Covid182 the longest clutch change ever

[Robbie Corbett]

I've just caught up with this, it's done two things-

1. Made me really unhappy with my engine bay.
2. Given me a bit of motivation to get stuck into it again.

Im actually not that happy with the bay yet, there are some other on here which just look so mint! But glad its offered some motivation.... its demotivated me to ever do this again haha. But tbh once you get going they are so simple to do

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Anyway.... if f**king failed.

My fault, CV boot was totally buggered, I guess from me pulling it about to change hubs last week grrrrr. But he did fix my gear linkage and adjust it so now I get reverse and 5th.... every cloud.

So we are friendly but not friends it would seem 🤷‍♂️

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Does anyone know if ECP has a CV boot that will fit? They are listing none under my reg

 

[DomP182]

Im actually not that happy with the bay yet, there are some other on here which just look so mint! But glad its offered some motivation.... its demotivated me to ever do this again haha. But tbh once you get going they are so simple to do

Not so easy on my sloping drive! I cringe putting mine on axle stands, I always check wheels/leave in gear etc for added security.

I'd be happy with that bay, mines not awful but the engine has stayed in meaning some bits just aren't accessible. I should have put the effort into a clean shelled example really but a respray would always be nice if I can get it done at a semi sensible price, I consider it 'pre-dented' to save the disappointment 😆

 

[Jamess182]

Gotta say its absolutely mad you've done all of this work outside parked on the side of the road! No way I'd have the motivation to try that.

Need yourself a smart garage!

 

[montana]

Brilliant read. Wondering why you didn’t do it on your driveway though (?gravel).

For the CV boot a universal (glue) one will do the trick


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[Robbie Corbett]

Not so easy on my sloping drive! I cringe putting mine on axle stands, I always check wheels/leave in gear etc for added security.

I'd be happy with that bay, mines not awful but the engine has stayed in meaning some bits just aren't accessible. I should have put the effort into a clean shelled example really but a respray would always be nice if I can get it done at a semi sensible price, I consider it 'pre-dented' to save the disappointment 😆

Haha pre-dented, thats such a good car salesman line!

Gotta say its absolutely mad you've done all of this work outside parked on the side of the road! No way I'd have the motivation to try that.

Need yourself a smart garage!

Cheers James, I have a decent sized garage a couple of miles from home so it takes the edge off doing stuff to the car there and the one at home is absolutely tiny! I would kill for a nice double garage attached to the house... 100% dropped the ball on that one, Mrs chose the house in a bit of a rush when our son was about to come, I didn't even see the house when we made the offer because we were in such a rush to find somewhere in budget etc. She just said "its got a garage" so I was in.... chump move.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Brilliant read. Wondering why you didn’t do it on your driveway though (?gravel).

For the CV boot a universal (glue) one will do the trick


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Thanks very much, yea is gravel - my next project is also being stored on it leaving one space for cars that actually work. Next house will have a decent garage and a no gravel drive! makes them so annoying and a bit dangerous to jack up even with wood under the car. The road is a service road off of a busier road so its relatively quiet but still a ball ache.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Couple of bad shots mid fail. Got there and they had the charger on which was good, meant I could drive home at least. And luckily passed emissions so new injectors and old cat are doing find.

Drive home was good, car feels super tight now and seems to pull quite a bit harder than before so guessing dephaser was well past its best (it was very noisy). Need to get tracking done as soon as it has a legit MOT then I'll get the TH's on. Was impressed by the lack of horrid NVH, assumed with poly bushes in engine mounts and slightly stiffer springs it would be horrid but feels absolutely fine to me.

Trying to decide if I should paint the grille black on not....

 

[DomP182]

@Touring_Rob dont paint it, it will look better with something like solution finish on it

 

[MLB]

Seems to me that the grille is the exact same colour as mine, even after treating it with Gyeon Trim.

Altough satin black would probably look nicer I think they should be grey.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Yes I have a feeling thats the colour they were supposed to be:

I might buy a spare to do in black..

 

[Robbie Corbett]

@Touring_Rob dont paint it, it will look better with something like solution finish on it

I haven't tried solution finish but I have tried a few different trim restorers (back to black type) inc 303 and non of them change the colour at all 🤷‍♂️

 

[welshname]

Only just found this thread and read start to finish. Cracking work

 

[Usr117063]

Crap picture but this is satin black

 

[Krarl]

Just satin black the b*****d😂😂

 

[JamesBryan]

They're meant to be that dark grey with a silver flake to it.

A bit like the interior plastics that go sticky 😂

 

[Louis]

Just because they're supposed to be that colour doesnt mean they should be 👀

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Crap picture but this is satin black

View attachment 1511210

Amazing how well the paint matches the background, can't even see the grille 😁

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Okok, convinced. Need to take the bumper off to fit alternator anyway 😖

 

[Usr117063]

Okok, convinced. Need to take the bumper off to fit alternator anyway 😖

 

[Inferno182]

Looking epic [mention]Touring_Rob [/mention]!

The hubs are looking [emoji91][emoji91][emoji91][emoji91][emoji1786][emoji1786][emoji1786]

Thanks for the plug too mate, always appreciated [emoji1362]


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[Robbie Corbett]

Looking epic [mention]Touring_Rob [/mention]!

