1987 Renault GTA :: Gone to a new home

[Parky]

Oh, and a question for the Renault-botherers that read this- do the the front lower wishbones have the same bushes at the fwd R5? The mechanical bits and general structure seems to be shared between the SuperCinq and the R9/11. I was looking at Superflex bushes and they list the 5 but not the 9.

Thanks

Phil

Simple answer - I don't know for sure. But there was so much part sharing/cost cutting between the models I would be surprised if Renault had slightly different bushes for the 5/9/11 models.

 

EDIT - just had a look at Eurocarparts who have different part numbers for the wishbones on the 5 and the 11. That probably confirms the wishbones are a different shape but the bushes might be the same. Euro list bushes for the 5 but not the 9/11. Let me keep trawling and I will see if I can come up with a definitive answer

[Parky]

Aha!

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/FSK6049-FIRST-LINE-WISHBONE-BUSH-KIT-RENAULT-SUPER-5-9-11-21/1220844248

 

Seems to suggest the bushes ARE compatible between models. Be careful the Superflex ones aren't specific for the GT Turbo as having different parts specific to that would be tres Renault

 

This is helpful too for part numbers

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suspension-Arm-Bush-5-Super-5-9-11-21-Extra-7704000681-Front-Lower-09146-/371709405994?fits=Car+Make%3ARenault%7CModel%3A11&hash=item568b9b6b2a:g:ooMAAOSwMtxXrwfL

[PhilA]

Thank you! I'll have to check. It seems most of the suspension is turbo- the trailing arms are stamped turbo (but have drums fitted). The fronts have no real immediate identifiers like that.

 

 

Also, radio trim piece came in, can't see the cage around the edges of the radio now.

 

Work has a stethoscope that they said I can borrow to play "hunt the bearing noise" with.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Well, so far this month I've managed to buy a float charger (mostly for the lawnmower) and charged the Renault with it.

 

 

Vacuum cleaned the garage also, now the oil that it drips doesn't get absorbed by the sawdust and other muck that was on the floor.

 

Work might recommence at some point. Still haven't 100% isolated the source of the noise but I had to drive it to work a little while back and whatever it was began to seize up properly, causing the car to lurch and thump in an unpleasant way.

 

Phil

[beko1987]

Nice Hoover Legacy/Dimension! We got that in the uk ish as a maytag windtunnel

[PhilA]

It's most noisy, likes to flick the dirt across the floor rather than drawing it into the machine, it blocks up at the drop of a hat and it smells funny.

 

Hence why it's in the garage

[conkerman]

Sounds like my kids

 

Sent from my Vodafone Smart ultra 6 using Tapatalk

[PhilA]

 

Remembered today that I had bought a length of dowel to repair the window blinds in one room of the house, so sanded one end smooth and used it as a sounding rod.

 

Aircon compressor? Quiet.

Idler bearing? Quiet.

Power steering pump? A bit noisy but it's got no oil in.

Water pump? WAARAARRAARRAARRAARRGH

 

@#$+&

 

Going to put a new one on order and get it back on the road again.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

That's reminded me, I need to correctly re-torque the camshaft bearings.

 

Phil

[tooSavvy]

I love that photo... Good poise/pose?

 

Keep it Up

 

 

TS

[The Moog]

The engine whisperer

[PhilA]

Had a little bit of free time tonight after work so decided to crack on with the Renault. (Read: SWMBO bitching about insurance and stuff on the car being spent for no return).

 

 

Managed to get all the appropriate pieces out of the way.

 

 

Bench is useful. I like having a bench.

 

 

Checked the pump for play. Clunk clunk clunk. Yep, that'll be the noise then.

 

 

Drained out the coolant and left it there because I don't have an 11mm wrench so I can't get the old water pump off (I put it on with the engine out last time, with the pulley off).

 

Tomorrow, I have to go to town to bring the dog to the vet so I shall stop and pick up an 11mm wrench so I can complete this damn job.

 

I didn't have my Mole grips with me so that at least was negated this time round.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

 

$9.93 (was $15.24) more po', but I now have a real 11mm wrench.

 

Phil

[tooSavvy]

20170926_144746.jpg

$9.93 (was $15.24) more po', but I now have a real 11mm wrench.

Phil

Ha.. "Fool, he brought a knife to a gunfight!" .. You have to match the weapon to the fight*

 

*Renault=fight

 

 

TS

[PhilA]

 

This occurred. More later.

 

 

There was also a sunset

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

 

Figured that there would make a good start. Random old Renault with clean coolant shocker!

 

 

Water pump off. Completely shot. Another class of Renault design, took a wallop with a hammer to get it to clear the frame rail.

 

 

Not looking too bad inside, tbh. Definitely seen worse. This coolant appears to be slowly dissolving the rust.

 

 

Spent an hour fighting with the old gasket. Probably could have just used some more sealant and left the bloody thing on.

