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172 Cup OEM+



bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
Recently @Alastair. advertised his Clio 172 Cup and although I messaged within 10mins of it being advertised, I'd missed out. @*lee* beat me to it.

A week later I get a message on FB from Lee explaining he'd bought it on a whim and what he really wanted was an R26 Megane. He'd seen a Megane and now the Clio was back up for sale and did I want first refusal. It seemed like a scam at first, I even messaged Alastair to check and yeah, it all checked out.

A deposit left and the missus and I jumped on a train to Swindon to get it.

Lee met me at the train station and let me drive it to his.

It was exactly what I expected and what I wanted. Something, clean, fresh, OEM and usable on the road.

Money paid, paperwork done and off we went.

Screenshot_20240505_073801_Instagram.jpg

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Took the scenic route home
Screenshot_20240505_073948_Gallery.jpg


The car drove great. I said to my missus "I could daily this", that's not the plan but it emphasised how nice it was on road.

Other than Cooksport springs and a Ktec exhaust it's unmolested.

My plans, keep it OEM with maybe a few small tweaks, that said it's so nice as is I may just leave it. It seems to have the sound aktor and the original cup splitter which goes to show how standard it is.

Further reading on this Cup and for my own history previous threads:

@Alastair. thread

@cliocollins thread

One last pic from Alastair's thread as I love it
339EBFFE-76DC-4BC3-B8A3-8FE9931D71AA.jpeg


More over on Instagram @its.bowz

Cheers
 

gez 172

ClioSport Club Member
  Defender 110
Absolutely stunning - shame an owner was added for almost no reason.

Keep the pictures coming.
 

bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
Took the Cup for a spin over local roads and it's great. Very compliant over the pothole'd roads of South Wales and it's just the right or 'raw' to feel special.

I did notice that the EML flashed very, very briefly.

Took a quick reading of the resistance at the Injectors.
Screenshot_20240508_214900_Gallery.jpg


x4 new genuine injectors from AETmotorsport.
IMG_20240429_190939_697.jpg


Next. Rust.

I noticed that the previous owners hadn't mentioned rust and when I put this 172 Cup on Instagram I had some comments "How IS the rust?" which made me think "oh sh1t".

I peeped in the rear door cards and

20240506_094320.jpg


I'll take that. Other side was much the same but no photo as I was filming it and took stills.

I also noticed the sideskirts had the original Renault rivets in. So out they came and off came the side skirts.

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And whilst there I cleaned out the archliners
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(sorry for the image sizes).

Overall I'm really happy and it's a huge credit to @Alastair. for its up keep to this point. I won't F it up.

IMG_20240421_192226_795.jpg


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Mr Underhill

ClioSport Club Member
Took the Cup for a spin over local roads and it's great. Very compliant over the pothole'd roads of South Wales and it's just the right or 'raw' to feel special.

I did notice that the EML flashed very, very briefly.

Took a quick reading of the resistance at the Injectors.
View attachment 1691763

x4 new genuine injectors from AETmotorsport.
View attachment 1691764

Next. Rust.

I noticed that the previous owners hadn't mentioned rust and when I put this 172 Cup on Instagram I had some comments "How IS the rust?" which made me think "oh sh1t".

I peeped in the rear door cards and

View attachment 1691765

I'll take that. Other side was much the same but no photo as I was filming it and took stills.

I also noticed the sideskirts had the original Renault rivets in. So out they came and off came the side skirts.

View attachment 1691767

View attachment 1691768

And whilst there I cleaned out the archliners View attachment 1691769

(sorry for the image sizes).

Overall I'm really happy and it's a huge credit to @Alastair. for its up keep to this point. I won't F it up.

View attachment 1691770

View attachment 1691771
Result. It’s a rare beast not to have rust in those places. Well done!
 

Alastair.

ClioSport Club Member
  986'S 172ph1+182FF
Nice, i think i did take some pics from behind the rear door cards in my thread.

Unlucky ref the eml light, never had that come on 😢 probably due a fresh set of injectors anyhow 👍
 

Brigsy

ClioSport Club Member
  T.Turbo
Looks spot on.

Get a load of cavity wax on the inner rear arches and inner sills, will stay rot free for years.
 

bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
I think you may be right.

EML light. It's a 21 year old car. These things are to be expected.

Thankfully ClioSport.net came to the rescue and suggested it could be an injector.

All four replaced and it's running like French watch. 😂
 

Mr Underhill

ClioSport Club Member
On the cards.

