Clio 182 Turbo

[Yarp]

Interested to hear how you get on with painting the panel and the wiper arms.

Mine are looking a bit shabby too.

It all depends I think. If they come off I’m confident they’ll come up well. I did all the other front plastics satin black a couple of years back. They’ve done 5000 miles and still look great.

That’s the before and after. I think I’ll stick with satin on these too, the gloss will be a nightmare to keep nice.

 

[Sir Nancy Flowers]

@Yarp have you thought about a coating on the skuttle?

Gtechniq C4 is ace for that kind of thing. Can do it in situ and it lasts years. Big scrub with some apc first, rinse, dry, then apply and level after. Its amazing stuff

Also, absolutely love how you immediately resort to violence when things dont fit 🤣

 

[Darren S]

It all depends I think. If they come off I’m confident they’ll come up well. I did all the other front plastics satin black a couple of years back. They’ve done 5000 miles and still look great.

That’s the before and after. I think I’ll stick with satin on these too, the gloss will be a nightmare to keep nice.
View attachment 1690691

The end result looks great above.

I take it that you popped the front bumper off rather than spray them on the car itself? Do the grille sections and fog surrounds pop-out of the bumper itself or are they fixed in place?

Questioning it as I do need a front bumper and bonnet refresh at some point (again). I'd happily tackle the grilles and fog surrounds myself whilst leaving the bumper itself to someone far more talented than I.

 

[JimF]

I satin black'd my grills etc all in situ about 5 years ago and they've stood up great. Better than the front badge that I took off actually.

 

[Yarp]

@Yarp have you thought about a coating on the skuttle?

Gtechniq C4 is ace for that kind of thing. Can do it in situ and it lasts years. Big scrub with some apc first, rinse, dry, then apply and level after. Its amazing stuff

Also, absolutely love how you immediately resort to violence when things dont fit 🤣

Violence is always the answer 😂.

A coating is a much more sensible option, I’ll give that a go if it works. The stuff I’ve used in the past has always been crap and not lasted long which was the thoughts behind paint.

The end result looks great above.

I take it that you popped the front bumper off rather than spray them on the car itself? Do the grille sections and fog surrounds pop-out of the bumper itself or are they fixed in place?

Questioning it as I do need a front bumper and bonnet refresh at some point (again). I'd happily tackle the grilles and fog surrounds myself whilst leaving the bumper itself to someone far more talented than I.

Yeah, bumper off and then all the plastic trim just pops out. The fog surrounds are a bit tricky but as long as you’re gentle they come off without damaging any clips. Mine all had trim restorer stuff on so took a few good washes to get clear. I did an alternative rinse of white spirit and fairly liquid until the water stopped beading on them and there were no reactions when the paint went on. Satin seemed to work best. I don’t like the finish of Matt and the gloss was too much.

 

[Sir Nancy Flowers]

Violence is always the answer 😂.

A coating is a much more sensible option, I’ll give that a go if it works. The stuff I’ve used in the past has always been crap and not lasted long which was the thoughts behind paint.



Yeah, bumper off and then all the plastic trim just pops out. The fog surrounds are a bit tricky but as long as you’re gentle they come off without damaging any clips. Mine all had trim restorer stuff on so took a few good washes to get clear. I did an alternative rinse of white spirit and fairly liquid until the water stopped beading on them and there were no reactions when the paint went on. Satin seemed to work best. I don’t like the finish of Matt and the gloss was too much.

Not sure on your levels of "detailing" abilities so sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs.

C4, having used it a few times, can go wrong. Prep is key. Almost neat APC scrub, rinse, dry, panel wipe (if you have it), let that flash off and then apply C4. Grab a couple of cotton buds too as there looks to be some proper tight bits in there (and going off memory of mine). Shout if you want any more advice Mr Yarp!

 

[Yarp]

Not sure on your levels of "detailing" abilities so sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs.

C4, having used it a few times, can go wrong. Prep is key. Almost neat APC scrub, rinse, dry, panel wipe (if you have it), let that flash off and then apply C4. Grab a couple of cotton buds too as there looks to be some proper tight bits in there (and going off memory of mine). Shout if you want any more advice Mr Yarp!

Great advice, probably need all the help I can get! I’ll order some and drop a message if I get stuck 👍

 

[Yarp]

I adjusted the pre-load tonight. It was probably wishful thinking that it would help and it didn’t. I still have ALL the boost 🤣. 20psi+ would be fun but I think it would only be fun once 😂.

I’ll fit the actuator off the old turbo at some point to sort it out.

 

[Yarp]

I decided to try and sort the boost issues today. I popped the actuator off the new turbo and it’s scrap. If you blow in the hole the air just flows straight out. I popped the original one that came with the old turbo on.

