Hello All,
Thought i would start a new thread about my Clio !72 Phase 1. These are just some of the problems and troubles i have come into contact with.
Little background i bought the car in October 2012 and up until the end of August 2013 i didn't really have any significant problems or need to spend much money on it besides the odd service. Due to small money issues i had to take it off the road when the tax ran out at the end of October, it was not in the best of shape needing a new radiator and the alternator need to be rebuilt. I had left all these problems until recently when i decided i wanted it working again.
i cant remember when this was done but i said i would stick it in. There was a really annoying tapping sound coming from somewhere at the front of the car at idle. it took me ages to find the problem but ended up being the A/C Condenser was loose and the bottom corner of it was hitting off the chassis. I ended up taking the front bumper off and having to cable tie yes i said it cable tie it into a secure location as it seemed to mounted to the radiator and the mounts had broken. This was only a temporary fix. With the bumper coming on and off for a period i noticed a bit of damage to the drives side wing where the two were connected i left it alone for the meantime as didn't want to remove it.
i had purchased a gopro and while the bumper was off noticed the drivers side fog light was shattered on the back side so was able to fashion a mount and fix the gopro in, it was a tidy fit but is a rough looking mount happy with it over all.
The next thing that started to happen was a small leak in the Radiator, with some radweld it was held at bay for a couple of weeks. The Alternator was next to give trouble. When i was trying to find out if the alternator or the battery was to blame i found the radiator had gotten worse with the radweld no longer working and infact the leak was twice as bad. Managing once warm to get through the whole reservoir in 15 minutes.
This although not too bad was enough with tax (€710 a year) and a couple of good holidays to leave me in a position to have to leave it up for a while.
In January i was able to do a few bits removing the radiator, alternator and aux belt. i managed to picked up a radiator off a guy in england breaking his clio. Got the alternator refurbished locally and bought a aux belt, tensioner and pulley off K-Tec Racing in england.
This is it with the Radiator and A/C condenser removed.
I also have had these alloys that i have been meaning to put onto the car for ages so i forked out for a set of tyres. I bought the same tyres again Michelin Pilot Exalto 2 205/50/15 off eiretyres.com brillant service.
Dont have any of them on the car yet but found this of when they were getting painted.
In preparation for fixing the car i was able to fix the wing. i had to fix an aluminium piece to the inside of the wing and fibreglass over it then i drilled it out to accommodate the anchor nut that holds the bumper in place.
So with all the part showing up there 3 weeks ago i was able to make some progress. I spent the whole weekend at it and was able to get a good bit of the work done. I firstly removed the old tensioner and pulley they were in a bad way so was happy to replaced them. Then was able to fit the new ones i had a big jubilee clamp on the tensioner so i could fit the belt and the alternator in easily. I removed the jubilee when i was happy it was all in the right place. Fitted the secondhand radiator change the oil and replaced the oil filter. Fitted the repaired wing, subframe, bumper and new alloys. I didn't refit the A/C condenser as i don't want it and was never going to get it filled up with gas.
I thought after that weekend things were looking up but unfortunately not. I brought it for a test drive and noticed that it didnt sound right and was down on power. Cylinder 2 was not firing or was intermittent, under load it would cut out. I have since been able to eliminate the leads and spark plug. I swapped the leads and change the spark plug, when i removed the number two plug it was black and the electrode was worn slightly. It help for a while as in 2 mins but stopped shortly after.
I manage to get hold of an injector for the Clio so i might be able to check that this weekend but could still be the coil pack.
I will put up some more pictures soon and let you know how i get on with the injector.
I was able to give it a bit of attention today and replaced the injector. I didn't know if the injector i got was working or not it was secondhand so to save myself some trouble i swapped the no.1 injector which was working into the problem no.2 cylinder and put the second hand injector into no.1 cylinder. This way if the problem was with the old injector everything would work but if there was a problem with the secondhand one then the no.1 cylinder would stop and if it wasn't an injector problem at all potential no.1 and no.2 wouldn't work. I started the car and everything was working fine thank god.
The Fuel rail and Injectors.
Also bought the french pressed license plates as old license plates were a bit worse for ware.
Next i need to get it through an NCT booked for early march and also have to find some centre caps for the alloys.
The front calipers are in need of some painting. i don't know what color i want but i am not going plain i am thinking red, yellow or blue. Can't decide which i like better leaning towards the yellow any suggestions here is a close up of them.