How do you get cavity wax in the inner sills? Is there a trick to it?
Under the side skirts there’s a sticker, peel it back. If you buy BH S50 Dynax it comes with a lance.

IMG_5110.jpeg


Push the lance as far in as you can and slowly draw it back as you spray. Then turn the other way and repeat. It’ll usually hit those rear quarters without taking the inner cards off.
 

Brigsy

ClioSport Club Member
  T.Turbo
As
On the cards.

How do you get cavity wax in the inner sills? Is there a trick to it?

As @Mr Underhill said above get the lance in. Id whip rear doorcards and blast it in on the rear arch seams and sill.

Dont forget to put some cardboard or whatever underneath the sill as the cavity wax will run out of any small gap onto the floor.

Done my Trophy a couple of years ago.

20220227_143754.jpg
 

ixell

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 172 cup phase 2
I have a very similar condition cup and was wondering how much you paid please
 

bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
Under the side skirts there’s a sticker, peel it back. If you buy BH S50 Dynax it comes with a lance.

View attachment 1691860

Push the lance as far in as you can and slowly draw it back as you spray. Then turn the other way and repeat. It’ll usually hit those rear quarters without taking the inner cards off.
Is this sticker on later cars as I can't see it on this Cup?
 

bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
Not sure fella. You’ve got the side skirt off?
Yeah, skirts off. Stood here now and no silver sticker.
Unless I am blind.

Skirts off and the black rectangular brackets twisted just to check it's not under one of them.

I remember all my previous 182s having a silver sticker under the sill and not knowing what it was for, but this is my first 172 (and the oldest clio I've had being an 03).
 

Mr Underhill

ClioSport Club Member
Yeah, skirts off. Stood here now and no silver sticker.
Unless I am blind.

Skirts off and the black rectangular brackets twisted just to check it's not under one of them.

I remember all my previous 182s having a silver sticker under the sill and not knowing what it was for, but this is my first 172 (and the oldest clio I've had being an 03).
200.gif
 

bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
Took the the Missus and my daughter out in the clio this weekend. Nice to have a (toy) car we can all jump in and Enjoy.

On returning I noticed a little puddle on the floor where the Clio was parked, but it wasn't where'd you'd expect at the front, it was towards the back?

Stuck my head under and could see brake fluid dripping from what I now know to be the rear brake compensator(?).

20240624_164652.jpg


What's the best course of action? Are these compensators fixable? That nut didn't seem to budge when I stuck a spanner on it.

Repair or replace.

Thoughts please?


And a photo on the little trip out at the weekend.
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bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
Decided to replace the rear bias valve as it looked awful and didn't have any real movement.

The unions came out pretty easily after soaking them in WD40.

Old and new

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As it was a job that involved brake fluid, it made for a messy and stressy job, trying not to get fluid everywhere.

In situ.
20240704_150909.jpg


I'm not convinced with this new valve, yet.
I've a load of air in the system and need to bleed it over and over and over again as seems to be the norm with Clios.

I've noticed when tapping the brake pedal the arm of the valve moves freely. But it also seems to make a tapping noise as it's working?

Also fitted a pair of PMS 10mm stub axle spacers. Not fitted stub axle spacers before, simple job really. Done a 1000 times to clios but here's a pic anyway.

Screenshot_20240705_201211_Gallery.jpg


Got tired of jacking the car up on axle stands so ordered a set of Kwik Lifts. Best money I've ever spent.

IMG_20240705_164546_078.jpg
 

Touring_Rob

ClioSport Club Member
Where did you get your kwik lifts from?
I want these, just need to figure out where I can have them as a gravel driveway/40's garage isn't cutting it.


@bowen86 car is looking great, many congratulations 👌
 

bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
I want these, just need to figure out where I can have them as a gravel driveway/40's garage isn't cutting it.


@bowen86 car is looking great, many congratulations 👌

Yeah, gravel driveway would be living dangerously 😂

They are great and my back and knees are thanking me!
 

bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
So I thought I'd solved the brake bias valve leaking, but in the slippery panic of brake fluid up to my elbows I managed to do something silly and cross threaded the brake line going in to the N/S rear caliper. Doh! Ordered a new one and all new braided lines for the bias valve and the calipers and of course a new caliper.
Screenshot_20240819_141756_Photos.jpg


I must have bled the brakes a hundred times and eventually it was all sorted.

Now, I've owned a few Clios and I know with a few subtle mods they are a much more pleasant place to be/car to drive. That said, I won't be going the track car route, I still want rear seats etc.

