After some Turbo advice please

J

James1470

I want to fit a turbo to my 200, and was wondering either what I needed to do the full job, or who can do this for me? I've heard it's about 5k to get it done "properly"

can anyone who's had this done offer me any advice?or point me in the right direction? Cheers.
 
Due to having to lower the compression on these engines most people swap it for the Megan's 225/230 lump as its ready to go an can work put cheaper. Have a search at on here and you will find some project threads
 
Fitting a turbo to the 197/200 lump won't be easy. Its not just a case of chucking a turbo and manifold on which is why there is only one I know of in existence built by a member of here, Shakyhandman:

http://www.clio197.net/forum/showthread.php?14547-shakey-s-F4RT-RS393-Cup

There are plenty of 1*2 turbos about which leads a lot of people to suspect that the best way round it is to use a 1*2 bottom end, low compression pistions, 197/200 head and of course the turbo kit. Problem is unlike the 172 turbos you are into unknown ground.

Another option is to Supercharge it, MikeLYr27 has a 360bhp 197 but to get that spec you are looking at £10k +.

As others have said the Meg engine is your best bet, the engine is proven and the conversion is too, for around £5k you can have a near on 300bhp beast. I'm still using the Clio gearbox in mine and can safely say that there's not many cars that can touch it. Hit the throttle at 90mph and you wouldn't believe how quickly the needle moves, its insane aswell as addictive. http://www.clio197.net/forum/showthread.php?15750-My-Full-Fat-Mistress-293bhp-F4RT
 
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yea thats the route I was intending to follow, buy the Meg lump and stick it in, so do many people keep the clio box? did you do it yourself? when i'm not on my phone i'll have a good read of your thread!
 
I'd say buy a 250 engine for conversion. The mileage will be probably be lower, the engines already somewhat forged so good for 350 bhp and turbo's + injectors are better. There is only around £600 - £800 deference in the engines cost secondhand but to build a 225 engine to make 250 power would cost you another 3 grand. You'll want more power (most do when they get use to it), and its a lottery to whether it will 'let go' if you go much above 300 bhp.

The problem is 250's are harder to find but its worth being patient. I'm on the Meg R26 gearbox in my conversion cause it comes with the lsd standard and was the cheaper option than putting a diff in the clio box which would be about a grand. However, (money no option) I could imagine the shorter ratio's in the Clio would make it feel a lot quicker plus with a diff - perfect. Downside I guess is, I hated how in 6th gear on the Clio sounds like it was in 4th!!! The Meg box is better for that with its longer ratios, easier to live with on the motorway.
 
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With the Clio box you can still top 145mph, about the same as the normal Clio but it doesn't take a week to get there.
 
I guess the choice of box for conversion is interesting and I feel comes down to your driver style, and how you want to set your car up. Question is why aren't Meg owners buying Clio boxes (cause they are ridiculously cheap secondhand) and fitting them to Megs works both ways? Wouldn't there be benefits from fitting the shorter ratio's?

I was speaking with Josh Cooke on Renaultsport day at Oulton and he says he'd go with Meg box cause they are pretty built-proof standard, and its faire to say, questions remain unanswered about the Clio box and its reliability.

Each to their own. These conversions are still very relatively new, and people running Clio boxes even more so, so I guess time will tell.
 
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hmm, so would you say the ratios of the clio box where more suited to the track compared to the meg box that would be more suited to going at ridiculously high speeds? .. i'm thinking if I leave the clio box in and get the car up to roughly 270 bhp, its going to be ideal. basically, I don't want to go chasing insane figures and speeds, because i'd rather get used the the car getting quicker gradually. don't fancy killing myself :tongueout: ..
 
I'd go Meg box tbh. I'd just not be confident enough to run a Clio box.

Though after reading some threads on MegSport, the Meg box isn't as built proof as has been said.
 
James1470 said:
hmm, so would you say the ratios of the clio box where more suited to the track compared to the meg box that would be more suited to going at ridiculously high speeds? .. i'm thinking if I leave the clio box in and get the car up to roughly 270 bhp, its going to be ideal. basically, I don't want to go chasing insane figures and speeds, because i'd rather get used the the car getting quicker gradually. don't fancy killing myself :tongueout: ..
Click to expand...

The ratios/speeds aren't too far apart to be honest and with the megane box your pretty much always falling into a nice torque band when changing gear at the red line.

from memory my Meganes speeds;

1st - 40ish (I never really use first aggressively as there's no need with the torque)
2nd- 60ish
3rd- 90ish
4th-115 to about 120
5th- never tried it...honest
6th- " "

On track, at Knockhill anyway the Megane's ratios/speed is spot on. With the power mine has I'd definitely need 5th with a Clio box on both straights. Would be a pain with more gears to shift down from tbh
 
One of the Meganesport lads drove my car the other week and he couldn't believe how quick it was, his Meg is running just over 300bhp and 330lb torque but he reckons I'd annihilate him.

I guess that difference is down to the different gearbox and a bit of weight.

Overall I'm really happy with the Clio box and for fast road driving not once have I thought "I need a diff". 1st and 2nd gear are over too soon but once you hit 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th its an absolute animal.
 
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Fernandez said:
One of the Meganesport lads drove my car the other week and he couldn't believe how quick it was, his Meg is running just over 300bhp and 330lb torque but he reckons I'd annihilate him.

I guess that difference is down to the different gearbox and a bit of weight.

Overall I'm really happy with the Clio box and for fast road driving not once have I thought "I need a diff". 1st and 2nd gear are over too soon but once you hit 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th its an absolute animal.
Click to expand...

I thought the same till I bought and fitted and fitted R26.R box.

Trust me you need a LSD :wink:
 
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