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CONDENSER! You can't normally repair or test them, unless you've both a degree in electronics and a load of sophisticated electronic equipment, so change it and see if things improve. A faulty condenser will cause the points to burn out, so examination of them will prove instructive, but I would...

+1 As Angel says, let's clean up the head and have the valve guides (that's the part of the head that allows the valve to slide up and down) together with the valve seats (that's the part of the head that the valve comes into contact with every time is closes) refurbished first. Re-setting...

Looking at the picture of the pump I should say it's had it! If the shaft's not moving freely then the bearing's "gone the way of all flesh" and would probably cost more to repair than the cost of a new pump. It would seem a pity to "spoil the ship for a hapeth of tar", so I'd advise a new pump...

10/10 for your cylinder liner clamping! Looking at the pictures cylinder one seems discoloured and your remark that the bore was full of water suggests this is the cause of your original problem. Once the head is cleaned up I'd suggest having it examined by an engineering workshop, who can...

Place the bolts and big washers over the liners as soon as possible to avoid them moving! The loose bolts sound suspicious to me....... Careful examination of the remains of the head gasket might reveal some clues... It sounds (and looks!) like a job for "those little grey cells"!

Yes, definitely a good thing to do while preparing to do the job. I ought to have added it to the list!

I hit a roadblock while removing the tensioner for the lower belt as I can't find neither my 16mm socket nor a spanner, so I'll have to restock and proceed another time. I also need some brake cleaner as the engine bay is caked with oily residues. I took a peek under the rocker cover anyway and...

A workshop manual is essential, particularly if you're new to this! It'll repay its modest price many times over, believe me. If you obtain the Haynes one it covers all Renault 4 cars from 1961 onwards, so ought to cover your car. As to your specific points: 1/ If the car's on stands you'll...

First things first: do you feel confident enough to remove the cylinder head? In essence, you do the following: (Pre-cylinder head removal preparation:) 1/ Drain the coolant. 2/ Remove the air filter, disconnect the pipes and wires from the carburettor, noting which ones go where! Now remove the...

In the words of the Apollo 13 mission "Houston, we have a problem", but they were instructed as to what to do, and they made it, so talking you through what's needed shouldn't be too complicated..... I'll prepare some pieces and post them in order. Read them, and if you don't understand...

Clearly your first objective must be to find from where the oil and water are mixing. Having read back over this thread it suggests the cylinder head may be the cause of your problems, so I would tentatively suggest removing the cylinder head and checking by observation of the gasket and by...

This is almost "soft porn" for lovers of Renault 4s! Thanks for posting!

Borrowed from "Autoshite"-sorry I can't make in bigger!

Assuming you have correctly set the points, proceed as follows: 1/ Take the plugs out first, which makes turning the engine over much easier. Now turn the engine, using either the fan belt or the starting handle until the marks indicated on the picture line up. Now the clever bit begins: 2/...

When adjusting the points gap and the timing, remember to adjust the points first, then adjust the timing. This is because any adjustment to the point gap would alter the timing, so if the timing is set and then the points, the timing would be disturbed. The points gap should be a "sliding fit"...

I've consulted the "Good Book". Under the previous regulations, lights that dip have to be a minimum of 600mm from the road surface and any lights fitted below this height may only be used in conditions of fog or falling snow. Dipped and main beam lights must be "matched pairs" and can be either...

The term "driving lights" has no meaning in law and was dreamed up by marketing men! As I understand it (and I would need to check the "good book" for the definitive answer) lights positioned so that the centre of the lens is lower than 1200mm from the road surface may only be used "in...

Sorry, I didn't realise your car's a1978 one.The filter is very slim, and, as Malcom says, somewhat awkward to remove. A filter strap would assist! Where in the South West are you?

Some early Renault 4s were NOT fitted with an oil filter, which meant a "fairly frequent" oil change. If memory serves, early 4s had an oil change every 1,000 miles (about once a month if the car was used normally). Remember oils weren't as good as they now are, but do bear in mind that (in my...

I think those are FOG lights, as the vertical slats suggest they are. In addition, they're yellow and are mounted lower than spotlights should be. Remember to check the "Construction and Use" rules when installing extra lights (available on line) since lights below a certain height may only be...