What do you recommend at 70k miles?

[Superwoman90]

Car is used as a daily and track car.
My plan over the Winter period after the last track day is engine out, replace all belts and kit, water pump, plugs, clutch, front & rear discs and refresh all oils etc.
What I need to know is as a non-mechanical person, what else is worth doing on the car - no expense spared.
Car covered 67k at the moment so probably looking at 70k by Winter.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated chaps.

 

[Glenn182Trophy]

Possibly clutch and gearbox refresh if the engine is out.

 

[Superwoman90]

Possibly clutch and gearbox refresh if the engine is out.

I’m changing the clutch, any recommendations on gearbox refresh?

 

[Usr117063]

If you are willing to put a bit of money into it, while the engines out then a new mc, rack bushes, arb bushes, engine and gearbox mounts.. Basically the whole front end refreshed.

 

[Superwoman90]

If you are willing to put a bit of money into it, while the engines out then a new mc, rack bushes, arb bushes, engine and gearbox mounts.. Basically the whole front end refreshed.

Thanks. What’s ‘mc’ stand for?

 

[Usr117063]

Thanks. What’s ‘mc’ stand for?

The brake master cylinder, its a crap job with the engine in place, if you were thinking of keeping the car for a long time then its a consideration. Its still a crap job regardless though especially with abs.

 

[Superwoman90]

The brake master cylinder, its a crap job with the engine in place, if you were thinking of keeping the car for a long time then its a consideration. Its still a crap job regardless though especially with abs.

Thanks because I will be keeping the car 👍

 

[Cub.]

Some things to consider;

- if the engine is out, worth taking the box out and sending it to @NorthloopCup for a refurb and a limited slip diff. I’d go Quaife given your use of the car. My gripper was without doubt the best modification I ever did to my car. It transformed the performance on both road and track.

- when you do the belts, put a meg keyweyed pulley on. That means, if you ever go boost in the next five years, you won’t have to redo the belts again.

And a general engine bay tidy up and clean whilst the engine is out.

 

[Clio_fool]

Have any oil leaks seen to. Also any rust that may be evident in the engine bay that you can't see with the engine in.

 

[Joah]

- when you do the belts, put a meg keyweyed pulley on. That means, if you ever go boost in the next five years, you won’t have to redo the belts again.

Totally agree but will struggle to find one now, I gave up but I'm not thinking of turbo / charged so no need.

 

[Superwoman90]

Some things to consider;

- if the engine is out, worth taking the box out and sending it to @NorthloopCup for a refurb and a limited slip diff. I’d go Quaife given your use of the car. My gripper was without doubt the best modification I ever did to my car. It transformed the performance on both road and track.

- when you do the belts, put a meg keyweyed pulley on. That means, if you ever go boost in the next five years, you won’t have to redo the belts again.

And a general engine bay tidy up and clean whilst the engine is out.

Totally agree but will struggle to find one now, I gave up but I'm not thinking of turbo / charged so no need.

I've toyed with going down the turbo/supercharger route but I'm happy & love the car as it is throwing it around on track days without any issues unlike the guys I go with in their high powered Imprezas.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

devils advocate - if gearbox is all good, no whines and no crunches while changing gear.... just clean it up and wang it back in with fresh oil. As good as @NorthloopCup is he can't fix something which isn't broken.

And although the master cylinder is a PITA with engine in, once again if your is working why introduce a potential problem?

Another school of thought is that parts which are currently installed and working are well tested and proven reliable. It is not unheard of to install new parts which have a manufacturing defect or that are of a lower quality than the original factory parts.

I would personally spend the time cleaning the bay up, sorting any rust, have sump off while engine is on a stand - inspect bearings for wear, install ARP conrod bolts. Consider having the exhaust modified to remove the daft joint instead opting for a flexi and V-bands. Consider buying a boroscope to inspect bores for wear, if you can do a compression check mid strip down (ie, when you have the inlet manifold off but the engine is in the car).

I would also think on GRP-N timing while you are doing belts which would also mean a trip to EFI for a map once back on the road. I would replace all OEM bushes (like ALL of them) with either new OEM or poly. Its a good time to do the inner track rods and steering rack bushes (as well as any other steering rack jobs) because access will never be better.

In all honesty the front end is the hard part - the rear end comes apart uber quickly and thats where you will find the majority of rust. I had my rear beam on the ground within 30mins and I'm a mong. So could be a great time to sort the lot out, rear beam clean up, any hidden rust and whiteline beam bushes...

