| ID: 1836 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: back pressure debate. Question: Wiz, sorry to bother you with this, as i think you've probably heard it a load before, but whats with this ""the 5 needs a lot of back pressure in the exhaust malarky?"" When i did my degree we touched on this principle slightly, going as far as pulse tuning to scavenge cylinders at certain RPM's and so on...but needing back pressure? I just dont see how.. Am i being a total thicky and missing something basic here with this, or is it just another urban myth about these cars. Again, sorry if i'm asking you to cover old ground on this one. billy g. Answer: All cars need back pressure to some degree but turbo cars need less than most as the turbo acts as the restriction so the engine sees the back pressure. Some designs of turbo use seals that rely on back pressure to seal correctly and a totally free flowing exhaust can cause smoking from an otherwise healthy turbo unit. |
| ID: 1837 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: alloy radiator versions Question: hello Wiz, me again, right ive decided to save fuel even more on my 5 by fitting an electric fan instead of an engine driven fan. Now, ive also got a standard rad, but i was wondering, i know about large alloy rads and stuff, but ive found a company who can make customized rads/intercoolers, would i be able to get an exact replica sized rad in alloy version and replace my old one. Also, i dont suppose you have any clue on dimensions of the rad and fan/brackets sizes do you. Cheers. p.s In demon tweeks you can buy red coolant that turns to yellow when your head gasket goes, this would be great, but is any old coolant good in a five, its undiluted so i wouldnt need to add anything. p.s again, what boost can you run with, in car adjustable boost forge dump valve spider valve double capacity intercooler, silicone hoses group n clutch, standard turbo, (uprated one when it goes) probably one that is good for 200-220bhp. adjustable timing sensor ngk racing plugs magnecor leads alloy de gassing, oil separator, header tank, carb inlet pipe. thanks a lot Answer: This company will be able to make the rad to any size you like so i would say make it as big as the hole allows and as thick. Just take the measurements from your car. Any coolant used in the correct proportions will be fine. 16-18psi is a realistic max on the std turbo but you could run more on the hybrid. |
| ID: 1838 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Cooling or something else? Question: I went to drive my R5 from B'mouth to Colchester on Sunday night. In the first hour of driving it stayed at about half the temp and rose a bit when I used the turbo, but after a stop for a drink, the temp was at 3/4 and then it overheated as I stopped for the Dartford tunnel. I found out the fan wasn't kicking in, so I hotwired it and kept it running. I then filled the header tank with water and tried to drive off, but it overheated again about 2 mins later. I had to sleep in the car overnight and left it to cool properly. By this time the car was running lumpy and tappy. I started it the next day and drove 250m to the nearest Halfords and it overheated again. I opened the bonnet and the steam was coming from somewhere under the carb. Couldn't see without scolding my eyes. I finaly got me and the car home on a pickup. I checked the dipstick and there was no water in there, but I looked in the rocker cover and there was water in there. Also when I filled the water up there still didn't seem to be any pressure in the top hose with the stat in it. I don't know what caused it but I have to change the h/g and revise the cooling system. Any help would be appreciated as to what caused it and what to do. Sorry for the essay, cheers, Wadey. Answer: I would say that the rad fan relay failed and the extra pressure blew the hose to the carb or manifold which is why you saw the steam from that area. The head will probably need skimming due to the excess temperatures involved with the overheating. |
| ID: 1839 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Lightened Flywheels Question: Hi Wiz, I am thinking of fitting a lightened flywheel and have the following questions: Is fitting a flywheel 50% lightened ok, as I was told the maximum you could lighten one is 20%? If I buy one, can I fit it straight onto the car or will I have to get the crank counter-balanced?(in other words, is it a direct swap) What are the drawbacks of fitting a lightened flywheel, as I have been told that town driving will become difficult, is this true? Is it worth me spending my hard earned dole money on the conversion? cheers Imran Answer: 50% lightening is more for high revving race engines but on the 5 is still just about usable on the road. You will loose a little torque but the engine will rev smoother and quicker. You don't have to balance the crank etc but it helps. I would say to go for a 30% lightened flywheel like K-Tec's for a road car as this is smooth and revvy without loosing too much torque. |
