197 Cup F4RT track car

[L33 KUP]

So some big ups and some big downs today...

Oil cooler all set up, plumb’d the coolant system, filled with gearbox oil and then added the battery and was time to fire up!!

Disconnected the injectors then cranked it first to get some oil circulating and build some oil pressure then went for the start up. The battery decided to have a bit of a paddy over this but just enough in it to start first time.

The engine seemed to have a misfire which it didn’t have when I drove it in the megane so this was concerning a little, found the intercooler pipe to be causing one of the boost pressure sensors to have an air leak so sorted this and that improved the misfire slightly so that’s something but it’s still there, tried basics of removing each coil to see if the engine note changed which it did on all four so they’re all firing just not as you want.

Then we really struggled to get the coolant bled through, removed the thermostat and found this to be sticking removed this and all spot on. I’m running waterless coolant so we shall see how this goes as it has a much higher boiling point so should help.

Then the big down..... tried to get gears no gears, clutch felt good switched the engine off we have gears. So bled the clutch again running .5 of a litre through still no gears. I then started the car in gear and had movement and a working clutch that I could pull away with but then couldn’t get into another gear.

Now I’m guessing here and would love to be wrong but I think because I was trying to use the clutch that came with the 225 gearbox and dmf and I’m now using an R26 gearbox this is the issue, it would make sense as they list different clutches for an R26 and that’s why the clutch is dragging slightly not allowing full disengagement to allow the selection of the next gear.

So some more work to do, as always.

Diagnose misfire, I’ve fitted new coil packs and plugs so will just double check they are correct too as they came with the megane. No engine light though? Only real difference at the moment that I think could cause the misfire would be the ECU possibly.

Replace clutch and flywheel, I’m just going to go SMF set up.





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[Mark_L]

So some big ups and some big downs today...

Oil cooler all set up, plumb’d the coolant system, filled with gearbox oil and then added the battery and was time to fire up!!

Disconnected the injectors then cranked it first to get some oil circulating and build some oil pressure then went for the start up. The battery decided to have a bit of a paddy over this but just enough in it to start first time.

The engine seemed to have a misfire which it didn’t have when I drove it in the megane so this was concerning a little, found the intercooler pipe to be causing one of the boost pressure sensors to have an air leak so sorted this and that improved the misfire slightly so that’s something but it’s still there, tried basics of removing each coil to see if the engine note changed which it did on all four so they’re all firing just not as you want.

Then we really struggled to get the coolant bled through, removed the thermostat and found this to be sticking removed this and all spot on. I’m running waterless coolant so we shall see how this goes as it has a much higher boiling point so should help.

Then the big down..... tried to get gears no gears, clutch felt good switched the engine off we have gears. So bled the clutch again running .5 of a litre through still no gears. I then started the car in gear and had movement and a working clutch that I could pull away with but then couldn’t get into another gear.

Now I’m guessing here and would love to be wrong but I think because I was trying to use the clutch that came with the 225 gearbox and dmf and I’m now using an R26 gearbox this is the issue, it would make sense as they list different clutches for an R26 and that’s why the clutch is dragging slightly not allowing full disengagement to allow the selection of the next gear.

So some more work to do, as always.

Diagnose misfire, I’ve fitted new coil packs and plugs so will just double check they are correct too as they came with the megane. No engine light though? Only real difference at the moment that I think could cause the misfire would be the ECU possibly.

Replace clutch and flywheel, I’m just going to go SMF set up.





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I brlieve there's no difference between the 225 and R26, It's the R26R That's different. Has a different flywheel and clutch. But from what I hear, these can be a pig to bleed? Have you tried forcing the fluid backwards using a large syringe?

Also if you go smf, use the R26R flywheel and clutch, 20% more clamping force. The clutch is actually a diesel one. The details are on the megane forum.

 

[L33 KUP]

Have you tried forcing the fluid backwards using a large syringe?

Also if you go smf, use the R26R flywheel and clutch, 20% more clamping force. The clutch is actually a diesel one. The details are on the megane forum.

The syringe may not be a bad idea, at least worth a try. So frustrating as it’s so close to being right it’s just dragging too much, you can feel when trying to push into gear the car starting to move forwards (clutch drag)

I believe there’s a difference between pre facelift clutch and post but I could be wrong. I’m going off reg’s on euro





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[Mark_L]

Here's some info on the r26r clutch.

