Mark_L
Well-Known Member
Not sure what box I’m going to use. Have a Meg box I could rebuild or go vag and eventually a helical dog box?? Need to save some pennies though..
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Clio The last thing I needed was another project car...
DaveL485
Staff member
Update time - car was SORN'd for a bit as the belts were due - big job. It last had a belt service in 2015, schedule is 5 years or 72k. Ill run belts 50% over on time if the mileage is low, so 7.5 years which was last year hence it got parked.
So - IT'S TIME. After considering multiple ideas for getting that great big cradle out the back I was fortunate enough to have and offer from a good friend for a 2-poster for 3 days. I grabbed the chance!
Started by stripping off the engine covers and trims
Undertrays
I've never tackled anything this deep in the Vee before so I was keeping it super organised with all the nuts and bolts sectioned up etc etc.
I was concentrating and on a schedule so I didnt stop to take too make pics, basically I removed the calipers and hung them from the rear shocks, dropped off the shock>stub axle mount and handbrake cables to disconnect the rear suspension, pulled the exhaust rubbers off, then set about inside the bay with coolant lines, wiring harness, gear shift cables... the usual stuff. The AC lines were difficult and inaccessible, I had to undo the lines at the compressor after dropping the subframe a few inches, as when you unclip them from under the car it gives you a fair amount of play/movement to do so. I made a written list of disassembly order so I would make sure I put everything back the right way. By the first afternoon I had the engine & box dropped on the rear cradle.
A big hole
So - IT'S TIME. After considering multiple ideas for getting that great big cradle out the back I was fortunate enough to have and offer from a good friend for a 2-poster for 3 days. I grabbed the chance!
Started by stripping off the engine covers and trims
Undertrays
I've never tackled anything this deep in the Vee before so I was keeping it super organised with all the nuts and bolts sectioned up etc etc.
I was concentrating and on a schedule so I didnt stop to take too make pics, basically I removed the calipers and hung them from the rear shocks, dropped off the shock>stub axle mount and handbrake cables to disconnect the rear suspension, pulled the exhaust rubbers off, then set about inside the bay with coolant lines, wiring harness, gear shift cables... the usual stuff. The AC lines were difficult and inaccessible, I had to undo the lines at the compressor after dropping the subframe a few inches, as when you unclip them from under the car it gives you a fair amount of play/movement to do so. I made a written list of disassembly order so I would make sure I put everything back the right way. By the first afternoon I had the engine & box dropped on the rear cradle.
A big hole
DaveL485
Staff member
The way its set up means I could drop the whole cradle down complete, and though the engine mounts are suspended it sits on blocks within the subframe easily. With the engine down and car up, i didnt need to move it anywhere (which means it stayed in the right place to go back in). No need to drain any oils either, which was great as both of these are recently changed.
Started by removing the aux belt and tensioner, then the main cambelt covers.
The cambelt is massive, over 2 metres. I rotated the engine and fitted the locking kit, which i had got hold of previously, and all five pins slotted in nicely (4 x cam and 1 x crank)
With that, off came the belt and tensioner and all the idlers. You can see here the new parts on, and the belt ready to loop on.
Started by removing the aux belt and tensioner, then the main cambelt covers.
The cambelt is massive, over 2 metres. I rotated the engine and fitted the locking kit, which i had got hold of previously, and all five pins slotted in nicely (4 x cam and 1 x crank)
With that, off came the belt and tensioner and all the idlers. You can see here the new parts on, and the belt ready to loop on.
DaveL485
Staff member
I stopped for a cuppa and had a chat with my mate who owns the garage about the procedure, cant take any risks with this I dont fancy bending a bunch of valves! I threaded the belt on, then released all the pulleys - if you look at the pics you can see they all have 4 10mm bolts holding them in alignment. If you dont release them, the belt keeps some play between the crank and first pulley meaning if you take the pins out the crank will move around half a tooth before it moves the cams - thats no good obviously. By releasing the cam pulley outers, you can pull the belt tight on the tensioner to take up that play without moving the cams themselves. I probably havent explained it too well but hopefully you get what I mean. Anyway, I did this then threadlocked the bolts back in and torqued them. They're not stretch bolts and can be reused. Once this was done I rotated the engine a few times and refitted the locking tools to check alignment - which was good. Covers back on, was pleased with that.
