What have I done! (R4 GTL)

[petak]

Innnnnntttttreeeesting JohnatanT!

Hvar is little bit far for me (there is ferry involved) but if we could "bump at each other" somewhere around Trogir (after or before airplane landing/taking off - i believe you are coming by air) that could be doable.

We must arrange details.

It would be fun to meet you.

 

[petak]

This summer was really busy
On 20.08 my dial turned again nice interesting figure


7000km in little bit more than 3 months.

All thank full to my job. As i use R4 as daily driver.

Also had some pleasure trip with it.

As main road to Dubrovnik (except highway) is really crowded during summer I have chose to take some old (almost forgotten) road to Peljesac peninsula

Here is map of that road.


Start in front of my house


First town Drnis and scenery


At the entrance to the town Sinj with famous knight game "sinjska alka"
More about that game, if you are interested, you can find here https://www.alka.hr/en




Some other interest natur view on the road. Mountain Biokovo


Town Vrgorac


Fertille valley after Vrgorac full of vegetables and fruits



Finish of my journey. Town Ston and Mali Ston that once was border of Dubrovnik republic towards Venetians on one side and Turkish empire on the other side. Lines that you can see on that hill are actually stone walls. There was (and still is) saltern which is making solt form the sea.

 

[petak]

Closer view of that same stone walls in Ston



At the and few interesting pictures from the road.

Roads that was built some 50 years ago (while Yugosavia was alive) and forgotten




Entrance to the town Zagvozd


Detail - stone road shoulder from long time ago.


Abandoned village in the middle of nowhere


Straight flat road but impossible to drive more than 60km/h because of poor state of it

Sunset (and little bit better road)



Remains of the last war from 90's This one was left deliberately

 

[petak]

All those kms have leave trace on ma car

Had to change bouts handbrake cables
Bought some Adria auto cables according to recommendations to my mechanics who putt many of same kind to other cars and had good experience with them. Time will tell how good they are



Problem why i had to change cables. Rust blocked cable inside his housing and housing broke thru bracket at the lever end.


Removed cables from handbrake side. Lift arm




Removed drum. Other parts of the brakes are looking good and no need to bother with them

 

[petak]

Also front right side had some wobbling. Spent some days to figure it out where problem is.

It was two silent blocks on upper right wishbone.

Liftted car




New silent blocks inserted


Also noticed that rubber on ball joint was broken so changed ball joint ass well


All back in place




And wheel alignment after all this job



That is it....Summer is almost finished and i need to find time for some cosmetics and checking on bodywork.

EDIT:
I must say that all this time i had no problem with car, some small details but nothing major that would put me aside of the road.

ACCUSPARK is working fine all this time since last year 09/17 and 190400tkm

 

[JonathanT]

Great Petak your car has served you well so you live in Vodice?
I can see that’s an hour between Vodice and Trogir

 

[petak]

That time of the year! Again!

 

[petak]

Changed ISKRA alternator with VALEO as i heard some new noise under the bonnet and thought it is bearing inside alternator.



But it looks like it is not that.
Turned old alternator with hand and it is spinning easily and without any noise.

Also this morning i heard same noise again.

But then again there are some more worrying noises coming from engine.

On idle when morning are fresh i hear rattling inside engine. It looks like it is coming from chain chamber.
When i drive slowly thru town there is no noise. On open road if i press gas pedal harder or i have to drive uphill i hear strong "bumping" from engine.
Similar to pinking whet timing is not correct but much harder. It is not timing as i have played with it and no changes to sounds from engine.

Also my spark plugs are greasy. And engine is drinking oil. cca 7-8 dcl in 1000km.

It looks like i need new engine.

Luckily i have two engine+gearbox sets from my donor cars.

Hope to finish renewing donor engine and gearbox while old engine is still usable on the road.

I do not know what i would do without my little helper.








And good friend who jump when you need it. TX BorgeB



I have already started to strip gearbox.


Sneek peek... what will i found inside!


some toots and levers..... god knows if i will manage to put them back in place.