 

[L33 KUP]

That’s a nice saving!! So literally leaves the flywheel from rs tuning. Main issue is the ball ache of removing gearbox, dilemma between removing the engine again or subframe out and do the box this way [emoji23] what a day would have been finished otherwise just bumper and headlights but lost some mojo after the ‘issue’


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[Mark_L]

The difference the flywheels is the depth, about 8mm on an R26R.

 

[Mark_L]

What did you use in the way of drive shafts?

 

[L33 KUP]

What did you use in the way of drive shafts?

I used megane driveshafts and they fit straight into my hubs I didn’t have to change the drive flanges. Although I believe if you have later ie r26 shafts you have to change the drive flanges over.


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[Mark_L]

I used megane driveshafts and they fit straight into my hubs I didn’t have to change the drive flanges. Although I believe if you have later ie r26 shafts you have to change the drive flanges over.


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Thanks, I thought you had to change the outer c.v's so That's ideal.

 

[Pav]

i fitted an R26R clutch kit from Ktec..fitted like a glove..

 

[L33 KUP]

i fitted an R26R clutch kit from Ktec..fitted like a glove..

Yeah I think this is the way, as Mark said I’ll try the reverse bleed first got a syringe coming on Tuesday. Although I’m sceptical this will work as I have a very good pedal.



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[Pav]

the slave that came with the kit was shite and wouldnt engage gears so i went with a standard 225 slave..maybe something to look into...

 

[L33 KUP]

the slave that came with the kit was shite and wouldnt engage gears so i went with a standard 225 slave..maybe something to look into...

Hmm... that sounds like my issue, I used the slave that came with the clutch kit. Possibly the incorrect one then, I shall find out Tuesday. Wonder if the subframe out is a pig or not on these. The engines easy but don’t want to drain all my coolant


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[Sean197]

Be careful with waterless coolant. It's banned in some race series as it's flammable, so if you get a coolant leak while the engine is hot the whole thing can go up. After speaking with Paul at RS Tuning I decided not to use it.

 

[L33 KUP]

Well I’ve now tried everything with this clutch, reverse bleed, leaving the clutch over night, another normal bleed but still no good.

So onto some easier stuff, the misfire. Thought I’d take plugs out see what they looked like and one wasn’t firing at all by the looks of it, I swapped the coil packs back to the originals and the misfire is now gone car running great.

Since I can get a gear with the engine off and if removing the subframe I need to turn the car around I thought I’d actually use the cars own power just turning it off to go between reverse and first, this inevitably lead to me taking it up and down the street in full mad max spec

To my surprise I can get all gears but reverse but the clutch is 100% still dragging so I have ordered an r26r smf and a 1.9 dci clutch.

Also gave it a quick wash

 

[Pav]

hope it sort your problem mate..fingers crossed

 

[L33 KUP]

hope it sort your problem mate..fingers crossed

Cheers mate, I’d have gone this route anyway so just going to happen sooner than planned. Pav on your clutch line form the gearbox does it still have the delay valve in or has a new line been made from the master cylinder. This is the only other thing I can think is an issue.


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[Pav]

Cheers mate, I’d have gone this route anyway so just going to happen sooner than planned. Pav on your clutch line form the gearbox does it still have the delay valve in or has a new line been made from the master cylinder. This is the only other thing I can think is an issue.


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Id have to ask my mechanic..will let you know..im abroad atm..coming back next week....

 

[L33 KUP]

Id have to ask my mechanic..will let you know..im abroad atm..coming back next week....

No worries have a good holiday


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[L33 KUP]

Fitted some braided clutch lines and much better now, back bleeding didn’t seem to help much, I’ve managed to get reverse 60% of the time so going to bleed again when I can with an extra person. So far I’ve been on my own and it’s not an ideal situation.

I’ve moved the gear selector inside the car and raised it also this has given a much better height of the gear knob, it’s just in the right place.



I’ve fitted a trim to cover some cables and also beaten up the engine bay which I think has done the trick



Also fitted the front bumper and secured the intercooler to the front cross member to move the intercooler pipe further away from the wheel as I was having some issues with rubbing.




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