Renault engine question:

[KNiVES]

In this picture you can see the brown bottle at the top middle of the picture - it's the same car as the one I've got, and I'm trying to figure out what that bottle's for. I don't have the car manual (none with it when I bought it) and I can't find manuals over the net. Does anyone know what it's used for? It's not for windscreen wipers as that's a separate bottle hidden elsewhere.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Coolant header tank.

 

[Perywinkle]

lol
It's where ya coolant goes it's an expansion tank.

 

[MrMatteh]

having got that exact engine bay, I can confirm

 

[KNiVES]

Thanks for the replies guys. My temps indicator was flashing red today, and I wanted to fill the coolant back up but I weren't sure if it was that bottle or not. All fixed now.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Thanks for the replies guys. My temps indicator was flashing red today, and I wanted to fill the coolant back up but I weren't sure if it was that bottle or not. All fixed now.

There is something really rather wrong with your car if that happened. Cars dont use coolant and need routinely topping up...

 

[Firegod]

Looks a bit brown. Take it off and give it a good old clean and fill her up with some fresh coolant. She'll love you long time. haha.

Here's how mine looked after being cleaned on the old car:-

 

[Smokey McPot]

There is something really rather wrong with your car if that happened. Cars dont use coolant and need routinely topping up...

I had to go fill mine this weekend after my car had been stored for 18months. Tends to happen with old renaults. Not really a big deal.

 

[MrMatteh]

Looks a bit brown. Take it off and give it a good old clean and fill her up with some fresh coolant. She'll love you long time. haha.

Here's how mine looked after being cleaned on the old car:-]

the only way to get the expansion tank looking like that is to buy a new one... i don't think it's possible to remove rust stains from plastic?

 

[Smokey McPot]

Looks a bit brown. Take it off and give it a good old clean and fill her up with some fresh coolant. She'll love you long time. haha.

Easier to buy a new one. That brown stuff is nigh on impossible to remove.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I had to go fill mine this weekend after my car had been stored for 18months. Tends to happen with old renaults. Not really a big deal.

So where did it all go? He must have been seriously low to overheat the engine..

 

[KNiVES]

So where did it all go? He must have been seriously low to overheat the engine..

I don't know, but I can tell you this: this Renault is the crappiest car I have ever driven. I've only had it for four months now, and in that space of time, the following happened:

- the exhaust pipe snapped in two
- the driver's side window dismounted
- overheated oil
- immobilizer damaged due to leaks from sunroof and arial, which rendered the car unusable, had to remove
- heating system no longer works
- headlight lens fell off

This car is a complete shambles and I feel ripped off for the amount I paid for it. (£500) It's like it contracted the mechanical equivalent of syphilis or something. Hopefully all the major problems are over and done with now. This car has costed me far too much just to try and maintain. I will probably never buy another Renault again.

 

[Smokey McPot]

Evaporation, thirsty mice, small drip from the bottom of the rad. One if not all of those. I've not had chance to look at it properly.

 

[Firestar_3x]

Perhaps you should have taken more care when you bought a car then, funny enough if you buy a nail you have to put up with owning a nail.

 

[[TW]Fox]

You bought a 15 year old 500 quid hot hatchback and wonder why its a nail?!

 

[Smokey McPot]

I don't know, but I can tell you this: this Renault is the crappiest car I have ever driven. I've only had it for four months now, and in that space of time, the following happened:

- the exhaust pipe snapped in two
- the driver's side window dismounted
- overheated oil
- immobilizer damaged due to leaks from sunroof and arial, which rendered the car unusable, had to remove
- heating system no longer works
- headlight lens fell off

This car is a complete shambles and I feel ripped off for the amount I paid for it. (£500) It's like it contracted the mechanical equivalent of syphilis or something. Hopefully all the major problems are over and done with now. This car has costed me far too much just to try and maintain. I will probably never buy another Renault again.

1.8 16v then.

Sounds like you got a dog. The heater thing does happen a lot to old Clio's. Mine is iffy, I've yet to establish if it is a blocked vent system or the heater matrix. The rest of sounds like the person sold it because they knew about those problems.

 

[KNiVES]

(to Fire and Fox)

You're absolutely right, but the car was in good condition when I first bought it, with an MOT pass just prior. It's just my luck that it's gone all Pete Tong, but a quick browse of the internet will show that I'm far from the only one with problems regarding immobilizers, leaks from the sunroof/arial, radiators, cooling, etc with Renault Clios, especially mark 1 iterations.

Just luck of the draw I guess.

 

[[TW]Fox]

They are very old cars now and were never built to be high quality long lasting vehicles. They were when new the entry level into the Renault range and far from expensive cars. Just what do you expect from a car that old?

Cars that old are for people who like to fiddle with cars and get their hands dirty. If you just want a decent car you can get something much newer for the same cash.

 

[Firestar_3x]

Affraid an MOT proves its road legal and at the minimum standard required for it to be on the road.

Doesn't mean its mechanically sound or anything more.

bad luck perhaps, standard set of issue for a none look after older cars... I'd say yes.

 

[KNiVES]

I will definitely be coming back here to ask for advice on what motor to get next, because I don't think this car will be lasting much longer past Christmas, and I badly need it for going to college with, and etc.