Clio 172 Project

Picked this up today ready for the track time at ISTS and hopefully more in the coming months, waiting to decide on FCS until after ISTS…see if I’m shit or not lol, bargain at £39.99 from J&S Accessories.  Gold A.C.U. approved and it even matches the colour of my car PMSL.

Also ordered two new Toyo Proxie T1-R tyres to replace the worn ones currently on the back, but I’m considering swapping the fronts around so I have more grip where I really need it.  Black Circles came to the rescue at just £95 fully fitted local to me, including balancing, valves and disposal.  So I’m off down there on Saturday to get them thrown on. 

So the car went into the garage to have the cam and aux belts changed along with all the tentioners/idlers.  Done in a day and for a bargain price too.  Picked the car and up and straight away I’ve noticed that the idle is better.  Drove it home but it was rush hour so no chance to really test the car out.  On the way I got stuck for a minute or so and noticed a slight wisp of smoke/steam rise up from the end of the bonnet, checked the temp gauge and it was reading fine and as I was close to home I carried on.  Got home and disaster, the header tank is empty .  Stuck my head under the front bumper and the n/s of the subframe is piss wet through but it was getting dark so I left it alone.

Next morning I removed the front bumper, with the “help” of my Dad, and tried to see where the leak was coming from…but I couldn’t see fuck all yet water started slowly dripping from the bottom of the rad once up to temp.  So I gave up, rang the garage and they managed to squeeze the car in “this week”.  So I quickly rebuilt the front end, topped up the header tank and slowly drove it back down to his garage and there it will stay until fixed.  Turning out to be a really cheap month.

In better news though the nice people at Opie Oils, especially Guy, kindly arranged a group buy on ClioSport for 5l of Silkolene PRO S 5w-40 Ester Oil for a bargain price.  I ordered 6l so I could add it to my pile of service bits and still have some to top up with once done.  Just two days later and it’s here already!  Amazing service.

So just the air filter…actually no just the air filter and air box to go as I discovered some chav cunt has kindly drilled the fuck out the bottom of mine and then I can do most of the service.  Then as long as I get a problem free month in April I can order my exhaust (WOOHOO) and then brake discs and pads.  But April is already looking expensive as I need two new tyres for the back, it’s MOT time on the 14th and it’s ISTS show as well which I need to buy a helmet for too.

Spend, spend, spend!