Project Clio 16v

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

Thought it was about time I started a project thread as I'm going to have a fair bit to do on this car I think. I bought the car a few weeks ago with a knackered gearbox which would only select 1st, 2nd or 4th and a few other problems, though they were mainly minor ones. I managed to get the car home even though it made some nasty noises in first and second. Since then I took the car out once (couldn't resist) and managed to lose fourth gear as well so there's only 1st and 2nd at the moment. If I'd know all the things I know now I wouldn't have bought the car TBH - but that's life and I'm just going to have to make the best I can of it.

When I got the car back home I realised that the front end wasn't quite right and there is a bit of damage from a previous accident. The wing sticks out ever so slightly, the bonnet isn't aligned properly and the bumper is slightly further back on one side. Hopefully should get that sorted though as I have been told by the trusty Mr H that it should tug out OK and have been fidling about with the for the past few days making slight adjustments so that the wing and lights are pretty much as they should be.

When I went to pick up the car I was also offered a free clio which was sitting on his driveway, this is where Project Red Relief originated from. Chris came through to pick up the other clio and brought a gearbox for the 16v with him, which is now sitting in my garage where it was left when he brought it through.

There are some pics I took of the car yesterday after removing the bumper and the wing to have a closer look at the damage done in the accident at the link below. Hopefully I will try and get it tugged out tommorrow and see if that improves it at all.

I'll try and keep this updated as I get on with sorting it out and fitting the new gearbox (could be problematic knowing me, lol) and I'll try and get some pics of the whole car asap.

Pics with the bumper and wing removed - HERE

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

I was going to try and tug out where the car had been in a crash today - but ran into a problem when it broke down, lol. I only had to take it 200 yards up the street but after about 20 I lost 2nd gear. I then got to the lane where I was going to do it and got totally stuck as first stopped working and it wouldn't select any other gears. I then let the handbrake off to roll down a bit to put it out of the way and it wouldn't budge even though it was on quite a steep slope with the handbrake off. In the end got it rolling after giving it a good push and luckily I got 1st again (though it would only work when riding on the clutch as I got a loud bang and the car would stop when fully engaged) and managed to get home at literally 1mph, lol.

Now I'll just have to wait till the new box is in before I do it so I'll get cracking on that next week.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

hmm the 1.2 was a far better buy eh! lol

If you need a hand mate come pick me up and I can help then fed me and drop me off, can't say fairer than that!

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

Yeah the 1.2 was much better, lol. Forgot to mention that two of the tyres are letting air out and have clearly been run flat for a while as the tyre walls are all cracked etc., but only on the inside so didn't notice till the wheels were off. It only really annoys me as the guy who sold it must have know about it as it's deflated within very little time.

Cheers for the offer mate, I might take you up on it if I get stuck, or I might just take a hammer to it, lol.

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

Quick update => I've done a little work on it the last couple of days when I've had time, getting it ready to remove the box. So far I've disconnected most bits and pieces, only got the drivers side driveshaft and the engine mounts to remove now. When draining the gearbox oil I got all of about 1.5 litres out of it, but I expected as much as it's been leaking loads.

I also managed to split the gaiter for the track rod end ball joint when removing the passenger side hub though Mad

and think the lower ball joint could do with being replaced. Hopefully get the gearbox off tomorrow.

Retroholic Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 5685

Chances are tightening the nut on the end of 5th gear would have sorted that box if caught in time

(by in time i mean before it started rattling Wink

)

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

lol, yeah I though the rattling might have suggested something not too good Wink

I got a few bit and pieces today. Got myself the following:

N/S Track rod end - Â£11.66 +VAT
Lower Ball joint - Â£8.03 +VAT
Valeo Cutch - Â£59.37 +VAT

I got the rest of the mounts, driveshaft, wiring etc disconnected today and will hopefully get the box off and new clutch and box fitted on sunday or monday. I'll try and get some pics as well. I meant to take some as I went, but totally forgot.

Level 9 User Joined: 10 Feb 2005 Posts: 435

nah chet, i have never seen a 16V or anything else other than a laguna have that problem.

My energy rattled for 50 odd k just fine! lol

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

well, thats the gearbox and clutch both on and, surprisingly, it works. I've only taken it along the street and back but all gears engage fine etc and the clutch and box feel good.

Next theres some other issues I need to sort as follows:

The exhaust rattles and it's blowing a bit at the rear join
It's puling to the left a bit if you release the wheel
The car shakes like a bitch when you pull off at low revs - and ideas on this???
need to get another bolt for the gearbox mount as one of them wasn't there as it was sheared off when I removed the mount
I need to try and tug out the slight damage to the front of the car and then get the bumper, light, wing etc back on.

