182 Touge/Tuner Build

Ey up!

Long-time Honda kid and recent Clio convert here.

Picked up this high-mileage machine at 170k miles with intentions of turning it into a touge toy I can reliably daily.

It's got a few nice bits on it already, like Cup shocks, Cooksport springs, a Strutbracer brace, Powerflex blacks all round, Vibra-Technics solid mounts and an ASBO-tastic Milltek exhaust.

I've additionally fitted some fun bits like a Ripspeed flip-out headunit, Alpine amp, and a set of Altezza-style taillights that will more than likely see me shot against the post by some purists, plus some team graphics to represent my overseas friends in Boneout Racing Group.

Given the age, mileage, and previous [track] use of the car, I've ordered the parts to fix the standout issues, such as the steering rack and both tie rods being completely shot, a small oil leak from the rocker cover gasket, and will be fitting some more appropriately-sized Enkei RPF1RSs in the future. Plus some Yokos for good measure.

Looking forward to learning more about these things and meeting some more Clio owners! All of the Renault owners I've met in Bournemouth thus far have been lovely, so keen to get out there.

Cheers!

Welcome to Clio ownership. Sadly, unlike Hondas a cam cover leak is not an easy fix but if you don't know the service history you can tie it in to a cambelt and dephaser change.
Other than that, you'll find answers to any questions in this community and some might even be right!

Kswap 💪🏻

robzracing said:

Welcome to Clio ownership. Sadly, unlike Hondas a cam cover leak is not an easy fix but if you don't know the service history you can tie it in to a cambelt and dephaser change.
Other than that, you'll find answers to any questions in this community and some might even be right!

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Cheers dude! Frustratingly enough, the cambelt and dephaser was done shortly before I ended up with it, it just seems like it's been done in such a way where it's weeping a bit of oil. Looks like I might need to do the whole thing a second time from what a bit of reading tells me

I'll have the whole thing apart on a lift next weekend as I'm replacing the steering rack and tie rods, so I can hopefully assess things in full.

Good to know that there are indeed some correct answers in the ClioSport community! Immediately doing better than my previous H-badged accomplices by the seems of it.

Chambers_RS said:

Kswap 💪🏻

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I wish!

Forking out mega money at the moment doing a K24 for my 2012 Jazz, two K swaps would send my bank account into the negatives

bvnditi said:

Cheers dude! Frustratingly enough, the cambelt and dephaser was done shortly before I ended up with it, it just seems like it's been done in such a way where it's weeping a bit of oil. Looks like I might need to do the whole thing a second time from what a bit of reading tells me

I'll have the whole thing apart on a lift next weekend as I'm replacing the steering rack and tie rods, so I can hopefully assess things in full.

Good to know that there are indeed some correct answers in the ClioSport community! Immediately doing better than my previous H-badged accomplices by the seems of it.

Click to expand...

It is possible that its not the cam cover leaking. The heads are prone to leak from the core plugs between the exhaust ports (I've fixed this with silicone before) and also from the seal around the dephaser solenoid on the top. Worth checking both first.

My old car. Good to see it's still about.

robzracing said:

It is possible that its not the cam cover leaking. The heads are prone to leak from the core plugs between the exhaust ports (I've fixed this with silicone before) and also from the seal around the dephaser solenoid on the top. Worth checking both first.

Click to expand...

Bloody good to know. The car seems pretty well looked after and the oil leak's not dreadful, so hopefully that's the case.

Thankfully I'm in good stead with a specialist that races these, he's got about 14 Mk2s just sat in a barn. I'll get him summoned, and hopefully it's just a case of getting the silicon out.

Worst case, I'm a Honda owner, checking oil levels due to frequently losing the stuff's basically muscle memory at this point

bowen86 said:

My old car. Good to see it's still about.

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She's a beaut dude! You've done such a good job with it that it's converted me away from Hondas.

Apologies in advance if any cosmetic tweaks I make aren't to your liking 😅

bvnditi said:

Bloody good to know. The car seems pretty well looked after and the oil leak's not dreadful, so hopefully that's the case.

