My Black Gold (no)mod thread

[Clio_fool]

Removed some bling from the car last week.

The temporary bolts in the side skirt had already started to rust so I replaced them with black rivets. Couldn't be bothered to remove the other side one as it was fekkin hot so that can wait until 2021?. Much better:

The dog was a great help as usual!

Then last Friday I went over to @YorkshireKyle to fit the new powerflex rear beam bushes and pms arb. Took a while to get the old bushes out but we got there in the end and it all went back together quickly and easily and nothing fell off on my way home. I've only driven it once since so can't comment on how it's changed the handling but that's all the suspension refreshed now so it should be good for another 100k+?.
Big thanks to Kyle for the effort crawling about under my car for hours.
As usual no pics during fitting ?.

The pms sits much more snugly than the whiteline arb and doesn't look like its been made from scrap?. Can't wait to test it properly.

 

[Krarl]

Nee botha

Aye ream beam bushes can suck my balls ? I'm still quite amazed the brake lines fit perfectly under the 2 U bolts. It really is almost as if they thought about the positioning of them in that certain spot entirely for that reason...?

 

[Clio_fool]

Nee botha

Aye ream beam bushes can suck my balls ? I'm still quite amazed the brake lines fit perfectly under the 2 U bolts. It really is almost as if they thought about the positioning of them in that certain spot entirely for that reason...?

Amazing isn't it. Another plus point over the rustline arb. ???

 

[Krarl]

Amazing isn't it. Another plus point over the rustline arb. ???

Have to drive mine and compare, I can't even remember what setting I wanged mine on ?

 

[Clio_fool]

Gave the cars a wash today, both black ones were minging and had some strange small yellow dots all over them. Not sure what that was but it took some getting off.
I've also managed to give the arb a test and oh my word it's great😁. You can really feel when the car digs in and pivots around you as the centre of rotation. Really fun to throw it about now.

 

[Krarl]

No knocks?

 

[Clio_fool]

No knocks?

Something is knocking but I can't pin down where it's coming from. Could be the suspension, could be in the glove box. I just turn the radio up😂. If something breaks or falls off I'll know then.

 

[Louis]

Looking good Paul. Be interesting to see how it compares to a whiteline.

The yellow stuff will be pollen

 

[Clio_fool]

Damn this needs an update! The 1.2 passed mot today, only the airfreshener and a flat spot on a wheel as advisories. I hope mine passes that well😂.

 

[Clio_fool]

Time for a catch up...

September 2019 myself @alexessex_7 @Jon46 and @MrBlonde had a trip to Wales to enjoy some of the fantastic roads. There's a separate thread about our trip somewhere so I'll not repeat it all here. Over 4 days and 700+ miles each we only suffered a jammed window and a broken boot solenoid between 4 old clio's , can't complain at that!

40 mpg for the trip too, what an amazing little car 👍.

Nothing much else happened the rest of the 2019. Had no issues with the car as it continues to do the daily grind and suffer winter covered in muck.

 

[MrBlonde]

Yes mate cant wait for the Bigger Better Wales 2020 😎👍🏻

 

[Clio_fool]

2020 may have gone to s**t and all the usual car shows were cancelled but that didn't stop it passing in a blur. My mot was due in March but Covid brought a 6 month extension as lockdown hit and it was welcomed as the eml light was still burning bright and I was 99% confident the car would fail on emissions. I'd booked it in at Topgear Performance in Doncaster for a sports cat fitting before I booked the mot. 3 days before the cat was to be fitted lockdown happened and Topgear shut up shop! Thank god for that mot extension🙏.

Then furlough happened, mercifully only 3 weeks for me, but it was 3 weeks of blistering hot weather and there was job that really needed doing on the car.

Cold air was in short supply and I knew this little bugger was to blame so I stood on my head and swore a lot until I'd gotten a big fat cable tie on it. Mercifully it all went back together easily and the air con proved to still be ice cold😊.

I noticed that somehow I managed to scratch a couple of buttons on the climate panel🙄.

I have spares in good condition but I'm not puling it until I've got spare unsticky dash parts to swap over.

