Indicator bulb removal and other service queries

[Webby the Bear]

Hi guys, hope you're well.

I'm currently studying car mechanics at college and my friend has recently purchased a 2003 Renault Megane 1.9DCi. Really nice car and runs well and he's getting good fuel economy so far.

However, in hindsight I wish I'd have looked at the servicing more carefully before he purchased it.

He came round yesterday as he wanted his drivers' side indicator bulb replacing and I have to say I've never seen anything so ridiculous lol. Had the wheel arch liner off and the wheel off and I still couldn't get a good enough grip on the plastic tab to unscrew it out of its bore. I tried to get some pliers on it but that also didn't work.

SO. I'm now left with the option of making a tool that will get a grip on it (was thinking about taking an old shallow socket and using a hacksaw to cut the grooves in so I can get a ratchet on it and hopefully spin it out). Unless anyone can advise otherwise....

Once it pops out where's the electrical connection? Confused.com lol

I'm doing a full service next weekend so I decided to do some more investigating on procedures in case anything else cropped up when I heard someone mention that the pedals have to come off to replace the pollen/cabin filter... please tell me this is a joke! lol

Finally, any idea what size the oil drain bolt is? I'm praying it's not one of those square drives that the Pugs use as I don't have them

Thanks for your time folks and look forward to your replies

Cheers.

The Bear.

[david.j]

i found it easier to take the inner wheel well liner out to get at bulbs and i didnt have to remove pedals to change cabin filter
also i may be wrong but the oil drain is an 8mm square drive

[Webby the Bear]

Thanks for the reply, David.

This car's very amusing to work on... it's as if everything was made awkward to service on purpose; it wouldn't surprise me if it needed the engine out to do the oil filter LMAO.

I shall get some square drives.

We took the bottom screw of the liner out but the one above just kept spinning... the bottom one I had to hold the white plastic behind the liner whilst turning the screw. Any suggestions how we get the upper one out as I'm fairly sure I can't get to the back of it to hold the little white plastic holder.... I'm thinking I may have to force it out, but obviously would prefer not to

[AlexB]

The major problem with this car is the mechanics and users not reading the manuals. You started from a wrong side. Just unclip the bumper, pull out BOTH headlights and replace ALL bulbs with QUALITY parts. If you do this in each service, then the bulbs will never fail on you. Yes, it takes half an hour and is marginally more expensive. However, this way of servicing makes the car much more reliable and safer.

The manuals are in the thread which has MANUALS in the subject line.

Hi guys, hope you're well.

I'm currently studying car mechanics at college and my friend has recently purchased a 2003 Renault Megane 1.9DCi. Really nice car and runs well and he's getting good fuel economy so far.

However, in hindsight I wish I'd have looked at the servicing more carefully before he purchased it.

He came round yesterday as he wanted his drivers' side indicator bulb replacing and I have to say I've never seen anything so ridiculous lol. Had the wheel arch liner off and the wheel off and I still couldn't get a good enough grip on the plastic tab to unscrew it out of its bore. I tried to get some pliers on it but that also didn't work.

SO. I'm now left with the option of making a tool that will get a grip on it (was thinking about taking an old shallow socket and using a hacksaw to cut the grooves in so I can get a ratchet on it and hopefully spin it out). Unless anyone can advise otherwise....

Once it pops out where's the electrical connection? Confused.com lol

I'm doing a full service next weekend so I decided to do some more investigating on procedures in case anything else cropped up when I heard someone mention that the pedals have to come off to replace the pollen/cabin filter... please tell me this is a joke! lol

Finally, any idea what size the oil drain bolt is? I'm praying it's not one of those square drives that the Pugs use as I don't have them

Thanks for your time folks and look forward to your replies

Cheers.

The Bear.

[Webby the Bear]

Apologies for the delay in replying and thanks very much for the info.

Just two more quick Q's if that's ok...

1.) is there a crankcase breather set up on the 1.9DCi? if so what pipes should I clean and will carb cleaner be ok for this?
2.) what's the bleeding sequence when replacing the brake fluid?

Cheers guys.

Bear

[AlexB]

Look for the thick rubber pipe crossing the top of the engine. It goes from the oil stick to the turbo and has a flat plastic thing in the middle, which is the positive pressure valve. This pipe and the oil separator (where it is coming from) become blocked if a non-synthetic oil is used. The deposits there can be pretty thick.