Clio 172 Project

Just don’t ask me because I sure as hell aren’t one lol.

Well I am no longer a track virgin.  YEY!  Got on at Donnington Park on Saturday whilst there for ISTS and I’m glad I did.  Not only because the show itself was fucking shit but because I now love the track.

Anyway here’s an in car video of me being crap.   With it being my first time my lines are all wrong, at times I picked the wrong gear to either enter the corner or exit with and I was just losing all my speed through the corners.  I was also paranoid about not slowing people behind me down so constantly moved over to let them pass when TBH I didn’t need to.  Pah anyway it was a lot of fun and I’ll be doing a lot more, although the next one I do I’ll be getting an instructor to come out with me and show me what I’m doing wrong lol.

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. 

With ISTS only three weeks away and the car finally being back and not, touch wood, having to spend it’s days in the garage I decided to lay down a good layer of cleanliness to save me effort closer to the time.  I’ll build up the layers over the next few weeks.

Used all of the AutoGlym products you see in the picture and yes I know that AG stuff isn’t the bestest super dooper shizzle on the market, but I’ve got a load of it and until I have used it up/bought something else better I’ll keep using it.  Although I am already looking at waxes and sealants and fucking confusing stuff.

Anyway pictures:

Took five solid hours but I think it was worth it.  Discovered a scratch on the n/s/r quarter panel, which I’ve tried to photograph but it’s not showing.  I’m hoping that with an oribital polishing machine and the right products I’ll be able to correct it, but that will have to wait.  Also need to get the parking dints pulled out at some point too.

One thing I realised though is that the car NEEDS claying.  So once ISTS is out the way and my MOT I’ll get on with that and then start building the layers back up in preperation of the next show/blizzard/raining frogs etc.

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!

Sent the car into the garage for the replacement of it’s o/s CV following it deciding that it no longer wanted to stay in place or keep the grease where it should be.

An hour and £50 later the jobs a goodun. I could of done the job myself, but for £50 why would I? I fucking HATE doing CV boots and hate even more the horrible grease.

Unfortunately though the aux belt has started making a shit load of noise and has moved over on the alternator pulley or was never fitted correctly in the first place plus it’s due to be replaced anyway. So it’s booked in on the 16th for new cam and aux belts along with all the tensioners, cam isn’t due till next year but the aux belt has to come off to do it anyway so might as well get both done at the same time. £520…but it’s better to pay that than buy/repair the whole engine.

In other news I’ve had a load of deliveries recently, nothing all that exciting. Engine cover bolts and washers, silver bulbs, engine cover replacement sticker and most of my service kit (genuine Renault pollen, oil and fuel filter).

I still need to get an ITG Profilter air errm filter, NGK PFR6E-10 spark plugs and make a decision on what 5W-40 oil I’m going to go for, currently thinking it will be Silkoline PRO S though.  Think I’ll be leaving the service until after Internatioal Styling and Tuning Show (ISTS) in April though as I’m doing a track session there so it will no doubt need it after that anyway.

However next month is MOT time.  So I’ll be getting two new Toyo T1-Rs fitted to the rears just in case the scuffing causes me any problems there and unfortunately I’ll have to put up with another month with the chav Powerflow exhaust as thanks to two companies screwing me over this month with hidden charges or fucking up my direct debit payment I’ve had to pay out a lot for stuff I wasn’t expecting.    Wank.  Just have to hope that I pass the dB tests at Donnington, it’s a loud day though so fingers cross it will be fine.

Once everything has calmed down and the exhaust has FINALLY been sorted then I’m going to uprate the brakes.  They don’t really need it as it stops on a 5p as it is, but as I’ll be doing a few track sessions this year I’d rather know they were up to the job.  Not going for anything rediculous just some Brembo High Carbon (HC) discs and Ferodo DS-2500 brake pads at the front, then standard 172 jobbies at the rear, braided hoses all round and some Castrol Responce Dot 4 brake fluid.