What have I done! (R4 GTL)

[angel]

The only way to ensure all rust and sludge goes off is to remove the liners and wire brush them as well as the rest of the block . At least it is possible with our engines!

 

[Domsky]

The only way to ensure all rust and sludge goes off is to remove the liners and wire brush them as well as the rest of the block . At least it is possible with our engines!

I agree what I found in my engine was shocking, i will also get new radiator.
In my case im buying aluminium radiator with electric fans , but I'm planning to take it to Africa at some stage .

 

[Eccles60]

You can read more about filling up coolinf fluid in this same topic some pages back.
Here is link to that post.
https://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/threads/what-have-i-done-r4-gtl.3996/page-12#post-46692

To empty cooling sistem you can take lover radiator hose off and open bleeding valve

Thanks, very useful.

 

[Eccles60]

If you are going to replace your top and bottom radiator hoses Eccles60, please be aware that the bottom hose on a RHD car, which I believe yours is, has a couple of extra bends in it to clear the steering column, not a problem on LHD cars. These RHD hoses are harder to find I think, and won't be available from the usual suppliers, so probably NOS is your best bet, or there maybe a kind soul on here selling one.
Regards Brian.

Thanks for the warning. I bought a couple of hoses last year from the big Renault spares place in Germany (forgotten the name just now) but don't recall having to point out the car was RHD - I'll dig them out and check... I want to change the expansion bottle pipe, I gather it's a metre long piece of 7x11 hose - where can one get that from? Although I assume it's only the inside 7mm measurement which is crucial.

 

[petak]

Hello to all!

Surprised about respond to my sludge and rust problem in cooling system.

Thank you all for commenting.


All that sludge and rust is there probably because engine was never opened fully since 1992. Liners did not come out, and i do not know what kind of coolant was used before i got the car. And radiator is pritty old.


Must say that i am little bit guilty about this situation, as i left coolant inside to long after i noticed that it has changed color from red to brown.

Most of the rust and sludge was inside radiator. Maybe it is time to get new one and change it. But for now this one will have to do the job.

I am afraid to do any more (or stronger) flushing of the system as i do not want to flush something that is not supposed to flush.
Before all this flushing, car did not have problem with overheating.

I will put new coolant and change it more regularly.

Hope all this won't ruin my engine, as i am not ready (physically and financially) to open engine. Aldo i have one engine ready to be opened.




As everything was out i wanted to see if something can be done with squeaking sound of my heater ventilator.

It turned out there were two problems.

First, plastic ventilator body was slipping at vent engine shaft. Security washer did not hold body on shaft.



So i drilled small hole and made M3 thread on vent engine shaft


And put M3 screw to secure ventilator on the shaft


Now when sqeaking was shut up i noticed rattling sound, which was coming from vent body hitting wires



After that it was silence.

Also take of rest of the gasket on waterpump body.


And that is it for now.

Today i hope to put back together waterpump and on the car. Also put heater/vent box into the car.

 

[angel]

Radiator will not rust, but will catch loose rust particles from the block because it has very narrow water passages. So no matter how many times you remove and flush it, or worse change it, you will always see rust inside, if your block is full of debris. The same goes for the heater matrix, of course.

 

[JonathanT]

Ha well done Petak
I ought to change my cooling fluid too it’s all brown now having been lovely blue . I used distilled water and no problems so far it’s stayed topped up since first being back in the road

 

[mojobaby]

Petak, when I opened the drainage plug on the side of my engine, it was also blocked. I poked around a little with a piece of wire and it suddenly opened and all the dirt suddenly came pouring out.

 

[Cornish4]

Thanks for the warning. I bought a couple of hoses last year from the big Renault spares place in Germany (forgotten the name just now) but don't recall having to point out the car was RHD - I'll dig them out and check... I want to change the expansion bottle pipe, I gather it's a metre long piece of 7x11 hose - where can one get that from? Although I assume it's only the inside 7mm measurement which is crucial.

Hmm Eccles60, you will probably find it's for a LHD car. As for the expansion tank hose, you should be able to get that from a motor factors, but take a sample with you, so you get the right size.

 

[petak]

Angel...You are right, radiator is made out of aluminum ( i think ). Radiator is at lowest point so it is logical that most particles is in radiator.