Old belt looked good for an 8 year old belt - probably would have done ten years no troubles but 50% over is plenty enough for me so was right to change it. Mileage wise its done about 14,000. No damage or cracks, no split teeth, nothing.
Old belt looked good for an 8 year old belt - probably would have done ten years no troubles but 50% over is plenty enough for me so was right to change it. Mileage wise its done about 14,000. No damage or cracks, no split teeth, nothing.
DaveL485
Staff member
Aux belt refitted with new tensioner and idler and that finished off day one, it was ready to lift back in the next day.
Day 2 begins with lifting the brute back up and reconnecting the AC pipes, I had a couple of helpers watch the engine back in so it didnt snag anything (cheers guys!). Pretty uneventful, lifted back in and bolts threaded up.
The rest of the day was spent connecting it back up, pretty standard stuff, went through my list backwards.
I got all the way back to refilling the cooling system and all I had to do aside fitting the engine covers and undertrays was fill it and bleed it. Things had gone well, to plan, I was going to be done in 2 days and not need the contingency day on Friday.
However.
I filled the cooling system and bled the engine, I tightened the brass bleed screw back up and without any pressure on it at all...
Fucks SAKE. Fuming. So I tried to get an easy-out in the shaft of the bolt, but it wouldnt grip the brass screw. I was running short of time and pretty mad, in retrospect i should have quit there... but I didnt. I drilled the thing out to 5mm, then tapped the hole to M6 - though space wise things were really tight
About ten seconds after this picture I overbalanced while turning the tap and stressed it the wrong way and snapped the tap in the hole
absolutely fuming mad, swears were said, tools flying everywhere. I had to knock it on the head before I set everything on fire. I cooled off that night and set a plan for Friday.
Friday I returned and stripped a load of stuff out again and took the housing off the car, in a much calmer mindset. I had the housing off in less than an hour, and took it to a workbench for plan A - get the tap body out. As it happens, I managed to do this by MIG welding a nut to it, and winding it out - many cheers were shouted. Then i just tapped the rest of the hole out (without breaking it this time!) and fitted an M6 flange bolt with a copper washer.
Long story short, this worked great, housing refitted, rest of car assembled and then I left it there for an MOT test before it came home. The MOT was Tuesday, after the bank holiday, when it promptly kicked me in the spuds by snapping a handbrake cable on the brake test. Lasted 22 years and couldnt manage one more pull! FFS - so I brought it home Wednesday and contemplated options. Obviously the Vee handbrake cabled are bespoke, not available and HUGE - about 2300mm each!
Day 2 begins with lifting the brute back up and reconnecting the AC pipes, I had a couple of helpers watch the engine back in so it didnt snag anything (cheers guys!). Pretty uneventful, lifted back in and bolts threaded up.
The rest of the day was spent connecting it back up, pretty standard stuff, went through my list backwards.
I got all the way back to refilling the cooling system and all I had to do aside fitting the engine covers and undertrays was fill it and bleed it. Things had gone well, to plan, I was going to be done in 2 days and not need the contingency day on Friday.
However.
I filled the cooling system and bled the engine, I tightened the brass bleed screw back up and without any pressure on it at all...
Fucks SAKE. Fuming. So I tried to get an easy-out in the shaft of the bolt, but it wouldnt grip the brass screw. I was running short of time and pretty mad, in retrospect i should have quit there... but I didnt. I drilled the thing out to 5mm, then tapped the hole to M6 - though space wise things were really tight
About ten seconds after this picture I overbalanced while turning the tap and stressed it the wrong way and snapped the tap in the hole
absolutely fuming mad, swears were said, tools flying everywhere. I had to knock it on the head before I set everything on fire. I cooled off that night and set a plan for Friday. Friday I returned and stripped a load of stuff out again and took the housing off the car, in a much calmer mindset. I had the housing off in less than an hour, and took it to a workbench for plan A - get the tap body out. As it happens, I managed to do this by MIG welding a nut to it, and winding it out - many cheers were shouted. Then i just tapped the rest of the hole out (without breaking it this time!) and fitted an M6 flange bolt with a copper washer.
