Ratdat Posted June 25, 2014 Posted June 25, 2014 C'est formidable!. Those plates rule. I shall be getting some of those for my 510 when it gets registered. Balls to black and silver pressed ones. mouseflakes 1
Parky Posted June 26, 2014 Posted June 26, 2014 Just in love with your little Renault. Those plates do look awesome, I had no idea that style and type was still available!
Mr Lobster Posted June 26, 2014 Posted June 26, 2014 That looks ace. I do need another one in my life.
Conair Posted June 26, 2014 Posted June 26, 2014 Looks the buisness dude, and a great little road trip story collection, plates look wicked too.
Alexg Posted July 5, 2014 Author Posted July 5, 2014 So if you missed the story earlier in the thread, it's all depicted here on this Birthday cake.... Think my local Indian must wonder what the flippin hell is wrong with me when they wheeled this out, especially after last years effort... ...yep, that's my Allegro estate! Anyway, up early tomorrow to the Darling Buds show. First event attended in the R5 so looking forward to it. Mr Lobster, trigger, wuvvum and 5 others 8
Alexg Posted September 17, 2015 Author Posted September 17, 2015 Blimey, it's been a year since I updated this. Well that's because it's frigged. Well not really, but it's not well. So it was a fun little thing.... ..until one night we popped around Mrs AlexG's folks for a bit of Sunday tea and the frigging thing boiled over at the lights whilst heading home. Slightly odd as we only live about 5 minute drive away and the car had been sat for 3 hours. There's no temperature gauge annoyingly, just a warning light that aluminates when it all gets a bit searing. After letting it cool down I returned continued and parked up for a couple of days. After another test run the temp warning light came on within just a few minutes. I flushed the system and for good measure stuck on a new waterpump but the thing started bubbling over again quickly and a whiff of the expansion tank suggested exhaust fumes... Goody gumdrops I'm not much of a mechanic (as you've no doubt spotted earlier in the thread) and I've never actually whipped a head off before, but BOSH.... The gasket looked fine (the previous owner mentioned it had been replaced the year before) and I took the head into a local specialist who also gave it the all clear.... odd. Apparently it could be damaged wet liners? Frig knows, it's a bit beyond me now.... opinions on this expert shitters? Junkman, SOUL, Banger Kenny and 1 other 4
Bear Posted September 17, 2015 Posted September 17, 2015 You didn't do a compression test before taking the head off? Either way it's a little beauty and a simple engine. Stick with it, worst case, you give it a proper rebuild and it lasts another 40 years. Love the colour.
Junkman Posted September 17, 2015 Posted September 17, 2015 Well, these actually have a sealed coolant system, filled with a special liquid made from Absinth, Pernod, Calvados, frogs, snails, whales, and baby seals.If filled with anything else, or the wrong quantity of it, they inevitably grenade. So my guess is that they did just that when they replaced the head gasket last time. skattrd 1
vulgalour Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 It's a similar engine to that in my 6 so from what I've learned of that there's a few things that could be causing the issue. Liner height is vital, get it wrong at the head won't seal properly and woe will befall you.Coolant pockets around the liners and the radiator have a habit of silting up, this reduces the coolant capacity and efficacy, leading to overheating.There's more than one kind of gasket set for this type of engine, it's easy to buy the wrong one if you just click the 'I've got a R5' button instead of checking engine code. Heads and blocks are apparently quite tough, not prone to warping or going porous, which is a good thing. This website is jolly useful: www.franzose.de Alexg, Honey Badger, Bear and 2 others 5
panhard65 Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 It is unlikely to be liner seals as they will usually allow water into the sump. Check the head hasn't warped as that is very common with these, usually when the coolant warning light comes on it is at the point of blowing the gasket. If it was me I would have the head skimmed and bolt it all back up with a new gasket. Make sure you blow out the stud holes in the block before re-fitting as they get water and oil in them when you take the head off. If you don't then the bolts won't tighten the head down as they compress the liquid and will go down to the correct torque but not actually hold the head down. Also fill it correctly and bleed it through which takes some time. They are great little cars but the cooling system is the weakest point Dick Cheeseburger, Junkman, CGSB and 1 other 4
Dick Cheeseburger Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 I'd not spotted this thread before - gorgeous mk1 5. Plates look bob on as well. The photos of the dashboard take me back to the mid 1980's, being sat in the back of my Aunties R12 outside of primary school. I remember then that the dash looked a bit space age. As for the engine woes, I was about to add about getting the head skimmed (which I did on my '81, years back). I noticed that you mentioned that this was done earlier in the thread as well; I'd assume it's not been done right for now. R.e the headlamps - any idea which R5's had the recessed headlamps? I'm trying to remember if it was only the pre-production models...
