New Clio owner from Australia

[d_n2blue]

Hi Guys,
Just bought a 2002 172 in flame red off a mate last week. Car has a full service history and so far it's a fun little lightweight buzz box!
I used to own a 2013 Focus ST and have been riding motorbikes for the last year so this car feels pretty slow, lol. So far the car has just Eibach lowered springs but looking at replacing/upgrading suspension bushes, rear swaybar, short shifter, fitting an exhaust and intake then just driving it.

It has the standard sticky dash/door handles/steering wheel and the headliner has fallen down, so the interior needs a decent clean and the exterior has a few dents/scratches and foggy headlights, also the speedo sometimes doesn't work.

I'll be cleaning up the car and improving it a little bit, so far seems like it could be a little difficult to find parts over here though. One good thing about living in Australia is the underside is 99.99% rust free so no work needed there. Pics to come soon if anyone is interested.

So far been trawling through the forum for info on common faults, looks like the dephaser might be a problem, not sure if this has been changed yet but it has had the belts done recently which I'm glad about because it looks like there's a bee's d*ck of space to fit them.

cheers!

 

[imprezaworks]

Welcome mate.

Sadly if the dephaser is on its way out (should be changed with the belts) it's another belt job!

Any pics of the car, flame red is an awesome colour

 

[d_n2blue]

Welcome mate.

Sadly if the dephaser is on its way out (should be changed with the belts) it's another belt job! 😧

Any pics of the car, flame red is an awesome colour :smile:

Cheers, will be taking pics soon hopefully this week.
Hopefully the dephaser is ok but it is supposed to make a noise when it's on the way out and mine doesn't make any weird sounds.
Service invoice says "timing belt kit" was replaced, could that include the dephaser too?

 

[imprezaworks]

Ah ok thought I read the dephaser being a problem. Timing belt 'could' include the dephaser mate. Is there a way you can check? But yeah when it gets warm is the way you can tell. Diesel type noise.

 

[d_n2blue]

Pics of the car:

 

[d_n2blue]

Replaced the gearbox speed sensor so now I have a speedo. First fix done!
I took it to the mechanic for rego inspection and he said the engine was idling funny. Seems fine to me and drives well but the car sat around for a couple of years without being used.
I might try cleaning the injectors and see if that fixes it. Anything else I should be doing?

 

[t90_lle]

Clios always idle weird but if you're worried I'd go full service, check your injectors like you said and get the timing checked too, person who did belts may have timed it wrong.

 

[Vaughan]

Hi Guys,
Just bought a 2002 172 in flame red off a mate last week. Car has a full service history and so far it's a fun little lightweight buzz box!
I used to own a 2013 Focus ST and have been riding motorbikes for the last year so this car feels pretty slow, lol. So far the car has just Eibach lowered springs but looking at replacing/upgrading suspension bushes, rear swaybar, short shifter, fitting an exhaust and intake then just driving it.

It has the standard sticky dash/door handles/steering wheel and the headliner has fallen down, so the interior needs a decent clean and the exterior has a few dents/scratches and foggy headlights, also the speedo sometimes doesn't work.

I'll be cleaning up the car and improving it a little bit, so far seems like it could be a little difficult to find parts over here though. One good thing about living in Australia is the underside is 99.99% rust free so no work needed there. Pics to come soon if anyone is interested.

So far been trawling through the forum for info on common faults, looks like the dephaser might be a problem, not sure if this has been changed yet but it has had the belts done recently which I'm glad about because it looks like there's a bee's d*ck of space to fit them.

cheers!

What part of Oz? Have you signed up to the OzRS forum yet?
As far as mods go, these were close to 100% tuned straight out of the factory. There is little that can be done cheaply to get more power out of them (a CPU flash won't liberate more hp like a turbo car, unless it'a accompanied with serious mods like cams or ITBs) and in fact many simple mods like intakes can screw up the low-end and mid-range torque. Keep the stock box and put a panel filter in it.

The BEST money spent will be on tyres. Michelin PS3s for sensible daily driving in all weather, or something like Hankook R-S3 or Bridgestone RE003s for more grip in dry weather. Some of the road-legal semi-slicks like Federal RS-R for track. After tyres, look at suspension. Then find some good roads and enjoy the car for the great machine it is.

Other basic fix-it things are:
new spark plugs -- use the recommended type only
clean the throttle body
oil and filter (get the filter and sump plug washer from the dealer, they are cheaper than buying off eBay)
put new boot gas struts on, they'll be getting old and the hatch hurts when it drops on your head

You haven't mentioned the airbag light yet...

 

[Typhoon]

Welcome to the club mate!

 

[d_n2blue]

Thanks for the kind words guys!

What part of Oz? Have you signed up to the OzRS forum yet?
As far as mods go, these were close to 100% tuned straight out of the factory. There is little that can be done cheaply to get more power out of them (a CPU flash won't liberate more hp like a turbo car, unless it'a accompanied with serious mods like cams or ITBs) and in fact many simple mods like intakes can screw up the low-end and mid-range torque. Keep the stock box and put a panel filter in it.

