Clio RS250ish

[Matt555]

Took the exhaust off tonight from the link pipe back so I could shorten it. Cut 50mm ish off the end of the Ktec mid section, re-slit it and refitted it all. Looks better now as it was sticking out miles too far before.

Raised the suspension by 15mm all round and hammered the crap out of the inside of the rear arches to make sure there's no contact. Not running any spacers but wheels are ET35 and there were really flush with the arches. Back looks okay now but not happy with the arch gap at the front, overall running 15mm front rake so it should be good even if I'm less happy with how it looks.

Randomly fuel gauge has stopped moving, appears to be stuck on 1/4 of a tank despite having loads more fuel in. Something else to look at and fix. Will take the sender out of the tank at the weekend....
RS Tuning rebooked for the 23rd of Jan :up:

 

[dann2707]

Nice one mate! Are you using the fuel pump from the Megane?

 

[Matt555]

Nice one mate! Are you using the fuel pump from the Megane?

Using this one from engine dynamics http://www.engine-dynamics.com/Turbo/pid100297/cid97/Uprated-High-Volume-Fuel-Pump.asp
You need to modify the pump housing, takes 2 minutes with a dremmel. Running with standard in tank regulator however my cheapo fuel pressure gauge shows it running at 3.7 bar which is odd as I believe the clio is 3 bar and the 225 is 3.5 bar so close to what it should run in the Megane. Of course it could just be a cheap Chinese made gauge...

 

[dann2707]

Using this one from engine dynamics http://www.engine-dynamics.com/Turbo/pid100297/cid97/Uprated-High-Volume-Fuel-Pump.asp
You need to modify the pump housing, takes 2 minutes with a dremmel. Running with standard in tank regulator however my cheapo fuel pressure gauge shows it running at 3.7 bar which is odd as I believe the clio is 3 bar and the 225 is 3.5 bar so close to what it should run in the Megane. Of course it could just be a cheap Chinese made gauge...

Thanks for that dude! Will invest

Also, check your pm's mate!

 

[Matt555]

It's been bugging me since the shafts were made that the driver's side is too long and is a real pig to get into place with everything bolted up. Decided it needed shortening before it breaks or breaks something like the gearbox :weary: Split the shaft at the inner joint and 5 mins and an angle grinder later...

This is just temporary whilst I have a proper shaft made up by Berrisford. Needs 25mm in total taking off but I only took 15mm off so I had enough splines left to engage the cv joint. Went back in and bolted up nicely :up:

Also sent a spare set of Megane injectors off to @dann2707 for cleaning to see if that clears the light random popping noise on idle which according to Paul at RST is the injectors getting old. Well worth trying for what he charges compared to a new set of injectors.

Need to decide what to do about my fuel system now. Ordered a proper fuel pressure gauge from Tweeks to get a second opinion on the fuel pressure, not that I don't trust my cheapo Chinese testing kit.... Think I want to retain the original tank with pump, add a swirl pot with Bosch pump and need to find a fuel pressure regulator with a return so I can retain the clio returnless rail.

 

[Matt555]

Update time...
Been busy with work and Christmas, plus the main event is in a couple of weeks so only a few bits and pieces done....

Replaced the worn insert on top of the gear stick, more for when other people drive the car than myself...

Got round to labelling up my switch panel, exciting I know, again for when other people drive the car. Also fitted oil temp sensors by replacing the sump plug with one threaded for a sensor, and added a boost gauge. Going to get a thermostatic oil cooler and then add a pressure gauge off the sandwich plate.

Spent a bit more time trying to sort out the dodgy centering of the gear stick from 5th and 6th. Remove and dismantled the selector, there's a nylon bush which I greased up a few month back, this time I've bored it back out to the standard 10mm it should be. Back together and seems better. Also cut away part of the upper Clio part of the gearbox mount to make future access easier

 

[Matt555]

Next job was to make a mount for my GPS speedo

This then mounts behind the wheel in front of the main cluster. Also made a couple of blanking pieces from hardboard and carbon fibre effect wrap to hide the centre of the cluster and the dash support bar below

After a few weeks of indecision decided to remove the red side graphics, had to repaint a bit on the drivers side but piece of cake in primer grey

 

[Matt555]

Took it out for a quick test run tonight with my laptop and rs tuner to do some logging. When it was at RS Tuning before the car wouldn't hold boost, however.....

