1987 Renault GTA :: Gone to a new home

[DeeJay]

I must have read those posts (if you did post about it) when I was a bit worse for wear. 

[PhilA]

The rain has highlighted that my light clusters leak.

 

That's why it smells damp in the back.

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

 

We had a bit of a cold snap here (including OMGSNOKAOS!) which was interesting. Took the car to work which wasn't bad, but it takes a little while to warm up in -2 weather.

 

 

It was a bit lumpy so I filled it up and went for a drive in the much more pleasant weather (following day). Typical Renault.. fuel overflowed out of the filler neck when I filled it up yet that's the maximum the gauge goes to...

 

 

Fresh fuel, new sensors.. running nicely. Now all I have to do is fix the damp (because the inside smells vile). I bought some polyurethane foam the other day at the craft store, hopefully it's big enough. Otherwise next time we go to the city I'll buy a camping mat at the outdoor pursuits place.

 

Phil

[vulgalour]

Tray of cat litter - granular type - can help absorb moisture in the cabin surprisingly well for cheap.  If you let the cat litter dry out in the garage afterwards it can still be used for absorbing inevitable oil spills too.  Of course, a dehumidifier in the car is even better at getting it dried out.

[alrg500]

Tray of cat litter - granular type - can help absorb moisture in the cabin surprisingly well for cheap.  If you let the cat litter dry out in the garage afterwards it can still be used for absorbing inevitable oil spills too.  Of course, a dehumidifier in the car is even better at getting it dried out.

I like that idea, going to try that.

[PhilA]

I've been running the car with the aircon on, that is definitely helping.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Strange things are occurring. I parked the car up last night on a clean piece of driveway, on a slight incline because it was raining and that was done in hope that the boot wouldn't leak.

 

 

Not sure about the boot but since it was parked up for a week the power steering has stopped leaking (it's full of fluid in the reservoir and still works properly), which is surprising. The two damp looking spots are where the wheels were overnight. There's a single drip from the back right of the engine (oil pump), another one from the front (oil filter), a couple little drips (reversing light switch, fifth gear switch) and a big blob of gearbox oil (unknown, requires investigation).

 

Why has it suddenly stopped leaking like a sieve? Still need to sort the drips from the gearbox though and check the level.

 

Phil

[DeeJay]

Witchcraft.

[PhilA]

To redress the balance I've got a coolant leak onto the exhaust manifold. Stinks for the first couple minutes after start up.

 

Need a bigger mirror on a stick.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

To counteract the good feeling of getting it running again, the passenger side tripod decided to start howling today. Bloody thing has split the new gaiter open and thrown all the grease out. A bit of slow speed full lock for the remaining grease spread around enough to get me home.

 

Bah

 

Phil

[SiC]

Witchcraft. French.

FTFY.

[stuboy]

good to see not been laid up and left

[DeeJay]

Sorcellerie.

[vulgalour]

That's weird, normally things only stop leaking when all the fluid has leaked out.

[PhilA]

I know, it's bizarre. I haven't checked recently, the car's been parked up in this cold weather. I'm not used to things self-healing in this car, it just doesn't do it.

 

Maybe it's reached the bottom of the curve and is actually on the way to being fixed?

 

 

Phil

[Pillock]

Everything has frozen? Including the oil which is a feat.

[PhilA]

Well, I say "cold", but in reality it didn't get below about -4C here. Cold enough to park the car up and have to put covers over the fruit trees in the yard.

 

That and the outer CV tripods need attention (again). Once the holidays are securely behind us, I'm going to look for better CV boots because the new old stock ones I have like to split rather than flex.

 

Phil

[vulgalour]

This just popped up on my Youtube list.

 

[Felly Magic]

I saw that too in my feed

[PhilA]

Amusing, for such a forgotten car, how many turn up in random places like that.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

I really should pull my finger out and do something with the car but it's getting to that worrying stage where it's on permanent life support (battery charger), hood open in the garage and now I've started putting things in front of it .

 

However, CV boots annoyed me and sticky front brakes also. Should it GTF? I kinda have had my eye on the Frogeye Sprite rusting away across the street on a neighbor's driveway under a catpiss tarp.

 

Phil

[vulgalour]

Only you know the answer to that.  If you've fallen out of love with it and are tired of the endless battle against decay then it could well be time to call it quits.  Alternatively, it could be time to regroup, spend time collecting bits it needs, and then really push on with making it right again in a few months/years.

 

It's a decision the heart has to make.  I can't imagine it's worth a great deal of money so financially I doubt it makes any sense to continue with it.  You've persisted because it's yours and you clearly have a sentimental attachment to it, not for any rational reason, and I can empathise with that.  You'll only know if you regret your decision once you make it.

[PhilA]

Yeah, you're right. I do enjoy driving it. Just the last few times I drove it, something I fixed recently broke.

 

Not due to my methods but due to faulty parts, mainly crappy rubber.

 

It's not worth much and the wife dislikes it. I think perhaps laying some paint down on it will help though.

 

Phil

[Snipes]

What?! The ultimate story of keeping a reluctant motor going with sheer bloody mindedness should be scuppered due to moody Chinese cv boots?!

[PhilA]

And the steering rack and the water pump and the front right strut and the dash and the window regulator and the windscreen

 

 

Phil

[DeeJay]

The Frogeye would be a doddle to fix and keep running compared this moody bugger.

So run the Frogeye while fixing the Froggie.

[Squire_Dawson]

If you can't get genuine Regie cv boots can you obtain 'universal' boots of a good brand? I quite like these cars, it would be a shame to see it go, especially as you have put so much into it already. Oil leaks are naturally undesirable but if you don't often have to top up then don't bother about it. Keep at it!

[PhilA]

Just a bit of a mood low with the car really.

 

I think I'll go curse at it in French a bit and see how I feel after.

 

The rubber was "new" but I think it has a sell-by date of about 1993. I have a spare that's never been fitted so I'll bring that to Napa or Auto Zone and see if there's something modern, particularly in nice stretchy silicone rubber that fits.

 

Gearbox needs to be drained again to do the driver's side boot (ffs) so I may fix the leaky switches at that time.

 

Steering can leak for now

 

 

It just needs to be driven. It really really dislikes being sat up.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

This morning was overcast and threatening to rain so I went to the garage.

 

 

Haven't started that since November. Gotta say fuel injection has some merits.

 

Found the source of the steam. The pipe that blew out today one year ago was weeping on the manifold.

 

 

Tightened up the jubilee clips. Hopefully that resolves the leak.

Looking at those stretchy universal CV boots so I don't have to pull the shafts. They any good, the ones that take the big plastic cone to put on?

 

Phil

[vulgalour]

That's a proper fancy house for it to live in.