Enjoy!

 

[Superwoman90]

devils advocate - if gearbox is all good, no whines and no crunches while changing gear.... just clean it up and wang it back in with fresh oil. As good as @NorthloopCup is he can't fix something which isn't broken.

And although the master cylinder is a PITA with engine in, once again if your is working why introduce a potential problem?

Another school of thought is that parts which are currently installed and working are well tested and proven reliable. It is not unheard of to install new parts which have a manufacturing defect or that are of a lower quality than the original factory parts.

I would personally spend the time cleaning the bay up, sorting any rust, have sump off while engine is on a stand - inspect bearings for wear, install ARP conrod bolts. Consider having the exhaust modified to remove the daft joint instead opting for a flexi and V-bands. Consider buying a boroscope to inspect bores for wear, if you can do a compression check mid strip down (ie, when you have the inlet manifold off but the engine is in the car).

I would also think on GRP-N timing while you are doing belts which would also mean a trip to EFI for a map once back on the road. I would replace all OEM bushes (like ALL of them) with either new OEM or poly. Its a good time to do the inner track rods and steering rack bushes (as well as any other steering rack jobs) because access will never be better.

In all honesty the front end is the hard part - the rear end comes apart uber quickly and thats where you will find the majority of rust. I had my rear beam on the ground within 30mins and I'm a mong. So could be a great time to sort the lot out, rear beam clean up, any hidden rust and whiteline beam bushes...

Enjoy!

Thanks, appreciated 😉

 

[R3k1355]

Should get a decent idea when you pop the gearbox drain plug what the situation is like.
Too much metallic crud and it's off for a rebuild.

As mentioned above, steering rack bush, ARB and MBC are a pig with the engine in place, walk in the park with the engine is out.

 

[NorthloopCup]

devils advocate - if gearbox is all good, no whines and no crunches while changing gear.... just clean it up and wang it back in with fresh oil. As good as @NorthloopCup is he can't fix something which isn't broken.

And although the master cylinder is a PITA with engine in, once again if your is working why introduce a potential problem?

Another school of thought is that parts which are currently installed and working are well tested and proven reliable. It is not unheard of to install new parts which have a manufacturing defect or that are of a lower quality than the original factory parts.

I would personally spend the time cleaning the bay up, sorting any rust, have sump off while engine is on a stand - inspect bearings for wear, install ARP conrod bolts. Consider having the exhaust modified to remove the daft joint instead opting for a flexi and V-bands. Consider buying a boroscope to inspect bores for wear, if you can do a compression check mid strip down (ie, when you have the inlet manifold off but the engine is in the car).

I would also think on GRP-N timing while you are doing belts which would also mean a trip to EFI for a map once back on the road. I would replace all OEM bushes (like ALL of them) with either new OEM or poly. Its a good time to do the inner track rods and steering rack bushes (as well as any other steering rack jobs) because access will never be better.

In all honesty the front end is the hard part - the rear end comes apart uber quickly and thats where you will find the majority of rust. I had my rear beam on the ground within 30mins and I'm a mong. So could be a great time to sort the lot out, rear beam clean up, any hidden rust and whiteline beam bushes...

Enjoy!

The only issue is if Renault make items like the synchros NLA mate. There will be a lot of dead gearboxes and Renaultsports if that does happen! They have already done it with a few items now annoyingly.

Funny you mention the Grp n timing. It was something I was going to add in here as it’s essentially free horsepower (obvs not factoring in the remap costs).

 

[Clio_fool]

The only issue is if Renault make items like the synchros NLA mate. There will be a lot of dead gearboxes and Renaultsports if that does happen! They have already done it with a few items now annoyingly.

Funny you mention the Grp n timing. It was something I was going to add in here as it’s essentially free horsepower (obvs not factoring in the remap costs).

Are Renault the only source of synchros then? Surely they wouldn't screw us like that?

 

[NorthloopCup]

Are Renault the only source of synchros then? Surely they wouldn't screw us like that?

Yes and yes. Once a car is over a certain age, they don’t have to make replacement parts anymore. I’m pretty sure it’s 10yrs.

I’d like to think they won’t stop making parts, but it’s a real distinct possibility for the future.

 

[Superwoman90]

I have made a list of everything members have highlighted which is very much appreciated.
Please feel free to add anything that hasn't been flagged up. 😉

 

[Usr117063]

Refresh aircon parts and seals?