Back in a Clio!

[chompy_snake]

Ok, I have been away from these pastures for a very long time ..... Guess it's high time that I returned!

11th June I picked up this little Clio (making total owned up to now 4, I only have this one currently ).

I didn't really give anything for it. I had a Mondeo that I didn't want anymore so just swapped it.

It's a little 1.2 16v billabong edition and not so far in the distant past it was really well cared for (I now know the previous owner who sold it on 4-5 months ago).

Much toil and effort has gone into saving this little car over the last few weeks.
New driveshaft, brake pads, lower ball joints, tyres and a couple of hubs to mention just some of the items.

But ..... We now look like this .....

I still have the door to get right and a pair of front wings sourced already so they will be fitted soon.

I have some long term plans with it as I go along. Not sure which direction that I will go just yet. I may chase power and Chuck a bigger engine in (maybe), that's certainly not a priority at the moment!
I may just stick with visual mods once I have it returned to a base point if you like.

Either way... I will update here as and when I can as the car progresses. I shan't be asking silly questions about what engines fit in etc as I already know and the topic is somewhat of a joke against 1.2 owners it seems ?

And yes .... If you were wondering, it was painted with a Fisher Price "my first paint set" .... It must have been haha

 

[imprezaworks]

Loads better allready.

 

[chompy_snake]

I am currently hopeful that I am very wrong with a fault!
Since I have had the car, the door open warning has been on the dash. At first I thought that the light was due to damaged door pins ..... Wrong!

I have replaced the front door pins with working and brand new items. Checked the boot light and lock/switch function and all is good in that respect.....

The light remains on the dash warning of door open!
Occasionally this light turns off but comes straight back on again. As you drive it has a habit of randomly locking and unlocking and you can hear a relay clicking somewhere around the glovebox!

All the indicators, auto lights and auto wipers are fine .... As is every other thing.

I'm told it's UCH related.
I can't find any obvious fault, but a UCH from Renault for this thing is £260 plus coding and fitting (sure I can fit myself but what is point if unable to code).

That cost on a 15 year old 1.2 16v Clio billabong is a disastrous thing really. I could replace the car for not much more.


Any ideas?

Oh and we had the UCH out today to check for obvious water damage or corrosion and it 'looks' fine.

 

[20vKarlos]

Just buy a UCH, Barrell and Key ECU from someone on here and replace the lot. It’ll solve your problem’s for around £80
No coding, just you getting hands on, it’s easy

 

[chompy_snake]

Just buy a UCH, Barrell and Key ECU from someone on here and replace the lot. It’ll solve your proble,s for around £80
No coding, just you getting hands on, it’s easy

That's seems a far more sensible way

 

[20vKarlos]

That's seems a far more sensible way

It is.. ive suggested it as I bought my car for £200 and all the boys on here said.. CHANGE THE UCH... I go to the parts ordered through a member, and my complete novice of a Clio fettler (at the time) changed the parts and VROOM VROOM! £300 and the thing was running!

I’ve since spent £2k+ getting it track prepped ???

 

[chompy_snake]

Well I have looked into this a little further yesterday.....
I figure the boot light is dealt with on a tilt switch or similar and that works fine as it should.
The boot latch part has 2 wires going into it and you can unplug it further up the loom .... Is it possible that the internal switch in that latch is faulty? The whole thing has corrosion within

 

[Typhoon]

Welcome back buddy.

 

[chompy_snake]

Ongoing issue that's driving me mad, hopefully someone can help here?

Door open light on the dash is on permanently now!
I have tested the boot switch (works fine) and the front door pins have been replaced with new units (only 3 door).
Problem still persists. The light went intermittent and the doors would lock/unlock as you drive all the time.

Then one sunny afternoon something odd happened. The door open light was off but every time I pressed the brakes that damn light would come on!
By the end of that day, the stupid light was on solid again!

The odd thing is that the central locking works as it should. Except the indicators don't flash when locking, I know that they should but they don't.

The UCH had a couple of dry solder joints and they have been sorted now solving issues with the relay clicking noise and flickering headlights.

I am rapidly approaching the spending nothing else on this car due to a bodged mechanical job at a garage that has required a front end rebuild...... Any suggestions before the decision is made to get another MK2 Clio and swap everything over like the lowering springs to the new car?

 

[car.crash]

Have you checked the earths?

 

[chompy_snake]

Have you checked the earths?

Where would these be hiding? Expect there are several earthing points?

 

[car.crash]

Where would these be hiding? Expect there are several earthing points?

Not sure. You’ll need a wiring diagram to find them.
Maybe the Haynes manual has them listed.