AlexH's 182

[Alex H]

Acquired this 182FF from a friend last May, intending to replace my 306 as a track/hillclimb car as I was running out of patience with it. In the end, I kept the 306 so started to run the Clio as a daily.

It had a wonky, blowy exhaust - so that was replaced with a stainless Milltek. Also had a really lumpy idle (like ridiculously lumpy), wouldn't idle properly and lacked power. Of course I replaced the coil, plugs, leads etc before considering it might be the timing. History was a bit patchy, the belts had been done about 3 years prior to me getting the car, receipts were for a unipart kit and no labour - so I decided to do the job myself, following the Renault manual (and a few youtube vids, with some guidance from Fred). Bought the Renault timing tools and a genuine kit incl water pump.

The timing was some way out. I'm not even sure how it ran. Yes, it was pinned in the correct hole:

Several hours later and messages backwards and forwards from Fred (in Australia) and I got it done, hindered slightly by a former owner fitting a keyed pulley, which I think stopped me getting the tension equalised perfectly. After a few weeks I rechecked the timing and it was ever so slightly out, so re-pinned up and managed to get it bob on now. The idle is still lumpy (lumpier than my old 172) but it's now got power and the 'kick'. Exhaust still a little blowy so that's to sort.

Plans are for the 182 to step back from daily duties over this winter and be relegated (promoted?) to track days and hillclimbs next year. Going to run it as standard as possible, so winter plans are for some new OEM dampers and slightly stiffer springs, probably Eibach or Cooksports, freshen up a few of the bushes, and steering/suspension joints, new pads, discs, braided lines and fluid. Could also do with lowering the seat as with a helmet on, I'm almost rubbing the headlining. Here's how it stands now!

 

[Chambers_RS]

Good work.

Any pics of the 306

 

[Alex H]

Good work.

Any pics of the 306

Currently being broken for parts, but these were from some of its last outings.

 

[Chambers_RS]

Looks good. What’s made you change to the Clio?

I really fancy a GTi-6 or Rallye.

 

[Alex H]

Looks good. What’s made you change to the Clio?

I really fancy a GTi-6 or Rallye.

A few things - they're heavier, bigger and slower than a clio out-the-box, take a bit of winding up, but once they're wound up, they go well. I went quicker on the hillclimb in a mate's completely standard 206gti which was a bit heartbreaking. Considered going back into circuit racing, because with a few more safety mods I could throw it into a few local championships as-is. Money probably the main driver though, bought a flat recently and doing that up, so could do with the cash for a new kitchen!

 

[Alex H]

Here's how it stands now!

View attachment 1436400

And here's how it stands now! Bad radiator so took that out to change, but the new Valeo 732474 radiator (£40 from Mister Auto) didn't come with a bung for the extra hole - sourced one (M22 x 1.5) for a few quid off ebay thanks to someone on Facebook. Also destroyed the aircon rad taking it apart, so found one of those new on Mister Auto for about £60. There were cheaper, but I went with a brand i'd heard of and seen some good reviews for, if it works for the three days a year it's needed it'll do.

You'd probably be right in wondering why I was bothering to fix the aircon on a car that's going to be used pretty much solely on track, get the weight out of it and less stuff to break again in the future. Fair assessment.

Because I bought this

Meet 'Clive' the 182 slimline - not a cup, no cup-packs (but the keen eyed will spot the little black tabs on the bumper, so no front ender!), he came from a hillcilimbing family, although was a daily driver having done a paltry 152k miles. There's a few things that need sorting, but nothing too major. Some rust around the rear arches and bonnet to sort - but thankfully the insides of the rear quarters look healthy enough, there's a little bit of discolouration but nothing a bit of waxoyl won't stop in the tracks. Brakes feel bad, long pedal and not a lot of handbrake action, so they want looking into, will probably just go for refurbed calipers all round and throw a set of braided hoses at it whilst it's all apart.

I have got a brand new set of cup dampers all round with better springs (also with new topmounts, bolts etc, that were going to go on to 'Claire' (the black one) but will now go on Clive along with some spare 60mm hubs I have.

Did one little job this weekend and cleaned the airfilter which was absolutely gubbing. TIming belt is coming up to due its mileage (and about 3 years) so will look at sorting that too if the motorsport season doesn't look like getting underway any time soon. Confident doing it myself having done it already on Claire.

 

[Alex H]

The old radiator and aircon condensor were shot, both original, so replaced with Valeo radiator and Thermotec KTT110086 aircon condenser - £60 delivered from Autodoc. Had to rotate the dryer so would fit the fixed end pipe on the Clio. Would have been nice to know that these are shipped full of compressed air - the bung nearly made it into a low earth orbit.

New rad and condensor all fitted, just waiting on some replacement top mounts and the front can go back on.

 

[Alex H]

Metal finned articles fitted. Worthy of note that the radiator comes supplied with new m6 captive nuts that clip onto the radiator housing - so you need to make a note of where the old ones were so that the fan shroud and aircon condensor fit! Botls aren't re-supplied but some M6x15mm will do - I used M6x20mm as had some left and some are a bit long.

 

[Alex H]

With that done and waiting for some parts, fitted a tow strap to Clive. Fat M16 bolt through a pitking strap - the hole was only half-inch so had to be widened with a carbide bit. A standard HSS drill isn't hard enough to get through the toughened steel bracket. Got creative with step drill and a file to chop out a few squares of the lower grille so the strap will 'stuff' in for obvious aero gains. Tested to see when it was being towed that it wouldn't try to re-align the bumper. Almost like it was made for a strap!

 

[Alex H]

Needed to find somewhere to fit the timing strut - wasn't a fan of the position on the 306 as had to keep removing the plate and it just looked a bit naff - managed to get a couple of ally serrated rivnuts into the underside of the lower grille surround so that a couple of M6 bolts could retain the timing strut. Bonus is that I can quickly whip it off after a meeting and retain the bolts in the bumper rather than carrying round a little bag of number plate screws like with the 306. Will sort height out once the suspension has been refereshed and tidy up the bracket to remove the bits I don't need. All about that weight saving! (oh and re-seat the grille - more haste less speed, there's a little tab of the lower grille that now won't clip in because there's a rivnut in the way - nothing a dremel won't cure).

 

[Alex H]

Last little job this weekend, whipped the rear quarter covers off to have a look at the rust. Nothing major, drivers side a little bit worse than passenger - both nothing more than discolouration - liberally coated in waxoyl and that should keep that at bay. Note cardboard: excellent at stopping panel rattle!

 

[Alex H]

A month since the waxoyling.. how long does it take for the smell to go away?

The drivers rear shock had sounded a little creaky on the few short drives I've done under lockdown, so I brought forward plans to change the suspension over to the new Cup shocks - replaced the rears in an evening - i think it must be the easiest job on any car ever made. Found a little more crustyness under the rear, so will see if any of that needs addressing any more than a lick of hammerite.

 

[Alex H]

New cup shock, bolt and spring fitted. I do regret not changing the spring seat rubbers, but there weren't any in stock when I ordered the bits. I will get round to having a better look at the crustiness under here to at least get it treated. (the damp patches are wd40).