Alexg Posted September 18, 2015 Author Posted September 18, 2015 Think the Yank 'le-Car' had recessed lamps. Yeah the heads been skimmed "to the limit" according to the dude in France I bagged it from. The head is currently sat in the workshop of a local specialist who say it's fine, not warped etc. I did do a compression test, all be it when it was cold as the distributor started playing up. Obviously it was low, but reasonably equal across all 4 cylinders. However, as it was bubbling over with what my expert* nose deduced as exhaust fumes I figured a head-off job was inevitable.
panhard65 Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 Have they pressure tested the head for cracks as well ? Not very common but possible. If it has been skimmed to the limit it might be worth checking the bolt lengths just in case they are bottoming out even if the holes are clear. Screw them in all the way down and measure from the block face to just under the washer. Another mistake could of been they didn't re-fit the washers. Some French DIY work is pretty crap. tooSavvy, Bear and Alexg 3
Alexg Posted September 18, 2015 Author Posted September 18, 2015 The blokes who have the head are a small specialist kitcar builder a few units down from my work. I frankly don't have the time to deal with this now and leaving it dormant isn't really an option so will probably throw the rest of the engine at them and ask if they'll rebuild it for me. I'll furnish them with the helpful suggestions here. Cheers chaps Bear 1
Eddie Honda Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 Save your money and order them from these guys, I used them for the Civics plate and they were spot on, I think I paid £51 delivered for the pair compared to the £60-70 Framptons wanted.Try this one: http://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/(I've not used them, just trying to fix the link - I want some proper plates for the SD1.)That's the placeGot these lovely plates today and boshed them straight on.... Love 'em, although if I was being really picky I think the Framptons plates are harder wearing... Where were they obtained from? Tippers or Tippers? By that I mean where they from the current Tippers (down in Cornwall) or the original Tippers (of Essex). I've used the old Tippers in the past for a rather complex job and it came out very well. Cracking R5 by the way!
trigger Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 They were in Cornwall when I used them, I can't rare them enough. Eddie Honda 1
Parky Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 As has been mentioned previously, these are tough engines so unlikely to be anything major. Even if it is replacements are pretty easy to find. Might even be able to find a 1300 TS motor and 5 speed box off a French scrapper for POWAH! I'll wager this will be a simple and conventional repair
Eddie Honda Posted September 19, 2015 Posted September 19, 2015 They were in Cornwall when I used them, I can't rare them enough. I think I got mine just before Gilbert Tipper retired and sold up. Top notch (and heavy), but dear as they were cast Gothic digits. I seem to remember on the order form that it said something along the lines of - these are for fitting to vehicles, not works of art - e.g. don't come moaning if they aren't 100% perfect.
Mr Lobster Posted September 19, 2015 Posted September 19, 2015 They are fairly tough engines these and pretty much go on forever. If you are struggling with it, might be worth having a word with Derek at RenoSpeed - he's not that far from you and knows them inside out. He's also a top chap. Theres also a chap down near Dover with a load of Mk1 bits who might be helpful if you need anything - PM / FB me for contact details if you need? Alexg 1
strangeangel Posted September 19, 2015 Posted September 19, 2015 My first car was a 1974 R5, and yours looks much nicer than mine was at 11 years old! Still love them, hope you get yours fixed soon & without much grief.
Alexg Posted May 26, 2016 Author Posted May 26, 2016 Boom, yes there is! Used the money I'd saved up to get the Allegro resprayed (as that wasn't happening anytime soon) and had Derek at Renospeed build and fit a new 1.1 engine. It returned today with a fresh MOT running sweet as you like. It's now my daily until it's run in. Met my mate at the pub and got a photo op' with a 205 before heading home and enjoying amber goodness... Car park spottage photo op... Booked it into the Bromey Pageant beginning of June too. First time in 5 years the Allegro's not gone. barrett, Asimo, Dick Cheeseburger and 23 others 26
bramz7 Posted May 26, 2016 Posted May 26, 2016 That looks absolutely amazing. Great to hear it will be at Bromley too, as I will be too.
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