RenaultSport Clio 182 Trophy

[SharkyUK]

February 2015 - Update #2

Another update courtesy of my personal mechanic, Russ! Take it away mate...

I have a list of parts currently I am waiting for, so this weekend it was getting on with tackling the leak.

The leak has been a big issue for Andy, as the Trophy currently lives on his drive, the leak combined with the cold weather has left more ice on the inside of the car than on the outside - nothing worse than ice on the windscreen and ice puddles in the footwell!!


Sooooo, I checked all the normal places, but all drain holes were free, I also stripped out the N/S footwell, removed the sound proofing (As it was soaked through) and got out my watering can.


When pouring water over the front, I managed to pin point it to the N/S of the N/S footwell - the sound proofing that goes up behind the dash was soaked on the far left, but no where else, so it had to be up in that N/S corner.


The odd thing was, I didn't think it was any of the drain holes, as if you poured gently, the water correctly ran out the drain holes; if you poured a large amount of water (especially down the windscreen) it gushed inside the car.




First job was wipers and scuttle panels off.

As expected, the drain holes looked unblocked, so the next step was pulling the washer bottle out, so pump was removed and out it came.

And what do we have hiding behind that section of loom??

A-HA!

That pipe is for the rear washer, it goes from the pump, down behind the dash, along the floor and up to the rear wiper, and it passes through the bulkhead through it's own small hole and is kept dry by a bung - the bung had pulled through, leaving the hole open and water to come down off the windscreen, down the bulkhead and right into that hole.

A quick pull on the pipe popped the bung back through:

All I can think is over time that section of loom has rubbed against the pipe and put enough pressure on it to push the bung through (The loom was hard against the pipe) so hopefully as a preventative measure I moved the loom about an inch or so away to stop it happening again.

A quick test of a full watering can directly over it revealed no more leaks

Now before I refitted all the bits, I noticed the scuttles looking a bit grey, so I spent half an hour or so with some Auto Glym plastic restorer and here is one done, the other not, to show the difference...

And here they are refitted...

I will see how that soaks in, I may give it another coat.

So once that was all back together, I have made good progress drying the sound proofing out, but alas the dark set in, and I had to pack her back away for now.


The interior has pretty much all dried out now, so this week will see the other bits arrive, and I should be able to get the interior back up together and fitted, then a trial outside to see how I have faired.


Looking forward to the parts deliveries mind, getting lots ticked off the list, only a few things left to sort.

Yet again, another big thumbs up and thank you to Russ

 

[SharkyUK]

Phew, back up-to-date and, after 2 years, I'm still waiting to enjoy my car and the work I've had done on it... LOL!

 

[Doodle]

You're certainly a more patient man than I - I spent most of last year in a foul mood trying to work out emissions problems on the SL (8 months), and since then it's continued to prod at me with little bits needing attention. Toys have certainly been thrown out the pram, dummies spat and more than once there has been angry door slamming with the words "I never want to see this poxy thing again".

It's a hell of a build, kudos for sticking with it where others would have bailed long ago. The things a man will go through for his car :lol:

 

[RichE91]

This is a well written thread with some great content thank you Sharky!

 

[SharkyUK]

You're certainly a more patient man than I - I spent most of last year in a foul mood trying to work out emissions problems on the SL (8 months), and since then it's continued to prod at me with little bits needing attention. Toys have certainly been thrown out the pram, dummies spat and more than once there has been angry door slamming with the words "I never want to see this poxy thing again".

It's a hell of a build, kudos for sticking with it where others would have bailed long ago. The things a man will go through for his car :lol:

I feel your pain mate I really do! Sometimes I find myself questioning my sanity, "it's only a car after all..." And still I continue to torment and torture myself with the damn thing! But I can't help it; it's got under my skin and on those rare occasions where it's all working well, it drives and handles amazingly. I hope there are many more of those days to come soon! I hope the SL gives you some pain-free miles and smiles too mate

This is a well written thread with some great content thank you Sharky!

Thanks buddy, and thanks for taking the time to have a look though. Appreciated!

 

[Chris.]

I hate water in cars, one of the most annoying things ever.

 

[Ed]

Really well written updates. Seems such a shame that the car has never been 100% right for you to just enjoy it.

