Renault 4 TL Engine

[smashton]

I have been told today that the engine of my TL is terminally kaput. Less than 10 PSI compression. I am absolutely gutted but the situation is that I need to get working on getting it sorted!
Clearly 2 options - try to get a replacement engine or have a total rebuild, both options a bit scary in terms of costs.
Any advice or assistance in pointing me in the right direction would be much appreciated..... recommended garage, potential for recon engine, (you never know).
I am based in west, near Gloucester. Thanks

 

[malcolm]

What does it run like? Do you have symptoms like running on 3 cylinders at idle or smoke?

Most likely it'll be wear in one of the valves. That's fairly easy to fix - less time and money than replacing the engine.

 

[smashton]

Hi Malcom, thanks for reply. I haven't heard it run, I bought this TL about 18 months ago in between lock downs and tried to get it going myself without success. I took it to a garage that have done work on my other R4 (GTL) and he said that there was evidence of some previous work that didn't give him any confidence, new piston rings. Apart from that he also said that rather than over 70PSI compression I was getting approx 10on 2 cylinders. It would be great if it was valve wear. I'll ask for some additional information from the mechanic. Advice much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Andy McGhee]

Sorry to hear about your engine problems.
Does your TL have a 'small' Billancourt (845cc or lower) engine, or is it the later type with the 956cc Cléon engine?

 

[malcolm]

What is the history of the car? Do you know when it was last a runner?

You should be seeing well over 100psi. I just like a high number that is about the same for all cylinders as my gauge is well out of cal. Sounds like you don't have that.

The compression check is handy for diagnosis. Do a compression check and then squirt some oil through the spark plug hole then do the compression check again. If things are now good it'll be the piston rings stuck through sitting. That's a hassle as the engine needs to come apart. If there is not much change it's going to be the valves and you can sort it by removing the cylinder head and getting someone to sort out the valves.

If the car has been sitting for a few years then get the thing running. Let the valves clean themselves up. Any car sat for a while will have poor compression.

Is it the 850 engine? Valves tend to be robust on them. You can get some issues with the 1108 valves in 'high speed' motorway use.

While the mechanics measurements are probably correct I'm doubtful that the engine needs much intervention. Most of them don't.

 

[smashton]

Sorry to hear about your engine problems.
Does your TL have a 'small' Billancourt (845cc or lower) engine, or is it the later type with the 956cc Cléon engine?

Hi Andy, my TL is a 845cc Year - 1978

 

[smashton]

What is the history of the car? Do you know when it was last a runner?

You should be seeing well over 100psi. I just like a high number that is about the same for all cylinders as my gauge is well out of cal. Sounds like you don't have that.

The compression check is handy for diagnosis. Do a compression check and then squirt some oil through the spark plug hole then do the compression check again. If things are now good it'll be the piston rings stuck through sitting. That's a hassle as the engine needs to come apart. If there is not much change it's going to be the valves and you can sort it by removing the cylinder head and getting someone to sort out the valves.

If the car has been sitting for a few years then get the thing running. Let the valves clean themselves up. Any car sat for a while will have poor compression.

Is it the 850 engine? Valves tend to be robust on them. You can get some issues with the 1108 valves in 'high speed' motorway use.

While the mechanics measurements are probably correct I'm doubtful that the engine needs much intervention. Most of them don't.

Hi Malcolm,
That's really interesting. Yes it is the 845cc motor. It has been sitting in my garage for a while, I turned her over on the key a few times and played around with the fuel, but couldn't get her going, in the end decided to get a mechanic to look at her. I believe the car probably sat around for a number of years before me, although weirdly has a couple of replacement panels and new brake lines... (pass!). I'll try the oil in the spark plug advice and see what compression I get. I could get lucky. I'll update in the week.

My limited experience with my GTL is that the engine is actually pretty bulletproof. The TL situation is really frustrating, but I bought it knowing that it was a non runner. Should I have done a compression test before buying - probably, would I still have bought the car, probably....

Thanks again, good to know it may not be a complete engine rebuild just yet.