| ID: 1840 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: running out of hair to pull out Question: hi.i have a strange problem with my r5 turbo regarding oil pressure.when i start from cold i get 3 to 4 bar readings on the guages(mechanical one fitted as extra) as the car warms up the guages read anything from 1 bar to 3 with the needles moving with the revs,going up and down,no problem but after a steady drive at say 70mph for 15/20 mins and then letting the revs drop the guages then read 0 and wont go up with the revs i've been to the local renault garage and described this problem and they just look at me blankly and say dunno but we'll charge you £60 an hour to investigate.its had a new oil pump and new big end bearings new oil pressure switch and like i say a mechanical oil pressure guage fitted so it's not an electrical problem.the car never overheats but i know this problem needs fixing before my turbo goes through lack of oil although when i've taken the oil feed out theres always oil there. theres a slight noise coming from the engine which sounds like a small clicking noise which has been put down to either tappets,timing chain or camshaft as opposed to main bearings. the only strange thing i noticed was that one of the end parts that hold the rockershaft on had snapped where the head bolt goes through ,i took the rocker shaft off to replace it and turned the engine over while the bolts were out to see if oil came up to the rockershaft o.k which it did but oil also came out of the front offside cylinderhead bolt hole! that didn't seem right to me. i'm not sure where to go next with this problem wondering if the head gasket has gone or the head or block is cracked maybe? it's not a point of i don't want to pay to have it fixed,i just don't want to pay and then find the engines shagged so any ideas from you would be greatly appreciated. Answer: It could be that the oil you are using is thinning out too much at higher temps but it could be another problem. Try getting the oil pump shimmed to increase the pressure if a change to thicker oil doesn't work. Don't worry about the oil from the bolt hole but replace the rocker shaft support as it could effect the torque on the head bolt and damage the head. |
| ID: 1841 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Makes of tyre Question: Hi Wizard, Got a few questions if u can help... i) Is there any justification for paying more for well known tyres like Pirelli etc. Kwik-Fits own brand are practically half the price! Apart from the status, is there any advantage that the expensive Tyres have over the cheaper ones! ii)Is it ok to run with different makes of tyre, all of which have different tread patterns..my four are all different! iii)If you upgrade to bigger rims i.e. 15""s, what do you do about obtaining a spare wheel, is the old 13"" one useless, or will it still be alright to use with a higher profile tyre?? Thanks for your help, sorry its a bit long question Guy Answer: i) Quality tyres are usually better made and not just cheaply thrown together like some of the ""Own Brands"" Tyres. They are better developed in tread pattern and rubber compounds. ii) Different tread patterns give different levels of grip and are not a good idea to mix on an axle and especially not on all 4 tyres. iii) If you go to 15's then you can still use the 13 spare until you get to a tyre fitter to fix the other. |
| ID: 1842 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Smoke & spluttering Question: 3 days ago my car was fine 2 days ago a puff of black smoke started to appear when ever it felt like, just during normal driving and when I stopped. there was also a splutter every now and then yesterday had mega trouble starting the car. when i use the choke the car will not idle it just splutters then dies,(never done that before), lots of black smoke and always spluttering when driving, which gets worse higher through the revs, loads of power lost. today it just will not start. Please help cause I'm well P***ED off Answer: Just a long shot but do you have a standard intercooler? If so then i have seen the seal break off and stick in the carb causing these symptoms. If not then get back to me. |
