Renault 18 GTD

[Daniel R25]

Hi,

I ran that engine (the turbo version) on veg oil for about 50.000 miles. You can put in a Bosch Pump - it is a direct swap. But I'd get the injectors as well. I am sure the parts will be available for pennies at French Scrap Yards.

http://www.leboncoin.fr/equipement_auto/714313269.htm?ca=7_s

I like the car! Great that you keep it on the road.

Daniel

[derskine]

Hmm interesting! Only just seen this, I've considered it but thought it might be a hassle, doesn't sound it though.

[320touring]

Hmm interesting! Only just seen this, I've considered it but thought it might be a hassle, doesn't sound it though.

Do it!

 

the Polo is getting a tank of Derv then the experimenting begins:)

[derskine]

Might get round to it at some point.got much too much shite fixing to do first.

Just run it straight and take bets on how long it'll last.

[320touring]

Nah- I'm growing to like the 50ish mpg so will aim not to kill it by the mOT date

[derskine]

Yeah, I forgot how great it is to have a super efficient car.

Put in £18 on Saturday, and it lasted me till yesterday.

[Felly Magic]

All things considering, the price of motion lotion is rapidly falling. A litre of diesel is now cheaper than a litre of veg oil, and veg is more likely to gel up as the temps plumet

[Inspector Morose]

5 litres for £4 at Morrisons at the mo.

[Alan_Green]

Nah it was originally burgundy. One giffer owner from new until Aberdonian shite legend Kinkersaab flagged him down and bought it off him.

 

It was the Giffer's company car and he kept it once he retired.

 

I took this pic when me and my mate bought it off Kinkersaab in Nov. 2012 (thats my mate driving - not me!)

 

Its been a bit of an Autoshite bike since then

• Wow!  Flashback city.  Renault 18 diesel in Burgundy. That has got to have been a Scottish Brewers company car.  Prior to R18s they used Peugeot 305 diesel estates,  Always diesel cars (which was rare then) because they had diesel tanks in the yards for the draymans lorries,
• Amazing round of welding, Of all the cars you could have welded to that extent!
• Great to see one will survive, A R18 was my first car, ONS812V, Light green metallic, 1.4 petrol, Wasn't mine. Was lent to me while the owner was serving out a disqualification,
• Can I suggest driving with the headlights on at all times?  Otherwise a car of that colour (muddy green) is going to get whacked from someone not seeing it and pulling out of a side road before too long. Would be a shame for all that work to go to waste.  I like the look though. Kind of "murdered out" but green. Cheers

[derskine]

 

• Wow!  Flashback city.  Renault 18 diesel in Burgundy. That has got to have been a Scottish Brewers company car.  Prior to R18s they used Peugeot 305 diesel estates,  Always diesel cars (which was rare then) because they had diesel tanks in the yards for the draymans lorries,
• Amazing round of welding, Of all the cars you could have welded to that extent!
• Great to see one will survive, A R18 was my first car, ONS812V, Light green metallic, 1.4 petrol, Wasn't mine. Was lent to me while the owner was serving out a disqualification,
• Can I suggest driving with the headlights on at all times?  Otherwise a car of that colour (muddy green) is going to get whacked from someone not seeing it and pulling out of a side road before too long. Would be a shame for all that work to go to waste.  I like the look though. Kind of "murdered out" but green. Cheers

 

Yep believe it was a Brewer, someone commented on retrorides saying their dad owned A424 BSG Or something and it was a company car for some Brewer.

Interesting to know that's why it's a diesel, I couldn't think of any reason why in the 80s they would have issued a diesel company car.

Agree on driving with the lights on, well aware of that since a lorry tried to pull into the overtaking lane whilst I was in it.

[derskine]

Parked 18 up in the unit on Friday, the headlights stopped working for some reason too, I'll need to investigate that.

Wheel alignment needs set too as one of the tyres is balding severely on the outer side - the tape measure will need to come out but since the track rod ends are new it should be a piece of piss.

Changed the alternator today too, was worried I'd need to take the radiator out (and therefore need to buy more k seal when I refitted it), but I managed to lift the radiator up enough with the pipes still attached.

Time will tell to see how much of a difference the new alternator makes but I expect it will have cured my charging issues.

[320touring]

Parked 18 up in the unit on Friday, the headlights stopped working for some reason too, I'll need to investigate that.