Ever since fitting my Momo wheel I've had an occasional rattle from the steering cowel. Turns out it was tapping against the radio control stalk and as I've never used it it's days were numbered.

I'll get around to sorting a blank at some point. The stalk is now extra clutter in a box of clio parts. We've all got one of those, right 👍😂.

Furlough is pretty handy when your old banger is a daily driver, I expect bits to drop off or not come off at all but the car played nicely and nothing caused any issues.
One job that I knew needed doing was the dogbone. I had a Evol Engineering one fitted which was spot on imo, however it was removed and refitted by Bloke during other work and I think it was buzz gunned on too tight. I had acquired some extra vibrations after the work but had lots of new bushes fitted as well as all other engine mounts replaced so couldn't pin it to one thing. As I had one of @PhillipM dog bones to fit I thought I'd swap it over. After all I'd had it over a year🤣.

Fitted in nicely and torqued up to spec. I guess the Evol was over tight🙄.

Been a few months since the swap and apart from a slight gear stick shake when in neutral it feel better than the squished Evol mount. I'd happily reccomend either as an upgrade.

 

[Louis]

2020 may have gone to s**t and all the usual car shows were cancelled but that didn't stop it passing in a blur. My mot was due in March but Covid brought a 6 month extension as lockdown hit and it was welcomed as the eml light was still burning bright and I was 99% confident the car would fail on emissions. I'd booked it in at Topgear Performance in Doncaster for a sports cat fitting before I booked the mot. 3 days before the cat was to be fitted lockdown happened and Topgear shut up shop! Thank god for that mot extension🙏.

Then furlough happened, mercifully only 3 weeks for me, but it was 3 weeks of blistering hot weather and there was job that really needed doing on the car.
View attachment 1487214
Cold air was in short supply and I knew this little bugger was to blame so I stood on my head and swore a lot until I'd gotten a big fat cable tie on it. Mercifully it all went back together easily and the air con proved to still be ice cold😊.

I noticed that somehow I managed to scratch a couple of buttons on the climate panel🙄.
View attachment 1487216
I have spares in good condition but I'm not puling it until I've got spare unsticky dash parts to swap over.

Ever since fitting my Momo wheel I've had an occasional rattle from the steering cowel. Turns out it was tapping against the radio control stalk and as I've never used it it's days were numbered.
View attachment 1487217View attachment 1487218
I'll get around to sorting a blank at some point. The stalk is now extra clutter in a box of clio parts. We've all got one of those, right 👍😂.

Furlough is pretty handy when your old banger is a daily driver, I expect bits to drop off or not come off at all but the car played nicely and nothing caused any issues.
One job that I knew needed doing was the dogbone. I had a Evol Engineering one fitted which was spot on imo, however it was removed and refitted by Bloke during other work and I think it was buzz gunned on too tight. I had acquired some extra vibrations after the work but had lots of new bushes fitted as well as all other engine mounts replaced so couldn't pin it to one thing. As I had one of @PhillipM dog bones to fit I thought I'd swap it over. After all I'd had it over a year🤣. View attachment 1487224
Fitted in nicely and torqued up to spec. I guess the Evol was over tight🙄.
View attachment 1487225View attachment 1487226
Been a few months since the swap and apart from a slight gear stick shake when in neutral it feel better than the squished Evol mount. I'd happily reccomend either as an upgrade.

That's about right on the evol mount with those bushes. They use a nylon insert rather than a steel one. The race bushes are far superior

 

[Clio_fool]

After that I decided to pull the front wheels off and see how my billies had survived the winter. I had coated them in acf 50 and wrapped them in some covers I got off ebay.

The covers certainly kept a lot of crap out, worth more than the £20 investment for sure.

The billies are mint under the covers. A quick clean of the arches, covers and shocks before a spray of acf and wrapped up again and all was good.

I have suffered some rubbing at the front when enjoying a B road so decided to bend the bumper brackets up a bit. Easy job eh? Well it took far too long and far too many swear words all because of this bloody bolt.

It was rusted solid but loose and free to spin so cutting it was a right carry on. I ended up with mole grips on it and cut the head off with a dremmel disc. I still have the occasional scrape so need to revisit those brackets with my fine adjustment tool.

