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Burpspeed Version 2: Race Car Build



  172 Race Car
Post Silverstone Repairs:


So after getting our best result at Silverstone last weekend, we had a few issues to sort out.

We finished the race with:


  • Noise from the clutch
  • Crunching gearbox
  • Starter that wouldn’t work
  • Engine was getting too hot
  • Demister switch not working
  • Cutting out on bends


We were pretty confidant that we had almost ran out of fuel and after the race checked the gauge to find it virtually empty. We knew the engine and box had to come out to sort out the clutch so Tony whipped it out last Sunday. To our surprise it wasn’t the release bearing that was noisy but a broken clutch pressure plate. That would have meant we were not fully disengaging the clutch when changing gear leading to the gearbox crunching. It had done some damage to the bell housing as it flapped around but nothing serious.


broken-clutch-cover.jpg
bell-housing-marks.jpg



We sent the box off for inspection at Agency Transmissions of Worcester and Martin did a superb job as usual to have the box rebuilt in less than 2 days. He replaced everything on 3rd and 4th gear. Whilst martin was working his magic we looked into clutches and discovered that the one we had been using was made by Sachs. It was sold to us just over a year ago as OE quality. When comparing it to other OE quality clutches we found some major differences. Weve ended up buying a Valeo clutch kit that is ‘Actual’ OE. The friction plate is a lot bigger and the pressure plate difference is surprising. The part that broke on the Sachs clutch is twice as thick on the Valeo. The valeo kit just looks better all round when compared. So it turns out there is OE spec and there is Real OE.


new-vs-old.jpg



So today the new clutch and repaired gearbox were fitted back on the engine. The starter issue turned out to be a broken trigger wire so that was easy to sort out. We re-routed the wiring to tidy it up and dropped the lump back in the car. The engine getting hot at Silverstone was a worry, but on inspection we found that the thermostat had partly collapsed. We hadn’t changed it with the new engine, stupidly, so hopefully fitting a new one has put an end to the problem.


going-back-in.jpg
all-done.jpg



A few wiring jobs needed to be done, as always. The demister switch replaced and wired to a relay now to prevent it melting again. We may have been able to keep the engine temperature under control had this worked. Also the ecu and dash needed some more setup after we removed our unreliable wheel speed sensor. Its been nothing but trouble and makes our pit speed limiter hit or miss. We have never relied on it during a race as we don’t want to get caught with a penalty should it decide not to work. Now it limits the engine to a set RPM rather than monitoring wheel speed. We just needed to calibrate what rpm corresponds to what road speed. Luckily a contact of ours has a very long driveway up to his house and he kindly let us have the use of it for an hour. we could drive up and down slowly to set the rpm for different pit lane speed limits and it was a great help. we’d of struggled to get it done without the use of somewhere like that. Now we have all the limits and are confidant that our limiter will work perfectly. After we’d done that it was time for a bit of hooning. Now were all ready for our Llandow trackday this coming Thursday.


 
Last edited by a moderator:
  53 Clio's & counting
We got a lot of that at work mate, customers saying they can buy oe spec parts cheaper than our genuine ones but there are big differences

As per my text, glad to hear it's back together ok and I owe you a fiver lol
 
  172 Race Car
For some stuff it doesnt matter so much but other things you really need OE. Like rear discs/bearings. Chocolate just no good
 
  182cup & 172 racecar
Hooning and upsetting the local tree huggers lol, the bottom of his drive is part of a footpath, had some head shaking going on.

We were a mile away from my house and missus could hear it quite clearly going up and down his drive. Ooops.

Starter motor's still good old boy.
 
Hooning and upsetting the local tree huggers lol, the bottom of his drive is part of a footpath, had some head shaking going on.

We were a mile away from my house and missus could hear it quite clearly going up and down his drive. Ooops.

:approve: Love it.

Hope everything at llandow goes well look forward to pics/videos.
 

Nafoff

ClioSport Club Member
good work guys,
i think i will be replacing the clutch on mine before the engine goes back in, did you order from renault or a specialist?

more importantly have fun tomorrow....
 
  172 Race Car
good work guys,
i think i will be replacing the clutch on mine before the engine goes back in, did you order from renault or a specialist?

more importantly have fun tomorrow....
Make sure its Valeo mate, dealer or we got ours from Eurocar parts
 
  182 trackday racer
Very nice of you to offer to buy one for us. They very expensive aren't they?

Your choice just letting you know what happened to mine, the truth is Valeo probably suck just as much as that Sachs clutch you broke. But hey its your choice, if you would like a Helix Im sure you could afford it on your own considering the amount of upgrades you throw on that car...

Pressureplate + release bearing + Ceramic Sinter was £409 including shippment to sweden. An organic setup would be cheeper and better IMO. Ordered from DemonTweeks

Pretty sure it's a Valeo with modified spring plates too

Nope.
 

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  172 Race Car
It was only a joke Marten, appriciate your comments but our budget is wafer thin this season and any kind of failure wasn't wanted. It may be something we will look at in future but for now we needed to get it work as best we could for as little as possible. The Valeo clutch is the best 'stock' clutch out there we could find. It was less than £90. If we'd of paid £400 for a clutch we wouldn't of been racing at all the rounds we plan to do. Yes we have done a lot of upgrades to the car but after the loss of 2 big sponsors we didn't have enough money to run it so we have cut back on testing and dropped one of the races we intended to do. If we knew thatd happend we wouldn't of spent so much over the winter
 
  182 trackday racer
It was only a joke Marten, appriciate your comments but our budget is wafer thin this season and any kind of failure wasn't wanted. It may be something we will look at in future but for now we needed to get it work as best we could for as little as possible. The Valeo clutch is the best 'stock' clutch out there we could find. It was less than £90. If we'd of paid £400 for a clutch we wouldn't of been racing at all the rounds we plan to do. Yes we have done a lot of upgrades to the car but after the loss of 2 big sponsors we didn't have enough money to run it so we have cut back on testing and dropped one of the races we intended to do. If we knew thatd happend we wouldn't of spent so much over the winter

Sure I understand you are on a tight budget, I just object a bit against the Valeos being so good, they may be better than Sachs sure but far from bullet proof. As one example mine was only 325km old when it exploded @ 7000+ rpm... They took full responsebility and got me a new box and everything, at least thats something.

From quote 2010: "HLX60-5116 £156.73+vat CLUTCH COVER ASSEMBLY TO SUIT RENAULT CLIO SPORT 172 215MM"

Btw Im 100% in favor of putting the money on racing instead of parts, same priority as I have. Good luck with your future racing,
 


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