1.5 dci daily

[TRB182]

Hi,

I am considering buying a 1.5 dci mk2 or mk3 ph1 clio. I've heard various horror stories about engine reliability. Is there anything to look out for engine wise? I thought I'd seen somewhere that post 05 cars where meant to be better.

Tom

 

[Starlet_gt]

My mother has had 2 mk3 dci's and my wife had one and put 30k a year on it. The engines seemed to be bullet proof in my experience.

 

[Brigsy]

Great engine when looked after, mine is on 142k and doesnt really use any oil. Avoid anything that wont start, chucking out blue smoke or mega mileage/unloved and you will be fine. Most mk2’s are astronomical mileage now so choose carefully, most people do not service them or nowt as just a cheap runabout.

 

[Rojer]

Injectors and fuel pumps are a problem. Mine wouldn't start when cold and performed the leakdown test and 3 injectors dead. Very economical tho.

 

[TRB182]

Injectors and fuel pumps are a problem. Mine wouldn't start when cold and performed the leakdown test and 3 injectors dead. Very economical tho.

Are injectors expensive?

 

[TRB182]

Great engine when looked after, mine is on 142k and doesnt really use any oil. Avoid anything that wont start, chucking out blue smoke or mega mileage/unloved and you will be fine. Most mk2’s are astronomical mileage now so choose carefully, most people do not service them or nowt as just a cheap runabout.

Yeah mk2 are proving very hard to come by. I don't really like the early mk3 shape though. Very pointy at the front. Was the smallest mk3 a dci 80? They don't come in the 65hp guise?

 

[Rojer]

Are injectors expensive?

£100ish each I think, plus labour or do it yourself. Can't remember if they need coding or not. Not sure if they made changes in the mk3 engine or not so that might be better than mk2.

 

[DrR]

What horror stories? I know this as being a reliable engine that just keeps going?

 

[TRB182]

What horror stories? I know this as being a reliable engine that just keeps going?

Heard tales of piston rings, pumps injectors etc. Although I've seen plenty for sale with 200k plus so it must just be people not servicing regular enough that have the problems.

 

[Chris_Beer]

Injectors can also seize in which without the proper tools can potentially mean a lot of extra work if they snap

They also need coding to fine tune everything but if you have a copy of Clip you can do it yourself by reading the codes printed on the new ones

I believe the dCi 80 is only one with £20 tax and the 65 and 100 are £30 ?

You can't really motor for less though so it's wise to look after them a bit as most get scrapped because of repair cost

 

[Rojer]

Mine was sold on ebay spares or repairs in the end for around 350.

 

[Clio182mike]

We have a dci 65 and it has broke down 3 times in 2 years. It would cut out with a high rail pressure fault. Easy start gets it going again and is fine. It hasn't done it since September so hopefully it will be ok. It's really good on fuel, I was doing around £40-50 a week in my old 172 and £20 a week in the dci.

 

[TonkaTruck]

Had my dCi 100 for the past 7 years... only problem I had is the fuel pump eating itself.

 

[TRB182]

Worth a punt then! Megane seem to be a cheaper buy but I think they are more prone to problems with the keyless etc. I'm keeping my eye open for a half decent clio.

 

[TRB182]

Bought this, wish me luck lads

 

[gez 172]

The Mk2 DCi’s are becoming quite hard to get hold of now, eBay seems to be cluttered with cheap Mk3’s now.

I’m going to view a mk2 DCI Wednesday- hoping it’s a good one.

 

[Brigsy]

Sound that, same colour and spec as mine. A couple of cheapo 172 upgrades and your away

 

[TRB182]

Sound that, same colour and spec as mine. A couple of cheapo 172 upgrades and your away

Is it inferno or a different colour I wasn't sure. This one is an extreme. What kind of mods?

 

[Brigsy]

The colour is Malaga orange, code is Ted33, its a different shade compared to inferno. Mine is the same model extreme3. Extremely povo spec as stock no rear speaker wiring, no external temp etc.

I have sport front grill in mine, xenons, retrofitted a couple of electronic bits - external temp and intermittent wiper stalk etc. Going to fit cruise very soon but needs all the wiring adding unfortunately.

 

[TRB182]

The Mk2 DCi’s are becoming quite hard to get hold of now, eBay seems to be cluttered with cheap Mk3’s now.

I’m going to view a mk2 DCI Wednesday- hoping it’s a good one.

Let us know! Just something about a mk2. My sister has a mk3 1.2 and it's just not as involving to drive. I've had a few mk2 including the 172 cup and there's just something about them

 

[Clio182mike]

Nice to see you got one now. I was going to see if you fancied a px for ours plus cash for your cup.

 

[Mr Burns]

My brother had a DCi 100 and he told me it was pretty quick for what it was.
...I didn't believe him until he took me for a spin, and I was genuinely surprised.

 

[TRB182]

And here she is. Got it home today. Surprisingly nippy! Few spots of lacquer peel but drives really well!

 

[Chris_Beer]

Check for any sunroof leaks, keep an eye for any ignition dashboard lights and check the condition of the engine mounts /suspension etc

 

[TRB182]

Check for any sunroof leaks, keep an eye for any ignition dashboard lights and check the condition of the engine mounts /suspension etc

All of the above are good. Came with full history all books and 2 keys. It's been looked after very well mechanically. Pensioners owned it so the body is a bit shoddy but for the price it's grand. How much would you expect to pay for dci 80 injectors and intercooler? May go down that route then remap for extra mpg.