Thankfully I'm in good stead with a specialist that races these, he's got about 14 Mk2s just sat in a barn. I'll get him summoned, and hopefully it's just a case of getting the silicon out.

Worst case, I'm a Honda owner, checking oil levels due to frequently losing the stuff's basically muscle memory at this point

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I've been racing one of these for 13 years. I think I've had pretty much anything these engines can do thrown at me at one time or another!

bvnditi said:

She's a beaut dude! You've done such a good job with it that it's converted me away from Hondas.

Apologies in advance if any cosmetic tweaks I make aren't to your liking 😅

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Had at least 3 owners since me tbh. But I think I made a build thread on it if you go to my profile.



How I left it....

robzracing said:

I've been racing one of these for 13 years. I think I've had pretty much anything these engines can do thrown at me at one time or another!

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You've been racing Clios since I was like 10 in that case!

Out of intrigue then, given I do drive the car remarkably hard on the regular (motorsports of the after-dark variety), is there anything I should be keeping an eye out for/doing to keep the car healthy?

bowen86 said:

Had at least 3 owners since me tbh. But I think I made a build thread on it if you go to my profile.

View attachment 1784749

How I left it....

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Had a look through your profile and found a beautiful RB & silver one, but no luck finding this one sadly! Currently fighting off a flu/fever so there's a high chance I'm just being braindead and blind there.

Someone de-track-ified it before it ended up in my hands by the seems of it then too, I picked it up off Charlie & Tim Dovey out by Dorchester.

bvnditi said:

You've been racing Clios since I was like 10 in that case!

Out of intrigue then, given I do drive the car remarkably hard on the regular (motorsports of the after-dark variety), is there anything I should be keeping an eye out for/doing to keep the car healthy?

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The gearboxes are made of chocolate so don't try and rush gearchanges. If it starts crunching into 3rd then start saving for a rebuild! And these engines love to bend valves if you over rev them or miss a gear. You can change the bottom pulley for a keyed version (from a Megan) that will stop the pulley slipping.
If you have the sump off, change the rod bolts for ARP ones. Another common failure if they get over-revved.
Other than that just keep on top of maintenance, oil changes etc and don't let it run low on oil. they suffer with low oil pressure at the best of times.

And finally, don't whatever you do look at the Pure Motorsport website. It will empty your bank account before you know it!

robzracing said:

The gearboxes are made of chocolate so don't try and rush gearchanges. If it starts crunching into 3rd then start saving for a rebuild! And these engines love to bend valves if you over rev them or miss a gear. You can change the bottom pulley for a keyed version (from a Megan) that will stop the pulley slipping.
If you have the sump off, change the rod bolts for ARP ones. Another common failure if they get over-revved.
Other than that just keep on top of maintenance, oil changes etc and don't let it run low on oil. they suffer with low oil pressure at the best of times.

And finally, don't whatever you do look at the Pure Motorsport website. It will empty your bank account before you know it!

Click to expand...

I got forewarned on the third gear issue thankfully, and I'm acting swiftly with a rebuilt box that'll be getting a Quaife before going into the car. Third does crunch, so I'll start counting down the days until I deposit my entire gearbox somewhere on the A31 (and ensure I'm still with Green Flag before doing so)

Good to know RE the engine. Keyed Megane bottom pulley and ARP rod bolts are the move then aye? I've gone from a platform known for head lift to a platform known for bottom end issues by the seems of it lol.

I usually do oil religiously every 3K, reckon that covers regular (ie, most weekends) hard fast road driving with 200tw/280tw tyres? Worth me getting an aftermarket sump?

Have unfortunately discovered the Pure Motorsport website and have accepted my fate as a 24 year-old freelance livery designer. I won't be getting a mortgage (probably ever given the state of affairs), so I can at least have a sick Clio with some Pure bits on it instead. I see no flaws with this logic whatsoever and no idea how future me could come to regret this financial decision. 🥴

Also thanks for being an absolute fountain of knowledge dude! Just wanted to give an additional cheers for arming me with all of that

Here it is https://cliosport.net/threads/clio-182-arctic-blue-project.836877/