| ID: 1843 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Tyre Sizes for 15"" on GTX?? Question: Hello again wiz, Ok, i know this is a gtturbo website, so not sure if u can help, but any wisdom u can offer would be well appreciated... I own a 1.7 GTX, and have just acquired 4 R19 16v alloys which I desperately, want to fit, but have a few questions: i) I read that to fit arches of GT Turbos, the tyres need to be 195/45/15! Will I get away with the 195/50/15's that are already on them? I've just checked the prices for the 45 profiles and they're well expensive! ii) My GTX has drum brakes on the rear, will it have a different offset?? Thankyou guy Answer: The wheels and tyres ""should"" fit under the arches but 45's will give more clearance for the arches. I believe there is some differences in offset between models but they should still go on. |
| ID: 1844 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: bad Question: my brakes are so bad ever since the last time i bleed them the pedal would click before hitting the floor and no matter how much i bleed them air still kept coming out, it got so bad my local garage did it but their still crap pumping the pedal makes no diffence and somes after a round about or two of medium to hard braking i have hardly any brakes at all what is it ? also i want to respray my own car wondered if the is any where i can look or speak to for a few tips cheers Rich Answer: I would say that your master cylinder has failed. You could get books on the subject but most spraying skill comes from practise and perfect preperation. I would say don't bother spraying the car yourself as it is a lot harder than it looks and will look a real mess unless you practise a lot first. Save your money and get it done properly. Speak to a bodyshop like Dawsons or The Works for prep tips. |
| ID: 1845 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Smoke Question: Thanks for the quick reply to the last question, but it seems i need more help. When i run my car for longer than 5mins he starts to smoke from around the carb/manifold. I have a build up of oil that i keep cleaning from the rim of the rocker cover but it always seems to come back but i cant work out were from????? Any ideas would help. The car is standard and i have noticed some oil in the intercooler (new turbo me thinks). Could this be getting in to the carb and leaking from there some place. The car is not smoking from the system(yet) so as far as i can tell no oil is being burnt in the block. Sorry for the long question but i'm at work and really bored. Answer: I expect the oil from the rocker cover is either the seal or the cap leaking. oil in the intercooler is quite often turbo but could be getting in via the breather system and the air filter. Check the filter for oil. |
| ID: 1846 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: insurance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Question: hi wiz could you please tell me what insurance company would you recommend. im 19yrs old had 1 minor accident ive been driving 2yrs and have no ncd. im asking because i had a insurance renewal and they want £4000 third party fire and theft!!!! i dont know what to do regards jack Answer: Try Herts or Lancaster through the contacts section. |
| ID: 1847 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: knocking noise Question: when i corner hard left , sometimes a knocking noise comes from the drivers side wheel. it is a new wheel bearing that is on it. what do you think this could be ? thanx in advance Answer: It could be driveshaft, suspension componant or steering componant. Jack the car up and rattle everything to check. |
| ID: 1848 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: is it any good Question: Hi there wizz I have a spare turbo which seems to be in good cond ie no play in vanes,but on closer examination there are a couple of tiny hairline cracks on the turbo casing around the hole where wastegate opens and closes.would this turbo be ok to use like this..many thanks Answer: This is normal on most GTT's. Don't worry about it! |
| ID: 1849 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Guzzling fuel Question: Wizard, before I spend a small fortune on getting my r5 rolling roaded, could you please advise me as to why my r5 is doing 50 miles to £10. I've had the CO mixture done. It only has grp A dump valve, green air filter, 3"" exhaust. Runs fairly well apart from holding back when you put your foot down at lower revs. The rest of the carb/ engine is completly standard. Please help. Regards Chris. Answer: I would say you have a major jet size in there or a faulty carb which is flooding the engine. |
| ID: 1850 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Clunking noise when turning Question: Yo Wiz mate, When i turn to the right there is an almighty knocking noise from the front left, but when i depress the clutch it dissapears. It will do this at any speed (apart from when i tried it on a sweeping right hander at 70+mph and the back end stepped out just a bit too much for my liking!) I'm thinking the ns drive shaft but before i order one, could it be anything else? incidently, when i turn to the left, all i hear is a slightly squeaky wheel bearing! Answer: It could be the diff but the shaft is most likely. Jack the car up and try to lift the shaft up and down, it shouldn't move much at all. |