My driver side fog light had been fogging up throughout winter and was going rusty inside.

The other one must have felt ignored or something so it swallowed a stone.

I had a spare pair in the box so swapped them over. Now the passenger one has started fogging up so new ones are on the list, probably for next year 😂.

 

[Krarl]

When are you releasing the carp from that foglight? 😂

 

[Clio_fool]

After messing with dirty parts I decided to add a splash of colour. My original dash strips were scratched and I picked up a spare pair cheap which I painted silver and fitted. Then I had time on my hands so painted my originals.

Debating doing some spare wing mirror covers to match. Or the wheels🤔

As lockdown restrictions were relaxed Topgear rang to say they were open again so I booked the car in for the cat swapping at last! I wasn't allowed to hang around and watch unfortunately so no pics of the work being done. They removed the knackered flexi from the scorpion centre section and removed the olive from the manifold. Then welded a flexi to the manifold and fitted the sports cat between connected with V bands son I can easily swap it for a decat which I'll have made up after I finally get an mot done.

Mmm shiny😁. The back box is still too low though🙄.

The other week I'd parked on a steep hill and ever since I had an oil warning when starting the car. Dipstick was on minimum and the car was overdue a service so I booked it I at my local garage. Then I was put on furlough again🙄. So I figured I may as well do it myself. @renaultpartsdirect did the biz with supplies 👍. So today I've done my first ever oil change😁. I still hate jacking the Clio up, it's like picking a week long dead cat up by one leg 😂.
After the exhaust was done I plugged my obd dingle in and used torque to scan and clear errors.

Cat one I expected with the eml on, but knock sensor? Cleared them and had a look at the knock sensor. The bloody thing is bent and I expect it's had some interference during a previous oil filter change. New one ordered, but changing it looks like it won't be fun. Eml has stayed off since, it took a while to get used to not having the orange light on the dash😂.
I've got new spark plugs to fit but I'm still off work next week so decided to sit in the sun and update this instead this afternoon 🌞.
Also bought 2 new PS3's for the front to be fitted before mot and then Wales 2020 road trip, and maybe pms top mounts and brace if I have a happy birthday in August 😂.
Random pic to end.

 

[Louis]

After messing with dirty parts I decided to add a splash of colour. My original dash strips were scratched and I picked up a spare pair cheap which I painted silver and fitted. Then I had time on my hands so painted my originals.
View attachment 1487235View attachment 1487236
Debating doing some spare wing mirror covers to match. Or the wheels🤔

As lockdown restrictions were relaxed Topgear rang to say they were open again so I booked the car in for the cat swapping at last! I wasn't allowed to hang around and watch unfortunately so no pics of the work being done. They removed the knackered flexi from the scorpion centre section and removed the olive from the manifold. Then welded a flexi to the manifold and fitted the sports cat between connected with V bands son I can easily swap it for a decat which I'll have made up after I finally get an mot done.
View attachment 1487237
Mmm shiny😁. The back box is still too low though🙄.

The other week I'd parked on a steep hill and ever since I had an oil warning when starting the car. Dipstick was on minimum and the car was overdue a service so I booked it I at my local garage. Then I was put on furlough again🙄. So I figured I may as well do it myself. @renaultpartsdirect did the biz with supplies 👍. So today I've done my first ever oil change😁. I still hate jacking the Clio up, it's like picking a week long dead cat up by one leg 😂.
After the exhaust was done I plugged my obd dingle in and used torque to scan and clear errors.
View attachment 1487238
Cat one I expected with the eml on, but knock sensor? Cleared them and had a look at the knock sensor. The bloody thing is bent and I expect it's had some interference during a previous oil filter change. New one ordered, but changing it looks like it won't be fun. Eml has stayed off since, it took a while to get used to not having the orange light on the dash😂.
I've got new spark plugs to fit but I'm still off work next week so decided to sit in the sun and update this instead this afternoon 🌞.
Also bought 2 new PS3's for the front to be fitted before mot and then Wales 2020 road trip, and maybe pms top mounts and brace if I have a happy birthday in August 😂.
Random pic to end.
View attachment 1487244

Cat looks good, but why didnt you have the flexi welded to the sports cat instead? If the flexi goes then you have to have the whole thing cut off. You cant just remove the cat, fit a decat and send it off for a new flexi

 

[Clio_fool]

Yes mate cant wait for the Bigger Better Wales 2020 😎👍🏻

View attachment 1487221View attachment 1487222View attachment 1487223

It could well be the best weekend of 2020😂👍.