Wheel alignment needs set too as one of the tyres is balding severely on the outer side - the tape measure will need to come out but since the track rod ends are new it should be a piece of piss.

Changed the alternator today too, was worried I'd need to take the radiator out (and therefore need to buy more k seal when I refitted it), but I managed to life the radiator up enough with the pipes still attached.

Time will tell to see how much of a difference the new alternator makes but I expect it will have cured my charging issues.

Nice work:)

[derskine]

churz m8

[320touring]

churz m8

This post needs more jagwar or veg!

[derskine]

vegetarian churz m8

[320touring]

vegetarian churz m8

*Flings chopped carrots and onions wif herb based shit sauce at derskine*

[derskine]

This car has been pissing me off on major levels lately.

 

Sometimes in the morning I turn the key, it cranks over slowly, gets progressively slower until the starter solenoid just clicks.

This means I've had to drive the Cortina, the only other car stored where I live, to work a couple of times.

 

Strangely, when I get home from work it starts no problem without any battery charging.

 

Back in December I bought a new Bolk alternator from mister auto, fitted it, switched car on, no battery light on etc, though decent it's fixed.

Next day I got in it, turned it on, battery light constantly on, refitted old alternator which switched battery light off, however the old one doesn't sound healthy and is definitely also shagged.

 

So today I found a genuine Renault alternator on ebay for £35, bought that, will fit and hopefully that's the problem. The battery is actually borrowed from Nisfan's E30 so I'll need to return that and buy my own big battery when I can afford it.

 

I've removed and refitted the alternator on this fucker so many times that I can do it in about 15 mins now.

[barrett]

Are you sure it's not one of those mysterious 'battery sucking' bits of French electrics, that just slowly saps the power away even with everything turned off? Granted, that doesn't explain why it's suddenly happy to fire up again later on, but it must be worth fitting a battery isolator thingy. They're only a couple of quid, just unscrew it when you leave the car and screw it back up when you want to start it. I reckon it's worth it for the minimal cost instead of pissing about with new alternators and whatnot. With the exception of the BX, all our French shit has a habit of sucking electricity out of the battery overnight, regardless of how long they've been left. Pretty sure it's just 'a thing' designed to annoy Rosbifs.

 

I don't understand how a diesel engine works on even the most basic level, but is there some crazy Dr Rudolph version of points getting damp somewhere? Hence why it will start in the afternoon after it's warmed up a bit (relatively, lol scotchland)?

 

Please note I have only skimmed this thread so you've probably discussed this in great detail before coming to the conclusion it's a duff alternator

[derskine]

The alternator definitely needs replaced as when removed and spun it makes a grinding noise, but the idea RE the battery isolation is a good one and something I'll do, as the symptoms of my problems don't scream alternator, but I do know that will need changed pretty soon.

 

I'll try fitting the new alternator and also disconnecting the battery every night and see if that helps, if not I'll need to dig deeper but there isn't much to this engine, glow plugs, diesel pump, alternator, starter.

[barrett]

This is the shiz I'm on about btw
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Battery-Isolator-Switch-Cut-Off-Disconnect-Terminal-Universal-Car-Van-Boat-01-/261818853135?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cf59ea70f

 

A++++ producxt, wud recomendd etc

[Lacquer Peel]

Is the battery up to the job? Old indirect diesel engines need a lot of electricity to start reliably.

One out of a petrol BMW probably isn't adequate.

[320touring]

Is the battery up to the job? Old indirect diesel engines need a lot of electricity to start reliably.

One out of a petrol BMW probably isn't adequate.

Polo has the 720a out the jag-first time, every time in frozen conditions with veg.

[Noel Tidybeard]

Polo has the 720a out the jag-first time, every time in frozen conditions with veg.

yes but post petrel cars dont have a 720a battery

[derskine]

Its a 690a battery so it should be up to the job - it's a 6 pot BMW.

I am going to buy the biggest battery I can find that will physically fit though.

[320touring]

yes but post petrel cars dont have a 720a battery

Very few bird cars do;)

 

Looks like he is only 30a short!

[Lacquer Peel]

Batteries for old diesels are very heavy duty, even a big battery off a petrol car might not be good enough.

[derskine]

Manual says 680 as I recall.

[Richard]

They definitely don't make batteries like they used to.

[derskine]

Well - jumped in it after being to hospital about metal in my eye (there was none) and it started immediately?

[Lacquer Peel]

Is the weather a bit milder? It was freezing here yesterday.

How's the eye?