Most of them are pretty straightforward to sort but I'm not sure about the vibration when pulling off at low revs as it's fine when driving but pulling off is the problem.

Retroholic Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 3315

back engine mount?? have you checked that??

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

do you mean the dogbone mount? I was going to try that as I have one lying about that I was going to put on the 1.4 anyway, but wasn't too sure if that could cause it. The one on there is well past it's best tbh as it's soft as shite.

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

the vibration at low revs doesn't seem to be there any more so I'll presume it was just to do with the clutch or something. I'm going to have to replace the rear dog bone mount anyway as theres a lot of movement at gear changes.

Noticed another problem when driving it - the power steering is really heavy and sounds like it's about to die.

I tried to tug out the damage to the front earlier using a rope round a lampost but it wasn't doing much and after a few goes the lampost was moving about a bit too much for my liking, lol, so I decided to stop. Over the weekend I was speaking to my uncle who suggested getting some of the tie down rathchet straps and just put one end round my dads car and the other round mine and gradually pull it out like that, so I might give that a go. If I were to try this way what sort of rating of strap in kg do you think would be required?

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

If you can dislodge a lamp post before the structure damage starts to tug out, the ratchet strap idea will just drag the cars closer together!

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

I didn't really dislodge it, just I wasn't sure if there was slightly more movement in the lampost and the rope around it wasn't doing anything. It had crossed my mind the cars might just get dragged, but thought it might be worth a shot.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

2 cars no really think abotu that for a minute. Yep thats right thats pretty fuckign daft.

Use a chain not a rope.

Do that or live with it simple as.

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

okay dokey. I'll try and get my hands on a chain somewhere asap, and as cheap as possible, lol.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

get down the docks son!

ropes have to much give, a chain doesn't give unless it snaps.

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

not too much to update on this, other than to say the thermostat housing is being a bugger and leaking. At first I thought I hadn't sealed it to the head properly, but after re-sealing it I noticed it wasn't from the head to housing join it was leaking. In the pic below I have circled where it's leaking (obviously not my engine, just using someone elses pic)

[img:640:480:1e9d3810eb]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/donsrno1/Engine7.jpg[/img:1e9d3810eb]

There is a wee crack or pin hole in the part the hose goes over and coolant keeps seeping out the top of the join with the hose. I'll take it off when I get the chance and have a proper look as I can't see it properly with the housing on the engine. Will probably just buy a new housing as it won't really be expensive, but will wait till I have a proper look at it.

I'll need to get my arse into gear with this though as I haven't really spent much time on it recently. I had to re-tax, MOT and insure the 1.4 for the moment so that I have a runabout but will be cancelling the insurance within 14-days as I only wanted it so that I could tax the car and also I should hopefully have the 16v going by then.

EDIT: Almost forgot - I put the wheels from the 1.4 on the car and with them on it doesn't seem to pull to one side so I reckon it was just down to the buggered tyres that were on before. I can't check properly till I put the wing and bumper on though as I can only drive it along my street as it is - and even then I get the evils from old people in their gardens - I even had some kids run away from the car as they were scared by it, lol.

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

Did a little bit more work on this today. First of all took the thermostat housing off, checked over where it's been leaking from and there are no visible holes or cracks. I then put i back on, sealed everything with a load of sealant and re-filed with coolant. I then changed the dogbone mount as the old one was crap.

Once I started up the engine I left it running for 5 or 10 minutes and there was no leak from the housing. I then took it round the block a few times give the engine a bit to see how it performs and noticed the temp gauge was sitting quite high. I then pulled back into the driveway, popped open the bonnet, and the fcuker is leaking again. When driving it was sitting ever so slightly above the 2/3rd mark on the temp gauge, but was not low on water or anything. What sort of temp do the 16v's usually run at?

Also noticed just how low the clutch bites - it's literally about 1cm from the floor, is there any way of sorting this?

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

where is it leaking from the housing? top bottom hose stub?

Did you replace the clutch?

Level 10 User Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 575

I've circled the bit it's leaking from in this pic taken from the dialogys:

[img:155:137:cb133c5c3c]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/donsrno1/thermostat.jpg[/img:cb133c5c3c]

If you are looking from passenger side of the engine bay it's the lower of the two stubs on the right hand side of the housing.

Yeah I fitted a new clutch, it feels fine - just that it bites very low down.