| ID: 1851 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Perc Fan - Again... Question: hi wiz - you must have had enough questions on perc fans by now, if not here goes... The perc fan on my 89' R5GTT has never worked - I replaced the fuse (which was a 15 amp) and I touched together the two wires that go to the sensor over the turbo heatshield - I popped the new fuse, what would you say is the next course of action?? Cheers in advance Answer: Renew the seized motor? Check to see if the fan can spin at all. I expect it has seized and this was causing the fuse to blow. |
| ID: 1852 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Dash removal Question: wiz, I have discovered a nasty crack in my dashboard. I have managed to source an entire dash but was wondering if you could provide a few steps to removing/ re-fitting it, Cheers. Answer: Do it carefully! There are awkward clips up by the windscreen that can take a lot of force to remove. Remove the old dash on your car before trying to remove the decent dash. Make sure you lable all the wiring etc that you disconnect so you know where it came from. |
| ID: 1853 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: body kit Question: The side skirts on a five are held on by little brackets if these decide to break off (which mine have!)can you get hold of these brackets,or what other type of clip can u get hold of. Answer: Renault do the clips and they are only a few pence each. |
| ID: 1854 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Sooty Question: Wiz, My car seems to gather alot of soot on the tail pipe and on the plugs , i dont do much mileage in the car but runs ok .Would it be worth setting up on a rolling road, thanx for your time Answer: Your using the choke too much or you have too larger jets fitted for the boost you are running. Most people get the car set up for max boost they use and then overfuel for the rest of the time! |
| ID: 1855 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Octane Boost Question: Wiz , Ive bought sum of that octane booster (silkolene pro boost) ,how much do you put in the tank as the instructions are useless. Also what fuel would be best to run with ,as ive got a fuel catalyst fitted +22psi max boost. Answer: Obviously real 4 star is still best but expensive at about £1 a litre and rare. Next is super unleaded which i would use for your boost level. Ordinary unleaded will probably cause pinking at that boost. I normally put in a whole bottle if i am going to the track or the strip but don't use it on the road. |
| ID: 1856 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Crunchy Question: Wiz, when i change gear from 1st to 2nd the gears seem to crunch also 3rd to 2nd ,mainly when giving it a bit .Ive fitted a new clutch and recon box but started doing it again,any ideas would be grateful Answer: Make sure the clutch cable is a std reno item and fitted correctly to the quadrant on the pedal. Also make sure the clutch arm into the gearbox isn't loose as the plastic bush can wear. |
| ID: 1857 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Boost Guage where to fit? Question: Hi wizard wanting to fit an boost guage and wondering where is the correct location to connect the vacuum pipe within the engine bay to get the most accurate reading Answer: If you want boost and vaccuum then connect to the ignition module to carb line. This is known as manifold or engine boost pressure. If you just want boost then use the standard fitting on the carb top. This is known as above the carb or carb top boost pressure. This will be nearer to actual turbo pressure but engine boost is better for accurate setup in my opinion. |
| ID: 1858 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: 17inch wheels Question: trying to find a site that can let you choose a car, then choose a set of alloys and let you see what they look like, do you know any???? also, thinking of 17s for my car, is this safe, or will i need uprated wishbones, drivshafts, steering rack,will i need to roll the arches???? Answer: You can run 17's on normal componants as long as they are in good nick. You will have to do some front and rear arch mods depending on how low you want the car. |
| ID: 1859 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: crunching gears Question: Dear Mr Wiz. Ard, I have recently purchased a 5 Turbo and it crunches into all gears, sometimes it won't go into gears from traffic lights etc, unless I stop the engine and select first gear when static. I have asked questions in the general areas and recieved many answers. I suspect there are many possibilities. Please could I have your views on this matter. Andy Answer: Could be low oil level, worn clutch, worn/stretched/incorrect clutch cable, worn clutch arm bush, bent clutch arm, worn gearbox (selectors) or just a badly adjusted linkage. |