First up I spotted a BMS shifter for sale. I've never had a BMS only PMS and as I wanted to keep this Clio 'user friendly' I knew that a PMS may not suit my needs. Yes it's a great shifter but it rattles, yes you can solve the rattle but I couldn't be arsed chasing those rattles. So I opted for the BMS.

Screenshot_20240819_141832_Photos.jpg


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Fitting was easy. I also sprayed the shaft black as the standard metal looked out of place.
It looks and feels like a PMS, ok it hasn't got that 'Lee Enfield bolt action rifle' feel of a PMS but it's silent and brings the knob much closer to the wheel, which was ideal.

Then a smaller steering wheel was purchased. I'm in the process of giving this a really good clean any tips on what to use or how to clean it let me know.
20240730_210402.jpg

The six button panel came with the wheel and boss. On the look out for a two button panel.

Lastly, for now anyway, Seats.
The Cup seats are actually quite comfortable and more hugging that the normal part leather RS seats. However, they're just too high for me at 6ft 1. So I picked up a pair of seats, runners, sidemounts and bases up.

Screenshot_20240819_141953_Lightroom.jpg


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Now, I am tempted to leave the Cup passenger seat in place as the whole idea of this car was to make it 'family friendly' and this means access to the rear seats. However having one bucket in there is messing with my OCD slightly.
I know the answer is reclining buckets but I could find any I liked. There doesn't seem to be a method of having a tilting bucket seat, so this is it for now.

Next...

A clutch. The clutch isn't slipping, but moving off in first gear without stalling is impossible! I know Clios have a heavy clutch but the bite on this is right at the top. The cable looks original and a bit knackered so that's being replaced too.

Looking for someone or somewhere to do a rear end refresh i.e. drop the rear beam and fuel tank underseal etc.

Suspension. The struts and springs are looking a bit crusty so I'll replace them at some point this year. Coilovers, maybe Bilstein or BC's.
 

Colin-S

ClioSport Club Member
  172 Cup
Looking good Chris, a few more mods and you'll soon have it as a full on track car again 🤣 just kidding!

Whats the deal with running aftermarket steering wheels on road going Clio's for mot time / insurance ?
 

bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
I'm trying my hardest not to take this down the 'ruined for the road but great on track route'.

RE steering wheel, I've never had a problem come MOT time, could be the extra £20 I slip the tester. Joking. But no, never been brought up.
 

MrBlonde

ClioSport Club Member
I'm trying my hardest not to take this down the 'ruined for the road but great on track route'.

RE steering wheel, I've never had a problem come MOT time, could be the extra £20 I slip the tester. Joking. But no, never been brought up.
haha i think thats my prob with mine,ive gone to far with it and is more suited for track use.
 

bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
haha i think thats my prob with mine,ive gone to far with it and is more suited for track use.
When I bought this Clio, I drove it back home thinking to myself "I could daily this" and I want to keep that thought alive, well at least try.

Being a clean 'OEM' Cup, I don't want to stray to far.
 

bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
When I test drove the Cup the clutch bite was really high and heavy. It was terrible when pulling away from a standstill, making it look like I'd just passed my test with terrible clutch control.

The heavy clutch, I'm used to as all the Clio's I've owned have had heavy pedals. The high bite was not doing it for me, it really made it a chore to drive away smoothly.

Pulled the trigger and put a new clutch and clutch cable in. I was expecting a difference but this was quite dramatic. Much, much lighter and smoother. Really pleased with the improvement.

Took it for a spin and took some photos.


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bowen86

ClioSport Club Member
After fitting the clutch I had an intermittent flashing stop light. Quick search on here and it was recommended I top up the brake fluid. So I did and the light went away, for a bit.

When I went on the drive pictured in the last post, the stop and handbrake light were on almost constantly. I could get both lights to go off by accelerating. Problem solved, accelerate everywhere, always.


I started digging around and followed the new clutch cable around the fire wall and spotted this....

Screenshot_20240929_143732_Instagram.jpg

Clearly the new clutch cable knocked these wires on to the manifold.

That'll explain the lights and why my 5 year old daughter asked "Daddy why does your car smell like a barbecue?"

I stripped back the conduit and soldered in some wires, routed the wires higher and for now just wrapped in electrical tape, until my amazon next day delivery conduit arrives.

Quick test drive and the lights are out and no more BBQ smell.

Clio and the BBQ sniffer.
Screenshot_20240930_160522_Gallery.jpg
 


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