Glacier White 200 Cup

[burrellbloke]

Cracking car you guys are building. When you were changing the brake fluid you should have also bled the clutch, most people overlook this job.

Thanks.

Most of the things I/we have done to the car is a learning curve. Bleeding the clutch sounds like a good idea and provided it is a job I can do on the drive I will have a go in a few months time when we do another oil, plugs and filter change. I don't suppose you have any guides or links that will show me how to do it?

 

[Sean197]

Thanks.

Most of the things I/we have done to the car is a learning curve. Bleeding the clutch sounds like a good idea and provided it is a job I can do on the drive I will have a go in a few months time when we do another oil, plugs and filter change. I don't suppose you have any guides or links that will show me how to do it?

clutch slave cylinder bleed point

;)

clio197.net

 

[LiamP]

+1 on this, lots of talk around the wear on synchros and clutch drag

Weak syncros may not be the issue after all...

Been doing some research into the Syncro failure on the Clio, as I've had many performance cars over the years with much more power than the little Clio, and never had any issues with syncros, or gearboxes to be honest. I was struggling to see why the Clio would be different, as normally any...

clio197.net

 

[burrellbloke]

Thanks @Sean197 I will have a look at that.

 

[burrellbloke]

Today @EthanMenace and I attempted to tidy up two parts in the engine bay. The lower engine mount was looking a bit tatty and the mount that the acoustic valve solenoid sat on had some rusty edges. The lower engine mount had always had corroded edges since we got the car last year.



In the past I had tried to scrub the area but it was impossible to make it look presentable.

Last summer I had bought all four PowerFlex engine bay bushes and had mistakenly thought that the lower engine mount had already been done. I had thought that the violet strip on the OEM lower engine mount was a bit of a PowerFlex purple bush rather than a PowerFlex yellow insert that should have be there.

We took off the lower engine mount and I tidied up the area by the lower engine mount.



I used some touch up paint to sort out some of the bare metal that was underneath and next to the mount. The lower mount was given some TLC by being rubbed down, given some primer and then sprayed satin black.



The three lower engine mount bolts were given a bath of IronX and then the tops were sprayed satin black.



Whilst the undertray was off I cleaned it with a stiff brush and some Auto Finesse Eradicate. When most of the muck had come off I treated it to some Auto Finesse Dressle.



Then we had a problem. We dug out the PowerFlex lower engine mount insert that we did not fit last year and tried to squeeze it in to the OEM mount. Even with some grease it refused to squeeze in.



After wasting at least an hour trying to get the insert in we gave up. The insert just would not fit it properly. It did go in further than the photo above. After reading up that there were others who had experienced problems and the suggestion that there may be more than one shape OEM lower engine mount I declared the PowerFlex insert a disaster. We then spent another half an hour getting the insert out.

The “new look” lower engine mount without a PowerFlex insert then went back on to the car. With the rust rubbed down and the new satin black look it made the left hand side of the engine bay a lot better,



The acoustic valve mount was removed and the solenoid was secured on to another stud on the right side of the engine bay. This left a less cluttered look on the right hand side.



I am going to do some research on why the PowerFlex mount would not fit in. We tried all sorts of methods to get the insert in such as using a vice, clamps and brute force. The insert was getting wedged down one side of the mount and no matter how much force was used it would not push all the way into the mount wind just kept popping out.

 

[Addison]

Today @EthanMenace and I attempted to tidy up two parts in the engine bay. The lower engine mount was looking a bit tatty and the mount that the acoustic valve solenoid sat on had some rusty edges. The lower engine mount had always had corroded edges since we got the car last year.

View attachment 144968

In the past I had tried to scrub the area but it was impossible to make it look presentable.

Last summer I had bought all four PowerFlex engine bay bushes and had mistakenly thought that the lower engine mount had already been done. I had thought that the violet strip on the OEM lower engine mount was a bit of a PowerFlex purple bush rather than a PowerFlex yellow insert that should have be there.

We took off the lower engine mount and I tidied up the area by the lower engine mount.

View attachment 144970

I used some touch up paint to sort out some of the bare metal that was underneath and next to the mount. The lower mount was given some TLC but being rubbed down, given some primer and then sprayed satin black.

View attachment 144971

The three lower engine mount bolts were given a bath of IronX and then the tops were sprayed satin black.

View attachment 144972

Whilst the undertray was off I cleaned it with a stiff brush and some Auto Finesse Eradicate. When most of the muck had come off I treated it to some Auto Finesse Dressle.

