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So after having lockdown lifted a little I can now meet one person outside of my house. I decided to use that time to collect car parts obviously lol, that means the clio was put into service for some long drives. Its the first time ive been able to do more than drive it round the block but have aa cover so wasnt too fussed if something went wrong. It drives really well, no knocks bangs or anything majorly obvious wrong with the chassis. I've covered about 500 miles in the last few days and the dash is telling me I've done an average of 71.5mpg! I have to measure it properly as that cant be right. First trip was a 300mile roundtrip with the wife, 2 kids an engine and gearbox in the boot and then a second 200mile run to collect another engine though I hadn't removed the first one I collected. Great car to be fair, not overly slow, keeps pace well enough and will cruise at 3k rpm hitting 77mph on the gps. The only issue that has arisen is a soft limp mode that comes up on the dash when on very very light throttle or coasting. If you press the throttle a touch the fault clears and it accelerates better but is perfectly drivable when it comes up (just feels like the boost is turned down
) the code that comes up on a generic reader is p0266 which is fueling related and on cylinder 2 so I think I'll try a leak off test.
) the code that comes up on a generic reader is p0266 which is fueling related and on cylinder 2 so I think I'll try a leak off test.
So I've been using the car abit over the last few weeks, kids chucked in as it runs on fresh air compared to the Fabia VRS. I collected the cars under tray and engine cover last week so slapped them on a few days ago. The under tray was a good move as it hides the rad support panel. Though there's no holes in it it looks shocking. I gave it a quick rub and hit it with waxoil, then fitted the under tray to hide it for when i have an mot done. Tbh im not to fussed as im not sure it will last another year on the road. They aren't to expensive to swap out but its a cheapo car so not looking to pay much to keep it on the road. Bangernomics and all that. I initially failed as i didn't fit the rear screws holding it up and thus when i hit a motorway yesterday i was met with the plastic on tarmac sound of it hanging down a little.....
Also noted was one of the rear wheels didn't hold with the handbrake on so whilst fitting the under tray correctly this afternoon i whipped the rear wheel off expecting to need to replace a cable or caliper. Turns out the hand brake arm had seized a little. Squirt of WD40 and a bit of working with the spanner saw it fully loose and working nicely, i did the same to the other side to make sure all was good. To my surprise my high hand brake lever that i was about to adjust after sorting the calipers was at the correct height. All looking good mechanically from what i can see.
The intermittent check injection still pops up when coasting, i suspect an injector that's leaking slightly but i haven't looked at that yet as it hasn't really affected the drive of it. It'd probably run a little quieter and smoother if i sort that so if it passes and MOT ill look to sort that issue next.
Other than a slightly optimistic fuel gauge (stranding me very quickly after the light came on) all is good with the super cheap car, runs on nothing, fits a family of 4 in easily with 2 child seats and can get 5 in with a squeeze and the boot space has been awesome for tip and scrap runs.
Also noted was one of the rear wheels didn't hold with the handbrake on so whilst fitting the under tray correctly this afternoon i whipped the rear wheel off expecting to need to replace a cable or caliper. Turns out the hand brake arm had seized a little. Squirt of WD40 and a bit of working with the spanner saw it fully loose and working nicely, i did the same to the other side to make sure all was good. To my surprise my high hand brake lever that i was about to adjust after sorting the calipers was at the correct height. All looking good mechanically from what i can see.
The intermittent check injection still pops up when coasting, i suspect an injector that's leaking slightly but i haven't looked at that yet as it hasn't really affected the drive of it. It'd probably run a little quieter and smoother if i sort that so if it passes and MOT ill look to sort that issue next.
Other than a slightly optimistic fuel gauge (stranding me very quickly after the light came on) all is good with the super cheap car, runs on nothing, fits a family of 4 in easily with 2 child seats and can get 5 in with a squeeze and the boot space has been awesome for tip and scrap runs.
I've been using it daily for the last week and a half and it's still alive. I noticed last night that when a car was behind me, in the lights there was a slight haze/smoke when I came on boost. I'm pretty sure I have a leaking injector chucking in more diesel anyway but it prompted me to have a quick poke around. I checked inside the main boost hose and though it had oil in I didnt think it was excessive, it is on 160+k so expected some. Had a look over the intercooler through the bumper and it looks like its leaking between the core and plastic end tank. If so that may explain the light smoke?
