Just purchased a 172 cup for some fun
Discussion
Afternoon all,
Just got hold of a cheap 172 cup as a daily and track car. Gave the car a good checking over and most things seemed spot on. Wanted to ask some knowledgable types their thoughts on it!
I noticed the exhaust mount rubber was knackered at the rear causing the Powerflow system to rattle a bit, no bigge.
The front of the car knocks on bumps, sounds like nearside, not engine mounts I don't think...possibly drop links or ball joint? is that an easy job if I get the parts (assuming full lower arm needs buying). The tracking seems out also, the wheel isn't straight.
In the engine bay the sump seemed quite oily and the inlet manifold where it enters the head has a teaspoon? ish of oil floating around in there. That I put down to the rocker sealant..again is this an easy job to do if you're handy enough? just whip off the inlet manifold, clean up, re seal, fit new inlet manifold gasket and job done?
The car needs cambelt doing as it's on 69k, will get that done at Ren-Tech next week I hope.
Finally, engine warning light (bottom right corner of binnacle) is on constantly, car seems to run well though. Any thoughts? could have decat?
Sorry for the random message, I'm just trying to learn about this little car!
Just got hold of a cheap 172 cup as a daily and track car. Gave the car a good checking over and most things seemed spot on. Wanted to ask some knowledgable types their thoughts on it!
I noticed the exhaust mount rubber was knackered at the rear causing the Powerflow system to rattle a bit, no bigge.
The front of the car knocks on bumps, sounds like nearside, not engine mounts I don't think...possibly drop links or ball joint? is that an easy job if I get the parts (assuming full lower arm needs buying). The tracking seems out also, the wheel isn't straight.
In the engine bay the sump seemed quite oily and the inlet manifold where it enters the head has a teaspoon? ish of oil floating around in there. That I put down to the rocker sealant..again is this an easy job to do if you're handy enough? just whip off the inlet manifold, clean up, re seal, fit new inlet manifold gasket and job done?
The car needs cambelt doing as it's on 69k, will get that done at Ren-Tech next week I hope.
Finally, engine warning light (bottom right corner of binnacle) is on constantly, car seems to run well though. Any thoughts? could have decat?
Sorry for the random message, I'm just trying to learn about this little car!
Hi.
I'm pretty sure the light your talking about is the emissions light. it often comes on when somethings not right with the lambda probes. If yours has a de-cat i'd just put up with the light unless someone with the computer can turn it off. Ask rentech about it.
Exhausts are a world of trouble. It's a rubbish design, not enough support. Again, Rentech will know all the tricks to get it to sit corectly.
No idea about the oily bits but if its going in I would just let them have a good look at the whole car and let you know of any issues. You can focus then on whats important and what you can live with. Or get onto cliosport.net, pay for subscription and use the forum. If your keen to get your hands dirty it will be the best 10 quid you will spend as there is no problem those guys cant help you with.
I've never actually used Rentech but have only heard very good reports about them. It will be in good hands there for the cambelt. Do not take it to a non specialist for this job as it's vital the correct tools are used and they will not run properly if this is ignored. It is an expensive job though, I will warn you. Your cup probably wont have the climate so I'm sure its around £300. more like £500 if you have the CC.
They're very good cars when running well. A good one will leave a smile on your face. I would get that cambelt done asap, 69k is leaving it a bit late and they were supposed to be changed after 5 years regardless of mileage. And they do snap. And the costs will be astronomical.
I'm pretty sure the light your talking about is the emissions light. it often comes on when somethings not right with the lambda probes. If yours has a de-cat i'd just put up with the light unless someone with the computer can turn it off. Ask rentech about it.
Exhausts are a world of trouble. It's a rubbish design, not enough support. Again, Rentech will know all the tricks to get it to sit corectly.
No idea about the oily bits but if its going in I would just let them have a good look at the whole car and let you know of any issues. You can focus then on whats important and what you can live with. Or get onto cliosport.net, pay for subscription and use the forum. If your keen to get your hands dirty it will be the best 10 quid you will spend as there is no problem those guys cant help you with.
