Clementine's Garage
Clementine the Cat
 
Image of flower
Yellow R4
 
Réparateur d'automobiles

1975 Renault 6TL - the fine line between brave and stupid

2cv sender similar design but not suitable for renaults
Some one bodged one into a 12 gordini I worked on recently
Your fuel tank is likely to be badly gunge up and or rusty and need cleaning properly if your sender has ended up in that state
As soon as car gets used the modern fuel wiil soften all the gunge and block filter again anyway
 
I ordered the 2CV version on their site, which is slightly cheaper and identical looking, just 5 euro cheaper (I hadn't found the Renault item at the time). Have sent them a message to hopefully be able to change the order to a R4 sender.

Tank will be getting dropped and cleaned out before use.
 
That' really useful info on the tank cleaning. I'm hopeful the tank is okay for the most part but shan't be using it until I've cleaned it all out. There' going to be all sorts of sludge lurking in there.

Bit wet out today so the exhaust is going to have to wait, I'm not rolling around on the floor in this weather. I found the left-over trim clips from putting the sill trims on and found that they're the right size for the side trims which means I could've put those back on ages ago. I had exactly the right amount to refit the lower grille trim too, whose trim clips had rotted away.

20161208-01.jpg


20161208-02.jpg


20161208-03.jpg


It's not a big update but it is nice to see all the trim back on. Just the exhaust and mudflaps (which need the fixings freeing off or replacing) to sort and then the only things to go back on are the parts I'm waiting for. Der Franzose got back about the fuel sender I ordered incorrectly and the correct one has now been ordered.
 
I'm putting the MoT off until January. Reason being, I simply haven't the time between now and Christmas to get the car sorted, mainly because I shall be going away for a couple of weeks over the festive period, leaving Mike to hold the fort in my absence. Not to worry. Let's have a mini update anyway.

Citromatics, the garage around the corner from Mike's garage, can fit and balance the Renault's tyres and wheels because they have the proper dooberry for their machine. I thought I'd get this checked first as I've read quite a few people having problems finding a garage that can deal with solid-centre wheels. My missing dashboard switch arrived from Spain and accounts for all the loose wires (I hope, not tested it yet) that have been flopping around under the dash. It's much shinier than my existing switches so it's probably not from a 6, more likely a higher spec 4 I suppose. Importantly it fits the hole and even if it doesn't work, it's nicer than seeing wires poking out.
20161214-01.jpg


The universal guttering I ordered arrived and today is the first dry day we've had so that I can fit it. This is not a pretty job (what is on this car?) but it's very much a case of function over form right now. They have the stickiest sticky stuff ever on them, I just hope it helps redirect the rainwater away from the door seals so the cabin stays that bit drier. Getting this car watertight is going to be an ongoing battle I think. Whether or not I replace them with more proper metal gutters remains to be seen.
20161214-02.jpg


20161214-03.jpg


What else? Oh yes, Mike offered to clean and rebuild the carb for me so I don't have to. I'm capable of doing it myself but I'd far rather someone that actually wants to do the job does it than someone who doesn't, the end result will be better. We got two pairs of CV boots to replace the ones on the car which, while repairable with a bit of superglue, are so cheap to replace it'd be daft not to. Still waiting on the new radiator arriving, though it has left Germany as far as I'm aware so might be here this week.

After that there's not really anything in the way of spending apart from the tyre fitting and legal requirements and very little by way of things to do. I don't particularly want to drive it while the weather is grim and the roads are salty so there's no rush for these last few jobs.
 
What a nice (long) tale of mechanical woes and fortunes :) It has kept me entertained for the last two days while I have collected parts and replaced broken stuff on my own car (R4). It's nice to see that your voyage is nearly at an end though! Travel stories are also nice to read, especially when knowing what has gone before it.
I really want to get those door and boot rubber liners myself now, as mine is disintegrating (I noticed it while washing algae and grime off the car today).

A nice parts dealer here in Denmark has nearly everything you can imagine for the old renaults - also the more strange parts. And he is not expensive :)
renaultdele.dk (+45 74560662) ...and if you ever point that R6 towards my little country be sure to visit him. His morgan 8 le mans special, 1928 singer, transit 70s firetruck and lots more begs to be talked about and looked at. I would be happy to show you some backroads too.

Kind regards from Denmark
 
Vulgalour - great to catch up with your goings on. Your 6 is really coming on now. It's been snowing here so no tinkering this evening that's definite.

Looking forward to your next instalment
 
The next instalment is here! I'll have to get myself a passport before I head to Denmark, though I'd very much like to visit that part of the world some day.

Radiator is still proving a problem. After returning the incorrect one to Autodoc and finding they had the correct one listed, I attempted to buy it. Unfortunately, just like when I first placed the order that led to the incorrect replacement, I was told they had no stock. A refund was eventually got and I've been checking numerous online sites. Real world suppliers are unable to provide the radiator required, often they're unable to even find the car on the system. I have found one new (to me) supplier that list what appears to be the correct radiator for £93 +postage so I'll be calling them tomorrow to likely be told that they have no stock. If that happens then I'm going to bite the bullet and get mine repaired as it'll be a comparable cost to trying to bodge a radiator in from a different car and at least I'll know it's sorted. Cheers Renault.

The other problem is the carburetor, a Solex EISA-32. It has the screw-in rather than push-fit emulsion tube which Mike removed when he dismantled and cleaned the carburettor. It had been broken previously and the screw thread in the carburetor body as damaged and needs re-tapping (that bit isn't a problem). However, I cannot find any emulsion tube that matches this one, Solex or otherwise, and neither can Mike. Without it, I expect the carburetor will not work. It looks like this:

20170115-01.jpg


Can anyone help? Perhaps Niels' contact has the bits I need!