Long story short, this worked great, housing refitted, rest of car assembled and then I left it there for an MOT test before it came home. The MOT was Tuesday, after the bank holiday, when it promptly kicked me in the spuds by snapping a handbrake cable on the brake test. Lasted 22 years and couldnt manage one more pull! FFS - so I brought it home Wednesday and contemplated options. Obviously the Vee handbrake cabled are bespoke, not available and HUGE - about 2300mm each!
DaveL485
Staff member
It looks like i'll have to have some bespoke handbrake cables made to do the job properly, but as this is time consuming and costly, and I want to take the car somewhere this month I got hold of some 3mm steel cable and end clamp/terminator things I tried to spot some weld on the cable to stop it fraying, but it wouldnt weld at all, I tried solder and that didnt work so I epoxied about 3" of cable with Gorilla Epoxy. When that dried, I cut through it clean with a grinder and skinned the surplus epoxy off with a stanley knife. This gave me a clean end with no fraying, and allowed me to feed the cable through the cable sheath left on the car (after I took the old cable out). To my shock and delight it fed through first time! So then I had to fit the end terminators, they were a bit bigger than the usual ends but they worked ok. Tensioned the cable after trimming it to length and it seems to work fine
Retest Thursday.
Retest Thursday.
DaveL485
Staff member
(It passed the retest).
Running and driving absolutely beautifully, and made the trip to Oulton Park for a static show on Saturday without complaint. I really enjoyed driving it again after the recent sabbatical. I would go as far as to say this is the best handling V6 in the country, with its modifications and geo setup. Its just not scary, at all, even in the downpour on the way home it behaved impeccably. The engine sings an absolutely glorious soundtrack as it climbs through the rev range, when you're slick with the shifter and nail the changes just right it makes you feel so good.
Its not a car you stop, turn, and look at as you walk away. You walk away from it backwards & staring, with a HUGE grin on your face.
Running and driving absolutely beautifully, and made the trip to Oulton Park for a static show on Saturday without complaint. I really enjoyed driving it again after the recent sabbatical. I would go as far as to say this is the best handling V6 in the country, with its modifications and geo setup. Its just not scary, at all, even in the downpour on the way home it behaved impeccably. The engine sings an absolutely glorious soundtrack as it climbs through the rev range, when you're slick with the shifter and nail the changes just right it makes you feel so good.
Its not a car you stop, turn, and look at as you walk away. You walk away from it backwards & staring, with a HUGE grin on your face.
Andyquadra
Well-Known Member
You could have washed it! 
Andyquadra
Well-Known Member
more than FPMSL!1.2 clio with a bodykit, meh.
at least its not on black plates any more
DaveL485
Staff member
You're right. I could have!You could have washed it!
DaveL485
Staff member
...for now...
DaveL485
Staff member
I always thought private plates were a bit wanker-ey, but a year or so ago I happened upon the plate "REN 21T" and I had to have it for my 21 Turbo. So I did.
Then I stumbled across CL10 RSU for a stupendous price so I told myself I could get away with it and put it on my Clio 220 - I mean - I feel like a bit of a wanker but I do quite like it. I almost took it off when a barry boy in an S4 came alongside on the motorway in traffic and yelled "MINT PLATE MATE" with a thumbs up at me on the way back from Solihull.
And thus we arrive at the point i've gone full on wanker mode with the Vee now too... sigh!
I'm not sure it'll be possible to park them together without being labelled as a complete and utter dickhead.
P.S. yes the grey rug is lush, I like walking on it in thin socks (but not bare feet, eww)
Then I stumbled across CL10 RSU for a stupendous price so I told myself I could get away with it and put it on my Clio 220 - I mean - I feel like a bit of a wanker but I do quite like it. I almost took it off when a barry boy in an S4 came alongside on the motorway in traffic and yelled "MINT PLATE MATE" with a thumbs up at me on the way back from Solihull.
And thus we arrive at the point i've gone full on wanker mode with the Vee now too... sigh!
I'm not sure it'll be possible to park them together without being labelled as a complete and utter dickhead.
P.S. yes the grey rug is lush, I like walking on it in thin socks (but not bare feet, eww)
To be fair you dont need to park the cars together to be labelled that.
Norwich Nick
Well-Known Member
Andyquadra
Well-Known Member
At least its not a black plate like before
DrKd
Member
Clitor's