The BEST money spent will be on tyres. Michelin PS3s for sensible daily driving in all weather, or something like Hankook R-S3 or Bridgestone RE003s for more grip in dry weather. Some of the road-legal semi-slicks like Federal RS-R for track. After tyres, look at suspension. Then find some good roads and enjoy the car for the great machine it is.

Other basic fix-it things are:
new spark plugs -- use the recommended type only
clean the throttle body
oil and filter (get the filter and sump plug washer from the dealer, they are cheaper than buying off eBay)
put new boot gas struts on, they'll be getting old and the hatch hurts when it drops on your head

You haven't mentioned the airbag light yet...

I'm in Sydney mate, haven't signed up to OzRS yet, recommended?
Thanks for the recommendation on tyres! Will have to have a look at those options.
Not planning on pod filter but maybe a k&n panel filter. I'm not really after more power for this car but the exhaust is blowing a bit so I might get a 2.25" system made as a replacement but haven't decided yet.
For the suspension I'm going to do the dogbone bushes first then rear swaybar then maybe steering rack bushes.
Already dropped the boot lid on my head once so have replacement boot gas struts to put on.

No airbag lights yet..something to worry about?

 

[Vaughan]

Definitely sign up to the OzRS forum.
My airbag light comes on every time I vacuum the car and side the seats right back!

 

[d_n2blue]

Definitely sign up to the OzRS forum.
My airbag light comes on every time I vacuum the car and side the seats right back!

Maybe that's why I haven't had that problem, I don't think the car has been vacuumed for a very long time!
Got the car registered this week which involved 2 front tyres and a new cat-back exhaust since the original was rusted through. Renault wanted a left nut for the genuine cat-back so had one made at less than half the cost.
Also the mechanic said there is an oil leak, when I asked where from he just said "everywhere", lol. The engine holds oil fine but there is probably a few minor leaks which have accumulated over the years and coated the outside of the motor in a nice crust. They cleaned it off and will check again in a few weeks to see where it is coming from.
Engine is running sweet with no weird noises so no issues there. Does idle lumpy sometimes but that seems normal for these cars.

Dogbone bushes arrived in the mail so will be fitting those shortly. Also need to get off my ass and clean the interior and buff the paint so it actually looks presentable.

So far enjoying the car!

 

[Vaughan]

Learn how to change the engine and gearbox oils yourself, it's not hard and will save you heaps of money. The schedule is for engine oil is every 6 months or 10,000 km. Buy the oil when it's on sale -- Penrite 5W40 full synthetic -- and the cheapest place for the filter and sump plug gasket is the Renault dealer.
A lot of the oil "leaks" are probably from the filter: it's impossible not to spill its contents when changing it. The other main source is the gearbox selector seal. Both end up on the plastic engine under-tray and not on the road or driveway.
You need this for changing the oil filter:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Toledo-3...-76mm-12-Flutes-With-Hex-Adaptor/263006108476
You need this for the engine and gearbox sump plugs:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/8mm-Squa...-Remover-Renault-Citroen-Peugeot/262031335388
Regarding the paint, buy a cheap clay bar off eBay and give the car the once-over, then use Meguiars Ultimate Compound, then the Ultimate Polish, then the Ultimate Wax. You will be amazed.

 

[d_n2blue]

Today I did my first mod, dogbone bushes. I'm glad I did considering the state of the original:

The smaller bush was toast!

Nice new powerflex goodies:

The gear linkage all feels pretty solid so nothing needed there. I want to do the steering rack bushes at some point but it looks like the sticker is long gone, does this look like an SMI rack to anyone?

I had a new cat back exhaust made since the original had rusted through, the mechanic said the rear muffler sounded like a maraca, lol!
I had a look at his handy work today for the first time and I did have a good laugh when I saw how he "fixed" the rear muffler mount:

Just a bit of rubber hose wrapped around a couple of times and cable tied together!
The original bush is completely collapsed (I'm holding the muffler up in the pic), never mind Powerflex will come to the rescue!

Also threw a bucket of water over it for the first time since I've owned it (no pics), definitely needs a good polish but isn't too bad.

Next on the mod list is throwing the Powerflex catalog at the front end and Whiteline at the rear end. I'll also probably write up some guides to changing the bushes for anyone who is interested.

So far enjoying the car!

 

[d_n2blue]

Postman Pat delivered some goodies today!
Whiteline swaybar & beam bushes.
Powerflex front ARB bushes (inner & outer), steering rack bushes and exhaust hanger bush.


Excited to get this lot onto the car!

 

[Darren S]

Postman Pat delivered some goodies today!
Whiteline swaybar & beam bushes.
Powerflex front ARB bushes (inner & outer), steering rack bushes and exhaust hanger bush.

View attachment 1338795
Excited to get this lot onto the car!

It seems like you're approaching the car in exactly the way most people would recommend. You're not aiming for big power gains or other means to transform the car - simply refreshing and replacing what has got tired and old over the years.

