Great forum

[DBB]

Thanks for this forum. Recently purchased a car a few on here have had or know about. Several little annoyences. Hunting. stalling. water leaking into cab area. Rear offside light dead.
Hoping to rectify these faults as soon as my manual arrives. Never had a 4l before and looking forward to tinkering. Drove 246miles back home i it. Great fun and 59 mpg at a steady 100kph.
Engine sounds as sweet as a nut apart from tickover which is either non existant or as rough as hell.
Will start with ignition and work my way back to the zenith aaarrrgh.

 

[Paul Narramore]

If she ran perfectly, what would be the enjoyment in that? Fortunately me the car had a new MoT when I bought her (although I was surprised that the rust holes close to the front jacking points got through) so I now have the time to tinker with her, correcting every little fault. I drove her to the Netherlands last month and back and she didn't miss a beat. Today I found why she was so hot on a hot day. The vent flap was in the close position. Now I get a face full of warm/cool air. They all seem to leak a little. It rained here this morning and driving to Lidl this afternoon to stock up for a BBQ a few drops of water dripped onto my right sock. I WILL find the leak! She's also a bit noisy and adjusting the valve clearances failed to improve things by much. Sound deadening material is around the corner. The rear passenger seat has a broken frame so I need to get that welded some time. I replaced the spare wheel retaining bracket as the bolt was bent. Unfortunately the original bolt has a non-standard hexagon to allow the wheel brace to be used. I shall make up a special adaptor to fit the smaller hexagon. Welcome BTW. My wife was born in Somerset (Radstock to be exact).

 

[DBB]

If she ran perfectly, what would be the enjoyment in that? Fortunately me the car had a new MoT when I bought her (although I was surprised that the rust holes close to the front jacking points got through) so I now have the time to tinker with her, correcting every little fault. I drove her to the Netherlands last month and back and she didn't miss a beat. Today I found why she was so hot on a hot day. The vent flap was in the close position. Now I get a face full of warm/cool air. They all seem to leak a little. It rained here this morning and driving to Lidl this afternoon to stock up for a BBQ a few drops of water dripped onto my right sock. I WILL find the leak! She's also a bit noisy and adjusting the valve clearances failed to improve things by much. Sound deadening material is around the corner. The rear passenger seat has a broken frame so I need to get that welded some time. I replaced the spare wheel retaining bracket as the bolt was bent. Unfortunately the original bolt has a non-standard hexagon to allow the wheel brace to be used. I shall make up a special adaptor to fit the smaller hexagon. Welcome BTW. My wife was born in Somerset (Radstock to be exact).

Rotor arm ordered. distributor cap, condenser and new coil. Cant find a inlet manifold gasket yet, still looking and also a rocker cover gasket. Then I will try and trace the leak and also play with the wire which feeds the offside rear sidelight. No power getting through bulb is ok.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Not sure which engine you've got but an essential tip for R4 owners looking on ebay
Always type renault+4 when searching obviously add the desired item
This will give the desired items without losing hours of your life
845 has 2 off the seperate ones
956 and 1108 the larger type

 

[DBB]

Thanks not sure which engine I have either. Will look at engine number as soon as I am back home. many thanks.

 

[Paul Narramore]

Your DVLA information states that DBB329V was first registered on 19 August 2011, year of manufacture 1980 and has an engine capacity of 1100cc.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Well researched inspector Narramore ☺
Going to say radiator next to engine is 747 or 845
Radiator at front 956 or 1108

 

[DBB]

Your DVLA information states that DBB329V was first registered on 19 August 2011, year of manufacture 1980 and has an engine capacity of 1100cc.

I was told by the seller that the v5 information is incorrect and it is fitted with a smaller engine? As I say will provide an engine number when I get back if you guys could shed light. Many thanks.

 

[DBB]

Engine number is

 

[harbourseal]

It is a 747 cc Billancourt (Ventoux) engine.
You'll need to find the parts for the 845 engine they'll fit fine.
If the engine has a breather pipe from underneath the carburetor find out if the hole in the breather pipe is open at the manifold side and see if there is a restriction in the rubber hose that runs from the manifold to the rocker cover. If the restriction is missing tickover at low revs is basically non excistant.
The restriction is a small piece of plastic with a calibrated hole in it of 1,3 mm

 

[mojobaby]

Harbourseal, I fixed that same problem on my 845 today.

The symptoms are that it could only idle if the choke was pulled out. If I pushed the choke back, the idling was up and down. If I put my finger over the little pipe at the bottom of the carb, the idling was almost perfect.

I have now blocked off that pipe completely with a restrictor in the rubber hose. I might drill a 1mm hole in it tomorrow if necessary

 

[harbourseal]

You will need to drill that hole Mojobaby.
The breather pipe takes the fumes from the oil sump and makes it possible to burn them off in the engine.
It bypasses the carburettor and goes directly in to the engine.
If the lower breather pipe is blocked the oily fumes pass through the carburettor itself leaving it greasy and full off soothe.

If you run the engine without the restriction in the lower breather pipe it gets to much air and it will not idle without the choke engaged to restrict the airflow.

 

[DBB]

Thanks guys.
The restictor was missing. I drilled a 1.5mm hole in a piece of steel bar, about ten mm long which now sits tight in the manifold inlet from rocker cover. Tickover is now substantially better. The distributor is a SEV MARCHEL. I have not experienced a distributor without an vacuum advance pipe. There is now allowance for one?

 

[harbourseal]

The early renault 4 has no vacuum advance.
Depending on the type of carburetor you might have a little pipe on the side for a vacuum advance. For now it should be blocked with a rubber cap.

 

[DBB]

Thankyou. Zenith carby. No brass piece like there normally is for tubing and solid inside hole.
Slowly getting there. runs smoother now the 1.5mm hole drilled out in the rocker to carb pipe seems to have made a vast improvement only stalled a couple of times still hunting. Still waiting for new points etc. thankyou. Oh. Tol dpedd on fkat is 110kph guesding this is about right fir this mitor? Its great fun too!