| ID: 1860 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: idleing/running Question: Hi Wiz, having a few problems with idling. Had so many things go wrong in the space of 2 days, Ive fitted a spare carb to check, but i dont know if thats faulty. My air filter became mysteriousy dirty with oil and other stuff, so i thought that may bechoking it, so i cleaned it, well took it off and run at first. it ran fine for 2 mins until revs rose then it died again so then i found the fuel relay had decided to die ive bought another set of B8EV's (second set in 2 weeks!) and they are covered in sooty stuff after 1 days use! ive cleaned the idle jet and fitted a carb over haul kit from gt tuning to the carb. The only thing i can think of now must be an air leak as its running, but at very very low revs and sounds like a tractor! mind you i do have a straight through exhaust!! any ideas? maybe an air leak from the manifold? Answer: Sooty plugs suggests unburnt oil or fuel so it could be something like a sticky choke or large jets. Leaking manifold is a possability but unlikely to cause sootyness of plugs. What is the breather system like? is it full of crud? |
| ID: 1861 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Speedo Reading Question: Wiz, I'm currently running 16inch alloys with 195/40/16 tyres. The speedo doeasnt seem to read the speed I think I'm travelling? Says I'm doing 50 when its nearer 70! Any ideas? My mate said it was because I am running larger than standard tyres & wasnt fixable. Whats it going to do when I fit 18s?! Cheers, Tank Answer: Your m8 is right! You need to fit lower profile tyres (195/35/16) to get an accurate reading but i don't think they are available due to the weird size of the standard tyres. It will only get worse with 18's as they would require even smaller tyres. It is possible to getthe speedo callibrated but is very expensive. You are better off marking your gauges with the correct readings and maybe even fit a set of coloured gauge covers slightly offset to give more accurate readings. |
| ID: 1862 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: Smoky Joe Question: Hi Mr Wiz I seem to have some blue smoke coming from the exhaust at idle never over 1500rpm. i dont get it at start up only after a run i have oil in the boost pipes and the intercooler i disconnected them but still get it. I have been told that it is the oil seals in the turbo but i just dont know help!!!!! Cheers JP Answer: Cean out the intercooler and boost pipes and then remove the breather system pipe from the turbo inlet elbow ""U"" pipe. Block the hole and put the breather into a makeshift catchtank (coke bottle?) This will tell you if the oil is coming from the breather system (valve stem oil seals) or the turbo oil seals (oil in boost pipes again!) |
| ID: 1863 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: 16in wheels Question: want to fit 16s to my 5, can you tell me, size of tyre, offset, at the minute my car is on the deck, but i want to fit K-Tecs huge bumpers, so with sixteens on how low can i go. if any at all, without scraping the arches, and with the bumpers having plenty of ground clearance, if i need work doing who is best suited to do the arches, a local garage, or tuning shop. Answer: Your best bet is to speak to K-Tec about clearance etc with their kit. I expect you will need 195/45/16 tyres on standard offset. |
| ID: 1864 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: lack of ignition lighting Question: Alright wiz, im a gtturbo virgin so be gentle! I bought a raider recently off a good mate, but i noticed that when i turn the ignition on, there are no lights comin on, i.e, battery, oil light etc. ive got some clifford immobiliser in it, and its pretty old, cant see that being a problem though. I ve replaced the bulbs already but no joy. Any ideas?? Answer: I expect a lot of your problems will be solved by removing the engine wiring loom connecting block from by the passenger headlight and replacing it with individual connectors. This is due to years of water getting into it and corroding connections to the point of failure. |
| ID: 1865 | Date: Archive | Member: Archive | Wizard: Archive |
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Subject: grommet Question: do you know the part number of the small round grommet that's in the floorpan between the front and rear seats? There is one under front seat but I've got one missing. It's about an inch and a half across. I've tried my local Renault dealer and they couldn't work it out. Ta. Answer: No i don't sorry. Try getting the parts man to show you the screen so you can point it out to him. If not, just get one from a scrappy! |