R4 TL restauration

[JdeW]

Excellent work Jurjen and now get Louise thru MOT and enjoy driving your Renault 4

 

[harbourseal]

The last bits.
Such a beautiful car.
Hope to see her life some day

 

[petak]

Sweets at the end...
Enjoy!

 

[laxeian]

Just read this from start to finish, what a wonderfull job you have done with your 4 even with vice diversions!
Top job, hope it gives you 1000s of kms of enjoyment!

 

[Jurjenz]

My thumbs hurt.. but I like the chrome strip!

 

[Jurjenz]

What a day.. I had an appointment for MOT at 11 am, when I wanted to start the engine I noticed that the battery was low. So I hooked up starting cables and due to my hurry, I connected the wrong terminals.. Long story short, I cooked the alternator regulator. Aargh! But fortunately I also noticed that the carbonstick was broken off, no clue how that could have happened..



I canceled the MOT and I went to the local parts supplier for a new regulator. Well, it fitted (fortunately) and I took Louise to the garage to ask if they had maybe some time for a MOT. They had.

Brakes, CO levels were oke. I stupidly forgot to bolt down the front seats (4 back bolts), a bolt on the upper wishbone arm and the headlights needed adjustment. Quick fixes fortunately.

She passed her MOT!

Right after that she's been road legal again since 2013. I picked up my girlfriend and we made a 'test ride' on the public road back to my workshop. I noticed a few things:

-Heater isn't very warm..
-Battery lamp while driving
-Warning light dashboard for lights on doesn't work anymore
-Need to make back interior covers
-Install electronic ignition
-Horn doesn't work? (it did on the MOT) Very weird!
-Need to get the wheel alignment right
-Put on chrome on front windshiledrubber
-Want to soundproof the car. What a noise!

Cheers everybody!! Beer on me!

 

[JdeW]

YYYYEEEESSSSS YYYYEEEEAAAAHHHHH and the scenery on the Dutch roads is richer and more beautifull, Louise is street legal
What an achivement Jurjen, after all that hard labour and all those years, very very very well done, I'll have a beer on you
And the things you noticed, yes that typical R4
Cheers, Joop

 

[harbourseal]

After this monster restoration you can be super proud.
The Netherlands have an other MOTed Renault 4 on the road.
May I be so bold to invite you to the Kent run next spring. So we can show our TL Renault 4s to the British crowd?

Cheers and have one one me,
Robert

 

[mojobaby]

Congrats Jurjenz, what a great feeling and yes I agree the chrome window strips look amazing!! The finishing touch......

 

[JonathanT]

Jurjenz - Hats off to you sir! Wonderful news and I love your excited exclamation on the video ‘we’re out on the road people’ I know the feeling - so very well done a beautiful and hard won restoration. Now you can enjoy putting right the little things left.
Happy Days - I hope your girlfriend shares your excitement

 

[Jurjenz]

Hi guys, thanks for your warm words!

I have no clue why the battery warning light was on.. . I probably tightend to belt too much?


Put on the chrome strip, not a 100% perfect fit though.. O well, nobody will notice.


New wheel hubs


Some basic sound proofing on the floor


Next? Put on a new v belt..

Cheers, jurjen

 

[petak]

-Heater isn't very warm..
-Battery lamp while driving probably belt, but i had problem also with connector on the alternator. Sometimes it get loosen from vibrations and my battery lamp start to smolder. I have bend pins inside connector and now it is peace,
-Warning light dashboard for lights on doesn't work anymore. You are talking about green light for low headlights. Mine either is not working. Looked at wiring diagram and it looks like it is not even connected to the wiring of the car
-Need to make back interior covers
-Install electronic ignition
-Horn doesn't work? (it did on the MOT) Very weird! Probably bad earth.
-Need to get the wheel alignment right
-Put on chrome on front windshiledrubber
-Want to soundproof the car. What a noise! YOu can check what i have done. https://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-i-done-r4-gtl.3996/page-8#post-42952

juuupppiiiiii.....it is there...on the road......finally........perfect job you have done.......and quite journey you traveled so far.

But keep in mind.....it is still old car that need love and care all the time. Small things will happened and you must fix it with smile. not be angry.

Congratulations once again!

 

[JdeW]

-Heater isn't very warm..

Hmmmm the best thing in every R4 is the interior heater... perhaps some "blocked" channels? Maybe still some trapped air.

-Warning light dashboard for lights on doesn't work anymore

Dashboard light holders lose their contacts with the flexible epoxy printed circuit board as well as the dashboard connectors. Clean every possible connection between circuit board, connectors and light holders, try slightly bending the contacts etc. But be carefull as age will have its toll on the dashboard flexible epoxy printed circuit board!!!

And Petak says it right, it's an old car, very well restored but still with old unrestored parts, and in time small things will happen as Murphy's law says

Cheers, Joop

 

[Jurjenz]

That was a lovely 30km roadtrip but than disaster struck. Suddenly the engine stopped working. Stranded in the Middle of nowhere, getting dark and in the rain. Fortunately the Dutch ANWB was very helpfull to transport Louise back to my mother-in-law.

Whatever happened? No ignition, but the most worse problem you can have. The rotor is not turning when engine is in gear. That means:
1: broken shaft distribution
2: broken distributionchain
3: broken camshaft gear

But first I need to transport Louise back to my workshop for a diagnose. Fortunately a friend of mine has a transportertruck.. In the worst case scenario I need to completely overhaul the engine again.

I was so happy that the project was almost done, having more spare time and just to enjoy the car. A real setback if you ask me

I will keep you updated..

 

[Marco93]

Sorry to read this bad news. I hope you can solve your problem and put back on the road the 4L!!

 

[harbourseal]

What a bummer. I do hope its just the shaft inside the distributer that is faulty.
Keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[mojobaby]

You'll notice that these things never happen on your driveway when the sun is shining
Hope you get it sorted soon!!

 

[Jurjenz]

Well, Louise returned home. A quick diagnose shows no moving valves while moving car in gear. That means a faulty distribution. Van the pistons & valves hit eachother in a 845cc engine? If so, I'm probably screwed..





I will get myself a beer. Tomorrow, removal day

 

[Cornish4]

Hi Jurjenz, I'm fairly sure that unlike many modern engines, there is no clashing of valves and pistons if the timing chain breaks, so you should be ok. Just a pain for you to have to take the engine out after all that excellent work of yours.

Regards Brian.

 

[JdeW]

Yes it surely is a drama, and as I wrote to you on Whatsapp Jurjen, I agree with Cornish, pistons and valves should be okay.
And please keep the members here updated as they also will be surprised with the latest pictures....