ClioSport.net

Register a free account today to become a member!
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

Mk1 F4R/172'd Track Car Project [Year 3 - Engine and Chassis Rebuild]



  Sunflower Ph1 172
Just got in after another late one, engine is now run in and ready to go.

Everything seems OK, no bad noises and seems to run smoothly. Brakes need another bleed through and o-ring on the thermostat needs swapping but apart from that its not far off ready. Started by pissing around swapping spark plugs, coilpacks and HT leads to no avail, until I noticed the connection for the TDC sensor was a really wobbly/loose fit. Managed to get a cable tie round it to hold it tight and its lasted for circa 110+ miles. I need to get a spare just in case though!

Proper update tomorrow :sleepy:

woooh... was watching something when you messaged me last night. Roll on the weekend!!
 
  Mk1 F4R
Good work jord.. and you can thank me with a few beers over the weekend ;)
Should be a good weekend, we can see what the 2 freshly rebuilt mk1 f4r's can do :D
 
  BMW E36 328
:D Good work mate.

Well just a few little bits to sort now..... Then roll on mallory park. All the effort and late nights will seem worth it :D
 
Finished a few jobs yesterday evening so it was pretty much ready bar the alternator. Bled the brakes through again, dropped the mineral oil and filter then replaced with new, did the tracking and fitted the williams wheels with slicks.

So I picked up the refurbished alternator this morning and fitted it when I got down to the car this evening - all is OK..

IMG_5134.jpg


Then re-fitted the front bumper after a bit of trimming and tidied everything up, ready to go for Mallory now :)

IMG_5124.jpg


IMG_5133.jpg
 
'First' start from the other day...

[video=facebook;10150317026663047]http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150317026663047[/video]
 
Yeah, it ran perfectly apart from the starter motor.

Posting this from Switzerland at the moment so I will update the thread with Mallory pictures/videos once I'm back in the UK
 
  Sunflower Ph1 172
Yeah, it ran perfectly apart from the starter motor.

Posting this from Switzerland at the moment so I will update the thread with Mallory pictures/videos once I'm back in the UK

Head for Chamonix just over the border, the roads up the alps are unreal..
 
Quite a bit different again, grip level is wayyy ahead of R888/A048 and the steering feels better once they have heat IMO.

Im going to put a proper write up about mallory/lead upto tomorrow :)


And for a laugh...

PIC_4004.jpg


PIC_4005.jpg
 
Right... As you will have seen the engine/car was finished, run in and then taken to Mallory. Had a bit of a nightmare with something playing up when we initially tried to run it in, along with the alternator stopping charging. Got that rebuilt and tried again, still wouldnt not run properly. Turned out the crank sensor connector was loose, so a bit of fiddling and a cable tie later all was well. Put around 100 miles on it down our private runway and everything was OK, no bad noises, no smoke and best of all pulling well.

IMG_5134.jpg


I also cut the lower grill out of the bumper..

IMG_5124.jpg


IMG_5133.jpg


...and it was pretty much ready for Mallory with a day to spare. I drained the mineral oil and replaced with normal stuff, along with a new filter. Bled the brakes and did the tracking.

The day before Mallory I went to fetch the trailer, then the Clio, and took it back to my house to fit the newly painted bonnet (talk about last minute). I literally left the car on the trailer and welded two brackets onto my cage in the scuttle panel for the rear pins to go into. It all fitted well and left for Mallory...

248921_10150321306788047_792028046_9756062_357688_  n.jpg


As with the last two years at Mallory/RTOC National day we camped both nights and made it into a weekend. The Passat pulled the Clio with ease, returning over 40MPG which I was suprised at..

IMG_5159.jpg


IMG_5149.jpg


IMG_0237.jpg


Its nice to have a bonnet without a big split down the front, and I much prefer the pins this way round. Last thing to do was fit the new front pads in the dark once I arrived... opted for some CL RC5+ this year...

IMG_5148.jpg


IMG_8327.jpg


On the morning I gave the pads a quick bedding in on the sighting laps, came back in, checked the oil level and tyre pressures and left it at that. Took it out and gave it the full beans from the word go. The engine pulls a lot smoother and harder than the last, really is so much better to drive. Kept on top of checking the oil level during the day and it never moved, always a good sign. I did have a slight issue with the starter motor f*cking up, so I fitted my spare which ended up being f*cked also so resorted to bump starting it all day (Cheers Ian/Wilky/etc :) ).

First impressions are the RC5+'s are some way better than the previous DS2500's, like them a lot. The Dunlop slicks (thank god the weather was great as I didnt have another set of wheels) are on another level to R888's too, really really good to drive on...

IMG_8591.jpg


IMG_8453.jpg


IMG_8392.jpg


IMG_8378.jpg


423.jpg


434.jpg


101.jpg


IMG_8673.jpg


IMG_8685.jpg


Couple of clips 'on board'...





Packed up on the Sunday and loaded everything back up for the drive home...

IMG_5150.jpg


So yeah... everything went great. Two weeks until Cadwell now, just got the starter motor to sort and a few things to check over but at the moment I am really happy with how its turned out after the what now seems pretty normal - last minute rush.

More soon!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Bluebeard

ClioSport Moderator
  Whichever has fuel
Jord, do you know why the starter motor has gone?

I'm on my second replacement now but can't see anything untoward in the engine bay. I'm just putting it down to bad luck??
 
Not sure, it was making a right racket when trying to engage. The same noise happened with my spare after fitting it (so im hoping they are both knackered) and that its not my flywheel! Going to check it with a car battery one evening this week and see if engages/spins up fine off the car, if it does I will check the flywheel..
 

Bluebeard

ClioSport Moderator
  Whichever has fuel
Both of mine have just jamed. All I get is a click.

I've got the third one now on my shelf waiting to be fitted.
 
  TrackCar & F30 330d
Good little write up Jord. CL pads are great arnt they, just keep an eye on them as some people have had the RC5 + pads and they were a bad batch and crumbled off the backing plate.

I cant wait to use my slicks now if they are another step above 888's.

Whitleys line on one of the corners! 5th pic up, Haha
 
  172 Race Car
Dan/Jord, What gerabox, flywheel, starters are you using? All 172 stuff? Just a thought but it could be a mismatch of parts, starter not ngaging properly and failing prematurely

Looking good Jord, Looks like u need more front camber tho, now its not on the road you can. We went through 7 Valeo/Volvo alternators last year, gave up and stuck a genuine cup one on. They dont like the revs see.

Shame u were using the chicane at the end of the back straight, lake esses is a great corner
 


Top