Quick test drive and it’s much happier but is only holding about 5psi. By the time I got it back it was far too hot to tweak anything. I’ll give it a bit more pre-load tomorrow and see if that helps. If not I’ve got a boost controller in the garage somewhere so I’ll fit that and turn it up a bit.

The bay looks a lot tidier now after a bit of a clean and fresh paint on the boost pipes. The battery cover still needs to go back on but it needs a 2nd coat of paint.

It then got a rinse while it was out to wash all the oily fingerprints off. It came up lovely again 👍

 

[Yarp]

I’d mentioned a few posts back about vibration through the car under load. The gear stick was also a bit flappy and moved on throttle and the gear change was a bit messy up the revs too.

I got a “new” dogbone mount with power flex bushes courtesy of @SKINTasPER today.

I decided to go 2nd hand to avoid the massive bollock on I’ve always had convincing old bushes to come out and new ones to go in!

All fitted up without any bother

It’s cured probably 99% of the vibration now. There’s still a tiny bit but it’s very much liveable with. It’s still very very tight but I can’t think of anything else to twist the engine forward a degree or 2 to make the space. I did think about taking a grinder to the rack but that bit looks important 😂

I went for a compulsory blast and it was running mint. Boost is holding perfectly, it’s running nicely, it’s just very silly and fantastic fun. It’s just got so much more useable speed than the M3. You haven’t got to wring its neck for every bit of power and end up doing 130+mph without realising it. The short gear ratios mean you can rattle through them quickly and really enjoy it. Plus I f**king love boost 😁.

When I got back the wife was there looking suitably unimpressed. I told her to jump in and f**k off. She’s not driven a manual car since 2015 but came back with a huge smile on her face. Turns out she also thinks it’s silly and f**king hilarious. Mrs Yarp loves the boost too 😂

Here she is taking it for a spin. I forgot to tell her it has no power steering and she nearly drove it through the hedge over the road 🤣. I did notice when she took it out that it sounds like there’s a bit of an exhaust blow at the front somewhere so I’ll get that sorted at some point. Aside from that it’s happy days 👌

 

[Brigsy]

Might get a bit on the top engine mount to bring it all forward if needs be.

 

[Yarp]

The Clio hasn’t moved since May when I evicted it from the garage to fill it with bits from the breaking 5 series. I finally shifted the last of the big bits so went to go and rescue it.

Got to say, it looked a bit sorry for itself

The battery was totally flat as expected so jumped it and away it went. It popped out of 1st coming out of the car park so assumed it was just dodgy linkage alignment so ignored it.

I drove about a mile and the diff started to really whine. I thought f**k it, I’ll drive home slowly. Didn’t make it much further before the was a big bang and it stopped. Aye, that’ll do it 🤣

I was on a dual carriageway so couldn’t leave it there for 2 hours waiting for recovery. The wife came down with a tow rope and dragged me safe. It’s stuck in gear so moving it is turning the engine. Clearly didn’t want to drag it more than a few feet.

Luckily I’ve got a spare box in the garage 🤣

 

[Mr Underhill]

Ran itself dry of oil?

 

[Yarp]

Ran itself dry of oil?

No, lots and lots and lots came out 🤣🤣

When I was taking it there back in May I was aiming from 3rd to 4th and 4th wasn’t there any more. It took ages of fiddling to find a gear and then it was fine. If I’m being honest, there was a tiny bit of noise from the diff before it went there but nothing too concerning. That being said, it’s stupidly loud so it does hide noises quite well. Either way, on a scale of 1 to fucked it’s fucked 😂

 

[Krarl]

Some poor c***s gonna hit that oil and wipe their family out🤣

 

[Yarp]

Some poor c***s gonna hit that oil and wipe their family out🤣

Aye, someone should probably do something about that

 

[Poopensharten]

Jesus christ, wouldn’t want to hit that slick on a bike🙈🙈

 

[Louis]

Jesus christ, wouldn’t want to hit that slick on a bike🙈🙈

Good job yours never works mate

 

[Poopensharten]

Good job yours never works mate

Belt(er)


😭

 

[Yarp]

In all fairness. A proper LAPD car pulled up and couldn’t give less of a f**k. He told me to call 101 and someone would deal with it at some point. Top road safety in Northumbria 👌

 

[Yarp]

Home time! £90 for recovery, £150 to take the wife and little one out for a meal to say sorry for them having to come and rescue me. Had cheaper days out 🤦‍♂️

 

[Krarl]

£150 for food in NE?

Did you eat em out of house and home? 😂

 

[Louis]

Chicken parmos are expensive these days

 

[Yarp]

It’s been a couple of months since the box went pop so was about time to get cracking.

Found a hedgehog living under it. Makes a change from the usual mice.

