1987 Renault GTA :: Gone to a new home

[3VOM]

Brake booster is in Winslow, Arizona.

 

I couldn't think of any lyrics to write.

 

 

Phil

Stand on a corner and have a look round for women driving flatbed Fords?

[PhilA]

This occurred today.

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Better update, because I couldn't be arsed to write much last night.

 

It was a nice day on Sunday so I started early-ish. Pulled the master cylinder off.

 

 

Some of the bolts were easy to get at.

 

 

I love this ratchet. It has about 300 ratcheting positions and feels sturdy. Great for tight places.

 

 

Servo out, it all looks pretty good back there.

 

 

Stuck the new one in its place.

 

 

Tidied up all the pipes and wires. Made sure the EGR pipes were free-flowing.

 

 

Put it all back together. Needs to be bled but the brakes do work quite well now.

 

 

Then the brake light switch decided to melt, stuck with the lights on. Gotta go find a new one now.

 

--Phil

[tooSavvy]

... I had a PROTON Savvy, for 9yr from Brand New. After the warranty ended I always sourced any 'bitz' from the local breakers... the Malaysians sourced from China... so 'OEM' was $hite out of the box  !

 

Old Skool bitz, from big names UK, were apropriated for whatever duties presented and - OTWhole - performed admirably

 

Perhaps you need some 'Old Skool' Buick [other US makers available!] bitz to see you through your Regie '$hiteware' traumas...???

 

 

Loving your sheer.... Doggedness! M8

 

 

TS

[PhilA]

I did suggest that to SWMBO. She said that the Renault would have to go if I did.

 

I just ordered a new switch for it.

 

I look at it this way, any part that is screwed in that can be undone is technically a part that's designed to be able to be replaced if it breaks.

 

The switch screws in, so therefore it's good. Plus, the thing has had a hard life by the looks of it.

 

 

--Phil

[PhilA]

Brake light switch has so far made it from one side of Houston to the other side of Houston.

 

 

 

Having driven in Houston traffic, I guess it's kinda making good time

 

Unfortunately because THANKSGIVING the thing might be here by Friday.

 

 

--Phil

[PhilA]

Huzzah.

 

 

Strange looking ignition parts, this brake switch. I guess it has been hanging around for a while, the box has rotor arm, points and condenser on it...

 

This one moves if I press it, which is a bonus. The old one I tried hitting with a hammer but it's completely u/s.

 

Phil

[andy18s]

What are these worth?

This works out at around £1k at the mo.

[Asimo]

Shame that (Euro) Renault GTA engine won't fit a (USA) Renault GTA.

Would be fun though.....

[PhilA]

The v6 fits in the Clio, just.. which has a fairly similar front end.

 

Main issue would be space to the rear and vertically, the R11 has quite a low hood.

 

It goes fairly well with the two litre lump in it though, with the ratios from a 1.4

 

Phil

[vulgalour]

nice shiny new things going in there, hopefully repairs continue to be so straightforward.

[PhilA]

Well, the brake light switch was a nice, straightforward, no-tool job.

 

3 switches between 2 pedals. Yay Renault.

 

 

New one screwed into the hole. Adjustment easy enough.

 

 

It was getting a bit dark by this point, but careful application of yard broom between pedal and seat left a nice bright set of red lights on. They're brighter than before, the switch must have been on its way out.

 

 

The pedal has improved also, I'm guessing a few bubbles made their way out. Full bleed soon, but the pedal is firm and application makes the car stop in a straight line. The front discs and pads are glazed so the braking effort should improve further.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

I pulled the dash apart yesterday and managed to liberate the clock, which had stopped working.

 

 

Popped the face off it after splitting the glue. Polished it because it was scratched.

 

 

Took a look at the circuit board, replaced a couple pieces but it's still not working. Went through the circuit on paper last night.

 

 

I'm going to continue to troubleshoot it, likely the chip has failed but it might be something like the oscillator isn't working any more.

 

Typically this clock was used in the Jeep Wagoneer and as such is subject to huge Jeep tax on eBay. $119 for a working example!

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Circuit diagram.

 

 

Started digging about. I have interference but no local oscillator.

