OT cars, renault clio, sorry

Git · Brolly Dolly Joined: 17 Dec 2003 Karma :

So sorry to bring a car into bike workshop, I will work and park it outside out of sight Thumbs Up

Anyway, I got a call asking if I would look at a 1.4 clio, I think it's the 8valve one, it has possibly snapped a cam belt.
the scenarios I may face.

replacing the belt and time up only
replacing broken valves which means the heads got to come off
maybe a new head and valves
could it of killed a piston?

whats a cam belt like to do, is the head easy to whip off if the need arises?

I do not often work on these small petrol engines, so as unsure as to whether I should undertake said task.

Anyone had hands on experience of this particular task?
if not I will have to find a car forum.
/sobs
any info much appreciated. Thumbs Up

Razzy · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Karma :

can't help ya m8 but maybe someone else will otherwise try here www.strathycruise.com and goto the forums there.

Git · Brolly Dolly Joined: 17 Dec 2003 Karma :

Thanks

that will most certainly save me looking for one. Cool

Big Pete · Spanner Monkey Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Karma :

I havent done a clio but I have done a 205 cam belt, first attempt took 9 hours, and the timing was out by one tooth Mad

2nd attempt took 3 hours, started perfectly. The easiest way is to pull the engine out completely, at which point the whole job is a piace of piss. When the block is in the car there is sod all space to work.
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Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Owned a Clio once (unfortunatly), but not a 1.4.

Depending on what speed the engine was doing at the time will greatly affect the damage. Thrashing down a motorway and the damage is likely to be severe (especially if they rammed it down a gear to try and get it to start again Shocked

). Idling at traffic lights and then not attempting to start it could well be they have got away with it.

Personally I would stick another belt on it and then try. Probably do a compression check then. However the chances are that it has been some valve.

Not sure how easy it is to tension the belt on a 1.4 Clio. On the 1.2 Renault specified some special tool.

All the best

Keith
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Git · Brolly Dolly Joined: 17 Dec 2003 Karma :

Minky_monkey · Traffic Copper Joined: 01 Aug 2004 Karma :

I`ve never done one on a clio, but you may find things a bit more accessable with the plastic inner wing lining removed. That way at least you can get to some of the pulleys from under the front wing.

I`m definitely with Kickstart about putting a belt on and trying it before considering removing the head. If the tensioners are the plastic type, it's worth changing those as well as they have a habit of breaking up after a few years.

Ade067 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

I havent done a belt on a clio but have changed the belt on my renault extra van which has the same 1.9 diesel engine as a Clio and that was a right shitter of a job,diesels usually are a bit more complicated than petrols but the main problem and as someone else has mentioned is space...or rather lack of it,if you've got really small hands and are double or even triple jointed you'll be fine,if not take the engine out its much easier Thumbs Up

I worked in a garage for about 10 years or so and to be honest any French vehicle is a right sod to work on,even the simplest of jobs are so bloody awkward,give me a Jap car any day,at least when they put a car together they seem to realise that one day some poor sod has to take it apart again!

jay12329 · Dr. Evil Joined: 02 May 2003 Karma :

I thought that if the cam belt went while running it would certanly take the valves and pistons with it.
I'm not ot hot on this subject so could easily be wrong.
J

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Generally they will, but some cars have sufficient clearance to get away with it (so called safe engines) and even of normal cars you can sometimes get very lucky if the car is idling.

All the best

Keith
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mr jamez · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Karma :

My dads car (alfa romeo something or other) had the cam belt snap while on the motorway, smashed the cylinder head to pieces and dropped a valve into one of the bores...whoops Smile

Luckily that happened when the previous owner had the car Wink

Git · Brolly Dolly Joined: 17 Dec 2003 Karma :

Well, I changed the cam belt on saturday, easy as pie and not too cramped, went to start up and nothing, recheck the belt was timed and it was.

Pulled off the rocker cover to find 6 of the valves clearances were in spec, the other two, one inlet and one exhaust had like 1/2 inch of play on the rocker arm so I can only presume the valves are bent.

Will remove the head the coming weekend.

Anyone know a good engine rebuild company that supplys renault engines? 1.2 (d type motor) just incase I find a dead piston or two when the head comes off?

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Afraid I do not know of a decent supplier of Renault engines.

Git · Brolly Dolly Joined: 17 Dec 2003 Karma :

new boy · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Karma :

you shouldnt find a piston gone they are guaranteed to bend a valve or two Sad

you can rebuild it yourself two valves are not expensive but buy from renault you may need to spend 20 quid on tools to do the job but much better than the garage bills Laughing

just take them out grind the new ones in and put it together use a haynes manual if your not sure they tell you everything

good luck Thumbs Up

by the way i am a qualified mechanic so its really no difficult
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Git · Brolly Dolly Joined: 17 Dec 2003 Karma :

Thanks for that new boy Thumbs Up

Replacing the valves I can do, well, on a diesel anyway, I'm a diesel fitter come air con/transport refrigeration type bloke so this little 8valve engine should be a breeze. have a haynes book and all looks relatively straight forward.

You have put a smile on my face about the guaranteed to bend a valve instead of kill a piston, if all goes well I should gain a few brownie points with gf Laughing