Makes me miss my old 182, although it was never as highly modded as yours though.

 

[Chris.]

Also, reading this makes me want to put ITBs on my S2000. Andy, you bad man.

 

[SharkyUK]

I hate water in cars, one of the most annoying things ever.

Yep, you're not wrong mate... Thankfully sunny Wales doesn't have much rain...

Really well written updates. Seems such a shame that the car has never been 100% right for you to just enjoy it.

Makes me miss my old 182, although it was never as highly modded as yours though.

Thanks mate Yeah, it's been frustrating but I am just about hanging onto that last strand of optimism... it WILL come good soon. Really, it will! They (RenaultSport Clios) don't half get some stick from other corners of the hot-hatch world but they are hard to beat for smiles and bang for your buck. Unless you find a bad one or start modifying it... LOL!

Also, reading this makes me want to put ITBs on my S2000. Andy, you bad man.

You know you want to mate! Makes perfect sense on an S2k...

 

[MarBras]

Believe I just drove past your car on the way to uni.

was parked on a steep hill behind morning side kinda (can't member the name of the road haha)

Was the reg that caught my eye. Unless it's slightly different in which case ignore my babbling

Looking back a page or two I read you stay in Wales so must not have been your car. Same colour and car with a very similar registration plate haha

 

[SharkyUK]

Believe I just drove past your car on the way to uni.

was parked on a steep hill behind morning side kinda (can't member the name of the road haha)

Was the reg that caught my eye. Unless it's slightly different in which case ignore my babbling

Looking back a page or two I read you stay in Wales so must not have been your car. Same colour and car with a very similar registration plate haha

Phew, for a moment there I thought my car had been stolen!!! Hahahaha!

I do believe there are a few Trophy's knocking around in Scotland. They are quite distinctive (sort of) due to their colour and also fairly rare (only 500 Trophys were made). As for the registration... yeah, we are like sheep mate! Most of the Trophys have T*** PHY plates (or very similar).

 

[MarBras]

Phew, for a moment there I thought my car had been stolen!!! Hahahaha!

I do believe there are a few Trophy's knocking around in Scotland. They are quite distinctive (sort of) due to their colour and also fairly rare (only 500 Trophys were made). As for the registration... yeah, we are like sheep mate! Most of the Trophys have T*** PHY plates (or very similar).

Hahaha my bad!

I just went past it again and yeah it's a slightly different reg!! My bad for the panic

 

[SharkyUK]

Well... sadly things haven't gone to plan. I've not even had chance to enjoy my new forged, high-comp, ITB'd build yet and it's already scrap. Looks like a low oil pressure and fuelling issue has caused problems and a new engine is needed. Only the forged conrods and valves have survived Back to square one

 

[V-TEC]

You really have had no luck at all with this. I would have sacked it off months ago so I can only commend your patience and resilience.

 

[Loxy]

Sweet Jebus. Crap news Sharky.

 

[SharkyUK]

You really have had no luck at all with this. I would have sacked it off months ago so I can only commend your patience and resilience.

It's not been a happy time of late! 4th time lucky maybe? I wish I'd introduced a match and several litres of super unleaded to it many months ago now!

Sweet Jebus. Crap news Sharky.

Yeah, gutted Loxy. Felt quite numb to be honest mate. The ITB's and ECU are being sold as I've had enough of them despite my love for NA. I'm just weighing up a few options now and seeing how much is left in the wallet before deciding what to do next; maybe a standard lump dropped in it or maybe one last punt with something fruitier. Thank goodness we've still got the dependable EP3 on the driveway; never let us down yet.

 

[zeffania]

Sorry to hear that Andy, hope something comes good for you soon. That car truly has been a nightmare for you

 

[Ed]

If it wasnt for bad luck, you'd have no luck at all with that car!

 

[SharkyUK]

Sorry to hear that Andy, hope something comes good for you soon. That car truly has been a nightmare for you

Cheers Ben. I've made up my mind as to what to do next so I'm pulling some bits together now and hopefully it will be ready before not too long. Parts may take some time to arrive / turn-up though

If it wasnt for bad luck, you'd have no luck at all with that car!

Haha, very true mate! I sense a change in fortunes... as opposed to a loss of a fortune (which has already happened!)