View attachment 144973

Then we had a problem. We dug out the PowerFlex lower engine mount insert that we did not fit last year and tried to squeeze it in to the OEM mount. Even with some grease it refused to squeeze in.

View attachment 144974

After wasting at least an hour trying to get the insert in we gave up. The insert just would not fit it properly. After reading up that there were others who had experienced problems and the suggestion that there may be more than one shape OEM lower engine mount I declared the PowerFlex insert a disaster. We then spent another half an hour getting the insert out.

The “new looking” lower engine mount without a PowerFlex insert then went back on to the car. With the rust rubbed down and the new satin black look it made the left hand side of the engine bay a lot better,

View attachment 144975

The acoustic valve mount was removed and the solenoid was secured on to another stud on the right side of the engine bay. This left a less cluttered look on the right hand side.

View attachment 144976

I am going to do some research on why the PowerFlex mount would not fit in. We tried all sorts of methods to get the insert in such as using a vice, clamps and brute force. The insert was getting wedged down one side of the mount and no matter how much force was used it would not push all the way into the mount wind just kept popping out.

I was tempted to give mine a spray whilst I had it out today, but I was fighting trying to get my powerflex bush in too!

It does fit but they've changed the design and it's a poor fitment now. I managed to get mine in with alot of grease and force. Then had to use a large flathead to push the top lip of the bush over onto the mount. Why it's such a bad fitment is beyond me...

 

[burrellbloke]

It does fit but they've changed the design and it's a poor fitment now. I managed to get mine in with alot of grease and force. Then had to use a large flathead to push the top lip of the bush over onto the mount. Why it's such a bad fitment is beyond me...

I might take the insert out of the bin. It really got on my nerves today. Apart from the screwdriver did you use any other special techniques to get the insert in?

 

[Addison]

I might take the insert out of the bin. It really got on my nerves today. Apart from the screwdriver did you use any other special techniques to get the insert in?

Definitely worth another shot, I was at wits end with it I must say.

I covered both the powerflex insert and mount in plenty of white grease so it slipped in mega easy. Once you've got it to the point of the metal bush touching the insert I got a large flat head and just pushed it over from the middle part over the bush, it does take alot of force.

Get it this far in and push upwards in the middle of edge of the insert where I've marked below.



If you can't get it in far enough try get it on something flat like a big plank of wood and push down on the front of the insert.

Then when putting it back on the car get the engine bolt threaded and tightened up first instead of mounting it to the car as the the recess of the insert will be slightly off when sat against the engine mounting point, if you don't it'll sit too high and you won't be able to get the bolt in.

Edit: reworded lots as I'm tired and it didn't make sense lol.

 

[RSRowe]

Hard to tell from pic, but you’re sure you’re pushing it in the right way?

 

[burrellbloke]

It was being pushed in from the right side of the mount to squeeze left, so that the square part of the engine mount that butts up with the engine would poke out of the square hole in the insert.

I don’t know if the task was more difficult as the insert is probably designed to sit in the mount when it is taking the weight of the engine.

 

[burrellbloke]

Today marks one year of Clio 200 ownership for @EthanMenace and I. We bought the Clio a year ago today and I have to say I have really enjoyed the past year driving and working on the Clio.

This is what the Clio looked like a year ago.



I have driven every version of a Clio from the mk1 old shape right through to the new mk5 shape. Years ago the Wife and I bought a mk1 1.2 Clio as our first expensive family car, then a few years later we needed a second car and bought a brand new mk2 1.4 Clio. After a number of people carrier type cars I then got a mk 4 Clio GT - the 1.2 EDC 120 version with flappy paddles.



I sold the Clio GT and bought a Megane 280 in January 2020. When I took the Megane in for it's first year service I was given a mk5 Clio as a courtesy car for the day.

As lockdown started in 2020 we went out and bought the glacier white Clio 200 Cup as an extra project car. I think that the Clio 200 is the most fun car I have ever driven. I often compare the Megane to the 200. The Megane has boost and power but lacks the handling finesse that the 200 has. Ever since the 200 has had coil overs on it the handling has been so much better. The 200 is planted on the ground and the turn in is spectacular.

Although I have only managed to do one track day with the 200 I am looking forward to doing many more.



The 200 is an expensive habit. As it is an 11 year old car I want to replace worn parts, refurbish good parts and add new parts to improve the car. The rear suspension and bushes have been replaced. The front drivers side hubs, ball joints and suspension has been replaced. The front passenger side still needs new hubs, lower control arm and ball joints to be done. An Akrapovic exhaust was installed in October 2020. It was remapped in 2020 producing a healthy 197 bhp. At the moment I am waiting for the inlet manifolds to come back from MS Custom Engineering, I may have a second set of wheels sorted out and need to find some tyres for the bare set of second wheels. By the end of the year I want to have replaced all of the ball joints, bushes and suspension components on the car. Even when those jobs have been done I have plans to refresh the brakes.

