Clio 182 Turbo

Yarp said:

That makes sense, I thought there was more broken bits of metal than I had missing 🤣.

Are any of the bits of the box any use to you? They are going out for scrap but if there’s anything useful I can send it your way.

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I had one in that had done the exact same thing just before Christmas funnily enough.

I’d need to see the selector forks ideally mate before I can commit, but the upper half of the casing could be of use 👍🏻

Advikaz said:

Reckon that’s what died on mine @NorthloopCup ? As the box looks to have punched a hole in a similar place…

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I would imagine so mate yeah.

I thought about doing something Clio related today. I got as far as looking at it before thinking “f**k that” and walking down to Sainsbury Local for a slab so sanny migs. It’s still the most progress I’ve made this year 🤣

Maybe next weekend ?

I’m not even sure I believe it myself, but I did a thing tonight. For the first time in nearly a year.

The bonsai human was playing out in the street so used it as an excuse to fanny on for a bit.

Plan was to strip the subframe. The whole lot is minging so needs stripped then sent for blasting and powder coating.

Disks and hubs look like they’ve been in the sea.


Wishbones look like they’ve been in the sea


Subframe looks a bit less like it’s been in the sea


I took the steering rack off. You can see on this bit where the downpipe has been hitting it on that sticky out bit and also on that bolt head. Does the DCi EPAS rack have this or is it different? It it does I’ll swap the rack, if not I’ll just grind it a bit.


It’s also been hitting the subframe a bit. That’s an easy fix - I’ll just edit it with a big hammer.


I had also tidied the garage a bit at the weekend too. It’s still surrounded by shite but at least I can get near it now!


Last question for today is the 255/265/275 pistons. I know a few have used them in the F4R. I’m sure a couple have had them machined to match the 1x2 piston profile. However… is that needed. Can I just use a thicker HG to avoid having to machine them? Does anyone know how much clearance I need to not end up with a valvey pistony mess?

May aswell just buy my powerflexed wishbones if you're wanting some to send away 👀

I thought we'd covered this before Steven

Just stick a thicker head gasket on and have done🤣 The dCi rack does look smaller, I'd send a picture but I can't find any on my phone

Dci rack for ref. Shoud give a bit more room, and solid mounted compared to the bushes on 172 rack..

Megane headgasket on and send it.

Louis said:

May aswell just buy my powerflexed wishbones if you're wanting some to send away 👀

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Ping a link over. Could be a plan cos the bushes are shot on them.

Speedo Gonzales said:

I thought we'd covered this before Steven

Just stick a thicker head gasket on and have done🤣 The dCi rack does look smaller, I'd send a picture but I can't find any on my phone

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We have but not sure we settled on how much thicker. It’s a ropey guessing game if I guess wrong 🤣.

You haven’t got a rack in stock amongst the 261555156253 bits of Renault have you?

Brigsy said:

Dci rack for ref. Shoud give a bit more room, and solid mounted compared to the bushes on 172 rack..View attachment 1761833

Megane headgasket on and send it.

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Mint. That’ll be just the job. All the s**t that gets in the way will no longer be there 👌. Best get eBaying.

Just normal 265/275 gasket?

Yarp said:

We have but not sure we settled on how much thicker. It’s a ropey guessing game if I guess wrong 🤣.

You haven’t got a rack in stock amongst the 261555156253 bits of Renault have you?

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Standard thickness is .65mm, Meg2 PH1 was 1.3mm and Meg3 is 1.5mm iirc

I don't have a spare dCi rack no mate

Speedo Gonzales said:

Standard thickness is .65mm, Meg2 PH1 was 1.3mm and Meg3 is 1.5mm iirc

I don't have a spare dCi rack no mate

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1.5mm it is. Suppose the easy test is to pop the head off, stick a steel rule over the top of one of the pistons and see what clearance I’ve got at TDC. Then same again with the new pistons and HG and see where I end up.

Yarp said:

1.5mm it is. Suppose the easy test is to pop the head off, stick a steel rule over the top of one of the pistons and see what clearance I’ve got at TDC. Then same again with the new pistons and HG and see where I end up.