 

[gez 172]

Just picked mine up today ? non-sunroof model thankfully. I wouldn’t have gone and viewed it otherwise. 2005 (55) 4 owners(2 were husband and then wife) , 117k
Almost full service history, minus cambelt, so I’m getting that sorted ASAP.

Love it already.

Going to change it to 182 interior also.,

 

[TRB182]

Just picked mine up today ? non-sunroof model thankfully. I wouldn’t have gone and viewed it otherwise. 2005 (55) 4 owners(2 were husband and then wife) , 117k
Almost full service history, minus cambelt, so I’m getting that sorted ASAP.

Love it already.

Going to change it to 182 interior also.,

Happy days looks clean. Is that the same colour as mine? Is it a 65? Unreal little cars!

 

[gez 172]

It was a great little find tbh, so I had to snap it up. Yup, it’s a 65.

Does anyone know if cruise control is a straight forward retrofit?

 

[TRB182]

It was a great little find tbh, so I had to snap it up. Yup, it’s a 65.

Does anyone know if cruise control is a straight forward retrofit?

Surprising nippy for 65hp. I expected it to be dead. Was a pleasant surprise. There's even a full tank of diesel came in mine! I'm chuffed with it.

 

[Crayola]

My brother had a DCi 100 and he told me it was pretty quick for what it was.
...I didn't believe him until he took me for a spin, and I was genuinely surprised.

My 100 was alright, it kept up with or was a bit quicker than a few other normal cars that chav dads think they can race about in like 1.6 Focus’, derv Vectra’s/Zafira’s

I still miss it and wish I hadn’t sold it, rear quarter damage made me fall out of love with it though

 

[Chris_Beer]

How much would you expect to pay for dci 80 injectors and intercooler? May go down that route then remap for extra mpg.

Mine is a dCi 65 which I was led to believe was mapped.

Compared to an 80, mine idles slightly higher so isn't as chuggy, and from standing start is identical if not just ahead of an 80. Also a 2nd gear pull to 4th test was completely identical. Both cars similar mileage, but the 80 is looked after with servicing and maintenance. I wanted to rule out it wasn't the driver difference but same results when swapped the cars round, so basically a mapped 65 is good enough I would say, mine is also a 5 door with 16's if that makes it faster lol

 

[Brigsy]

It was a great little find tbh, so I had to snap it up. Yup, it’s a 65.

Does anyone know if cruise control is a straight forward retrofit?

Its fairly straightforward, you will need to add all the wiring though as the loom is very basic in the extreme. Doing it to mine soon got almost all the parts in stock.

 

[Crayola]

Mine is a dCi 65 which I was led to believe was mapped.

Compared to an 80, mine idles slightly higher so isn't as chuggy, and from standing start is identical if not just ahead of an 80. Also a 2nd gear pull to 4th test was completely identical. Both cars similar mileage, but the 80 is looked after with servicing and maintenance. I wanted to rule out it wasn't the driver difference but same results when swapped the cars round, so basically a mapped 65 is good enough I would say, mine is also a 5 door with 16's if that makes it faster lol

Intercooler and a better air filter on a 65 with a map will make it about as quick as a 100, maybe even more

 

[TRB182]

I may just fit an intercooler and map then. Is the radiator the same in 65 and 80 as it looks like intercooler bolts to it?

 

[Djw John]

From what I remember you dont *have* to change the injectors, I think the fuel pressure is higher on the 80 but a 65 with intercooler hits about 80 before a remap iirc.

 

[Chris_Beer]

Intercooler and a better air filter on a 65 with a map will make it about as quick as a 100, maybe even more

Got a spare intercooler and pipework/fittings dumped anywhere? As for a better air filter, I cannot imagine a diesel engine with an open cone lol. Does it just sound like a toolbox falling down the stairs?

 

[Crayola]

Got a spare intercooler and pipework/fittings dumped anywhere? As for a better air filter, I cannot imagine a diesel engine with an open cone lol. Does it just sound like a toolbox falling down the stairs?

I haven’t mate, I’ve got a bent and battered dCi 100 cooler but it’s probably dead as it had a hole in it[emoji23]

My 100 sounded ace with a Ramair filter tbh, just got the suction noise, I’d chopped the backbox out too so it coo’d. Proper chav bus[emoji23][emoji23]

 

[gez 172]

Can anyone confirm if the later 65’s came with an intercooler?
I’ve bought a 55 plate 65 DCi and it’s got an intercooler on it. A standard plastic one?

I didn’t think they did.

 

[Chris_Beer]

Goi

My 100 sounded ace with a Ramair filter tbh, just got the suction noise, I’d chopped the backbox out too so it coo’d. Proper chav bus[emoji23][emoji23]

That's what puts me off fitting one, leaks! The last two I have seen have been leaking once tested.

Going to need a video of the filter please, not even any on YouTube that I could find!

 

[Crayola]

Goi

That's what puts me off fitting one, leaks! The last two I have seen have been leaking once tested.

Going to need a video of the filter please, not even any on YouTube that I could find!

I’ll try and see if I have any videos for you mate. I chased a leak on my 100 for 2 weeks and then noticed a few drops of oil coming from the cold side of the cooler, it drove mint after that[emoji23]