 

 

All cleaned up nice.

 

 

Tube of genuine Renault mastic. French water pump and the supplied gasket made in England (?) which, typically didn't fit properly.

 

 

Lightly coated and all ready to go.

 

 

This stage took a while to get to. You have to place the pulley onto the shaft but not do it up, have all the bolts through their holes before you can wiggle it up into place from under the car. Stupid. Either way it all did up nicely and as evenly as possible- torque wrench wouldn't fit under there (reason for the 11mm spanner)...

 

 

That meant pieces could actually start going back on.

 

 

Bish

 

 

Bash

 

 

Bosh

 

 

Oh yeah! Filled up with coolant, burped the radiator and it started on the first twist. Nice bonus that I disturbed the alternator is the battery warning light works again now.

 

Took it for a brief drive, was running like a sack of potatoes. Found one of the vacuum ports on the brake booster had fallen off, so major vacuum leak. Cut a short length of pipe and wedged a small wire nut in the end. Permanent fix as far as I'm concerned. Runs very well now.

 

Only downside is it's been sat up for ages, smells damp and the brakes are sticking on badly. Shall pull the wheels and exercise the caliper pistons this weekend, likely. Nice to drive it again.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

 

Moderately cool evening tonight so the garage was pressed into action. Front left brake was sticky after having new pads fitted then sat up for ages.

 

 

Wheel off, disc looks better. Caliper rather stuck.

 

 

Screwdriver in, worked everything loose, then exercised it a few times. Wheel back on and job jobbed.

 

 

Woo. Missed driving it. Got a bad misfire above 3500 RPM and the tacho freaks out so the computers having trouble. Most likely bad ground or bad connection to the crank position sensor or the sensor has gone rusty.

 

Should be able to sort that out so it next really needs a wash. I can hardly see out of the back window #omgbarnfind

 

--Phil

[Asimo]

Back-on-the-road celebration video (contains 1980s cheeseyness)

 

[PhilA]

Is capable of being driven around the same corner many times! Roof falls off! Roof reattaches! Corners!

[PhilA]

Went out tonight and poked at things. Pulled the CPS off and cleaned it, pulled the distributor cap off, cleaned that, checked the rotor, looks good. Put the diagnostic computer on it, didn't show much. Pulled the pipe off the MAP sensor and made it run in limp, same deal. Got too late to be revving the engine up, swore at it a bit, locked up and came back inside the house.

 

Because French.

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Minor epiphany. I decided to annoy the neighbors one more time and put my neon spark plug thing on the king lead and start the engine.

 

Nice even flicker at idle. Rev it up and bright flashes and blips of no light randomly.

 

Either the crank position sensor is bad or the ignition amplifier is dying.

 

That's my guesses right now.

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Ok, it's not the ignition amp.

 

 

Loosened and shuffled the crank position sensor and lo! Runs like a complete bag of crap. Move it closer, picks up properly.

 

Well, if nothing else I now have a collection of spares that are renowned for leaving the car stranded places.

 

I'll order a replacement CPS next paycheck (this paycheck went to Christmas stuff, which was kinda worth it to decorate the house up real nice).

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Surprise early morning delivery today, usefully just after I had arrived at work.

 

 

Liberated the old one, which looked perfectly fine.

 

 

Put the new one in. Started engine.

 

 

Something began to smoke around the exhaust manifold.

 

 

Ignored that, went pumped up the tires and gave it a wash because it was filthy.

 

Better now it runs. Still leaking like a sieve but.. it drives again

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Just took it out for a run. Front left brake decided to stick on. Managed to free it off in a carpark. Got stuck at the drawbridge on the way home, as a test it sat and idled for 45 minutes at the bridge. On the go again it wasn't even smoky. Quite impressed.

[vulgalour]

Are.... are you winning?  It sounds like you might be winning.  I had a lot to catch up on in here, I've missed loads of updates.

[PhilA]

Are.... are you winning?  It sounds like you might be winning.  I had a lot to catch up on in here, I've missed loads of updates.

I think so. Maybe? I'm not sure. It's hard to tell.

[PhilA]

It made it to work, in the cold!

 

 

It's making pretty rainbows in the water on the concrete.

 

 

Winning?

 

 

Phil

[Felly Magic]

The paint job makes it look like a cut n shut. You must be a rare form of unhinged (in a good way) to persevere with this Yank/Frog bastard creation. There can't be many left now. 

[DeeJay]

What happened to the paint work?

[PhilA]

Original paint was bright metallic silver. Years of southern sunshine turned it to dust so one of the previous owners had it painted in something resembling silver, with no clear coat. That all turned to powder and washed off.

 

Somebody had put what looked like a shopping cart into the side behind the right door, so I used my expert* panel skills and beat it to something resembling the correct shape and then painted it white.

 

That's as far as I got with it

 

 

Phil