Mojobaby...thank you for that information. I was afraid to do same. Will try it.

I am aware that flushing won’t help much as biggest rust issue is inside engine block that cannot be cleaned without opening engine.
But, would like to do as much as possible in these circumstances.

 

[petak]

Mojobaby...... you were right.
I poked with nail and lot of water came out. Brounish. But were quickly water become white.
So that it is what i can do for it.

 

[Grenuj]

Find myself silly jobs to do.

trunk light.. above the back left wheel.
tomorrow cabling..

 

[petak]

When you find out that your brake master cilinder leaking brake oil inside the cabine.
It is question for how long this is going on.
What can you do?
Well, take it all down.


Get rid of that surface rust.


Do the same on steering column and pedal assembly.
Getting rid of rust, clean, repaint, and put back in to the car.

Luckily i have brand new ATE brake master cilinder in my stock. Bought two or three years ago for cheep money. Car parts shop getting rid off all parts that was standing for years on shelf.

 

[petak]

HI folks!

Some question mark around my head so thinking this is the best place to try to sort them out.

Took down brake master cylinder and compared to one i have bought (ATE) and find out they are not all the same.

Here are pictures of one that was on my car. probably same one that was installed in factory.
There are some letters and numbers cast in it. DBA and 311571









And here are pictures of one i have bought. It came in ATE box as ATE part (part number 24.2119-0915.3) but on it are casted letters and numbers FAG and S5480.
According to ATE catalog it should fit my car ( that is why i bought it) but it is looking little bit bigger than original one. Cast is little bit bigger. Brake line and fluid reservoir connections are the same and mounting points in pedal assembly are the same. They are same in length also.
Different is top side where pedal rod is pressed to.







My question is

Will my brakes work normal if i put ATE brake master cylinder instead of my old one?
Are they actually the same with small manufacturing differences?

Thank you!

 

[JdeW]

I think our GTL's have a 19,05 mm inside diameter master brake cylinder with 3 lines.
So as long the old and new master brake cylinder inside diameters are the same then the brakes will work normal.

 

[petak]

TX Jdew.....

According to ATE online catalogue this master cylinder is 19,03 in diameter and 3 lines M10x1

 

[angel]

Obviously outside dimension differences are not critical and can well be due to different manufacturers - DBA (Bendix) and FAG. What matters is inner diameter so you will not tell any difference in braking. In fact this 3-outlet master cylinder was only available in 3/4" diameter, so impossible to fit an incorrect one.

 

[petak]

TX Angel!
I believe everything will be alright.


Today will see how brakes work on the rad.

Mean while i have painted pedal/master cylinder bracket and left it to dry/harden for two days. Same is done with firewall.




Mounted steering column in place



Struggled to fit brake master cylinder as it is long way around to hold bolt with one hand while placing master in places and putting nut on bolt with other hand. Eventually it is in place


From inside


Poor a lot of water over this parts to test water-tightness. Changed some rubber grommets as one on choke cable was not watertight.

Bled brakes by myself ( you can see my foot in front of wheel )


Youngest son helped me at the end by pressing and holding brake pedal pressed. To him it was fun and to me it was crucial.

Then returned dash board, instrument cluster and shelf under steering wheel. Sort out some wiring little bit to keep them in order ( I hate when wires are in bunch and when you see them)

Repaired instrument cluster cover as it was broken for long time but did not know how to fix it.

On one facebook DIY channels saw that it can be repaired with epoxy resin. So decided to try it and see if will work.

It worked better than i tough. After mold is taken off tidy it up with small dremel electric tool





Painted in black with sonax renewal for black plastic


Left to put seats back in car and test run today.
As for now brake pedal feels more softer than it was before. Can not tell is it because of position i was in (on the flor of the car without seat) or new brake cylinder or new brake fluid or just in my head.

 

[petak]

Everything is back in place.

Test run show that brake pedal is to soft.
Braks start to work immediately but to make it stop full must press pedal real strong.
Need to bleed system once more.
Hope it will be better after that

 

[petak]

Bleed brake again and now it is as it should be.
Feeling on pedal is great.
Adjusted handbrake little bit.

I can go for proper ride now!