Danith's Clio RS 220 Trophy ph2

[Danith]

now change the leds on it

Had a look, looks way too fiddly for me. Think the last time I used a soldering iron was gcse tech.

Don't mind the blue tbh. @Adey. Will give it a go I'm sure

 

[Danith]

Sorted.

Pinks pins miles easier to fit. Sound tube makes naff all difference that I can tell. Forge pipes aren't cheap though so it stays.

 

[Danith]

Long weekend in the Yorkshire dales around Skipton and Settle. Car was great. Brembos genuinely feel much sharper, don't usually notice a massive difference on other cars.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

It's stupid in a way, but I think bits like the Brembos make the car way more desirable. It makes it look and feel more special. If these had come with more bits like that from the factory, they would have had more appeal IMO.

That said, as they get older, I do like them more.

 

[Danith]

It's stupid in a way, but I think bits like the Brembos make the car way more desirable. It makes it look and feel more special. If these had come with more bits like that from the factory, they would have had more appeal IMO.

That said, as they get older, I do like them more.

yeah the Mk3 200 is still for me, the best one. Brembos, Snazzy speedline wheels, those arch vents and recaros.

 

[PP200t]

I’m sure I read somewhere that renaultsport had the engine from Nissan but spent all the rest (or most) of the budget on the gearbox which is why everything is pretty standard with regards to brakes, seats etc.
the brakes aren’t bad as standard but as you say some special bits would’ve made it a better package. Especially when the vxr corsa and fiesta st had recaro seats etc.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

I’m sure I read somewhere that renaultsport had the engine from Nissan but spent all the rest (or most) of the budget on the gearbox which is why everything is pretty standard with regards to brakes, seats etc.
the brakes aren’t bad as standard but as you say some special bits would’ve made it a better package. Especially when the vxr corsa and fiesta st had recaro seats etc.

Yeah it's just superficial really as, in reality, they handle and stop perfectly well. It's just the "cool" factor of having bits that make the car feel a bit more bespoke.

 

[Adey.]

@Danith i know the cars up for sale so may not been given too many miles, but could you give an honest review of swapping to the brembos?

 

[Danith]

@Danith i know the cars up for sale so may not been given too many miles, but could you give an honest review of swapping to the brembos?

Honestly, yeah out of 4 cars now I've done a brembo swap in only 2 have been worth it, the skoda and this one. Just feel more sharp, not a huge improvement, but then they look miles better, are lighter (not that it matters on a car with a heavy front end 😂) and loads more choice of pads.
Worth doing if can get the calipers for cheap

 

[Adey.]

cheers me dears

 

[Danith]

cheers me dears

16mm spacers needed too. Eibach do a set

 

[Adey.]

already on them

 

[Danith]

LY appreciation

 

[Danith]

You might have seen I put the clio up for sale a while ago. One of those 'feeler' posts I guess as I just got bored of the whole modifying thing and fancied something more luxury.
No rush to sell though, the hassle still ramps up my anxiety.

I've taken a couple of the mods off now - k and n panel, forge hose kit. And never bothered with the airtec cold side pipework or silicone intake hose. All been sold on.

Almost forgot I'd dropped off a steering wheel and the gearknob cover off with @snappy back in Feb.
Got the message off him a few weeks ago it was done and he sent it out to me.

Done loads of cars up til now and all been pretty easy. This car tho, jeez getting the airbag off is a pain in the ass. And the airbag wire is unbelievably fragile. So that snapped when I eventually managed to get the airbag free and I got a cob/panic on and used the twingo til I could find a replacement squib.

Fun thing with the squib is that the part is specific to a phase 2 facelift trophy as its got the fogs and there's a 30% shorter throw in the trophy paddles - wasn't sure how until I compared a used cup one I managed to get sent over from a guy in Holland 😂 was a lot cheaper than any UK breakers, who all only had preface cup ones. So I took a gamble on this lhd, preface, cup version.

Anyway, after dismantling all the bits off the 2 squibs - paddles, stalks, steering angle sensor, multimedia stalk and (most importantly - after a working airbag wire of course) found I was able to swap the gear change components to keep the shorter trophy throw.
Amazingly this hyped up trophy revision isn't achieved by snazzy paddles or a reworked mech, but just a 2mm notch added to the paddle switch platforms 😂
You can definitely feel the difference though so I braved it and went ahead to work out how to remove and swap them without damaging anything.

So result, fixed. And now have a much nicer, less sticky, Alcantara and proper leather steering wheel, with matching gearknob in Alcantara.

 

[Brigsy]

Steering wheel looks great. Pain about the squib, they are super fragile. I hate removing ren airbags for that reason as easily damaged.

 

[Danith]

Took the powerflex inserts out of the main engine mount and upper gearbox mount. Must be getting old.

Preferring the car stock tbh. No plans to map, lower, make louder or put any massive spoilers on. Brembos are a good touch, as are the stud and nut conversion and silver rims.

Booked goodwood in July, torn as to whether to take this or the mx5.

Still loving the yellow, especially on the motorway full of monotone German barges (if I have the tunes on to mask the interior rattles 😂)

 

[Adey.]

question, is the trophy paddle switch the bigger or smaller one?