As @Vaughan mentioned a few posts back, I'm a big advocate of the gearbox oil being changed - especially if you don't have any documentation to say that it's been done. Given the higher amount of sunny days over there too, I'm impressed that the red paint hasn't faded much!

 

[d_n2blue]

It seems like you're approaching the car in exactly the way most people would recommend. You're not aiming for big power gains or other means to transform the car - simply refreshing and replacing what has got tired and old over the years.

Thanks for the kind words mate. Nail on the head, I just plan to refresh and slightly improve on the car to keep it up and running without spending crazy money on it. And besides if I want speed I'll just get on my motorbike and no car I can afford can compete with that!

As @Vaughan mentioned a few posts back, I'm a big advocate of the gearbox oil being changed - especially if you don't have any documentation to say that it's been done. Given the higher amount of sunny days over there too, I'm impressed that the red paint hasn't faded much!

Yes I do plan to follow the suggestions given by @Vaughan including changing the engine/gearbag oils myself.
Luckily this car spent the last 6-7 years under a carport out of direct sunlight so a decent buff should bring it up nicely!

After I sort the suspension I will turn my attention to getting the engine running a little smoother, at the moment the idle almost reminds me of a rotary but seems to drive fairly smoothly once the revs rise.

Cheers

 

[Darren S]

After I sort the suspension I will turn my attention to getting the engine running a little smoother, at the moment the idle almost reminds me of a rotary but seems to drive fairly smoothly once the revs rise.

Cheers

They do concern a lot people with how lumpy they can sound - especially when cold. They aren't the most acoustically refined of engines - lol. Might be useful to upload a sound clip or some footage of the engine idling to get other peoples view on it too - if the noise still worries you? They can also 'clatter' a bit on idle too - but I've had that from new and mine is north of 150k miles now.

One thing I've noticed over the years with mine is that they do respond well to the front wheel alignment being setup right and also tyre pressures. Again, going along with @Vaughan comments about the tyres - these cars really do benefit from decent rubber in terms of handling and feedback. I've tried various makes and variations over the years and it currently sits on Goodyear Eagle F1's all round. The Continentals I've had before have been great in the wet and the Pirellis great again, but tend to wear quickly. I guess you'll find a good balance yourself into what feels 'right'.

 

[d_n2blue]

Put the car up on stands on the weekend and fitted a few goodies. Firstly these two were fitted on Saturday:

Did attempt to replace the rear beam bushes but after wrestling with the beam bolts (drivers side won't come out because of the fuel tank) I decided the whole beam really needs to come out of the car to change them which also means disconnecting brakes, a job for another day.
Drove it a little after this and the difference was quite amazing! Definitely corners flatter and the front holds line much better!

Sunday the car was back in the air to replace these guys:

The swaybar bushes were starting to crack:

All I can say is what an absolute ball ache!!! Spent about 8 hours under the car with very minimal clearance to move ratchets and spanners for the steering rack and super human strength needed to get the swaybar brackets back on! Renault really did not design these things to be changed with the subframe still in the car. But I got there in the end, no pics of that since my hands were black as anything and I really didn't want to handle my phone.

I did notice significant oil on the under tray. The bigger patch was on the gearbox side which is guess is the normal shift selector leak. There was also a decent amount on the other side of the tray, seems to be coming from where the sump bolts on to the block and is dripping down over the drivers side axle where it meets the gearbox. I'll try to get some pics of this but is this kind of oil leak normal?

Next job will be gearbox oil and spark plugs!

 

[Darren S]

I did notice significant oil on the under tray. The bigger patch was on the gearbox side which is guess is the normal shift selector leak. There was also a decent amount on the other side of the tray, seems to be coming from where the sump bolts on to the block and is dripping down over the drivers side axle where it meets the gearbox. I'll try to get some pics of this but is this kind of oil leak normal?

Next job will be gearbox oil and spark plugs!

To be honest, unless its collecting a small pool of oil, I wouldn't worry too much. My undertray always has a coating of oil splatters and the engine 'uses' oil at a very slow rate. I've accepted it as part of the engine's design and just kept an eye on the dipstick level.

Have fun with the spark plugs..... they are buried deep in that engine! Be a bit gentle with them too - the design of almost a champagne flute that the plugs drop into, is a bit silly. They collect all sorts of debris over the years and at times, it's virtually impossible to not get a few crumbs of crap falling down into the chamber beneath.

As water can collect at the bottom of these 'flutes' as well - there's a good chance that the thread on the plug(s) has corroded over time. Touch wood, I've only had one plug that was a little tight - but the rest have come out quite easily.

Are you getting a new set of spark leads at the same time, too?

 

[d_n2blue]

Yes I have read on here that these things always leak but still it would be nice to at least know where it is coming from.
Spark plugs should be a piece of p!ss compared to the steering rack bushes! I highly doubt there is any water in the spark plug holes seeing as this car hasn't seen rain for at least 5 years, there might be some oil though.

I would have liked to do spark plug leads too but I can't seem to find any that aren't crazy expensive and I'm not convinced yet they are damaged.