I've never actually used Rentech but have only heard very good reports about them. It will be in good hands there for the cambelt. Do not take it to a non specialist for this job as it's vital the correct tools are used and they will not run properly if this is ignored. It is an expensive job though, I will warn you. Your cup probably wont have the climate so I'm sure its around £300. more like £500 if you have the CC.
They're very good cars when running well. A good one will leave a smile on your face. I would get that cambelt done asap, 69k is leaving it a bit late and they were supposed to be changed after 5 years regardless of mileage. And they do snap. And the costs will be astronomical.
Good stuff, I'm sure you won't regret it.
The engines do seem to have a few areas that can leak oil, a common one is from the rocker cover bolt holes, this can be fixed by removing the bolt, putting a little bit of sealant in the hole and replacing the bolt but that has always seemed a little mickey mouse to me. The guys at Rentech will help you out there as if it is leaking around there it won't cost hardly anymore to have the whole rocker cover taken off and resealed while they are doing the cambelt.
When you have the cambelt done it might be worth having the dephaser pulley replaced as well, this isn't a common failure but they do become noisy over time and having one done at a later date means having all the belts off again. Again Rentech will advise you more on this.
The knocking could be a number of things but the most common fault on a clio is a knocking from the top mounts, this is more a design fault than a worn part although new mounts can improve this.
I've used Rentech once and got advice of them a couple of times, they're really nice guys are are highly recommended buy me and many others around, they certainly know their stuff.
Cliosport.net is a very informative forum if you don't mind sieving through a lot of this vs that posts. A lot of very useful guides on there.
The engines do seem to have a few areas that can leak oil, a common one is from the rocker cover bolt holes, this can be fixed by removing the bolt, putting a little bit of sealant in the hole and replacing the bolt but that has always seemed a little mickey mouse to me. The guys at Rentech will help you out there as if it is leaking around there it won't cost hardly anymore to have the whole rocker cover taken off and resealed while they are doing the cambelt.
When you have the cambelt done it might be worth having the dephaser pulley replaced as well, this isn't a common failure but they do become noisy over time and having one done at a later date means having all the belts off again. Again Rentech will advise you more on this.
The knocking could be a number of things but the most common fault on a clio is a knocking from the top mounts, this is more a design fault than a worn part although new mounts can improve this.
I've used Rentech once and got advice of them a couple of times, they're really nice guys are are highly recommended buy me and many others around, they certainly know their stuff.
Cliosport.net is a very informative forum if you don't mind sieving through a lot of this vs that posts. A lot of very useful guides on there.
Cheers guys,
Well after 280 miles driven getting it back to the South it's a great little car so far, very good fun on the twisties..alot more focused than my R32
I will get Ren-tech to check things over and see what they think is needed, I normally do everything myself but wanted to get this car checked. For the cambelt job does the inlet mani etc need to come off? would make sense to swap the plugs at the same time as the rocker gasket in that case.
On the top mounts, I'll have a look at that, I was hoping it would be the ball joint/bushes as it's an easy job to swap and cheap enough. The knocking does sound like the drop links are shagged (if that gives you an idea of the noise). Is it worth swapping the suspension for something more impressive then or just doing the top mounts?
Well after 280 miles driven getting it back to the South it's a great little car so far, very good fun on the twisties..alot more focused than my R32
I will get Ren-tech to check things over and see what they think is needed, I normally do everything myself but wanted to get this car checked. For the cambelt job does the inlet mani etc need to come off? would make sense to swap the plugs at the same time as the rocker gasket in that case.
On the top mounts, I'll have a look at that, I was hoping it would be the ball joint/bushes as it's an easy job to swap and cheap enough. The knocking does sound like the drop links are shagged (if that gives you an idea of the noise). Is it worth swapping the suspension for something more impressive then or just doing the top mounts?
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