That's about right on the evol mount with those bushes. They use a nylon insert rather than a steel one. The race bushes are far superior

It was fine when torqued up to spec and I had no issues with it at all. The @PhillipM bushes have aluminium liners though.

When are you releasing the carp from that foglight? 😂

Fishy lights seem to be a forte for my car 🤣🤣.

 

[Clio_fool]

Cat looks good, but why didnt you have the flexi welded to the sports cat instead? If the flexi goes then you have to have the whole thing cut off. You cant just remove the cat, fit a decat and send it off for a new flexi

🤷‍♂️ Lifetime guarantee. I assume the guys who make exhausts for a living know best.

 

[Louis]

🤷‍♂️ Lifetime guarantee. I assume the guys who make exhausts for a living know best.

Aye, just wondered if theyd said why that way round. Just a bit of hassle with the car having to go in, over sending the parts in the post.

Itll last years regardless and be a million times better than the s**t olive and flange 😂

 

[leeds2592]

🤷‍♂️ Lifetime guarantee. I assume the guys who make exhausts for a living know best.

Dare I ask how much? Don't need the cat but I do need a flexi and v band welding onto mine after I get it MOT'd.

 

[Krarl]

Dare I ask how much? Don't need the cat but I do need a flexi and v band welding onto mine after I get it MOT'd.

All I can say is cash is always preferred at many places in Donny....

 

[leeds2592]

All I can say is cash is always preferred at many places in Donny....

All for it if it makes it cheaper haha.

 

[Clio_fool]

Dare I ask how much? Don't need the cat but I do need a flexi and v band welding onto mine after I get it MOT'd.

It was £100 for a v band and flexi iirc. Plus labour. I've had a closer look today and it's all very nicely done.

 

[PhillipM]

Yeah, mine are 6082 aluminium inserts, you'd have to be going at the bolts like a monkey on steroids to worry 'em.

 

[Krarl]

Yeah, mine are 6082 aluminium inserts, you'd have to be going at the bolts like a monkey on steroids to worry 'em.

Do you still sell the bushes mate?

 

[PhillipM]

I haven't been because the supplier I used to use for resin shut and everyone else I'd tried has been shite compared, apart from one that may work but it's a little softer so I need to tweak the designs.
However the last few months I've been trialing some fancy stuff that microfoams as it's made so I can give the bushes more damping with less spring rate, going well so far but i need more testing time before I pull the trigger on it - it's not cheap - nice though, it's fancy soft-touch stuff like top end interior plastics
I do have a little of the old stuff left so I can do a couple of one-offs but that's all.

 

[Krarl]

I haven't been because the supplier I used to use for resin shut and everyone else I'd tried has been shite compared, apart from one that may work but it's a little softer so I need to tweak the designs.
However the last few months I've been trialing some fancy stuff that microfoams as it's made so I can give the bushes more damping with less spring rate, going well so far but i need more testing time before I pull the trigger on it - it's not cheap - nice though, it's fancy soft-touch stuff like top end interior plastics
I do have a little of the old stuff left so I can do a couple of one-offs but that's all.

If you do a rear bush I wouldn't say no mate😂 I've still got that front one you sent me, didn't even get round to using it because I bloody sold my car!🤦‍♂️😂

 

[Clio_fool]

Swapped the cabin filter the other day. It wasn't as manky as some I've seen on here but was definatly due.

Just the spark plugs to do and I'm done with the service.
I was hoping to get the brakes changed to my brembo's before the Wales trip next month but I've just ordered some parts from PMS so brakes are postponed again. I blame Covid 😂. More news on that when the box arrives😜.

