172 rally engine

[TPM Motorsports]

Hi guys,
I'm looking to build a reliable rally lump for a Clio 172 tarmac car I'm going to build. I've a few questions......
Are standard con rods ok to use or do I go down the steel rod route?
For now I want to keep the engine fairly standard (building on a budget till my Scooby rally car sells) but may stretch to its's or bike carbs. I know I need a stand alone Ecu for that route so what are people using?
I've built rally engines in the past for my sunbeam, then vw and a bmw compact I had but not had much to do with the F4r engines.....Any pointers??
Thanks in advance, I will post a build thread when I make a start on it in the new year :up:

 

[BIGASH]

Cheapest and most reliable option is go to Renault and buy a brand new standard engine! It will probably last you a couple of years. Prolonged high rpm use you want steel rods but dont go for cheap Chinese ones as they are much heavier and not great quality. I use the Specialist components Typhoon ECU’s and they are really good for an N/A Clio on ITB’s

 

[bloke]

bike carbs is a bit of a backwards step to say the least.

 

[Gus]

Cheapest and most reliable option is go to Renault and buy a brand new standard engine! It will probably last you a couple of years. Prolonged high rpm use you want steel rods but dont go for cheap Chinese ones as they are much heavier and not great quality. I use the Specialist components Typhoon ECU’s and they are really good for an N/A Clio on ITB’s

Whats the retail on a new engine? @BIGASH

 

[MarcB]

A 172 Cup none exchange is -

A 172 Cup Exchange Unit is -

A 182 Non-Exchange Unit Is -

A 182 Exchange Unit Is -

 

[TPM Motorsports]

I'm hoping to get the car stage ready for that kind of moneyersevere:😊

 

[R14LYX]

Just keep a standard engine then it will be reliable power!

 

[TPM Motorsports]

I think I will, maybe just put steel rods in to be safe with the revs used in a rally car. Didn't have this problem with my Kr engined vw, steel rods and crank as standard!!

 

[warwickstingray]

Leave the rev limiter where it is and you'll be fine. A standard F4R doesn't carry on making power past 7K anyway. It's a long stroke design and is biased towards grunt as standard. I was always amazed at the pace of the standard lump in a stripped out Clio at sprints.

Rev limit on my Cup is 7,250 in 1st and 2nd and then 7K for the rest. Early to mid 110's depending on tyre size in 4th at 7K.
If you want power past the standard rev limit then the standard setup will need a few changes.

 

[TPM Motorsports]

The engines done 70k so I think a strip/check/rebuild should do for now then. Handling is worth more than an extra 30bhp, I've raced against some expensive car/engines in my £3500 golf rally car and was still 3rd in class on the Jim Clark Reivers rally before a fence ended our day!!

 

[R14LYX]

Wouldn't hurt a strip and rebuild but if it's not broke why fix it just new belts, dephaser plugs a oil and filter and your be away!

 

[TPM Motorsports]

Wouldn't hurt a strip and rebuild but if it's not broke why fix it just new belts, dephaser plugs a oil and filter and your be away!

^^^ Thats a good point!!