well, settle down for a read. (forgive my lack of technical knowledge, I'm learning more as I write)
I was going to make a little thread about some nice little harnesses I bought ofF brown bear ready for some buckets when I'd saved for a month or so...
but in true renaultsort style i took it to the next level...
I've never been 100% on the power output on the car, sure the torque brilliant and the cars light, sits well and corners like a good'un, to cure this I took a trip to RST again in leeds to see if the stage 2 could be given a little more poke... Paul mentioned to me the other week that the maps had been tweeked so he should be able to work around the issue with the engine not making power.
whilst there i saw some amazing new goodies that he'll be putting out there soon, I was tempted but its simply not an option until i start to earn some more money... i've never been one to talk about power figures, I'm in the mind of rolls royce and prefer,
chill, ample, b00st and Banzai! but I'll give figures in here in the hope that is shows reality and could be of use to people in the future. Anyway..
after some messing about and finishing off some other cars i got on the dyno.
the coilovers arent set 100% and the car needs the corner weighting sorting out again as on the dyno she was pulling all over, something I can live with as I knew it needed sorting out.
so onto the dyno...
first run... the car makes stock, on a stage 2 map... Paul looks worried, I thought he was joking. he tweeks and plays and asks how old the sparks are, old enough is the answer, so he bungs some of his own in to check, this instantly raises the low end power but again the car hits stock. So at least the sparks need changing regardless of the little problem I was thinking, little did I know...
then we move onto the cambelt, it hasn't been done in a while, I was shown receipts for it being done when I purchased the car and that was four years ago, it needs changing asap is the answer to which i agree and know i need to sort as it might be the timing thats out.
Exhaust issues and turbo failure are also ruled out.
Paul wanted to rule out other things so he attached a booster to the battery and did a compression test with Wade (Hughesclio) who happened to be there at the same time.
cylinder 1: 130 psi
cylinder 2: 150+ psi
cylinder 3: 140 psi
cylinder 4: 70 psi
And there in lies the problem, the compression on cylinder four is low, as in LOWWW. thats why the car has never made the power a stage two would and has/is gradually losing power, the severity of this shown by the fact a stage2 map (one that has been tinkered with for ages) only gives the car stock power.
The car boosts at 1.3 bar and is still making over 30 ftlb torque so the turbo side of it is fine. Paul put the map up from his R26R and compared it to mine, the similarity between the maps was scary, they were exactly the same minus the fact mine was 55bhp down on his, but the curve, drop off and boost were identical.
The general consensus is that there might be a water ingress into the cylinder head, as the car is losing coolant slowly (dumping the tank at Oulton in January, but only slowly since) something to do with it creeping into the chamber through a gap. Also one spark was discoloured and paul was certain of water present, along with mild frothing in my coolant tank during all the checks (no idea what it means, but it means something bad). in pauls words... 'its fcuked naithhh'
I went to Leeds thinking I'd be in luck, came home with a bloodied nose.
I drove home feeling sick, its a weird feeling when you crash/cars broke/stolen, im still sat here feeling sorry for myself if im honest. Even now I'm lost as to what to do. I've put too much time and effort into the thing to just break it for parts and at the same time noway can I afford a new engine (even if more work comes in)
leaving Leeds gave me time to reflect...
As it stands the car will go to fred@btm on the friday before Renault world series to have new sparks, i know it wont make much difference but i'd rather the car struggle less before it has blows/gets a rebuild/new engine. (If you have any lying about in Dieppe RUK, look after a brother
) Luckily RWS is a show and shine event, otherwise I'd be gutted, I have the car visually looking better than ever so on that front I'm lucky, on every other one I'm not so lucky.. lol
After the show she'll be taken to BTM and endure a slow and painful strip of the heart. In my head I see it being the top of the engine coming off (which after seeing another meg engine this weekend is a bugger in itself) and the head gasket being changed along with the ring landings, cylinders (four is the problem) and all the internals will need looking at too. but due to cost it will be a long process, I have a decat lined up and the new RST uprated pistons will be sorted then too I hope (around the £600 mark) so the engine will be rebuilt strong and with the capacity, bar injectors (that arent working on megs properly still) and hybrid turbo, that can be added (if I have the time/ability/finance) to run more power.. During all this i'll run about in riads 172 which will be roadworthy very soon.
the other option is to wait till finances suit and buy a well priced second hand F4RT engine (preferably with an R26 diff on it) and swap them, adding a decat and playing with the turbo wheels. then she'll see a solid 290/300bhp and 330ftlb torque all day.
third option is to bin the car off...
so yeh, FML. but at the same time I want to say a MAHOOSIVE thanks to paul for spending alot of time outside of the service I'd payed for trying to fix the issue, the care and knowledge is top drawer and also as ever to BTM who have said I can keep the car there whilst the work is done.
as a friend said today, 'Phoenix from the flames Naith..'
have to see...