Megane 225 Mk2 PH1

First record images of the latest project car (every car I've owned has turned into a project

(artefacts are due to reduction of image size, they're not on the car )




Basics done so far ...

Iridium Plugs and K&N Panel
Interior lights changed for Blue LED
Uprated Front lighting (Halogen)
Uprated Audio (Sony 4x55W BT HU, Clarion Under-seat Sub ( Working but need to sort out cabling properly)

Wheels are next
Priced up for wheel refurb (~£350), just need to decide on colour Maybe anthracite

 

Just been reading the current MOT for the car and noticed it states that it is a non Cat vehicle. so looks like a previous owner has already performed a DeCat.

The other clue that I had was that the Tail Pipes look different on my car to most of the other PH1 MK2's I've seen so maybe a complete system change

 

Thanks, am still learning most PH1's I've seen locally have what look like slightly smaller round pipes rather than the Oval ones I have

 

Booked the car in for Wheel refurbish and recolour next week, Went for Gunmetal as the slight Blue tinge should go well with the Arctic blue paintwork of car. Will do Pics when complete

Also priced up for full cam belt / aux belt / water pump replacement and replacement Disks and pads all round (K-Tek) with my local guy to fit ( health issues means can no longer do my own repairs etc if they're more than basic

 

OK wheels done, (will post pics when some guy called Noah gets out of the way ).

Also when wheels were done two TPMS sensors fell to bits so have replaced all four

Complete Cam-belt / Aux Belt / Water Pump Change and timing re-done, Oil change Washer Pump Change

Brakes and disks replaced - Standard OEM on Rear & K-Tec (Pagit) Disks on front with Ferodo DS Perf pads ( stopping "Quite" well now).

When I had belts changed they noticed that the Top, fluid Damped, Engine mount was no longer Fluid Damped so this was changed - What a difference!! I think the mount was basically shot when I bought the car so assumed the vibration was normal - I now have to check if the engine is running befor getting out of the car . also for some reason the gearbox seems to be easier to use.

Also the long running Fault code with Cylinder No2 at idle seems to have gone so maybe the timing had slipped very slightly

It's now a different beast

 

A few pics half way up the Black Mountain Pass (A4069), pushed it a bit as had a clear run for the first time in years, but needed to stop to catch my breath half way up

pics show the refurbed wheels but the majority of recent work is not visible as it was under the bonnet and behind the wheels (New pads and Disks )

 

Finally managed a pic of rear lamp units (option of pair of these "e" approved for less than renault want for one ), Not normally my type of thing but are starting to grow on me



Oh, Short antenna is new too, now fully DAB+ compliant

 

Can't believe I have not updated this in three years [well almost]

Recent updates are
Full Cat Back Milltek Resonated System
K&N 57i Intake System
Forge Motorsport Turbo Hardpipe and Hose set in Blue
Forge Motorsport Full Coolant hose set in Blue
Forge Motorsport Blow Off valve

Also recently had a stage one remap [280BHP] which is not going well Booked back in for monday morning will have to remember to post back

 

Rear view of Miltec 80mm "F1" tailpipes



Remedial work on remap issues is now in progress, Two of three studs that hold the exhaust downpipe (cat), to the outlet from the turbo are completely missing causing a "bit of a leak" Apparently talking to a manufacturer of Stainless exhausts, this is not an uncommon occurrence - especially after an exhaust change
Car is booked in for 9:00 tomorrow, and also need to replace the MAF sensor which is giving an error on the tuners diagnostics that is likely to be the other issue causing issues with the new map, I have seen a high reading on the boost of around 19 PSI which was what was expected of the stage one. obviously having the MAF and also the Boost pressure gauge, (replaced last week), failing did not help the map

 

Well, had results on the turbo situation, after a short time on the table and the patient putting up a good fight, Life was pronounced extinct at approx 16:30 pm Today.

My Turbo Died

Not to worry New turbo arriving in the morning and being fitted, no black box so will never know if the missing studs caused the issue, or the failing Turbo caused the studs to fall out. This was of course possibly made worse due to the Stage 1 map adding more strain on the system

 

OK turbo now all bright and Shiny, did intend to take some snaps of old turbo but I don't do horror shots so much play in turbine I was expecting Will Shakespeare to turn up

Basically the unit was likely to go Boooom! in the next few hundred miles, |Soooo glad I decided to replace a missing Stud

Have to now investigate, once turbo is bedded in, why since the Stage 1 remap I appear to only be able to rev to around 4000 rpm in 1st and 2nd -

This is parked up, no load, in neutral, and happens with clutch depressed too

Not been pushing things since I knew I had the turbo issue developing, But I've had a total flat spot going from second to third and some lesser flat spots in other changes.

Could be the BOV needs springs upped, although Speaking to Forge, they are not convinced that this would be needed for a Stage one, they've checked and say it's fitted with the Yellow spring already as shipped and this can usually handle a stage one without issues on the 225.