Started stripping it down. That’s the last of my type D coolant dribbling off down the drain 🙁.

Took some stuff off. The timing was quite good. The bottom aux belt pulley is seized and the tensioner was doing bugger all. I’m pleased the box went because if it didn’t that aux belt wouldn’t have lasted long and it’d be new engine time.

I know not all that needs to come out for the engine to come out but I’ve had a plan…. I’ve still got the Meg 275 pistons and rods so thinking I’ll fit those when the engine is out. I’ll strip the engine as much as I can when it’s in the bay simply because it’s easier. Head, ancillaries, mounts etc can all come off rather than try doing it on the floor and have the engine spinning all over the place. This is how it’s left for today.

I forgot the wife was WFH this afternoon so she caught me working on it. I’ve now got to take her to the Christmas market and out for tea. She’s clearly still not over her rescue mission in September 😂

 

[Fishfire]

Similar sketch with my 172 Turbo. After managing to clip all 8 of the inlet valves, I used the opportunity to change out the std valve springs for uprated CatCam springs.

Defo recommend an engine mount. They're not expensive and I've found it far easier to lift the engine out whole and strip it mounted to the engine frame.

 

[Yarp]

Similar sketch with my 172 Turbo. After managing to clip all 8 of the inlet valves, I used the opportunity to change out the std valve springs for uprated CatCam springs.

Defo recommend an engine mount. They're not expensive and I've found it far easier to lift the engine out whole and strip it mounted to the engine frame.

View attachment 1722762View attachment 1722763View attachment 1722764View attachment 1722765

I’ll get one for putting it back together.

I haven’t got the headroom for a hoist to take it out so it’ll be easier lifting the head then block then box than just dropping it all onto a skate and dragging it. I’m not quite massive enough to pick it all out in one go 😂.

It’s a tried and tested method, if I can lift a 530d head, block and box I’m sure I’ll manage the Clio!

 

[Fishfire]

I’ll get one for putting it back together.

I haven’t got the headroom for a hoist to take it out so it’ll be easier lifting the head then block then box than just dropping it all onto a skate and dragging it. I’m not quite massive enough to pick it all out in one go 😂.

It’s a tried and tested method, if I can lift a 530d head, block and box I’m sure I’ll manage the Clio!

Yeah, once the gubbins are all off the engine, you realise it's actually really small.

I'll be following the build with Meg pistons with great interest!

 

[Advikaz]

The Clio hasn’t moved since May when I evicted it from the garage to fill it with bits from the breaking 5 series. I finally shifted the last of the big bits so went to go and rescue it.

Got to say, it looked a bit sorry for itself
View attachment 1712888
View attachment 1712889

The battery was totally flat as expected so jumped it and away it went. It popped out of 1st coming out of the car park so assumed it was just dodgy linkage alignment so ignored it.

I drove about a mile and the diff started to really whine. I thought f**k it, I’ll drive home slowly. Didn’t make it much further before the was a big bang and it stopped. Aye, that’ll do it 🤣
View attachment 1712891

I was on a dual carriageway so couldn’t leave it there for 2 hours waiting for recovery. The wife came down with a tow rope and dragged me safe. It’s stuck in gear so moving it is turning the engine. Clearly didn’t want to drag it more than a few feet.

Luckily I’ve got a spare box in the garage 🤣

Looks like it's let go in the same place as mine did.

Not sure exactly what failed on mine as I didn't bother opening up the case to look. But pretty sure it was the diff, something broke and got stuck under the crown wheel perhaps

 

[Yarp]

Looks like it's let go in the same place as mine did.

Not sure exactly what failed on mine as I didn't bother opening up the case to look. But pretty sure it was the diff, something broke and got stuck under the crown wheel perhaps

Yeah, I think it was the diff just from the whine I had and the hole definitely corresponds to that.

I think I will open it it to check. It’s a bolt in diff and the replacement box is a circlip one so if the diff is salvageable I’d prefer to swap it. Don’t hold much hope though!!

 

[Advikaz]

Yeah, I think it was the diff just from the whine I had and the hole definitely corresponds to that.

I think I will open it it to check. It’s a bolt in diff and the replacement box is a circlip one so if the diff is salvageable I’d prefer to swap it. Don’t hold much hope though!!

That's interesting.

I managed to drive mine home completely dry of oil. And it ran in every gear fine, so thinking it must be the diff.

What diff is in yours? be pretty shite if an aftermarket LSD has shat itself as that's what I have just installed in mine

 

[Yarp]

That's interesting.

I managed to drive mine home completely dry of oil. And it ran in every gear fine, so thinking it must be the diff.

What diff is in yours? be pretty shite if an aftermarket LSD has shat itself as that's what I have just installed in mine

There was plenty of oil in it. The A194 is still slippy as f**k for the 100 yards or so I spread it over 😂😂.

