Clio 16v air intake positioning...

[SCOOTERMAN]

What with all this rain weve been having, the roads around my way are a little wet to say the least. Mind you, the skies only have to cloud over and yours swimming...

My current car (Rover 214SEi) has been OK, but Ive heard that Clios have the air intake positions quite low down, near or even below the bumper. Is this correct, and does it apply to the 16v?

Cheers all...

 

[BenR]

OE position is inside the wheelarch behind lots of plastic, so no worries.

 

[Ben H]

The intake for the standard air box is indeed within the nearside front wheel arch.

The exhaust manifold cooling air intake is on top of the bonnet, on the offside. Maybe thats what youre thinking of when you say it might draw water in? It cools as much by letting hot air escape as by letting cool air in! Its a similar principle to wrapping your exhaust manifold in heat resistant tape. Just watch it after a run in the rain/cold - it looks like theres a fire in the engine as theres so much steam coming out! Theres also a large bonnet bulge to allow clearance for the inlet manifold (at the front of the engine).

There are also two other intakes, which sit at the side of the fog lights. As standard, they are closed up by blanking plates, but you can remove them if easily. Im not sure what theyre meant to cool - I think on the race cars they linked them up to the air box. Ive just taken mine off anyway - my only exterior mod!

 

[Nick Read]

The standard airbox intake is down in the n/s/f wheelarch, yes its protected but only by the sh*tguards, and its certainly not totally weatherproof by any stretch of the imagination. Youd be alright driving fast through low flood water but I wouldnt want to come to a standstill in more than a foot of water...if its up to wheel hubs then its also up to the air intake.

Bens spot on about the bonnet scoop.

The two intakes at the side of the fog lights were for optional brake cooling ducts in competition, they werent always used.