So that's holding 0.7bar which according to the mighty internet is standard boost. Repeated it in various gears several times, and held in every gear. Feels ballistic so fingers crossed it behaves itself on the 23rd

 

[Matt555]

The above boost graph got me thinking about my old 200SX, 1.7 bar on a GT2871R turbo, standard interior apart from some recaros and fooking quick. Renault really should have made the pipework and plenum bigger, and the internals stronger. 380BHP on the standard engine. Bloody awesome. Should have kept it, first car I ever messed with 😢

 

[Robclio98]

Awesome update mate! glad its back up and running

 

[Coops Mk1]

Mission this project, pointed my mate dan at it too as he's just done same conversion into a mk1 clio and info like the epas ecu bypass is great. He managed to get standard speedo working though using just one sensor I believe, can put him in contact if needs and your fancy oe speedo

 

[Matt555]

Mission this project, pointed my mate dan at it too as he's just done same conversion into a mk1 clio and info like the epas ecu bypass is great. He managed to get standard speedo working though using just one sensor I believe, can put him in contact if needs and your fancy oe speedo

Cheers, have binned the abs wiring now so will stick with the gps speedo. Original speedo will be out by 10% anyway due to much smaller wheels than the Megane has, worked it out properly and the plus side shorter gearing should be even better acceleration.

 

[Chris_Beer]

Good work and results at last pal!

I think the Megane bush thing is standard on most causing gearstick issues so atleast that should feel better now

Get photos of it without the decals and maybe a video? There was a cheap SJCAM @midge was selling recently that would do the job!

 

[midge]

Yep, i have a band new sjcam for £50 (geniine wifi model, duplicate present)

 

[Matt555]

I've come to my senses, I went out in it yesterday and it's bat s**t mental. It's staying. Mapping week today, oil cooler to start fitting later

 

[Matt555]

Well kind of running out of room to fit stuff...

 

[Mash.]

Still holding this fuel set up for you... would be good for you to reply to my pm as otherwise I need it out the way.

 

[Matt555]

Still holding this fuel set up for you... would be good for you to reply to my pm as otherwise I need it out the way.

I've replied to you mate

 

[Matt555]

Well this turned up today, 110k mile 172 cup with terrible paint, it's been keyed and repaired by a blind man on most panels. Ordered a new car and going to be running this as a daily until it turns up and then intending to go production class racing with it. For the moment I'm stripping it out and it'll be with the turbo at oulton on the 21st. Make for an interesting comparison

 

[Chris_Beer]

Getting rid of the grey shell?

What's the new car?

 

[Matt555]

Getting rid of the grey shell?

What's the new car?

No, grey turbo is going nowhere. Ordered a discovery sport to replace my 1 series and the 1 series is going this week so bought the cup as a temp car. When the disco turns up I'm intending on going production class racing in the cup. Well that's the current plan anyway

 

[Chris_Beer]

CS balla alert!

How do some people have so much spare cash lol

 

[Matt555]

CS balla alert!

How do some people have so much spare cash lol

Working 80 hours a week helps :tired: cup was 700 quid

 

[Chris_Beer]

You do all this and work 80hrs a week lol

And I thought I was busy! Good effort Matt!

 

[Matt555]

Had a day off as the madness at work has temporarily ended before starting up again shortly. Been working on getting both Clios ready for Oulton and sorting out the 1 series for when it goes hopefully tomorrow.

Clio turbo started smelling of fuel badly a couple of days ago and found a puddle of fuel on top of the fuel tank. Turns out the sealing ring has expanded and is about an inch too long so the sender wouldn't seal against the tank. Got that changed over and also swapped the fuel level sender as that had packed up. No more petrol smell. Win

Few other bits turned up today. Longacre rear view mirror, and canbus signal converter. Had issues getting the shift indicator to work with the Megane ignition. Tried a signal pickup and that's a bit hit and miss so gone for a canbus signal covertor, plugs into obd port and offers various signal outputs so going to wire that up to the shift indicator

Also got some Grip tyre softener to use on my well worn semi slicks. Last delivery today was a new set of springs from Faulkner springs. Gone for 450lb fronts and 400 rear. Hopefully make the car more usable on the road as the current ones are something ridiculous like 600 and it's unusable down country roads at present

 

[Matt555]

Did some CAD design ala project binky. Need a cover for the fuse box so made a cardboard template. Get it made up in aluminium tomorrow

Last thing was starting a pedal stop for the clutch pedal. Chopped a piece out of a spare subframe. Needs tidying up and bolting to side of pedal box

 

[Matt555]

Got a CTEK trickle charger and conditioner to keep the battery topped up.