 

[JdeW]

Nice to see an open HA0 gearbox again. You could follow my restoration topic as I allready did a dismantling, cleaning and rebuild on my HA0 gearbox starting from here https://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/threads/r4-gtl-1985-restoration.8252/post-55548

 

[petak]

Yes Jdew! I have already saved in favotites part of your topic whete you are shoving gearbox renovation.
It was my starting point before i opened it.
Others are haynes manual and book same as haynes but it was printed many years ago in Yugoslavia and it is in Croat-Serbian language that i can undersand.

I am just affraid will i recognised if my sinhrons, gears and levers in good shape or i need to change them.
Will bother you all here to help me recognise good parts that canebe reused.

Did you change bearing inside gearbox?
How can i tell if they are good or bad?

 

[JdeW]

I am just affraid will i recognised if my sinhrons, gears and levers in good shape or i need to change them.
Did you change bearing inside gearbox?
How can i tell if they are good or bad?

Well Hrvoje, here some answers to your first questions.

The Haynes manual is not sufficient for gearbox renovation or rebuild. I do have some French (Renault) MR's, Revue Techniques and other manuals for the engines, gearboxes, differentials etcetera, but unfortunately I can't reach my laptop or PC as I'm in the middle of my house renovation.

All the gears, synchro's and levers are inspected by the eye and touch, they all have to feel and look sharp on the edges. The only parts that can wear out are allmost only the brass synchro-rings and they are still available.
But then the R4 gearboxes (and engines) are so well and sturdy build they will live a million kilometers more then the R4 body and chassis

I did not change any bearing inside the gearbox or differential. As long as they sound and look good after cleaning then for me it is allright.
After removing all parts you will notice that the bearings have a lot of play so it is easily the see and hear for any wear or damage. The play on the bearings wil disappear on reassembling the gearbox.

Good luck and regards, Joop

 

[petak]

TX Jdew!

I am sure iwill manage somehow.

Will post pictures how things are happening. So your (and others) comments will be appreciated

 

[petak]

Loaded my mule this morning and went for bike ride with 113other bikers on 6th round of Dalmatia XC winter leage 2018/2019 in Šibenik.

 

[petak]

Had to change battery.

Did not start car for 10 days, and battery has gone.

No charging for 10 days and cold weather (nights around zero) have done job.

On Saturday tried to star car but no luck. Instrument told me that battery is at 9,5V.
Put it on home charger and managed to relive to 12,7V.
Back in to car and start it easily.....alternator was charging with steady 14,5-14,7V .
Gone for drive and everything looked good

Monday morning same thing....could not start the car. Battery was back at 9,5V
New batter must be bought.

Done that and now we are back on the road.

 

[Scoobyznack]

Hi Petak,
Yep it seems to happen quickly - mine went on my other car just before Christmas. Neighbour got me going with a jump start,
but didn’t want to test her patience a second time so went straight to the motor factor...
Best wishes, Simon.

 

[petak]

HI again!

If you remember few pages back i have changed ISKRA alternator with VALEO one as Iskra was producing som strange noise aldo was charging alright.

Today i have put "patient"on desk to change bearings.

Before dimsantling i have bought two bearings for it



Take of pulley and ventilator


Put alternator into clamp for easier dismantling


Metal parts have put in ultrasonic bath....



While they were cooking i was inspecting stator and rotor for any damages i can see

contacts on rotor are worn but no need for intervention (latte machine or change)


Find out that insulation on one pin wire is cracked and in bad shape.



Decided to dismantle further to see what will do with it.
Take of pin from stator

 

[petak]

And solder off other side of wire


Removed insulation


Wire was alright so i decided to put new heatshrink insulation on that same wire


And put it back in place


BIg bearing in place


covered with plate


Put thru rotor with new small bearing on top



Mounted stator back in place

 

[petak]

Left to put ventilator, pulley and all brackets on it so it can be mounted on car






There is plastic plate that covers pin side of the alternator but i can not find it. I have put it in safe place where i can findit easily

That is it for now.

Stay tuned!

 

[jjad]

Great work! It's the same alternator as in our Slovenian GTL

 

[mojobaby]

As usual, lots of photos with great detail and explanation, thanks Petak