Rodeo Recommissioning

[jjad]

The seats look brilliant. Hopefully it won't take you long to fix the brakes and driveshift

 

[malcolm]

The seats look brilliant. Hopefully it won't take you long to fix the brakes and driveshift

The trimmer did a brilliant job. They are 1972 van seats with the the proper seat base and the deck chair back. They are very comfortable but at first my legs didn't fit under the steering wheel. The base foam is original and fortunately they settled quickly.

It felt like summer today so worth getting it going. I'll read the manual about how to adjust drum brakes better than my attempt. I'll probably need another driveshaft as it doesn't look like they are the type where you can fit a new universal joint. But I've not looked at the driveshaft properly yet.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Well done it's always interesting to read what others get up to hopefully we can both get our rodeos to a show somewhere once your up and running how about Simply French on the 10th of September at beaulie

 

[orsome]

Even more strange. The starter tested OK when removed. The mounting to the engine was very dirty and I wonder if it wasn't making a good earth. Cleaned it up and put the starter back in and it works!

I can check things now. The new thermostat opens, the dynamo charges and the clutch is free. A bit lumpy at idle but the petrol is old and it needs a run.

Hi, your new starter looks like mine new starter from Franzöze/ 82130 Starter motor (new part), suitable for Renault R4, starting from year of construction 07/1970 (R1123,2391,1221,1220,1391). 12 V. Power: 0,50KW. Mounting holes: 2. Assembly position: Position of 36°.
I would rather not agree it's fitting is easier that the original one, upper bolt is impossible to screw with any kind of socket wrenc because solenoid i on the way, must rotate the bolt with fingers as much as yo can and rest with smallest 13mm spanner.Solenoid connect pin is too long as had to shorten it by extra nut below the minus cord(could accidently hit the plus cord?

And yes indeed, this is already the 2nd new same brand and lasted for 5..6 years, did just the same as you told, only clicking and the nothing.

 

[malcolm]

Hi, your new starter looks like mine new starter from Franzöze/ 82130 Starter motor (new part), suitable for Renault R4, starting from year of construction 07/1970 (R1123,2391,1221,1220,1391). 12 V. Power: 0,50KW. Mounting holes: 2. Assembly position: Position of 36°.
I would rather not agree it's fitting is easier that the original one, upper bolt is impossible to screw with any kind of socket wrenc because solenoid i on the way, must rotate the bolt with fingers as much as yo can and rest with smallest 13mm spanner.Solenoid connect pin is too long as had to shorten it by extra nut below the minus cord(could accidently hit the plus cord?

And yes indeed, this is already the 2nd new same brand and lasted for 5..6 years, did just the same as you told, only clicking and the nothing.

Sounds like the same one. I had to replace the top bolt with an allen bolt because there wasn't room for a socket behind the solenoid. A 5 year life isn't good - they are a pain to fit in LHD cars.

 

[malcolm]

The Rodeo made it to Tesco about 5 miles away on it's second attempt and I put some petrol in to see if the fuel gauge works. It doesn't and I think it's the sender. The speedometer doesn't work either - it gets stuck because of a bent needle. There is an uncomfortable vibration in the seatbelt that's driven by the hood flapping around. Should fix that with a full length roof so I'll need to go and see the trimmer again. The driveshafts seem fine. I think it was the sticking brakes causing the knocking.

I adjusted the brakes following the instructions in the manual - back adjuster first then front one. Both of the brakes on the left side were still getting warm so I backed them off a bit further. Better now but they were still warm when I got home and the pedal travel is now too high so I'll have another try. I fitted new shoes 8 years ago with anti-seize compound on the moving surfaces so they should be free. Is there a trick I'm missing? - I'm not used to these drum brakes with manual adjusters. I've been adjusting until the brakes suddenly go from free rotating to binding then back off a little until they turn freely again.

 

[Piet]

There is a fine art to adjusting with the manaul adjusters and it takes practice, but a useful trick is to treat them as if there is a lot of lost motion in the adjustment. I.e. when you back them off, by the time they free up you've gone too far. Practice backing off just a little so they still seem tight then apply and release the brakes and check them again. Or get used to backing them off but note how many degrees you typically go back with the spanner and do a percentage less. I am way slicker at it than I used to be.

