Now I've actually got things to talk about on this car I figured I should make a proper thread for it as half the folks on here don't own a Clio anymore anyway. :innocent:
Anyway I bought the car off a friend in June. Him and his better half owned the car for about 3 years and he takes mechanical OCD to a new level - he is the reason I bought the car. Everything is tight and smooth.
When it was bought the following had just been done to it:
But this is a build thread and a car enthusiast forum so it wasn't long before changes were made! :kissingsmiling:
Anyway, got tired of the stock head unit quite quickly so that was replaced with a Pioneer X8500DAB. No pictures taken of it that I can find.
Great unit, loads of customisation and gives me my hands-free and DAB - I originally put a double din screen in but everytime I wanted to do something I had to look away from the road and after a near-miss that would have been entirely my fault I took it back.
Next came a few LEDs which I've linked to the courtesy light. I was really concerned about it looking tacky but it's surprisingly tidy and completes the interior I think.
Not as easy to do as on the 182 due to restricted access but still perfectly do-able. My phone fucked this picture up, haven't bothered to take another. Sorry about that.
Next I changed the rocker cover gasket as it was leaking a bit of oil. Easy job. Few photos if anyone wanted to see what an EP3s brain looks like.
A friend of a friend was selling an ARC airbox and I decided to make the jump as something of an impulse buy as they're very hard to get ahold of and traded him my old AEMv2 and a bit of cash his way.
An ARC airbox is a no bullshit way of cramming as much air into the engine and a good starting point for extra mods.
They're originally designed for the DC5 but they fit the EP3 just fine.
They come with two filters and this one was a bit grubby on first arrival.
Bit of cleaning and oil later and it looked much better!
Kind of eats the engine bay...
I was now at something of a crossroads. Do I start chasing big numbers or optimise what I have? With some extra breathing mods and a remap these cars will push ~250 with no internal work. I also need to grow up at some point too...
For those of you who don't know (or care) there are a lot of quite frankly ridiculous limitations to the EP3:
So, onto the rolling road the car went!
He did a couple of runs just to get some base figures.
As standard:
ECU Out!
Before and after:
It gained about 40hp in the middle! It's a totally different animal and the VTEC (yo) crossover has been dropped to 5400 from the ~6500 mark.
2nd gear is now something of a commitment and I have wheelspin at the crossover where there previously was none.
He's also raised the rev-limit to a stonking 8650 though the car over-reads and displays a totally ridiculous (ova!!) 9000 before it runs out of puff.
Problem is that now I have a printout I may end up going down the 4-2-1 and RBC intake and chase the bigger numbers... This stuff is addictive...
But at the same time at no point when I drive it do I think "this is slow" so I may just go for an LSD and some Recaros out of a Premier EP3.
Whether to get the standard box modified or just drop an DC5 one in I haven't decided yet - that can wait till 2015. :tongueout:
Otherwise that's where I am with this car now.
Any thoughts and advice is always welcome and if anyone else on here has an EP3 and fancies pointing me in a good direction that's great too. :smile:
Anyway I bought the car off a friend in June. Him and his better half owned the car for about 3 years and he takes mechanical OCD to a new level - he is the reason I bought the car. Everything is tight and smooth.
When it was bought the following had just been done to it:
- Suspension refresh on Eibach Prolines and Bilstein B4s.
- AEM v2 fitted for extra lulz
- Larger exhaust mid-section
- Wheels refurbished at The Wheel Specialist.
- All fluids changed and car only ever run on Nandrive.
- New discs and pads.
- 4 new tyres and alignment done.
- Steering rack removed and re-greased. (I helped on that one - a mythical job I'm pleased I don't have to do)
- Lots of bits and pieces like new bushes and drop links.
- Momo wheel poached from Premier EP3
- FD2 Gearknob
But this is a build thread and a car enthusiast forum so it wasn't long before changes were made! :kissingsmiling:
Anyway, got tired of the stock head unit quite quickly so that was replaced with a Pioneer X8500DAB. No pictures taken of it that I can find.
Great unit, loads of customisation and gives me my hands-free and DAB - I originally put a double din screen in but everytime I wanted to do something I had to look away from the road and after a near-miss that would have been entirely my fault I took it back.
Next came a few LEDs which I've linked to the courtesy light. I was really concerned about it looking tacky but it's surprisingly tidy and completes the interior I think.
Not as easy to do as on the 182 due to restricted access but still perfectly do-able. My phone fucked this picture up, haven't bothered to take another. Sorry about that.
Next I changed the rocker cover gasket as it was leaking a bit of oil. Easy job. Few photos if anyone wanted to see what an EP3s brain looks like.
A friend of a friend was selling an ARC airbox and I decided to make the jump as something of an impulse buy as they're very hard to get ahold of and traded him my old AEMv2 and a bit of cash his way.
An ARC airbox is a no bullshit way of cramming as much air into the engine and a good starting point for extra mods.
They're originally designed for the DC5 but they fit the EP3 just fine.
They come with two filters and this one was a bit grubby on first arrival.
Bit of cleaning and oil later and it looked much better!
Kind of eats the engine bay...
I was now at something of a crossroads. Do I start chasing big numbers or optimise what I have? With some extra breathing mods and a remap these cars will push ~250 with no internal work. I also need to grow up at some point too...
For those of you who don't know (or care) there are a lot of quite frankly ridiculous limitations to the EP3:
- The UK 4-1 manifold and cat are a huge restriction - solved by fitting a 4-2-1 and decat. The JDM EP3 comes with a 4-2-1 and LSD and makes 220 as standard. :rage:
- If you fit a 4-2-1 the exhaust becomes a restriction, so a 3" system becomes a good idea.
- Standard inlet can replaced by an uprated RBC one.
- Midsection is a huge restriction though this has been solved with the larger one already fitted.
- Throttle body is not much of a restriction so not many people bother with the larger 70mm ones.
So, onto the rolling road the car went!
He did a couple of runs just to get some base figures.
As standard:
ECU Out!
Before and after:
It gained about 40hp in the middle! It's a totally different animal and the VTEC (yo) crossover has been dropped to 5400 from the ~6500 mark.
2nd gear is now something of a commitment and I have wheelspin at the crossover where there previously was none.
He's also raised the rev-limit to a stonking 8650 though the car over-reads and displays a totally ridiculous (ova!!) 9000 before it runs out of puff.
Problem is that now I have a printout I may end up going down the 4-2-1 and RBC intake and chase the bigger numbers... This stuff is addictive...
But at the same time at no point when I drive it do I think "this is slow" so I may just go for an LSD and some Recaros out of a Premier EP3.
Whether to get the standard box modified or just drop an DC5 one in I haven't decided yet - that can wait till 2015. :tongueout:
Otherwise that's where I am with this car now.
Any thoughts and advice is always welcome and if anyone else on here has an EP3 and fancies pointing me in a good direction that's great too. :smile:
