First Car Project - Clio 172 PH1

[TheBandit]

I love the confidence

 

[leeds2592]

At least the bumper colour match is spot on….

 

[Struggler]

Horn is probably just the connector that's gone. It lives down behind the front bumper so in the elements. One of my jobs this evening is to wire a new connector onto mine to get it working again for the MOT!

 

[Jakeeaton127]

Where does everyone get the centre air vents from and how hard are they to change? One of my stupid friends has snapped it when he was sat in it. Lesson learnt with that one.

Apart from that, i’ve tried fixing the radio plug to no avail so i’ve put the old Sony head unit in as that works and taped up the broken wire. That will only be temporary but i can’t be bothered with it currently. I’ve also replaced the window washer pump as that was blocked, so now they work again.

At least the bumper colour match is spot on….

It’s pretty bad in person, but frankly i don’t care about it too much. It’s far from being immaculate. It needs paint all over but that’s a future job when it’s not driven daily and i have more money spend on it. Atleast if i do scratch the bumpers then it doesn’t matter too much.

 

[Louis]

Your friends are proper spackers

 

[Jakeeaton127]

definitely, i have told them multiple times be careful it isn’t the most durable thing but i get ignored. Didn’t even say sorry for it either.

I’ve just ordered some 3D printed ones for it. They will do, i may look into getting some off a breaker. I’ll see how good the new ones are. When i took them out they exploded, they are definitely not durable

 

[OssPoop]

26 year old plastic isn't known for its durability. The printed ones will be tougher than any you find from a breaker.

 

[Bowz]

Your friends are proper spackers

x2

Didn't another mate mess the gearbox/linkage up?

If it's the same person, he's out to sabotage you son.

 

[Bleu]

You may have to take the dash top off to replace the air vents. Not sure though. Replacements are cheap and available.

 

[RustyMojo]

Honestly if my mates kept breaking my s**t. I’d be smacking them in the mouth. Then finding new mates

 

[Jakeeaton127]

Didn't another mate mess the gearbox/linkage up

This was a different person, just as thick as each other though. The guy who did the box lost the majority of the bolts so rebuilding that wasn’t the nicest job i’ve done.

 

[Jakeeaton127]

Yet again, even more issues with this cursed Clio. It's been away at Cormorant Motorsport having the 'new' box, clutch, both CV boots and was meant to be having its MOT tomorrow. That was until I had these sent to me:

As you can see and hear, them top mounts are completely ruined meaning no Mot for this car anytime soon. The specialist decides to take one shocker off to inspect it on his own back and apparently someone has cross threaded the nut onto of the shockers and misses out something on the top mount so they are ruined and need replacement. Yet more parts to change on this thing, great. Im going to have such a great time removing these.

Apart from that future headache, this car apparently drives very nicely now and most importantly selects reverse. As a bonus, the clutch is lighter than it used to be and the box I bought has been re-built at some point, has a diff plate in and is in great condition.

Is there much difference between the normal 172 and 172 cup shocks and do we reckon I should change the springs too while im there?

 

[YorkshireKyle]

It's not a Clio if the gearbox doesn't come out at least once in your ownership

 

[Matt Cup]

.

Is there much difference between the normal 172 and 172 cup shocks and do we reckon I should change the springs too while im there?

Just get regular shocks. 172 Cup ones are NLA.

 

[Brigsy]

That top mount is not an mot fail being honest, advisory at best. You will fit new ones every other year if using standard ones

 

[McGherkin]

I don’t think they ever actually sit flush on top do they?

 

[Brigsy]

I don’t think they ever actually sit flush on top do they?

Always a gap on the floating top mounts. I tried to eliminate the gap on my trophy and it bound up when turning.

 

[Jakeeaton127]

I was told that but I don't think they are meant to be that bad.

 

[Brigsy]

On the new style top mounts the gap is massive. Dont get me wrong, yours will be knackered but £20 a side and half hours work.

 

[Rojer]

For reference, these were how mine sat

 

[Jakeeaton127]

After about 8 years, this car finally did a journey on the road from the specialist to its new storage location, my work. Apparently it’s great to drive and over the 40 odd miles it did there was only two issues.

One, the whole gauge cluster died but turning it off and on again fixed that. Also, it apparently bogged down in 5th when trying to accelerate but dropping it down a gear fixed that. I hope they were a one time issue.

However, my reward for spending another £1000 was a random EML light as soon as i went in the car. I don’t know how it’s done 40 miles fine-ish then as soon as i go near it a light comes on. It kept stalling but that may have been my colleague or the car we don’t know. So yet again even more things to look into and fix.

And to add to that, i got the old gearbox back from the specialist as i fancy stripping it down for something to do. It has punched a huge hole through the boot floor so now i need a new one of them too.

 

[YorkshireKyle]

Check the battery and earths

Sounds like an electrical gremlin, I had the clocks die on me wheny battery was failing

 

[RustyMojo]

Check the battery and earths

Sounds like an electrical gremlin, I had the clocks die on me wheny battery was failing

Gearbox has been messed around with too hasn’t it! Bet you are right there Kyle, iirc there’s a substantial earth strap somewhere near the gearbox. Given they are cheap to replace it’d be worth replacing anyway and cleaning the whole area up.

 

[MAXRUNDOWN]

It has punched a huge hole through the boot floor so now i need a new one of them too.

Sorry what.. you barebacked the old gearbox back home in the boot? No wood, thick blanket etc?

 

[Jakeeaton127]

These are the fault codes it’s giving me:

Anyone have any ideas on what can cause them issues? Obviously that’s not Renault specific code readers so it’s a bit vague. No EML has come back though.

Sorry what.. you barebacked the old gearbox back home in the boot? No wood, thick blanket etc?

In my defence, i didn’t pick the car up and i wasn’t with it till it came to my work. I asked my dad multiple times to try and get something to protect the boot but he forgot.

 

[leeds2592]

Everytime I read one of your updates, I have the benny hill theme tune in my head

 

[RustyMojo]

These are the fault codes it’s giving me:
View attachment 1803708
Anyone have any ideas on what can cause them issues? Obviously that’s not Renault specific code readers so it’s a bit vague. No EML has come back though.


In my defence, i didn’t pick the car up and i wasn’t with it till it came to my work. I asked my dad multiple times to try and get something to protect the boot but he forgot.

Have you looked at the earth first, like suggested?

 

[Jakeeaton127]

i’ve not had any time to, it’s my plan for tomorrow when i get up on a ramp. Only had time to check the codes again and see if the EML has returned

 

[Louis]

Did you clear all the codes, then start up the engine again?

 

[Jakeeaton127]

yeh, them codes came back but no eml light. i did let it run for a bit and nothing. Ran great, no lights etc.

 

[Struggler]

"If in doubt, check the earths" Is definitely a motto I live by with these cars.

Ive replaced all the ones on mine for good measure!