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Ok it's beginning to look a lot like a project!

This is what a billancourt looks like in my “book”
You do have a billancourt engine. I’m a bit puzzled about the tensioner. Do you have a picture of your tensioner of is it the one in your link?
6713DC4C-358D-4A68-B9C4-733C9F34D501.jpeg
 
harbourseal said:
This is what a billancourt looks like in my “book”
You do have a billancourt engine. I’m a bit puzzled about the tensioner. Do you have a picture of your tensioner of is it the one in your link?
View attachment 25234
Click to expand...
& it is super tight, I can't really press in the tensioner much at all, whereas with the others one I can push it in easily. appreciate your help Harbourseal
 
The tensioner in your picture is a spring loaded tensioner with a very tight spring. I have never seen these on a billancourt.
they are difficult to press in. Do you have the same type on the other engine? Or is it one like the one in my picture?
the tensioner in my picture is oil pressure operated. With a small spring to give it some pressure when the engine is not running.
way easier to compress.
 
harbourseal said:
The tensioner in your picture is a spring loaded tensioner with a very tight spring. I have never seen these on a billancourt.
they are difficult to press in. Do you have the same type on the other engine? Or is it one like the one in my picture?
the tensioner in my picture is oil pressure operated. With a small spring to give it some pressure when the engine is not running.
way easier to compress.
Click to expand...
yes on the 2nd engine I have the oil pressure one, same as in your picture.
 
I think the spring loaded tensioner was put in by absence of the original.
it is my suspicion because of the bolt that holds it in place. Bolts with the strength notation on it weren’t around when your car was build.

There are two things that you can do.

Replace this tensioner with one from der Fransozen like in your link.
you will have to take it apart and use the spring that is in your current tensioner because the one you are buying is designed for a Cleon engine and it’s spring is facing in the wrong direction.

Or take the plate from the other engine and replace the plate on this engine with it. Then u can use a newly bought oil operated tensioner.

beware when buying a new tensioner it has to face in the right direction.
And check that the oil feed hole is not blanked off with an aluminum plug.

If my suspension is right it probably won’t be blanked of.
 
the coil spring tensioner was used 1975 to 1977 on 845 and was 5hen discontinued as a bad idea and went back to hydraulic type
I did have a genuine kit that was complete with back plate bolts and pulleys etc to retro fit
think you had to drill a blanking plug from block from memory
 
mr-reno-139 said:
the coil spring tensioner was used 1975 to 1977 on 845 and was 5hen discontinued as a bad idea and went back to hydraulic type
I did have a genuine kit that was complete with back plate bolts and pulleys etc to retro fit
think you had to drill a blanking plug from block from memory
Click to expand...

Thank you Paul. Learned something again.:artist:
 
harbourseal said:
I think the spring loaded tensioner was put in by absence of the original.
it is my suspicion because of the bolt that holds it in place. Bolts with the strength notation on it weren’t around when your car was build.

There are two things that you can do.

Replace this tensioner with one from der Fransozen like in your link.
you will have to take it apart and use the spring that is in your current tensioner because the one you are buying is designed for a Cleon engine and it’s spring is facing in the wrong direction.

Or take the plate from the other engine and replace the plate on this engine with it. Then u can use a newly bought oil operated tensioner.

beware when buying a new tensioner it has to face in the right direction.
And check that the oil feed hole is not blanked off with an aluminum plug.

If my suspension is right it probably won’t be blanked of.
Click to expand...
I prefer putting the right tensioner on, this one feels too tight & that oil feed must be there for a good reason, this way it is blanked off, if I did that I'd have to strip the engine down to the bare block ? that's the only thing that worries me that I wouldn't put it back right & mess up the timing but there must be a method I guess! I just don't know it!
 
I use Facebook more often than here
active on about 12or more renault based groups and if I get time I like to see how you are all getting on without me lol
 
mr-reno-139 said:
I use Facebook more often than here
active on about 12or more renault based groups and if I get time I like to see how you are all getting on without me lol
Click to expand...
didn't know there were that many R4 groups on FB. re tensioner, it's odd I have it on mine not 845 but 1977 782cms, you know why they thought it was a bad idea Paul?
 
I can take a picture on how to align the sprockets and the chain from my workshop manual. There isn’t so much that you can do wrong.
 
not just r4 groups I have been exclusive on Renaults since I was aged 14 now 59 so lots of things learned across model range and what parts swap over lol

I changed 2 that failed and was common problem possible recall too think the spring designed for r12 with no loading on cam pulley
alternator came In around same time and upset loadings
 
mr-reno-139 said:
not just r4 groups I have been exclusive on Renaults since I was aged 14 now 59 so lots of things learned across model range and what parts swap over lol

I changed 2 that failed and was common problem possible recall too think the spring designed for r12 with no loading on cam pulley
alternator came In around same time and upset loadings
Click to expand...
seems I might have finally found my issue, whether it was or not it needs changing. I could use the lower half of my spare engine but top of mine I'd have to use my pistons as one of the other engine is totally shot. But then my pistons worry me as they don't go in from the top as they should..my car is vey strange!
 
that's for bigger engine 5 bearing crank
engine rotated different way
 
I just noticed that in the description, it said that it was also used for an 839 engine, which is what Melissa has.

Sorry Mr R , I see now that its for the bigger engine 680 as well

I noticed that there were 2 bolt holes in the plate as well and thought that this tensioner might fit as it also has 2 bolt holes.

Not too sure why Melissa's pistons don't fit into the sleeves. It might help if he took measurements of both the pistons and the sleeves.
Could both the pistons and their sleeves be transferred to the spare engine which has the correct plate for the tensioner?
 
mojobaby said:
I just noticed that in the description, it said that it was also used for an 839 engine, which is what Melissa has.

Sorry Mr R , I see now that its for the bigger engine 680 as well

I noticed that there were 2 bolt holes in the plate as well and thought that this tensioner might fit as it also has 2 bolt holes.

Not too sure why Melissa's pistons don't fit into the sleeves. It might help if he took measurements of both the pistons and the sleeves.
Could both the pistons and their sleeves be transferred to the spare engine which has the correct plate for the tensioner?
Click to expand...
Hi Dave, yes all a bit odd, but basically I've decided to use the bottom bit of the engine I bought with the top of mine, exactly what you suggest, as for the pistons, it is literally a few mms that stops the pistons from being able to be twisted up straight, I'm mulling over just shaving that off with an angle grinder, it's as of they just weren't finished as well as the ones in the 2nd engine, they are 3xactly the same height & width, as are the sleeves. I think I have a vendredi car! Another reason for me using the 2nd bloc is that it turns more freely than mine, which has a dragging feeling to it, not strong but it's there....I'm spending all free time cleaning it at the moment!
 
Yes, I remember the cleaning, it seemed to carry on for days and days:)

Is it the side of the engine block that is preventing the piston from moving? I seem to remember that I had a similar problem, which is strange because I was using all the same original parts.
The bottom edge of the connecting rod wasn't actually touching anything, but I think it was too close for my liking, so I also shaved a bit off, perhaps about 2mm, from the bottom edge corner of the connecting rod.

It was such a long time ago that I did it, that I can't remember exactly why or what I cut off, but I think it was the connecting rod
 
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