 

 

Doesn't look good. Going to poke about a bit more after a while. Gotta cook Thanksgiving stuffs and put up the Christmas tree and find out why the lights outside don't work any more.

 

Phil

[Rocket88]

Fixerating Renault will be a cinch compared to fixerating the Xmas lights.......................

[PhilA]

Turns out the lights outside was just a few burned LEDs. Mostly the blue ones.

 

 

Despite being upside down, bypassing part of the circuitry liberates a few random digits, I've had 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 show up so part of the chip are alive but the rest is decidedly dead.

 

Priced up a little multifunction green LED clock that does volts, temperature and time for ten bucks. Think I'll be retrofitting that. Shame to lose the vfd but led's are still very 80's

 

Outside temperature will be a nice thing to have, got a voltmeter on the dash already though lol

 

Phil

[conkerman]

Is it a Renault voltmeter?

 

Sent from my Vodafone Smart ultra 6 using Tapatalk

[PhilA]

The one on the dash? No, Veglia

 

 

Started to amass a collection of pieces of the car on the ground. Battery, battery tray, alternator and brackets.

 

 

There's the power steering pump, under everything. Also rather grubby. Most of the oil surprisingly seemed to be by the inlet pipe. Cleaned it all down with degreaser.

 

 

That should dry in the sunshine tomorrow. I'll then refill the reservoir and try to see where it's leaking from.

 

 

I also degreased where the oil has been flicking everywhere off the belt. Solve leak, replace belt, enjoy.

 

Phil

[DeeJay]

This is fighting you all the way, the ungrateful sod.

[PhilA]

If nothing else, the clock module I ordered arrived. Powered off a bench supply and held in place, it looks OK.

 

 

I might see how it's multiplexed and it might be capable of driving the original display, though the LED's really don't look out of place.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Now, to be contrary, the power steering system is dry as a bone. Not a fraction of oil loss.

 

Argh. It can sit a few more days.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Ok. So it sat.

 

 

Normally by now it would be empty.

 

Bastard thing.

 

 

Phil

[Asimo]

Probably only leaking when under pressure and / or hot.

[Rocket88]

you've cured it by looking at it.............................

[PhilA]

No, I thought about the whole running/hot thing- to test, left it parked up for a few days then topped it up just as I have. It all leaked out.

 

The action of looking at it has indeed remedied the problem.

 

What I don't understand is it is leaking somewhere near to the belt because the belt is getting oily and flicking oil onto the underside of the bonnet. It's also not directly leaking onto the floor, but onto the subframe at the front and then dripping from that.

 

I'll probably have to put it all totally back together, degrease EVERYTHING around the system, rack and pipes, then try to locate the leak.

 

Phil

[tooSavvy]

.... just duck tape a cat under the hood... they H8 anything in their fur!

 

Run away down the freeway, get everything nice and hot.... when the cat yeowwls (oily event) STOP >> Leap OUT >> pop the hood and the cat will have poked its paw over the leak... [and really want to get out]

 

TS

[PhilA]

Checked the fluid again today. No change.

 

Ordered a boost converter off Amazon to turn 12 volts from the car into 50 volts for the vacuum display in the clock.

 

It's coming from China so I have no idea when it'll be here.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Removed the superfluous pieces from the circuit board (aka the bits that used to make it work, the chip did a lot of stuff like make 50 Volts for the screen etc. Ready for hacking to begin.

 

 

Also, the power steering is still good.

 

 

The level is pretty much where I left it.

 

 

The pump is dry.

 

 

The return pipe looks dry but the rail underneath the back is moist with oil. Might be the pipe has a crack or a pinhole but that's a low pressure return feed. It's really the only piece left of the puzzle. Access is limited, and much easier up on the ramps so I might pull my finger out and reassemble the car this weekend and go bring it to work and have a shufty up underneath again.

 

--Phil

[PhilA]

It's not coming from the pump and the pipework from the reservoir to the pump is dry.

 

 

That leaves the pressure line to the rack, the rack itself and the return line to the reservoir.

 

All of which are a pig to get at. I don't feel like putting it back together today. The ground is still a bit wet after the torrential rain we have had the past few days.

[DeeJay]

At least you've narrowed it down.