Hello - this is my new 323 coupé, as far as I know, there are only a handful left in the UK. Any UK 323c owners on here? 1.5 GLX

I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions....! Thanks.

I've already had a fail with the pollen filter (which I'll explain in a bit )

welcome to the club! I nearly bought one of these about 5 years ago as a little run around and always regretted not buying it so its great to see one

Hi, & welcome!

Brilliant to see it, I didn't think there were any Cs left in UK! So few were sold here, and I've never actually seen one in the flesh, so to speak.

What are your plans for it?


Serena

Funny, Here in Portugal there are some 323C (not many, but a few) and almost none 323F v6

there in UK a lot of Lantis V6 and 323C almost nothing??? so a 323C 1.5 its more rare there than a 323F v6??


Anyway!!!! Welcome to the club! I don't see many of that here.... Tell more about it! wht plans do you have? It needs something?

You may find very usefull help in this forum

CSR

Well, it may end up as my wife's run around, as she wanted to try an automatic car.

It needs a whole new exhaust system really, cambelt history is unknown (but is non-interference right?)

The radiator is a bit bent (probably a tap at the front) and numerous other little jobs!

I've just checked online and apparently the C 1.5 has a Z5 series engine like the F 1.5 - in which case yes, it will be non-interference. But I feel obliged to say, do check the series/spec for yourself (there should be a vehicle specification plate inside the driver's door sill), and change the belt anyway!

I'm one to talk, mind: my 1.5's timing belt was changed at 60k miles and he's now done another 90k without a new one It WILL be done this summer. Honest.


Almost certainly. In the 19 years I've been driving an F around the UK, I've never seen a C (and I'd have remembered, as I'd have stopped to admire it!)

There are only 104 V6s taxed on the road in UK, and another 111 registered but off the road, probably in pieces

S

Changed the PCV valve today, so simple, it seems daft not to.

Going to try the fuel filter next. How do you folk depressurise the fuel system on these?

I just shove a rag underneath the end of the fuel rail, undo the hose clip, wriggle the hose a bit and pull it off - it shouldn't be under any pressure when the ignition is off anyway, so there should only be a bit of fuel in the rail that spills onto the rag

I'm lucky, I go past this one about once a fortnight! Here's the Google picture. Couldn't possible reveal where it is!!


.

All Z series engines are non interefierence.




Open the fuel tank cap first, to make sure there is no pressure inside.As HughieW said use a rag(s) to make sure you didn't spill petrol al over the car.The car should be cold.It should stay about 2 hours before you attempt anything, so the pressure is down.It's a nasty job as the fuel filter is at the firewall down behind the TB..Wish you luck!

It is a bit of a pig!

I've managed to remove the charcoal canister for access, and got as far as removing the top connector on the filter, and the filter bracket.

But reaching over the engine to move the bottom clip of the fuel pipe is frustrating. Can't do it for now, try again in the morning!

Those squeezy hose clips are themselves pigs, as you need to get a pair of pliers or grips in there to move them.

They also cut your arms to ribbons if you have to reach past them (it's even worse on a BA V6, where there's hardly any working space!)

When I overhaul my 1.5 I'll be replacing as many as possible with jubilee clips, or something similar that isn't a health hazard

S

Yeah, I'm used to this style of clip from working on Ford's. And I now they have some advantages, but sometimes they drive me mad!

Done it now, had to remove the battery in the end for access. Just praying no leaks appear, seems ok from a quick run round the block.

Did a partial flush of the PAS fluid today, swapped out about 600ml from just siphoning from the top. Anyone know the PAS fluid capacity?

Mine has got the standard problem of rusty PAS pipes - what's the accepted forum solution to that particular issue? Leak is fairly slow for now.

Those hose clips are annoying, but they're significantly less prone to leaking than Jubilee clips! Bigger jubilee clips are fine but smaller ones tend to leak - I had that exact problem with the fuel lines on my F! Bought a big-ass bag of OEM hose clips and used those, no more leaks!

For the rusty PAS pipes, the best/easiest thing to do is buy some copper pipe from B&Q or Homebase or something and bend up some new ones!

Those squeezy hose clips are real annoying.
- they require pliers to remove them
- form a cut/scratch/snag hazard
- damage the pipe over time due to their two thin cross-sections (as opposed to one wide one on 'Jubilee' clamps)
- bind to the pipe over time so they don't release from old pipes and the tabs bend instead.
- if you forget to put them on the pipe before fitting, you need to take the pipe off again (unlike the 'Jubilee' type where you can usually undo the whole clamp and redo it up again)

But at least they can be quick and do provide a fixed pressure and prevent over-tightening which is the temptation with 'Jubilee' clamps of course.

The 'Jubilee' ones can be problematic with small clamps, however I have found they are better if they are made of a solid stainless steel band with the worm drive on side rather than the standard ones with the worm drive/track down the middle- solid band ones are a bit more expensive though. Those dodgy ones with the track down the middle are the standard ones in Oz!

Patrick