (only temporary) and routed the wiring around so that its comfortable to drive.

This rear mount is beyond shagged, will take this out and make a solid mount.

Still need to take the dash out and route it and cut out unnecessary bits but for now that can wait.
So first drive. Its quicker than I thought it would be. Going through the gears to the redline, it shifts. Im happy with it.
Getting some driveshafts tonight and having them cut down so i can fit the 172 hubs brakes and shocks as mine are really really not up to the job.
Also masekmw if your reading this, I just realised your over the road from me.
Were you the guy that followed me back once to ask about my blue Renault 5?

 

[SparkySparks]

And I stripped it as it would be rude not to. No pics as it got dark but its fairly white and clean in there.
With all the excess weight removed and everything out of the boot I can go over speedhumps again, just very cautiously.
Im trying to figure out how I can get a video of this without strapping the camera to my head.

 

[White16valver]

Awesome :up:

Is this going to be a daily driver? It is fecking loud in a stripped car so you should look at some earplugs if you're doing longer journeys, or even just a good half-hour here and there.

 

[SparkySparks]

It wont be a main daily. But if it gets me good mpg itll be a fun daily along side the bmw.
It wont be to bad. Ive had worse. Im yet to hear it running with all the windows shut haha.

 

[SparkySparks]

stripped

172 driveshafts ready to cut down. Just need to get mine off to measure the length. Although im not sure ill need to on the drivers side. Seems to be alot of slack in the central joint.

172 brakes and hubs. Need a good clean and paint. Possibly in need of new bearings.

And some 172 shocks and springs. Among some spares for my existing setup.

Also just went out and re routed my earths so its just the main plug through the window now. I think theres room to take a passenger now

 

[SparkySparks]

Been driving this for a few days with the loom plug going through the window and the bonnet strapped shut. Not ideal, but all was well untill day before yesterday when it started to not charge. Limped home and was running on 3. On idle its charging at 9v, so investigation there is needed. But before that I need to clear the wiring.

Dash came out for the wiring fun.

After thinning the wires i dont need engine bay side from the original loom, this is all thats left going through the main grommet. I need to remove this as thats where my big square plug needs to go. Will make a secondary hole next to it for the remaining wires.

And the state of it again

And the pile removed from just the basic oasis loom first

Its all the door wiring minus the 2 for the speakers, central locking, things on the dash i dont have like light dimming, stuff like that.

I plugged the loom back in to make sure it all still works, it does. Happy days.