Mk3 Megane a few general questions

Bpmull

I said Id set up one thread and keep all the questions in it rather than filling up other threads with them. So just a few things Im unsure of with the car.

1. The car has alloys and the is a normal size steel spare wheel there are 5 spare bolts in with the wheel would I be right in thinking if you need to change the tyre to the spare you need to use the different bolts.

2. Does the car have a dip stick as I can't find one for the life of me its 1.5 dci 90bhp engine. If it doesn't how do I tell if the oil level is correct.

3. I noticed if you remove the keycard when the car is running the engine stays going but you get a warning etc. So whats the story with them is it best just to leave them in the slot. I only noticed as I forgot to lock the house door and the engine stayed going when I removed them.

4. As for number plate lights they are festoon afaik. What would people think of replacing them with led would they look well or stupid although the newer focus has them from the factory and it suits them. If I do get them do I need canbus ones and if anyone has any recommendations of ones to get that would be great.

5. Now the big one which oil do I need to use. 5w30 or 5w40. It says cars with dpf use 5w30 oil the thing is I'm not sure whether or not it has one although I do know it is the newer euro5 90bhp engine that came out in 2011 rather than the 85bhp that was in the 2009/2010 version. Is there anyway of telling whether it has a dpf. Also does the oil need to meet specific renaults specs rather than just being 5w30 or 5w40 grade.

Thanks in advance for the help.

colm_mcm

1. Yea the alloy bolts have a different shaped bolt.

2. No dipstick, except you for buying it

3. Once the car starts you don't really need it, but it'd be good practice to keep it there as it'd be easy to forget the key, people manage to do this despite the warning message the car gives

4. Go for it, it wouldn't look out of place as it's a current model.

5. I'd be shocked if you didn't have a dPf.

On a sidenote. Nissan doctor (late of this parish) always maintained that the fuel filter from Renault is the only way to go as it filters way more stuff out than spurious

Interslice

I put 5w30 rn0720 in my dads even though it has no dpf. Its the renault equivilant of vw507. Its trickier to find so main dealer is your best bet for the oil. Get all mann filters from micks garage then. OE for them. Some filters are mahle too.

they gave me the wrong 5w30 before... so make sure its the one in the pics.

If you want to get 5w40 make sure it has rn 0710 spec.

Checked the oil other day. Its due its second sevice by us now and the oil is manky, almost sludgy when cold. Too me a good sign its gone in and cleaned up what other oils didnt.

Interslice

colm_mcm wrote: »

On a sidenote. Nissan doctor (late of this parish) always maintained that the fuel filter from Renault is the only way to go as it filters way more stuff out than spurious

Afaik that has been addressed by the oem companies since. I did get one from renault to be sure though. Not much difference in price although some are more expensive than others.

Bpmull

@interslice thanks for that I think the 5w30 is the better option. When you the oil was manly on your dads how long has it been in it km wise. The reminder on mine is set to 30k km which is way too long in my opinion I was thinking 20k kk or even 15k km. as far as I know the early mk3 had 20k km intervals and then from my one 2011 onwards they have 30k km intervals.

Interslice

Bpmull wrote: »

@interslice thanks for that I think the 5w30 is the better option. When you the oil was manly on your dads how long has it been in it km wise. The reminder on mine is set to 30k km which is way too long in my opinion I was thinking 20k kk or even 15k km. as far as I know the early mk3 had 20k km intervals and then from my one 2011 onwards they have 30k km intervals.

10k km! Thats the interval on his. Hopefully the engine will start to clean up. Id do a 10k for a start anyway.

Bpmull

Interslice wrote: »

10k km! Thats the interval on his. Hopefully the engine will start to clean up. Id do a 10k for a start anyway.

Is he doing all short trips or what ?

Interslice

Bpmull wrote: »

Is he doing all short trips or what ?

Ye 5 or 6 1km trips and 2 or 3 30 km trips in a week. A big trip down the country once a month or so. Think 10 or 12k km to next service came up when I reset it last time. Wasnt more than 12k anyway.

Bpmull

Interslice wrote: »

Ye 5 or 6 1km trips and 2 or 3 30 km trips in a week. A big trip down the country once a month or so. Think 10 or 12k km to next service came up when I reset it last time. Wasnt more than 12k anyway.

Yep I have 250 km on mine since yesterday but I generally do a lot of longer 2 hour journey so that seems to help the oil as its getting up to temp for a sustained period of time. anyway I'll definitely keep an eye on it thanks.

