Cam chain tensioner

[bison]

Greetings once more fellow r4ists.
Isn't the search engine a great thing?. I have the dreaded slop/play in the cam pulley, so I'm 99% sure the tensioner and chain are goosed, however, I read with interest and a little aprehension that my car, a 1976, is very likely to have the crap tensioner fitted and it's likely to have given up the ghost completely. Now, I also read from Mr Reno that there is/was a mod involving replacing it with a more reliable tensioner. Does anyone have any more info about this and where to get the parts?. Mr Reno?
As a note, I intend cutting a hole in the bulkhead and doing the job from inside the car, then making a plate up slightly larger and screwing it back onto the bulkhead, or perhaps just weld it back on, I did that with a Citroen DS once back when the Beatles were number one!..
Thanks,
Alan.

 

[bison]

Oh yes, R1123 845cc, should have said.
Alan.

 

[reggie]

ime fixing a hole were the rain gets in

the beatles are still number one
Reg

 

[bison]

Another beetles fan Reg!, Yea! Yea! Yea!.
Looking through previous posts, it seems our friend Angele has a bit more tensioner info, the coiled spring thingies were only fitted to 5 bearing engines, which should mean mine has the hydraulic tensioner, and it isn't working it would seem!, I wouldn't be surprised if the oil flow was blocked, my wee car only just turned 41K but has been laying around for some time, and when I first changed the oil it was more like treacle. I've bought a new chain and I'll change it perhaps in a couple of weeks, and check tensioner, oil filter mesh etc of course.
Thanks,
Alan.

 

[reggie]

i dont think its worn out with that mileage - just stuck with gunge - try putting a tin of oil flush in and give it a run around for 30 mins - it might say 15 mins on the tin - but i ignore that - then change the oil and filter - then run it on 10/40 for a bit just for good measure - you can then just change the oil again later - but you dont after
Reg

 

[bison]

That's an idea Reg, easy to do and if it doesn't work, well, nothing ventured nothing gained.
Cheers,
Alan.

 

[reggie]

monday young lady calls in with low mileage corsa - problem car back fired and set fire to air filter-rings main agent who looks after it-they towed it in-calls her later big job have to take head off you have sticking valves-new guides etc-more than car is worth-go see reg her friend said-leave it with me il take a look-stuck an engine flush in it-left it ticking over for 30 mini-run it round the block all sorts of smoke coming out-changed oil and filter-left it over night started perfect-which it hadnt for weeks-gave it back and said try that-if its ok call in and pay me-she did this morning and gave me a kiss-said ime never going near a main agent again-so its always worth a try with hydraulics-especialy low mileage cars-short journeys where they never get realy warmed up are a killer for engines-end of story-
Reg

 

[bison]

Reg,
Gave the flushing stuff a try last night but no joy as yet, I'll drive for a couple of weeks, it might free off, however, you should have seen the colour of the oil I drained out, it was filthy!, and that was fresh oil when I started!.
Drove into work with the wee car this morning, still got a smile on my face, I had forgotten how much fun it was!. The only place it can't easily keep up with traffic is the bypass, but when you pull off and enter the traffic again all the cars that went whizzing by are right there at the lights with you!. The Hare and the Tortoise comes to mind!
Alan.

 

[reggie]

good plan - drive it around for a couple of weeks - then put another tin in - ime sure it will free off - look at all that rubbish that came out already - cant do any harm me thinks - better than cutting holes in the bulkhead - plus you get to use it while you fix it - perfick
Reg

 

[bison]

Ladies and Gents,
What's that word again?, oh yes. HELP!!!.
Decided the best thing to do was bite the bullet and take the engine out to have a look at the tensioner, what I found wasn't great. It was the clockwork spring type, and yes, it's foofoo'd . Do you think the best bet is to try Renault dealers to get the part?, or perhaps I should say the modified part as Mr Reno says there is a modification kit for this type of (crap) tendioner. Anyone have one laying around looking for a new home?. Is it possible to fit the older and obviously better type?.
I'll try to post a couple of images tonight.
Thanks,
Alan.

 

[mr-reno-139]

guess what found a new kit lying around last week will investigate contents of genuine renault packet sitting in my van outside my house
away this weekend hence no kent run so will be tuesday b4 more info

 

[bison]

Paul, as our American cousins say "yoo da man!"
Alan.

 

[bison]

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac353/bison57/P5010031.jpg

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac353/bison57/P5010030.jpg

Here's what I found. Had a look on the Interweb and the Renault 5/9/traffic tensioner looks very similar with a slightly longer arm, I wonder if this is the modified arrangement Mr Reno is talking about?. I'm eager to see what Mr Reno has in his van of tricks, but if it doesn't turn out to be the right one I might try the R5 one. Does anyone know if the hydraulic tensioner can be retro fitted to my engine?. The back plate looks like it doesn't have enough holes, but I wonder if the block drillings are the same and the backplate can be drilled to suit and the hydraulic tensioner fitted?. I've got a new chain, but I see the French specialist has a timing chain kit for 74 euros or so. Sprockets, chain and tensioner.
Alan.
Alan.

 

[angel]

I'm stunned by these pictures!!

Is there a chance somebody fitted the wrong chain tensioner? No matter if a tensioner design is good or bad, this should never happen!

 

[bison]

Mr Reno, Paul, is the expert, according to him Renault fitted this tensioner only for one year, 1976, then changed back to the previous design, for what is now an obvious reason. I guess they must have saved money in the production process?. As I said, I'll see what Paul has laying around, I'll get something sorted out, Normandy in 5 weeks, I had better!
Alan.

 

[bison]

Well, here's the state of play so far, as you can see from the pictures there's no shortage of holes, so I think I should be able to fit a new style tensioner if that's what Paul has. Can't figure out how the oil flows from where the filter is meant to be (lower shiney plug) to the tensioner, does the plate I see in the drawings have a groove machined in the back of it to allow oil to flow to the tensioner?. There's no hole in that shiney plug?. The only through hole is the one with the pin above it where the spring type tensioner was mounted, looks like it goes back nto the crankcase. I'll have to drill holes in the back plate anyway to mount the tensioner, there's only one, and that's the hole where the pin is located.
Any helpful hints?.
http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac353/bison57/P5030038.jpg
http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac353/bison57/P5030037.jpg
http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac353/bison57/P5030041.jpg
Thanks,
Alan.

 

[mr-reno-139]

patience patience all will be revealed tommorow think there is a backplate and hydraulic tensioner in kit
has anybody got factory technical updates (I.S.notes) from that far back normally put in the back folder of genuine workshop manual because it told you what to do to mod engine
remember reading it about 20+ yrs ago !!!!

cheerrs paul

 

[bison]

Hehehe, yes I know. Last night I thought, I'll either start cleaning up the engine and box, maybe the engine bay ready for a coat of paint.......or, I can strip the chain and backplate off and have a look see what's there, yea, lets strip it down and see if Renault drilled the appropriate holes, yes Paul, impatient!, hehe, can't help meeself!.
Alan.

 

[mr-reno-139]

just got home from work went to unlock van keys been left behind try tomorrow sorry

 

[bison]

No problemo Paul, these things happen, lots to do anyway, got the gearbox all cleaned up and the diff plate removed so I can put some Hylomar on the gasket before I button it up to the engine. I'll clean the engine down tomorrow evening, then the engine bay, then some soundproofing while I can get into the nooks and crannies. I'ts all go!.
Alan.