 

[Clio_fool]

Plugs done today, a nice easy job considering the inlet needs removing. The old ones look ok🤷‍♂️?

I'd orders a 24mm socket to remove the knock sensor so changed that too. Seems like it had received a knock (😆) maybe during a oil filter change and wasn't in the best shape. New and old sonsors:

Easy to change but a bugger to get to!

All done and covered up ready for the mot next🤞. I'm off to have a word with the tester to see if it needs the steering wheel airbag to be present, hopefully not😂.

Car works as it did before I started meddling with it, which is a huge positive😂. I might give it a bit of a clean soon to celebrate.

 

[leeds2592]

View attachment 1488398

You take the piss out of my jizzy engine bay, look at state of that!! 😂

 

[dann2707]

Let's hope this mystery parcel from PURE is actually just some Mr Muscle all purpose cleaner 👀👀👀👀

 

[Clio_fool]

You take the piss out of my jizzy engine bay, look at state of that!! 😂

I was waiting for that! My car ain't no garage queen, it actually gets driven. Although I'm on week 4 off work and it's done about 20 miles and not had a wash for 5 weeks now 🤣🤣.

 

[Clio_fool]

As I've sent most of the last 4 weeks decorating the house I thought I'd treat myself for my birthday. Excellent service from @pure-motorsport with my weekend order arriving on Tuesday. As I've been told to return to work next week this is the shortest time ever a car part has been sat in my house as they were fitted yesterday in the sweltering heat🙄.
So what did I get?

New design top mounts and strut brace 🙂. Another nice and easy job to fit them to the B14's even though when you lay the brace on the turrets it looks to be too long. It's not and I found the best way to position it right is to get a helper to hold one of the top mounts in place from below abd then press the brace onto the other top mount and then you can mark the hole positions with everything where it should be. Then it's just a case of bolting everything up.

Obviously while you've got the shocks off you've gotta give them a bit of a clean, right 😁.

All shiny with all the crap and acf cleaned off then reassembled, refitted and a fresh coat of acf applied before tucked away under the covers again. All that effort hidden well out of view 😂.
I didn't testbit yesterday as the neighbours were out boozing in the sun and I wanted to join in but a spin around the block today revealed no untoward noises and nothing fell off so I'm happy. The tracking needs doing though!

 

[Clio_fool]

I also recently noticed a rattle from the rear which turned out to be the exhaust heat shield tapping on the back box. I cut a couple of pieces of 1mm plate and drilled them to make the biggest washers ever to restrain a heat shield.

That's not moving now.

Is it just my imagination or is the front a bit lower with the pms top mounts? I need to book the car in for its mot and new front tyres next but obviously if it's a bit lower I'd like to raise it a bit first.

And a pic of the filthy engine bay with new bling😂.

I might have to do something with that now I can't hide most of it under the engine cover😭🤣.

Next up happy mot day or breaking for parts 🤔

 

[Clio_fool]

Got to work last night and jumped out to open the gate and realised the radiator fan was running. In 4 years that's the first time I've known it to be on, I must have nudged something and accidently fixed it 😂.
As it had been neglected while I was soff work I gavit a wash on Sunday. 10 mins of rain the other night and it looks like it's never had a wash😭.

 

[Clio_fool]

Alignment done today at Bram Racing. No before print as he had to take the wheels off and reduce the camber as they can only add camber when it's on the ramp. And it certainly didn't need any more 😂. After though:

It feels a million times better. Front end grip in the rain was shocking and the steeing was horribly twitchy. Its shocking when you set off after a good alignment how different the car feels, its a pleasure to drive again.
Not tomorrow.

 

[mossyv6]

Sorry if I have missed it Paul but where are Bram racing mate?

 

[Clio_fool]

Sorry if I have missed it Paul but where are Bram racing mate?

Castleford now mate. Bit of a trek but Brad knows his stuff. He had 2 197's waiting after me😂.

 

[mossyv6]

Castleford now mate. Bit of a trek but Brad knows his stuff. He had 2 197's waiting after me😂.

Thanks mate 👍

When is MOT time?