The Clio was bought as a bit of a lockdown project and to that end it has been really successful. We have been able to mail order parts and work on the Clio on the drive regardless of what shops are open or what social distancing requirements are.

This site has been an invaluable resources for help, tips, and encouragement.

So, after one year I think that @EthanMenace and I have made good progress with the Clio and hopefully over the next year we will finish off a few more tasks. I suspect that even when the current list of tasks have been completed there will be more that are added to the list. The Clio does not look much different one year on.



Here's looking forward to many more years of Clio 200 ownership.

 

[SBRacing]

I had the same trouble fitting the middle engine mount. Eventually got it to go in far enough to put the mount back on the car. The resulting vibration was truly awful. I took it straight back off and it went in the bin!.

I think the issue is that all the others still retain a smidge of isolation even though you have stiffened them - you only 'do' one end of the link. This central mount effectively gets bridged out, so becomes pretty much solid. It would be fine on a track only car, race or rally car , but IMHO not as a road going car.

Dont think i'm just being a bit precious - i've got a full Gp4 BDG Escort as a plaything, so am very used to hardcore cars! That has solid mountings for everything and i'm sure the Clio was worse with this part fitted!.

 

[Addison]

I had the same trouble fitting the middle engine mount. Eventually got it to go in far enough to put the mount back on the car. The resulting vibration was truly awful. I took it straight back off and it went in the bin!.

I think the issue is that all the others still retain a smidge of isolation even though you have stiffened them - you only 'do' one end of the link. This central mount effectively gets bridged out, so becomes pretty much solid. It would be fine on a track only car, race or rally car , but IMHO not as a road going car.

Dont think i'm just being a bit precious - i've got a full Gp4 BDG Escort as a plaything, so am very used to hardcore cars! That has solid mountings for everything and i'm sure the Clio was worse with this part fitted!.

Loads of people say this and it put me off fitting one for a while. But I decided to do it anyways and the vibrations really aren't increased by that much, sure you can feel the difference but that's expected. But it's nothing huge.

I'm not sure what I'm missing!

 

[burrellbloke]

I have now ordered a second hand Renault mount from eBay for £25. I got the PowerFlex insert out of the bin today. I will try and fit the mount insert again with lots of white grease and a very large vice.

I am not too bothered by the idea of vibrations. The 200 is not my "daily" vehicle and I expect it to be a bit of a rough ride. If, or when, I get the engine mount insert in I will let you know my thoughts on the vibrations.

 

[DS197]

Might be worth putting the insert in the freezer overnight before fitting.

 

[suj]

Might be worth putting the insert in the freezer overnight before fitting.

Then add raspberry syrup, hundreds and thousands and a flake

 

[burrellbloke]

Might be worth putting the insert in the freezer overnight before fitting.

That is a good idea. If the Wife asks what it is I will tell her it is some frozen cheese.

 

[SBRacing]

Loads of people say this and it put me off fitting one for a while. But I decided to do it anyways and the vibrations really aren't increased by that much, sure you can feel the difference but that's expected. But it's nothing huge.

I'm not sure what I'm missing!

Maybe I did something wrong then?.
I have the other two engine mounts done and the gearbox mounting.
They definitely add significant levels of NVH / Buzzing to the trim but the third (mid) engine mount for me was a no-no.
I could not have put up with that everyday!. Track or racecar it would have been ok though. Seems most people on here are using their cars for very limited road use and lots of trackdays. Be fine for that, but not driving to work every morning - it would drive me mad.

 

[burrellbloke]

Max from MS Custom Engineering sent me a photo earlier today.



I am looking forward to putting the inlets on to the car when they arrive in the post.

My second engine mount arrived today. The PowerFlex insert is being chilled in the freezer. A new tube of white grease arrived yesterday from Amazon. I am ready for round 2 with the PowerFlex insert this weekend.

 

[Addison]

Max from MS Custom Engineering sent me a photo earlier today.

View attachment 145055

I am looking forward to putting the inlets on to the car when they arrive in the post.

My second engine mount arrived today. The PowerFlex insert is being chilled in the freezer. A new tube of white grease arrived yesterday from Amazon. I am ready for round 2 with the PowerFlex insert this weekend.

Definitely went for the best colour on the inlets. Look great, serious envy.