I can only see it if there are lights behind me and sometimes if I go full bore off the traffic lights in the daytime. Air filter looks pretty clean so I'll give it a once over when I get some proper time to. The dope is taking the drive space up and I dont want to pull the clio to bits on the road side.
DaveL485
Staff member
Yeah thats normal. All my diesels are like that.
MOT failed and then passed today, nothing major just had a snapped front spring. Really couldnt be assed to do anything so had the garage sort it and a knackered exhaust mount at the same time. Good for another 12months now 
still seems to be running on fresh air with it clocking about 4.6 gallons used to 420 miles of travel. Will be interesting to see how good the mpg is once i get to the light and refill.
still seems to be running on fresh air with it clocking about 4.6 gallons used to 420 miles of travel. Will be interesting to see how good the mpg is once i get to the light and refill.
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As the car now has 12 months ticket on ive started to look into some of the issues i have.
one was a slight metallic rattle that i have just before the car was coming up on boost, ive heard similar on some bmw turbos and it was the wastegates rattling. A quick look found some slack on the actuator rod as if its come loose or wasn't tightened properly (i have a receipt for a replacement actuator and fitting in the history), ive removed the nut added a spring washer and locktite and took up the slack where i can, the wastegate arm itself has a little play in it but there's less free movement there now so hopefully that's sorted.
next was my intermittent warning and light limp mode. Coming up as P0266 cylinder 2 fueling imbalance. I still think the cars a little too smokey and the code would indicate a leaking injector. A chat with a mechanic friend suggested that if the injectors hadn't ever been coded i could get funny running. I was going to code all the injectors as they have been changed in the past, guess which injector doesn't have its code on it anymore......... #2 So i think i will swap that one out for a recon then get them all coded in at the same time.
Ive got the basic service items here too so will hopefully get some time to sort that. If the injector sorts out the limp mode and slight smokiness i might even splash out on a cambelt kit for it.
one was a slight metallic rattle that i have just before the car was coming up on boost, ive heard similar on some bmw turbos and it was the wastegates rattling. A quick look found some slack on the actuator rod as if its come loose or wasn't tightened properly (i have a receipt for a replacement actuator and fitting in the history), ive removed the nut added a spring washer and locktite and took up the slack where i can, the wastegate arm itself has a little play in it but there's less free movement there now so hopefully that's sorted.
next was my intermittent warning and light limp mode. Coming up as P0266 cylinder 2 fueling imbalance. I still think the cars a little too smokey and the code would indicate a leaking injector. A chat with a mechanic friend suggested that if the injectors hadn't ever been coded i could get funny running. I was going to code all the injectors as they have been changed in the past, guess which injector doesn't have its code on it anymore......... #2 So i think i will swap that one out for a recon then get them all coded in at the same time.
Ive got the basic service items here too so will hopefully get some time to sort that. If the injector sorts out the limp mode and slight smokiness i might even splash out on a cambelt kit for it.
DaveL485
Staff member
Cheap!
I think my fuel gauge isn't working properly, I bottled it and filled up after doing 730miles, dash was still showing over a quarter of a tank. Sounds great but filling it took 57ltrs. The tank is only meant to be 55ltrs. So either the tank holds alot more or i was very lucky to pull in at the time I did as it was about to conk out? that or the local morrisons pump is telling lies and over charging me. Based on the fuel put in I also only managed 58mpg. I'm sure standard was 62ish.
Still haven't sorted the dodgy injector or coding out so that's probably not helping.
its still smoking abit more that I'd like but it starts and runs everyday I use it
Still haven't sorted the dodgy injector or coding out so that's probably not helping.
its still smoking abit more that I'd like but it starts and runs everyday I use it
DaveL485
Staff member
It's not that, there are very specific laws around this type of fuel skimming and there are random checks carried out by the enforcing authority. You occassionally find it at independants but a big chain fuel station will be accurate.
Stick a 5L full jerry can in the car, run it till it dies so you know the gauge calibration and you can just dob the jerry can in and off you go again.
With any luck, the jerry can may also result in a large fireball to remove this death trap off our roads
DaveL485
Staff member