Interslice

Bpmull wrote: »

Yep I have 250 km on mine since yesterday but I generally do a lot of longer 2 hour journey so that seems to help the oil as its getting up to temp for a sustained period of time. anyway I'll definitely keep an eye on it thanks.

The first time I put 5w30 vw507 in my van it went black straight away and came out like tar. After 2 or 3 10k km services it would stay golden brown for about 2-3k miles. Hoping the same will happen with the laguna. Maybe it's just a dirty engine. Find out soon enough.

Bpmull

Interslice wrote: »

The first time I put 5w30 vw507 in my van it went black straight away and came out like tar. After 2 or 3 10k km services it would stay golden brown for about 2-3k ûmiles. Hoping the same will happen with the laguna. Maybe it's just a dirty engine. Find out soon enough.

Diesel generally have black oil I can't say I've ever seen one with golden colour oil even new engines with a few 100km on them. But I'll be keeping it well serviced. I seen the oil filter is down at the front of the engine canister type which I found surprising a few pipes in the way way but they look if they will unclip. Is it a handy enough car to service in general the golf was piss easy to service focus was a bit trickier.

Interslice

Bpmull wrote: »

Diesel generally have black oil I can't say I've ever seen one with golden colour oil even new engines with a few 100km on them. But I'll be keeping it well serviced. I seen the oil filter is down at the front of the engine canister type which I found surprising a few pipes in the way way but they look if they will unclip. Is it a handy enough car to service in general the golf was piss easy to service focus was a bit trickier.

Probably right about the oil going black. The one in the transporter was a rare case I reckon. I did drop the sump and stuff on it though.
The megane engine seems fairly different to the laguna one. I presume the core of its the same though. Filters, fuel lines all seem to be different. Laguna has 110hp and a dipstick too .

BrianD3

Re: the dipstick, is the yellow cap in the right foreground of this pic is the dipstick in my one (1.5 DCI 86, no FAP) I'd be very surprised if the DCi 90 is different but it may be.


You can check the level using the fuel computer display in any case. Insert keycard and quickly go through the screens using the buttons on the end of the wiper stalk. The oil screen should show "oooooo" if the oil is at the max. You only get a couple seconds to check this after you insert the card before the oil screen stops displaying.

5 litres of 5w30 Halfords RN0720 on special offer for 20 quid! This is usually over twice the price.
http://www.halfords.ie/motoring-travel/engine-oils-fluids/engine-oil/halfords-5w30-fully-synthetic-renault-motor-oil-5-litres

I use the Halfords 5w40 RN0710 in mine, this is an areas where the 86 and 90 may have different requirements.

Here's a thread on changing the fuel filter. Again this relates to the 86 bhp version but i'd be surprised if there is much/any difference
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=93975697

Interslice

Could be worth your while stocking up on that halfords oil bp with the mileage you do.

Bpmull

@BrianD3 thanks for all the info. I managed to check the oil level on the computer (handy feature) showing as full it was just serviced before I bought it by the Renault main dealer. Ill check for that oil dip stick again I could have missed it as I didn't think a dipstick would have a big cap like that they normally don't.

As for the engines you have the 6 speed 106bhp. then you have two versions of the 5 speed mk3 2009 + 2010 82bhp euro 4 1.5 dci Renault called them an 85 1.5 dci and then 2011 onwards euro 5 88bhp which Renault call a 90bhp 1.5 dci. so if your one is 2011 or newer its the same engine as mine. So according to renault website euro 5 has dpf but for some reason I have a feeling none of the 5 speed have a dpf.

18MonthsaSlave

My 110bhp has a plastic dipstick attached to a big yellow cap.
My keycard never leaves my pocket so I can't forget it.

Bpmull

18MonthsaSlave wrote: »

My 110bhp has a plastic dipstick attached to a big yellow cap.
My keycard never leaves my pocket so I can't forget it.

Nice one thanks I just checked there is a dipstick attached to the cap alright. When I was checking yesterday I just assumed that was the oil filler pipe and wouldn't have a dipstick attached to it. As normally you just have a small loop at the top of a dipstick not a cap anyway all sorted now thanks.

Bpmull

Anyone any links or suggestions on where I could get some decent festoon canbus LED bulbs 37mm ones that will last more than a week that just give out a normal White LED look not blue. I never seem to be able to get LED bulbs that last.