This i a quick picture of the car today.
Thought i would start a new thread about my Clio !72 Phase 1. These are just some of the problems and troubles i have come into contact with.
Little background i bought the car in October 2012 and up until the end of August 2013 i didn't really have any significant problems or need to spend much money on it besides the odd service. Due to small money issues i had to take it off the road when the tax ran out at the end of October, it was not in the best of shape needing a new radiator and the alternator need to be rebuilt. I had left all these problems until recently when i decided i wanted it working again.
i cant remember when this was done but i said i would stick it in. There was a really annoying tapping sound coming from somewhere at the front of the car at idle. it took me ages to find the problem but ended up being the A/C Condenser was loose and the bottom corner of it was hitting off the chassis. I ended up taking the front bumper off and having to cable tie yes i said it cable tie it into a secure location as it seemed to mounted to the radiator and the mounts had broken. This was only a temporary fix. With the bumper coming on and off for a period i noticed a bit of damage to the drives side wing where the two were connected i left it alone for the meantime as didn't want to remove it.
i had purchased a gopro and while the bumper was off noticed the drivers side fog light was shattered on the back side so was able to fashion a mount and fix the gopro in, it was a tidy fit but is a rough looking mount happy with it over all.
The next thing that started to happen was a small leak in the Radiator, with some radweld it was held at bay for a couple of weeks. The Alternator was next to give trouble. When i was trying to find out if the alternator or the battery was to blame i found the radiator had gotten worse with the radweld no longer working and infact the leak was twice as bad. Managing once warm to get through the whole reservoir in 15 minutes.
This although not too bad was enough with tax (€710 a year) and a couple of good holidays to leave me in a position to have to leave it up for a while.
In January i was able to do a few bits removing the radiator, alternator and aux belt. i managed to picked up a radiator off a guy in england breaking his clio. Got the alternator refurbished locally and bought a aux belt, tensioner and pulley off K-Tec Racing in england.
This is it with the Radiator and A/C condenser removed.
I also have had these alloys that i have been meaning to put onto the car for ages so i forked out for a set of tyres. I bought the same tyres again Michelin Pilot Exalto 2 205/50/15 off eiretyres.com brillant service.
Dont have any of them on the car yet but found this of when they were getting painted.
In preparation for fixing the car i was able to fix the wing. i had to fix an aluminium piece to the inside of the wing and fibreglass over it then i drilled it out to accommodate the anchor nut that holds the bumper in place.
So with all the part showing up there 3 weeks ago i was able to make some progress. I spent the whole weekend at it and was able to get a good bit of the work done. I firstly removed the old tensioner and pulley they were in a bad way so was happy to replaced them. Then was able to fit the new ones i had a big jubilee clamp on the tensioner so i could fit the belt and the alternator in easily. I removed the jubilee when i was happy it was all in the right place. Fitted the secondhand radiator change the oil and replaced the oil filter. Fitted the repaired wing, subframe, bumper and new alloys. I didn't refit the A/C condenser as i don't want it and was never going to get it filled up with gas.
I thought after that weekend things were looking up but unfortunately not. I brought it for a test drive and noticed that it didnt sound right and was down on power. Cylinder 2 was not firing or was intermittent, under load it would cut out. I have since been able to eliminate the leads and spark plug. I swapped the leads and change the spark plug, when i removed the number two plug it was black and the electrode was worn slightly. It help for a while as in 2 mins but stopped shortly after.
I manage to get hold of an injector for the Clio so i might be able to check that this weekend but could still be the coil pack.
I will put up some more pictures soon and let you know how i get on with the injector.
I was able to give it a bit of attention today and replaced the injector. I didn't know if the injector i got was working or not it was secondhand so to save myself some trouble i swapped the no.1 injector which was working into the problem no.2 cylinder and put the second hand injector into no.1 cylinder. This way if the problem was with the old injector everything would work but if there was a problem with the secondhand one then the no.1 cylinder would stop and if it wasn't an injector problem at all potential no.1 and no.2 wouldn't work. I started the car and everything was working fine thank god.
Also bought the french pressed license plates as old license plates were a bit worse for ware.
Next i need to get it through an NCT booked for early march and also have to find some centre caps for the alloys.
The front calipers are in need of some painting. i don't know what color i want but i am not going plain i am thinking red, yellow or blue. Can't decide which i like better leaning towards the yellow any suggestions here is a close up of them.
This i a quick picture of the car today.