Added connector behind the passenger seat so the charger just plugs in to the electrical system.

 

[Matt555]

Well last week we had mapping attempt number 2 at RS tuning. Whilst the car was idling well it was keeping high revs coming off the throttle and Paul didn't like it. During conversation mentioned the single mass flywheel and after a brief discussion around it being a techniclutch flywheel off Ebay we abandoned mapping again. He's a bought one of their kits in the past after seeing several cars with blown engines and the flywheel being in common to them. Turns our the trigger wheel is 30 degrees out meaning 30 degrees of advance. All the problems we've had the flywheel has been common to all 3 engines. After despairing at the thought of taking the engine aout again Paul arranged for a TTV flywheel to be drop shipped to my address and I took an R26R clutch kit with me.2 days later it's all fitted and idling better than it ever has. No light popping from the exhaust anymore and rock solid idle.

Shite flywheel trigger:

Proper trigger:

ALso new flywheel is less than half the weight of the other - hollow at the back

Assembled with R26R clutch - needed 9 bolts rather than 6 on original, had to cut some down to get enough. Has 20% more clamping force

 

[Matt555]

Tried contacting Techniclutch and no response which seems typical according to Google. I'm going to stick a small court claim in against them as Paul told them the kit was wrong and they're still selling it for the R26. Cost me a blown engine, about 3 engine swaps worth of labour, abandoned trackday etc etc. Can't imagine I'll get anything out of it but if it makes their life more difficult for 5 minutes then it's worth it.

Also got this over the last few days - much snugger and more comfortable than the Cobras

So back at RS Tuning tomorrow for attempt 3....

 

[Matt555]

Ever the optimist I've also applied a shed load of tyre softener to my semi slicks ready for Tuesday

 

[Matt555]

Back at RS tuning. Made 224 on standard map. Changing injectors then going for 280

 

[Rojer]

Just read through all of this, great project and great work to do it all yourself!

We need some dyno/track videos lol.

 

[Matt555]

Made about 275 then this happened on the way home

Well that's one car not going to oulton tomorrow. Need to get some proper shafts made

 

[Matt555]

Just read through all of this, great project and great work to do it all yourself!

We need some dyno/track videos lol.

Thanks, was hoping to have got some videos tomorrow but as I've snapped the os shaft that's not going to happen

 

[Clio_fool]

Good power, s**t ending. Maybe you should stop booking track days until the ar has had a couple of weeks shake down. Bloody good build though mate.

 

[Akay]

Could you maybe slide a sleeve over that shaft and weld it that way? I believe my mates 106 turbo with a BE box has sleeved shafts as he had a similar recuring issue.

 

[Matt555]

Good power, s**t ending. Maybe you should stop booking track days until the ar has had a couple of weeks shake down. Bloody good build though mate.

I know I probably should but gives me a target. Anyway took the cup, will add my thoughts in a bit :stig:

 

[Matt555]

Could you maybe slide a sleeve over that shaft and weld it that way? I believe my mates 106 turbo with a BE box has sleeved shafts as he had a similar recuring issue.

Clio shafts and Megane shafts are different diameters so can't sleeve easily. Just going to get some proper ones made. Intend on pulling them out this weekend then dropping them off to be copied. Hopefully, how many times have I said that over the last 6 months.... it'll be up and running in a few weeks.

It was briefly, very briefly, absolutely bat s**t mental. It's 285ish torques, going to need tyres on a subscription service

 

[Matt555]

Despite not being able to take the turbo still had a good day at Oulton. Swapped my Toyo R1R wheels over onto the cup and took the AD08's along as well.

Not to busy but too many race cars testing in my opinion so everytime you're having a good run you've having to get out of the way of a bloody race team. Also had must have been 8 red flags during the day, at one point 3 in rapid succession so couldn't even get 2 laps in.....

Also, someone brought the batmobile...

 

[Matt555]

Cup went well but wasn't overly impressed with it. Chucked my spare CL 5+ pads on but couldn't get used to the overly assisted braking compared to the turbo. Also suspension and seat felt sooooo soft. That aside it took a kicking all day from me and my dad and didn't go wrong :up:

So today got around to taking the welded shafts out so can take them to get proper copies made. Looks like the broken one not only broke the weld but also the insert that had been put in

Also got on with stripping the cup out

Been in touch with Mark Fish about a cage so hoping to get that ordered this week. Still undecided on whether to keep the car blue or make it the opposite of the turbo ie black body with primer grey roof bonnet and tailgate. And also what colour to get the cage done in, fancy either orange or green....