Thanks everyone for all the kind comments
Today didn't quite go to plan, I took the car over to Will Pedley Racing in Leeds who have helped me over the last month or so with advice on a few aspects of the wiring and the plan for today was to get the car running and modify the base map to get it running nicely for the slow speed and idle stuff (Flat out stuff will be done on the dyno and mid range stuff will be tweaked on track) Last night the car was turning over fine and did fire a couple of times but only for a few seconds. Upon arriving we set the car up with the wideband and then went to start the car..... nothing just a clicking solenoid. I tried diagnosing it but it seemed that the starter motor had given up the ghost.
I tried pushing the car to bump start it but the map was quite a way off and it wasn't playing ball, Will made some tweaks and I gave it one last push and it fired and did a lap of the industrial estate pretty happily. The car then sat idling for about 30 minutes to check for leaks, check all the new cooling system. Everything seemed pretty much spot on, the car didn't overheat (Didn't like being sat idling last year) the sump and rocker cover that I removed to fiddle with the engine seemed not to be leaking. There was a slight weep from one of the oil cooler connections so I will add that to the list to investigate. EPAS feels really good and i'm very happy with it so far, its really handy to have it working even when the car isn't on.
[video=facebook;403631693085268]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=403631693085268&l=1718265843096453119[/video]
I spoke to Adam at Renault to order a new starter motor and was told there are 6 different types and to find out which I need I have to remove the old one and look at the part number. So after getting home at about 9.30pm (Only got 3 hours sleep last night) I made a start on removing the old starter motor so exhaust manifold off etc. I then multimetered the main supply to the starter and it wasn't showing any volts. It turns out the supply wire (I stupidly reused the old one that TDF had made) had been bodged when made and had been made using a 35mm ring terminal on 16mm cable so this had come apart and then was not supplying to the starter. So at the end of the day the problem is sorted just a shame it happened but anyway its my fault for reusing a battery wire that they made!
Unfortunately I have missed the race entry application for Cadwell, I'm gutted as I really wanted to get racing but this will give me the time to get plenty of testing completed now the car is done and then to go into racing better prepared. I will be testing at Oulton late June, early July and thinking about entering the Time Attack round there in July
The dyno is booked for next Wednesday and then hopefully shakedown on the Thursday all being well
Watch this space and I'll try and upload pictures and videos as it progresses.
Really pleased for you mate, well done. Look forward to seeing you soon.
Thanks mate
Likewise, We need to sort a trackday out! I'm planning on doing Oulton in July I think
WOW this car is a real credit to you mate... On the positive side I bet you could build one from scratch for a fraction if the price and probably have people queuing for them..
Thank you very much
Yes I certainly have learnt from my mistakes and could make another to this spec for alot less than what I have spent but 40k is probably a pretty good ballpark without any allowance for labour or tools etc
Good to hear James. When is the first outing?
It's booked for dyno next Wednesday so hopefully a shakedown on thursday I just need to organise an airfield or Teeside for the day
Excellent stuff James, but now its nearly done wont you be bored lol
Cant wait to see this on track
Bored not a chance Sonny i'll be too busy driving it and getting back into a slightly more normal lifestyle
lol
Where the funk do you get 40k from?
I know getting a shell painted & powdercoating is expensive - and looms aren't cheap. But no way would it cost £40k to build a car of this spec if it's all planned and budgeted up front!
Honestly mate it adds up all too easily just the rebuild this winter has cost 14k some has come back in from selling a few bits and pieces that weren't being used any more but not more than a grand or so. I doubt I could build myself an identical car to the same spec for less than 40K and that wouldn't include and labour costs or tool costs!
What sort of gear stick are you using, is it one of the CGB Motorsport ones on ebay.
Its a B&M quickshift that BTM fitted for me its a great bit of kit actually, Keep getting tempted to try the PMS one but I can't really afford to keep spending anymore at the moment.
Just read all of the updates, holy fcuking moly!!
You must have a VERY well paid job and a VERY understandable wife.
Haha lol! My savings are very depleted and my girlfriend has been at Uni so I have a fair bit of free time in the evening after work etc
He had big savings and a cute girlfriend.
Hopefully he still has the latter but I think the former is probably a gonna, lol
FLOL!
Last time I spoke to him his girlfriend still didn't know he owned a clio LOL!
She did know at the time I think but she had never seen it lol! She has now seen it once but never been in it nor is she interested. She really doesn't like it so we don't really discuss it haha!
Well done James, cars stunning. Don't bend it too, I really want to see this thing by next years end.
I think 40k is a conservative figure to for his car too even at the initial spec he had, I know what mine cost and most things I have are 2nd/bargains that came up and not brand new like James's and his was built by others initially. 20k is easily spent building one of these Clio's.
Bend it? Lol its one of those things if it happens! I was talking to someone today about it just because it looks all nice and clean doesn't mean I'm going to drive it like a wimp
Yes crazy money has been spent on this project unfortunately but live and learn and i'm just glad I still have the car and I can enjoy it again now hopefully!