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Hole in my engine!?!



  clio
Only noticed this today as i was under the bonnet.. :scared::scared:

I don't think this should be here?! I can see the cambelt through it.

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The only time anyone has touched this part of the engine was Renault when doing warranty work (fixing the leaking rocker cover.)

it looks as if it has some sort of paste around it like it's been repaired which is possibly why i've not noticed it before! :eek:mg:

Any suggestions on how to fix (temporarely)- unless it is normal!!

EDIT: just seen a 172/182 cover of ebay which doesn't appear to have this hole - is it the same part?

I take it it's not gonna be straight forward old one off new one on though?!:S
 
  172/1.2/E30
this is not normal. you need a new rocker cover eventually a new cylinder head (rocker cover incorporates the upper camshaft bearings). cambelt off job.
 
  172,scenic, trafic
looks li ke s omeone dropped it and tried to bodge it. if something had come out threw t here whilst running it would have died on you.lol
 
  clio
this is not normal. you need a new rocker cover eventually a new cylinder head (rocker cover incorporates the upper camshaft bearings). cambelt off job.

so why a new cylinder head?!

O man i can tell this is gonna be expensive!
 
  clio
looks li ke s omeone dropped it and tried to bodge it. if something had come out threw t here whilst running it would have died on you.lol

Thats what i'm thinking too late to go back now prob was months ago! - must have come out whilst driving i reckon and missed the cambelt - i'm pretty sure i'd have noticed it before - but maybe i didn't
 
  Golf GTD Mk7
get a second hand engine. it will be cheaper seriously. £500 for an engine. Otherwise it's a few hundred for rocker/head, then removing and refitting belts etc. Probably closer to a grand. if you know someone who can drop and refit an engine cheaply getting a new second hand one is the best option.

Is oil coming from it? you might have been lucky as the rocker has a slight over hang where the pully are, so it might not compromise the head.
 
If its not leaking oil just stick some gaffer over it.

Hopefully just the cambelt area

Agree! Race tape it and jobs a good un. Having had R3's come out of stage with bits of block missing and X85s roll and carry on running I can safely say the F4R is a pretty tough old lump. If it's not dropping fluids just bodge it up so nothing can get to the belt and forget about it.
 
  clio
nope not leaking anything - i tried to poke a zip tie through from the oil cap and from the hole in and couldn't - so thats one bit of luck I suppose.

really don't wanna be having to get a new engine... don't mind if thats what Renault want to do tho! fingers crossed.

I thought about gaffer tape but don't want it to melt and fall in the hole onto the belt -

Cheers Matt - thats relieving to hear.. Link to Race tape?

I guess if I taped it up till the belt is due next year and source the parts between now and then it wouldn't be much on top of the belt change?

how much we talking?
 
  clio
You keep talking about Renault, is it under warranty or something?

Nope, not since last Sept.. but the leaking rocker cover was 'fixed' under warranty back then.. This is the only time anyone has been near it so I'm hoping they'll fess up and wear the cost... long long long shot I know :(

fingers crossed

EDIT: BTW this is a 197 (just realised i hadn't mentioned)
 

Bluebeard

ClioSport Moderator
  Whichever has fuel
So its a 57 plate car, on 28,000 miles, the last people to touch the rocker cover was Renault to fix the leak?

Oh yes, they'll be paying for that.
 
Going to be a big struggle to get anything out of Renault! It's not going to hurt anything if you cover it up and forget about it. Don't let it ruin your day, the X85's run with a similar size hole covered with tape in a similar place as standard due to the different upper engine mount design :)
 
  clio
only ppl to touch the rocker was them - had a service done since at another garage (just a oil n filter)

yep i'm expecting a battle tbh - i'm expecting them to tell me i've dropped a spanner on it or something, or that they can't be sure it was them etc etc ..

slight relief that the 'stick a bit of tape over it' is a good back up though
 
  clio
along with others such as 'just zip tie it, persuade it with a hammer or, oh well didn't need that bit anyway' haha ;)
 
Million quid F1 engine and it still had cable ties holding the loom to the fuel rail ;) Beru WIC has changed all that these days though.
 
  clio
cheap, light, strong and easily removed - just the job if you ask me. maybe i'll leave the rocker as is and call it lightened. only a bit concerned about where the missing piece is!
 
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Rob

ClioSport Moderator
I'd be straight on the phone to Renault UK, explain that you were giving the car an oil check or whatever and noticed this.

State that the last people to touch the car were Renault, send them the pictures and see what you get back.
 
  clio
Just an update as I got the car back today - Its been in the dealer since thursday. (took a while for them to get a new head from france)

£2.5K of work later and my car has a new head / rocker cover & associated gubbins, Cambelt /Aux belt. Oil / filter.

Lovely job.. All paid for by the dealers insurance co!

In fairness to the dealership I think they must have a new service manager, he was great and accepted the issue was theirs straight away, kept me informed throughout and provided an excellent service.

OK it should have never been let out of the garage in the first place like that, but they have rectified it and given me another 5 years driving before a cambelt service is due.

Added bonus is that the car now feels even more rapid and super stable handling (It hasn't changed in any way it's just because i've been driving about in the 1.2 tce courstesy for the past few days! *cheap mod to make anyone's car feel quicker)
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  Clio 182
This is probably the first i've heard about a main dealer being helpfull and admiting it was their fault! Fair play and glad you got it sorted! ;)
 

-J-

  RS2'ed 172 Cup
Which dealership was it, fair play on them sorting it out, back when I had to deal with them on a daily basis the standard reply would have been 'go forth and multiply' from pretty much all of them lol
 


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