I have the uprated springs that shipped with the BOV so will swap them out later and give it a run

Had turbo pressure sensor showing faulty on diagnostics so that was replaced - will also replace the MAP as that is the one that usually goes, (just to be sure )

Will do all the changes, and give the Throttle body a quick clean, (On Car, cannot reset it myself and I do not want to break a certain Vacuum pipe

I keep coming back to the Map, that's all I can think of if the above does not miraculously sort things - so may just remove it as I did not have issues before it went on. Of course the increased boost could always have caused the issues

Anyone reading this who can add any thing, any suggestion would be appreciated

 

Latest findings -

in 1st or 2nd gear under load cannot rev over c. 4000 RPM, car stutters Pops etc. If I force the revs I get a Check Injection Service Light error, the standard somethings wrong but don't know what error

with no load with or without the clutch depressed (out of gear of course), I get the same issue. If however if I start engine and immediately rev up it will rev as usual, but only the once.

In third and above the car mostly behaves well I have seen 19+ PSI of boost so new turbo is working there is a slight flat spot at time accelerating in gear bit this could just be that the turbo kicks in at slightly higher revs than it did before the remap.

None of these issues existed before the map, so am wondering if the when the map was initially read that the various Possible sensor issues, the fact that the Turbo was on the point of failure may have meat that the map was written for the wrong parameters as they now stand?

 

Forgot to say, checked the higher rated spring in the BOF today, and got flutter in the intake, so not that - swapped back for original springs.

also checked throttle body a lot cleaner that I expected, but gave it a quick clean anyway

 

Have come to a decision, will go and see the tuner later and get the Map reset to the "standard" that was on the car before the remap. With all the changes made trying to get the issues solved after remap I may be happy with driving the car "stock" If not then I may need to take a drive up to Leeds and get it done properly

 

I am also considering a rename of the car, when I bought her, I named her, Tongue in Cheek, "The Beast" coming from a 1.3 Ford Ka Lux She certainly was.

After my period of ownership I am starting to call her "The Pelican" - "She's a funny looking bird, with a big tail and even Bigger Bill"

I must say that with all the issues and problems recently, every so often, I just get her on the back roads on boost and have a smile from ear to ear

 

Latest update ...
Booked car in to have mapp removed

However

I have been reading all over the net to discover a possible reason for my post Map problems, I may have found a possibility ...

the symptoms I am seeing, Including the specific 4000 rpm stutter in low gear, could be due to a failed/failing N75 turbo solenoid valve - Valve should be here Tuesday so hopefully replacing the valve, this is looking more than likely to be down to the extra power of the stage one, just being too much for a few components (I'm also going to change the plugs and coils as they've been on a while)

Oh I'm also going to change the throttle valve Pipe- yes that one that breaks for everyone, which broke the other day and was temp fixed by the Mechanic - it may have been leaking anyway and the rubber pipe that is at the firewall end of the pipe is on the point of collapse so needs doing

 

Ok, was not the valve so having the map removed tomorrow, will hopefully cure the issue and will then run around on the original map for a while, probably into the new year to allow everything to settle

Once the car has settled I will maybe get it remapped again, but may take a while until I feel the need for that

 

Map done by Cardiff ECU Remapping - AKA Wesh ECU Remapping in Tonyrefail - I'd heard good reports locally about Cardiff ECU Remapping not sure when or why the change of name. They are part or Remap-UK.

In their defence it does look as if the Turbo was on the point of failure when they did the remap, so when the took readings and sent them away for the map to be written they could have had the wrong readings.

The map was OK in the higher gears but on boost going up from 2nd to 3rd was scary, The "limp mode" was not the standard 2500 RPM but only in 1st & 2nd and was around 4200 RPM. Also happened with no load.

Will get the map off tomorrow and hopefully will be back to normal and I can fine tune things for a month or two and then look at it again.

If anyone can recommend anyone in south wales that are reliable that would be a help otherwise it may end up as a few days upta leeds n back

 

Erm, Have you got their details? I have a client in Greater Manchester so I could Get HMRC to pay for the trip

 

I bet the trip back took less time than the one up

No rollers they just read the existing settings in the map and send these off to head office who send back the updated map for installation

 

Well I have my car back, Minus Map, Plus Smiles - everything working as it was before the map, but the replacement items we fitted do improve things quite a bit.

I found out what they had done in the map, that caused all the problems, in a throwaway remark from the tuner when I explained for the umteenth time that the car would not rev over 4k under no load
"Oh that'll be the Launch Control"

WTF!!

I think they did not even add all of the code so the launch control did nothing other than reset the the rev limit to around 4200 RPM in first and second when on boost, the non boost revs were OK up to the usual 6-7k.

of course the other thing was that I never at any time discussed or asked for this

This resulted in ... as I went up the revs and changed up the limiter would kick in with a thud Throw the car off boost, and probably damage the Turbo bearings - now replaced and treated gently until I'm happy with the car as a whole

 

Very True

I intend to, but will have to wait a little while (probably after Christmas/New Year due to Business commitments)

 

I'm getting used to my Tinted set now, took a while but they've grown on Me

https://rsmegane.com/threads/megane-225-mk2-ph1.11788/#post-199553