The hubs are looking [emoji91][emoji91][emoji91][emoji91][emoji1786][emoji1786][emoji1786]

Thanks for the plug too mate, always appreciated [emoji1362]


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No worries at all mate, thanks for the great service!

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Shocking day. Set out to change CV joint boot so I could get to the retest tomorrow. After swimming in CV grease for a while I managed to just about get the Universal boot on (was slightly too small).

All done, hub a bit hard to get back on as the CV didn't want to seat properly, figured it would just pop back in of its own accord on its first drive etc.

Reversed off the blocks, went to drive forwards and nothing but grinding - f**k nuggets. So I (because I was too lazy to take the boot back off to seat the CV joint properly) have stripped the end of the driveshaft and filled the brand new CV joint with swarf. Brilliant.

Had a paddy, removed the joint and slung it back together, ordered a new genuine shaft from Ktec because the J&R site didn't say anything about cup packs blah. Car blocking neighbors drive, on a hill and I couldn't push it back up alone had to wait for him to get home. So now, car is siting on the floor, undrivable with an unpreloaded new bearing (great).

The hour long job turned into an all day s**t fest, and I didn't even get round to fitting the new alternator. LIFE.

 

[Krarl]

When you roll it jack it up and take the weight off that wheel. If not you'll f**king kick yourself mate

Oh and for anyone else doing a CV boot, take the shaft off the car and you can take the spider off the splines of the shaft and get a proper boot on there. Do it nice or do it twice

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Will do mate, cheers.

PS - I removed the CV joint, the issue was I couldn't get a new decent boot in time so had to fit a universal (although now I've totaled it I should have just waited for a decent boot). The main issue was that re-fitting the joint I didn't fully seat it on the shaft, it was hung up about half way into the spider and just figured it would sort its self out..... which it did by ripping the splines off the end of the shaft (fark). Basically me being super lazy.

I just wasn't in the mood for doing anything today and should have left well alone .

TBH due to the s**t boot I had already planned on doing it for the 2nd time.... just not so quickly and not with a complete new shaft.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

So its been a long wait for parts.

Ordered a new Renault driveshaft from Ktec before xmas and it arrived a week or so ago. So Sunday was the day to just get on with it.

Managed to get new Renault alternator fitted in about an hour while box oil was draining

Jubilee clip around the tensioner worked a treat

Cleaned all the connection points well together with the main earth strap, these ground through the block so intermittent or poor connection (due to some pleb painting everything) will do the alternator no good at all.

With the box drained it was time to bash on the new shaft

I gave it a good coat with dinitrol clear so we shall see how well it lasts

Originally I bought a large syringe as I was going to reuse the nearly new fluid, so suck out of washing up bowl and squirt back in. On closer inspection the new fluid had a few brass sparkles, not too surprised as the box was freshly built so instead just refilled with fresh. Syringe worked well, will be using it in the future!

Wheel back on, everything torqued up

 

[Robbie Corbett]

With the car rolling again, and the battery charging there was just enough light left to attach one of the nice battery covers. I've had it for a few months but didn't (obviously) want to install it before fitting new battery and alternator.

I think it really tidies the bay up well

ECU cover back on

Need to give the bay a wash when the weather warms up but its looking alright.

Anyway, took the car for an MOT yesterday and finally it passed with no advisories. Driving really well! made it all the way there and back with no EML coming on which is very odd for the little Clio.

Next jobs are to clean under the arches and refit the liners so I don't ruin all the work. Then its all getting aligned. Spacers on order, so once alignment is done the new wheels are going on.

Once it warms up a bit I'll be sorting body and interior but for now I've got a legal Clio once again

 

[RustyMojo]

Wait new wheels!? What have you gone with?

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Set of 15" 2118's. Not everyone loves them but I think they suit them really well.

 

[RustyMojo]

Ah nice touch Rob, been toying with changing from my Turini’s to 2118’s probably should just have both given I’m like a woman!

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Ah nice touch Rob, been toying with changing from my Turini’s to 2118’s probably should just have both given I’m like a woman!

Defo both! Im on the hunt for another set, I'd like to run PS3's on the road and something more focused when I eventually get round to booking a few track days. I recon anthracite 2118's would suit silver well!

 

[MLB]

That does look good with the clean inlet, black covers and fresh coolant!

 

[Robbie Corbett]

That does look good with the clean inlet, black covers and fresh coolant!

Cheers mate! Certainly a lot healthier looking than before

 

[Usr117063]

Very good example this.

 

[Krarl]

Good s**t! Let me know if you want some spacers for the front wheels mate. Them 15" wheels might look a bit lost in the arches

 

[HaveaCuppa]

Just finished reading this. Well done mate, seriously impressive work.

It’s given me a bit of motivation to sort the rear beam out on mine as it was a little crusty when I did a suspension refresh last summer.

Love the 2118’s. Will look mega on them!

 

[dann2707]

Nice work

But I have an issue, quite a big one...

What on earth is going on here 😂😂😂😂😂 why not just use a 3/8 extension?

 

[Krarl]

Because its a 1/4 ratchet you bootlicker👀😂

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Good s**t! Let me know if you want some spacers for the front wheels mate. Them 15" wheels might look a bit lost in the arches

Cheers Kyle - I do need some spaceroo's how many sets have you got >10? lol