Reconditioned Renault Clio Engine

1.2, 1.3 or 1.5 dCi: which engine code actually matches your Clio?

A 1.5 dCi Clio from 2004 and a 1.5 dCi Clio from 2013 share the same engine capacity, but their blocks are different: the first may carry the code K9K 700 or K9K 702, the second a K9K 766 or K9K 772. This guide covers 16 distinct K9K variants between 2001 and 2019, making the 1.5 dCi the most segmented engine in the Clio range. Engine capacity and power output alone are not enough to identify the correct block: only the engine code stamped on the block itself, readable from the engine bay, allows you to order the exact part.

Petrol: two engine families from very different generations

On the petrol side, the range brings together two blocks with no mechanical connection between them. The 1.2 16V D4F 740 is fitted to the Clio II and III generations; it is a naturally aspirated block known for timing and oil consumption issues as it ages. The 1.3 TCe H5H 490 is an entirely different, turbocharged architecture, introduced on the facelifted Clio IV and the Clio V. These two engines share no internal components and can never be substituted for one another, even if the power outputs may appear similar across certain versions.

Symptoms and key warning signs by engine family

On K9K engines, the most common failures affect the crankshaft and bearings (a characteristic knocking when hot), as well as the cylinder head on versions subjected to heavy urban use. The D4F 740, for its part, suffers from premature wear of the valve guides and a tendency for the piston rings to coke up. The H5H 490, being more recent, is more prone to issues with turbo boost pressure and the cooling circuit; real-world feedback on this block remains less well documented than on the K9K, owing to its more recent introduction. In every case, each engine is sold as a bare engine: ancillaries (turbo, alternator, starter motor, fuel injection system) remain the responsibility of the repairer.