 

[Danith]

question, is the trophy paddle switch the bigger or smaller one?

The one with the larger step, so makes it a shorter throw.
I know what's coming next 😂 an Adey tweak

 

[Danith]

Summer's here! So what does the Clio decide to do? Delete the ac, again. Nice one.
No codes this time. Assumed a leak or dodgy pressure switch. Anyway got it booked in with an ac specialist near me I've used before (top bloke for anyone in St Helens area BTW, called Cool Wheels).
Pressure fine, refrigerant gas ok, no codes, just another mystery.
Then he got it on the ramps and went to test the compressor and relays and the lovely sound of 'click' from the clutch, followed by ice cold air.
Thank eff for that. Loose plug connection to the compressor.

 

[Adey.]

Nice win there 👍🏼

 

[Danith]

Nice win there 👍🏼

Might reward it with a goodwood track day in July. Torn between the mx5 and this 🤔

 

[Daz.]

Wish my ac would just be bloody consistent, never had such a random issue with a car!

 

[Danith]

Wish my ac would just be bloody consistent, never had such a random issue with a car!

What does yours do? Thing is when it's on it freezes my hands 😂

 

[Daz.]

Just decides it doesn't want to play ball at certain temps.

If it's 28 degrees outside it's happy, same for cooler temps.

But if it's say 20 degrees it goes naaaaaa...

But then after 5-6 mins it goes ok I'll play your game 😂

 

[Danith]

Just decides it doesn't want to play ball at certain temps.

If it's 28 degrees outside it's happy, same for cooler temps.

But if it's say 20 degrees it goes naaaaaa...

But then after 5-6 mins it goes ok I'll play your game 😂

Yeah that's a Renault alright.

 

[Matt Cup]

Papped.

 

[Danith]

Papped.
View attachment 1699545

Nice. Was a good turnout and no massive queue this year.
I didn't stay too long had to get home for 1. Seemed to get busier as was leaving too

 

[Matt Cup]

Nice. Was a good turnout and no massive queue this year.
I didn't stay too long had to get home for 1. Seemed to get busier as was leaving too

Yeah it was decent, seemed to be a bit of a McLaren owners club meet in the morning but still plenty of other more interesting cars turned up later on.

We got there about 9:45 and left at around 3, was really busy around midday.

 

[Danith]

Yeah it was decent, seemed to be a bit of a McLaren owners club meet in the morning but still plenty of other more interesting cars turned up later on.

We got there about 9:45 and left at around 3, was really busy around midday.

Yeah loads of mclarens. That chevy nova hot rod drag car looked spicy. I left at 11.30 and loads were coming in. Will stay longer next time.
Loved the battered looking nova sr at the side by the toilets, next to the brand new m2 thing.

 

[Matt Cup]

Yeah that Chevy was a bit naughty. It’s something you expect to see on street outlaws not at a cars and coffee in Yorkshire. Suppose it’s the beauty of that venue as it has all sorts attending.

Did you see the black Ferrari 328 on air ride?

 

[Danith]

Used squib lasted 1 month was worth a try for 40 quid. Took it apart and looks like it's been effed about with previously and someone did a crap job of putting it back together - they're super fiddly so not surprised. Basically it's wrapped around itself and eventually snapped where it joins the spool.

Thought about using another used one as Renault RRP is £390 for new! But decided to just bite the bullet and got one from RPD and yep, you guessed it, it was on back order. Only 2 weeks, so got it this week and fitted it on. All good again, I have no airbag light and working cruise.

Expensive lesson/steering wheel retrim that was

Part number for a Trophy (shorter shift switches) is 25 56 726 71R in case anyone needs one. Comes with paddles but no stalks, audio control or steering angle sensor.

 

[Danith]

Back to Mick at Diamond motors. AC failed yet again, @Daz. I bet this is your same issue too.

So it's not the power wire/connector that was at fault as we'd thought, but instead the power connector for the AC clutch on/off. Apparently it's the same type of connector used on a few Renault applications, main example being an auxiliary (?) water pump on the RS Megs. You can't buy them from Renault and no one seems to make them aftermarket. You'd just have to put the minimal amount of pressure on the wires to the connector and it'd flick the clutch on/off. So some wiring modification has been done to keep it in the right position. Works fine now, if it goes again he'll try source a good one from a scrap yard and modify it so it's all good. Another option is to just hardwire it to the clutch wire, but then you're butchering the car's loom and we didn't fancy that, bit rough.

While it was there I had the annual service done, forgot the bloody book though to get it stamped. Had this thing almost a year now, been eventful!

Will be getting it back on track in Autumn once the prices have died down. Looking forward to it, really is a good motor on track out of the box. And a good everyday car (when the AC works).

 

[Daz.]

Interesting!

 

[Danith]

Wash, wax (fusso kog) and I got this BYC Brembo cooling kit off a bloke nearby who tracks his trophy. Total overkill but nice to know it's there. Absolute ballache to get the pipes through on the drivers side and not a lot of places behind the bumper where it's open, for the scoops to sit. Unless you want to chop away at intercooler shrouds or the bumper itself. Not me.

Came with some precut arch liners so I didn't have to butcher my own.