Car Mechanics (UK)

Renault Clio 1149cc four-cylinder

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7This is what the aluminium cover looks like when removed; for this photograph, we left the four through-bolts in position. Check the condition of the cover and the threads on the bolts, storing them carefully for reassembly.

8The plastic cover panel between the right-hand wheelarch and the engine bay is secured by a series of plastic clips, which need to be carefully eased out. These clips are easily damaged and it may be necessary to buy replacemen­ts for reassembly. 9 There is no need to fully remove the plastic cover panel from the wheelarch. Simply rotate it upwards and out of the way, leaving enough room to reach the lower end of the engine and cambelt.

10Use an 18mm socket spanner to slacken the bolt securing the crankshaft pulley. Note: on this Renault engine, this bolt is usually far easier to release than on other vehicles. Extract the bolt and detach the pulley from the engine.

11Now turn to the lower end of the cambelt area, where there are two separate plastic covers. Two small bolts (10mm spanner size) secure the first of these covers to the engine. Take out both bolts, then…

12…detach the cover panel. This is how this panel appears when viewed from the right-hand side of the engine bay, with the camera held low down within it, and at the front of the engine compartmen­t.

13Next to come off is this additional plastic cover, located at the bottom of the cambelt area. It is held in place by four bolts (10mm spanner size). Remove the bolts, followed by the cover, and store them safely.

14Slowly rotate the engine clockwise viewed from the right-hand (crankshaft pulley) end of the motor, until the special timing/locking pin (shown here) slides through the aperture in the bellhousin­g and into its hole in the flywheel.

15Don’t worry if you haven’t got the special timing/locking pin. An alternativ­e is to use a suitable bolt (in this case, with a head measuremen­t of 13mm across the flats).

16On this engine, there are no alignment marks on the cambelt’s camshaft sprocket or engine. So, with the timing/ locking pin/bolt in position, as shown in Step 15, paint on your own alignment marks.

17Now release the cambelt tensioner assembly, relieving the belt of tension and enabling it to be removed. We used a long 13mm ring spanner for this job, enabling plenty of leverage to be applied to loosen the securing nut.

18The belt tensioner assembly is an eccentric design. To release tension in the belt, the unit needs to be rotated clockwise. If the tensioner assembly has never been moved, it may be necessary to gently tap its body to encourage movement.

19Now it is an easy matter to extract the old cambelt from its sprockets and the tensioner assembly. This engine was still fitted with its original belt, which had survived in remarkably good condition, but it’s essential to renew as recommende­d.

20Having moved the alternator body outwards to provide more room, unbolt the water pump from the engine. The pump is secured by a series of bolts, easily removed using a 10mm socket spanner (a universall­yjointed socket driver bar will help).

21Unbolt the coolant hose union from the water pump body (two bolts; 10mm spanner size). If you haven’t already drained the coolant, it will escape now – so make sure you have a suitable container underneath the car to catch it.

22The pump is located on two dowels. If it has been in place for a long time, it may be reluctant to separate from the engine. Very carefully tap and/ or lever the pump away from the cylinder block, taking care not to damage the block face.

23There is plenty of room around the right-hand side of the engine in which to lift out the old water pump. This one looked very clean, but neverthele­ss was suffering from a failed seal and had been leaking coolant.

24We used a scraper to remove old gasket material and sealant from the cylinder block’s face, against which the new pump will sit. Check for pitting. It’s a good idea to wipe the block face with a clean rag dipped in cellulose thinners.

25

We applied sealant to the new water pump’s gasket face and the mating face on the engine. We suspect the pump had been weeping coolant from the gasket, in addition to leaking from the pump itself.

26

A bead of sealant applied to the gasket face helps hold the gasket in position while the new pump is installed. Wipe any excess sealant away from the inside of the gasket, so that it doesn’t stray into the pump.

27

Fit the new pump, taking care to align the bolt holes in the pump body with those on the engine. Fit the bolts and tighten a little at a time in diagonal sequence, until they are fully tightened.

28

At the point of contact between the water pump and the hose union is a rectangula­r rubber seal. Renew this as a matter of course – a new seal was provided in the purchased water pump kit. Next, refit the hose/union.

29

The new tensioner assembly (eccentric profile) looks like this. The large hole visible just to the left of the centre of the unit is to enable the assembly to be slid onto the stud protruding from the cylinder block.

30

The tensioner assembly is fitted to the stud on the cylinder block, so that it appears as shown just before fitting the locking nut. At this stage, the cambelt has yet to be fitted.

31

The new cambelt can now be carefully guided over and around its sprockets and pulleys, ensuring that it is taut on the non-tensioned side. Take care not to strain the belt, nor to contaminat­e it with oil, grease, etc, during installati­on.

32

Correctly setting the belt tension is very important. With the aid of a mirror, initially apply a 6mm Allen key (with the tensioner locknut loose) to rotate the adjuster body anticlockw­ise so that the belt is tensioned and the tensioner assembly pointer and prongs align.

33

When the belt is correctly tensioned, hold the tensioner assembly in this position using the Allen key and fully tighten the assembly’s locknut to 24Nm (18lb ft). Re-check belt tension, then reassemble all components in reverse order to dismantlin­g and observing the recommende­d torque settings.

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