It’s just the council diff that comes free with the box. It’s one of the later bolt in type ones where as the replacement is a DCi box with a circlip. I had an old 172 for a bit with the same setup and popped the clip a few times which leaves you with no drive. It’s literally a £4 fix but it’s shaft out and new box oil to change it so would prefer the bolty type. I had the clip welded in place on the 172 so may just do that tbh.

 

[Advikaz]

There was plenty of oil in it. The A194 is still slippy as f**k for the 100 yards or so I spread it over 😂😂.

It’s just the council diff that comes free with the box. It’s one of the later bolt in type ones where as the replacement is a DCi box with a circlip. I had an old 172 for a bit with the same setup and popped the clip a few times which leaves you with no drive. It’s literally a £4 fix but it’s shaft out and new box oil to change it so would prefer the bolty type. I had the clip welded in place on the 172 so may just do that tbh.

Ahhh gotcha, yeah same as my OG one then. AKA Poo.

TBF, there WAS plenty of oil in mine prior to there not being.

 

[Yarp]

Did some work today. My new non brand approved uggaduggerer made things 20x faster.

Started by dropping the subframe. It’s pretty damn heavy with all that crap attached but it’s much easier to drop like that.

With that done it was time to drop the engine. Block height is about 70cm and the crash bar was about 70cm off the floor. Dropped it onto a jack and then lowered it down. The legendary inspection light once again proving useful 🤣

Then basically just dragged the c**t out 🤣

Engine gone

I then knocked up a quick dolly to bool it about on. Not my finest work but worked splendidly.

Booled it into the garage and stripped the box off. It’s cracked the casing inside too. It’s gone bang properly!

It did make me think, I’m sure I saw somewhere that some bits of JC5 are NLA. Is it worth stripping it to see if anything is recyclable rather than just dumping for scrap?

Job done for today. The engine is out the way ready to be stripped down. Probably be a couple of weeks before I get round to any more

 

[Brigsy]

Done a good job on the box thats scrap 😆

No hpas lines makes subframe drop nice and easy. Need to do my trophy soon and itll be same engine and box drop to save wrestling the ndo box in situ.

 

[Yarp]

Done a good job on the box thats scrap 😆

No hpas lines makes subframe drop nice and easy. Need to do my trophy soon and itll be same engine and box drop to save wrestling the ndo box in situ.

I did wonder. I might still pop the case off and see if any of the gears have lived to fight another day.

Yeah, it’s great without the pas lines making a mess and getting in the way. It’s been useful as I can see a couple of places where the downpipe has been catching on the steering rack and subframe. I’ll have a hunt for a rack off a DCI cos it’s just the very top of the rack where the lines go in that catches. Suppose I can always give it a quick tickle with a grinder for the same outcome.

Same with the bulkhead and the subframe. With it all off I’ve got loads of space to smack the s**t out of it all with a big hammer to get the extra couple of mm of clearance I need.

 

[Krarl]

I'd keep the box just for the layshafts. I'm a hoarder though, that's how I've ended up with 5 gearboxes🤣

 

[Yarp]

I was bored today but not bored enough to strip the block so opened up the box instead to see what had killed it.

The diff appears to be fine so it wasn’t that. It spins freely with no nasty noises.

Gearboxes are new territory so I’ve got limited idea what I’m looking at.

This is the output shaft and all the gears are nice apart from the one on the end

I couldn’t get the input shaft out the box but that looks ok. No damaged or missing teeth anywhere.

It really doesn’t look too bad to me. This was the pile of metal that fell out and the damage to the inside of the casing. Could those couple of little bits missing from the end of the output shaft add up to that or am I missing an entire cog somewhere? Has the damage to that end cog been caused by something getting wedged in it then being missiled into the side of the box?

It had started to pop out of 1st every now and then and on the drive when it died it was whining its tits off before it went bang. When it went it was stuck in gear too.

 

[NorthloopCup]

See the bit highlighted green? That’s where the mainshaft pinion bearing used to live. This is one of the most common failure point I see on them alongside selector forks and synchro rings.

 

[Yarp]

View attachment 1727714

See the bit highlighted green? That’s where the mainshaft pinion bearing used to live. This is one of the most common failure point I see on them alongside selector forks and synchro rings.

That makes sense, I thought there was more broken bits of metal than I had missing 🤣.

Are any of the bits of the box any use to you? They are going out for scrap but if there’s anything useful I can send it your way.

 

[Advikaz]

View attachment 1727714

See the bit highlighted green? That’s where the mainshaft pinion bearing used to live. This is one of the most common failure point I see on them alongside selector forks and synchro rings.

Reckon that’s what died on mine @NorthloopCup ? As the box looks to have punched a hole in a similar place…