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Get a cheap dial indicator, zero it on the deck of the block and then measure piston protrusion

Cant see no machining required on 250 pistons to be fair in 172 mate. Whats reason behind it? Same block height as 250 iirc and no protrusion.

Look similar to meg2 pistons with valve cutouts so shouldnt have a problem with vvt activated.

What cr are you aiming for. 1.3-1.5mm gasket should put you in the mid/high 8s.

I also have a stock of 1.2 racks if you want a freebie. Had a few off breakers sent incorrect when looking for a dci one.

I might have to take you up on one of those, happy to swap for a few beer tokens though.

I think the machining idea came from @incy-spider 's build. He Had the 250/265/275 pistons machined to match the exhaust ports of the 182 ones.

Shamelessly stolen pic below. Machined piston on left, original 1x2 on right.



The thicker head gasket does seem logical though. It's essentially the same block with the same bore/stroke so a thicker gasket should buy the extra clearance. Unless the 250 head is vastly different then it should do the trick.

Compression should be somewhere around 8.5:1.

I'm not too bothered about ultra specific compression ratio as I'm not shooting for huge numbers. I'm using incy-spider's old 225 injectors so they'll limit what I can do. Max power realistically will be somewhere around 280 (he made 282/258 at 12psi). The EFI boost control module can deal with that too. .

Any more and I'll need standalone management, proper valves and springs. And a decent gearbox. None of which I have!

Welcome to a rack for free if you want one. I should bin them but im a fooking hoarder

I see what you mean, valve cutouts on exhaust side. Be interesting mocking it up to see if its necessary.

Being honest wouldnt bother changing pistons for 280..stick a meg headgasket current engine to drop the static cr so your not knock limited and send it.

I ran 250rs pistons as is in a laguna block but with full 172 cams no issues. Only thing to note was a cometic thick headgasket.

Brigsy said:

Welcome to a rack for free if you want one. I should bin them but im a fooking hoarder

I see what you mean, valve cutouts on exhaust side. Be interesting mocking it up to see if its necessary.

Being honest wouldnt bother changing pistons for 280..stick a meg headgasket current engine to drop the static cr so your not knock limited and send it.

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Thats a good point well made and just a gasket probably the sensible/easy option. However… engine is already out. Head has got to come off anyway. I’ll be taking the sump off to sort the leaky sump gasket. By the time I’m that deep, swapping the pistons isn’t really that much more effort. Plus it’ll also be nice to have a fresh set of rings and rod bearings (bmw ownership has scarred me for life with bearings!!).

Legend RE the rack. I’ll drop you a message cos I’m sure you’re only half an hour or so away.

Adey. said:

I ran 250rs pistons as is in a laguna block but with full 172 cams no issues. Only thing to note was a cometic thick headgasket.

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That answers it then! Thicker HG it is.

Sorry for ever questioning you @Speedo Gonzales and @Brigsy. I hope you can find it in you to forgive me 😂

Can you remember what one you used?

I ran a 1.9mm cometic gasket, was trying to drop the comp pretty low for bigger boost, was running 304/300 on that.

I only suggested putting a HG on to save you a message about

If you're in there and the engines coming out then send it with the pistons. Might be worth getting some 250/265/275 rods just for the sake of it

Adey. said:

I ran a 1.9mm cometic gasket, was trying to drop the comp pretty low for bigger boost, was running 304/300 on that.

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Cracking, cheers 👍.

Did you get there on 225 injectors or need something a bit more spicy?

Speedo Gonzales said:

I only suggested putting a HG on to save you a message about

If you're in there and the engines coming out then send it with the pistons. Might be worth getting some 250/265/275 rods just for the sake of it

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Yeah, with the lot out it makes sense.

I’ve got both 😉.


Gonna go 9 bar of boost through the wuhan whistler and see if it’ll make 1500bhp 💪

Yarp said:

Cracking, cheers 👍.

Did you get there on 225 injectors or need something a bit more spicy?

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no, a little more. 250 rods and pistons, 1.9mm gasket, 172 inlet and exhaust cams, 19t hybrid turbo, meg 250 injectors and map sensors. Exhaust cam was a bit spicy for the stock megane exhaust manifold and rear housing. This was stuffed into a twingo with a diesel gearbox, was spicy on the road.