Oh but it's so frustrating to be at this point now! I'm being held up by these two components, everything else is sorted enough for MoT.
 
I think that, if you can't sort it out, any solex or zenith 32 carb listed for r4 or r5 will be ok for your car... there's plenty on ebay (even a eisa or seia, didn't remember whch one, I noticed it because my r4 uses that carb too).
 
Vulgalour

I bought a new radiator for my R4 a few months ago and it cost me about £38 and it's on the car now and perfect. I can't recall where I bought it from but it may have been through Mr Auto. I'm sure to have saved the receipt and if so, it's in the workshop and will dig it out if you're interested. I'll get back to you.

(Later) Yes, I'm pretty sure I did buy the radiator from Mister Auto, as they sell British-made NRF rads. Although one for a Renault 6 is not listed on their website, give them a ring on 0843-508-3729.

(Even later still) I've just been looking for prices for Renault 6 rads and am astonished as the prices. £300 or £400 for a radiator? The NRF serial number BTW is 509726.
 
Last edited:
You begin to see my trouble with the radiator now. It's surprisingly specific and different to all the ones for the R4 and the ones for the R5. Nissens, Autodoc, Eurocarparts, GSF, local motorfactor, Mister Auto, Der Franzose and a number of generic suppliers online and on eBay have all been unable to assist with their listings always being out of stock when I've inquired or for entirely different radiators to the one I require. Leboncoin has also proved fruitless. I've even tried Amazon to try and get useful links to pop up to other sites to no avail.

Another little update on the emulsion tube. Having seen the cleaned carb in person today it's clear that the thread for the tube hasn't stripped, it just wasn't ever there. That means this is the earlier type with a push fit emulsion tube that shouldn't be removed, but has before I got the car. It looks like the old air jet has been removed previously - the head of it is quite mangled - and a newer, potentially incorrect one fitted.

The bit I need is the air jet, a size 170 apparently, and that is supposedly a generic component shared with Weber and Solex so it should be easier to resolve now. It should be, as far as I can tell, a push-fit type rather than a screw fit type and I have been able to find both of these components in various locations. Should be okay.

Oh, and a Renault Clio radiator *might* be a close enough size and shape to fit, which makes sense since it's the natural successor of the 6 et al. A brand new carb may not be required since it looks like I only need the air jet, so fingers crossed on that one. Prices do seem to range from £150-500 for a new complete unit so I'm hoping a £10 or so air jet will do the trick instead.

Now, I'm just waiting on some invoices being paid and I can think about the next stage of spending.
 
So have you contacted NRF directly yet? They will surely either sell you one from stock or put you in touch with whom they last supplied some R6 rads to, wouldn't they?
 
Or try stony renault directly: stony3@mail.dk
You could both ask for the radiator, thingy for the carb (or replacement carb), and other stuff you need.
I dont know how much R6 specific stuff he's got, but I've seen a lot of boxes on the shelves with R6 written on them :)
 
Managed to get a correct replacement air corrector jet to replace the damaged one. With regard to radiators, every supplier I've contacted, including NRF and proxy, have returned a "not in stock". 65mustang (from RetroRides) found a correct radiator over in the Netherlands who do have it in stock, we're just waiting on that arriving. While that was being done, another supplier I'd previously contacted returned a 'not in stock' so at present the radiator 65mustang found is my last great hope for a stock item, if it doesn't pan out then we're looking at fitting an alternative rad I think. I've contacted at least a dozen suppliers all across the UK and mainland Europe with the same result. I'm in the realm of non-English websites now for suppliers and that is seriously hard work even with Google Translate to help me out. I appear to have exhausted French online suppliers, have found nothing of use in Spain or Germany and am now heading into the Netherlands for assistance. Here's hoping the latest find and order actually works out, if not I'll be looking at putting something of the correct dimension in from another car or a generic aftermarket item, purely out of necessity.

In the meantime, the emulsion tube/air corrector jet (found the correct one for just £4) is away being repaired and the wheels came off so I can get the new tyres fitted. That made sorting out the front joint on the exhaust a quick and easy job today, just got the backbox to do now.
20170125-01.jpg


Until the wheels come back the car is on stands as I haven't a spare set of wheels I can bolt on in the meantime. The Renault has got gradually more difficult to push and with the wheels off I've found out why; front brakes are now stuck almost completely on. Going to have to get the calipers off and find out what's going on there, I suspect the pistons have just got stuck and need working a bit to free them off.
20170125-02.jpg


So just a case of waiting for things to come back now. Radiator will happen when it happens and the tyres should be fitted Thursday/Friday, won't do the car any harm being on stands for a couple of days in the meantime.

Niels: I'll send him an e-mail if this one that 65mustang found doesn't actually turn up. I'll consider that my back-up plan ;)

My thanks to everyone for trying to help with this radiator issue.
 
Looks remarkably like a Star Wars levitation car!

I'd love to see your car in reality - hoping to do the Kent meeting when that happens
 
Not been on here for a while
See you are still having fun radiator is unique to R6 1100
They have been trying to give you 845cc version much smaller and same as R4 845cc
Got some donor carbs here if nothing matches up Screenshot_2017-01-26-22-44-33-1.png
Oh snd this is for sale in West country 1200 all working and mot
 
Back
Top