The fuel filter is a reasonably easy job, just have to be careful with those quick release connectors.
On the BB Clio much more difficult....it doesn't have an external fuel filter in reality. In parts catalogues it might, but in fact it doesn't, apart from an unserviceable one in the tank. A few tales on Cliosport testify thus https://cliosport.net/threads/fuel-filt ... 16v.49358/
The supply pipe is a long one back to front ending up at the fuel rail with no filter interspersed anywhere along its length. Don't think there will be any rust in the tank as with most things on the Clio only the finest plastic is employed.
The tank unclothed is a convoluted beast with its outer reaches spanning the car.
As well as the "Supply pipe" running the length of the car, I presume its chum which it runs alongside up to the engine bay is the EVAP link providing a route for the tank vapours to make their way to the activated charcoal cannister behind the headlight.
Its a first, an AutoDoc box delivered to the door. Not sure if they have a UK operation or whether it comes from "The Continent"
It was a ridiculously large box for the parts contained... 4 inlet manifold to cylinder head port gaskets (3 red one black), one manifold to top of engine rectangular gasket, one air intake temperature sensor (mounts on throttle body)
Its bright today, but the outside temp not that encouraging for a pleasant tinkering experience.
No chance of tinkering in Hertfordshire today, MX3 cover hanging on for dear life with the new rings I fitted but small gaskets would get launched if left on top of the toolbox !!
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
Mark II of the off-vehicle injector tester/cleaner
Shrink wrap enhancement to interface with injector (red aerosol straw, progressively shrink wrapped to a girth fitting snugly into top of tyre valve.. Temporary wire insert to avoid melting aerosol red straw when applying heat for shrink wrapping.
Old gaskets off the intake manifold, Old MAP sensor removed intact with its O-rings from its plastic hole where it is just a push fit.
I have dismantled, investigated and observed. So far the thing I like least is the pool of oil at the back of the airbox undoubtedly dumped there from the rocker cover through the little plastic pipe masquerading as some sort of crankcase ventilation.
airbox and oil pool, and pipe direct from Rocker cover
The old MAP was a touch oily, probably just do a clean and shove it back in in the first reassembly.
Not much scope for adding an oil catch can to the Clio crankcase ventilation system, there is no external pipework. Rocker cover ports out its oil-laden vapours through its internal plastic chambers and that fixed pipe directly into the airbox, and all is covered by the air intake manifold.
Any time you want to inspect the oil collection in the airbox the entire inlet manifold has to be removed.
I will probably bring the injector cleaning/testing to a conclusion. Fit the refurbishable parts...simply the o-rings and the little filters. Clean the airbox out of its current pool of oil, change the oil. Refit the injectors and fuel rail to the inlet manifold, give the throttle body a few more squirts of stuff and mount it on the manifold, re attach the manifold with the new gaskets and in general put everything back together and pop the MAF sensor back in.
The only other intervention would be cleaning of the pre-cat O2 sensor. I don't think it is a causal factor in the observed behaviour of the engine, the light/fault code comes up on as a response to one of the hesitation events then back to full power incidents.
Having a nice stream of clean petrol and then intermittently getting oil-laden air from the crankcase (via the airbox) sucked into the combustible mix is more likely in my mind to cause the stumbles than anything else.
With the Clio not having by design a "normal" in-line fuel filter between the tank and the fuel rail, just a filter within the in-tank pump, just wondering whether an additional in-line filter something like this in the engine bay may be of benefit.
Internet wisdom suggests adding an inline fuel filter can be beneficial without adversely affecting petrol injection pressure at the fuel rail, provided it is correctly selected and maintained.