 

[Piet]

Rodeo looking well tasty by the way.

 

[Piet]

When you say warm a little warm is fine. Better to be warm than cold, but not hot enough to fry an egg on or noticeably slow the car down. The whole drum brake system has lots of extraneous play otherwise.

 

[mr-reno-139]

From recent experience with cars that have been sitting for a while even with new components you have got the possibility of slightly sticky brake wheel cylinders

 

[malcolm]

@mr-reno-139 Thanks for the Ornella brake video. I did the Rodeo brakes 8 years ago so they will have had a chance to get stuck. They seem better today and the hubs were cold when I checked. I'll try adjusting again as @Piet suggested.

I'll need to adjust the handbrake too - I've got the front wheel handbrake thing where the brakes come on when you turn the steering wheel.

I did order a new roof - Rodeo France Distribution sell them. Now I'll need to make a hood frame.

 

[malcolm]

Oh heck - bubbly froth in the expansion bottle. I've ordered a head gasket kit.

It probably is the head gasket pushing combustion gasses into the water but I've got a test - let the car cool overnight and remove the expansion bottle cap the next morning. If it hisses then there is more stuff in the cooling system than there was when the cap was last tightened so combustion gasses are getting in. EDIT> That didn't work - I think the system was de-pressurising back into the cylinder or it has a leak.

There is no overheating or any other sign apart from the oily froth which makes me a bit suspicious. But froth needs gas.

 

[malcolm]

A bit more progress today. Speedo is working again with a new needle. I've been trying to improve the performance as the top speed is only 80km/h. It's only a 747cc engine but I was hoping for a bit more.

Old fuel won't be helping as it runs best well off the factory recommended timing. I think the fuel is burning too slowly. Pulled the plugs out to see if they were dark or light grey and turns out they are orange! Internet says it might be due to an additive but the fuel is discoloured and it might be rust which won't be good for the engine. I don't know how much 13 year old fuel was in there because the fuel sender doesn't work.

Tested compression - 120psi to 140psi so not terrible but not brilliant either. There are regular bubbles going into the expansion bottle at idle so I probably will need to fit the new head gasket.

 

[malcolm]

I went out to change a carburettor and went a bit too far.

There was froth in the expansion bottle which I guessed was combustion gas blowing into the coolant through the head gasket. There was no water in the oil. Sure enough the head gasket was damaged. I've not seen one fail like that before and it's possible the gasket failure caused the combustion leak rather than the other way around. The head was almost within tolerance so I just fitted a new gasket and put it back together. The engine still works which is promising.

Next job is the carburettor.

 

[malcolm]

I fitted the Zenith 28IF carburettor. Now strange things are happening and the car won't run well. I did take the distributor apart (and replace the head gasket) over the last couple of days and but I think the problem might be a very weak spark that the new carb has shown up.

The carburettor seems promising for performance. Now I can get to 80km/h on part throttle but any more throttle and it bogs down. The engine also dies with the slightest choke. I think as soon as the mixture gets a bit rich the spark plugs stop sparking. I got zapped touching the distributor cap which might be a clue the spark has other ways to get to ground when the combustion chamber seems too difficult. A new cap and rotor arm are on order.

But some good news! I put in 18 litres of 99 octane fuel to rule out stale fuel as a cause. I had previously wanted to keep the fuel level low so I could remove the tank to fix the fuel sender. The car went over some bumps on the way home and the fuel gauge jumped back to life. The sender must have been stuck.

 

[malcolm]

I've been troubleshooting a weak spark. The points and ignition leads are new and everything else is old.

I've fitted a new rotor arm and no longer get zapped touching the distributor cap, and the engine will tolerate a little choke now, but it's still not right. New distributor cap arriving tomorrow.

I still get a high voltage zap touching the low tension wire going into the distributor. Would that normally be the coil or condenser? I've measured the coil and resistance is a little low at 2.4 ohms across the low tension and 6.8k ohms from positive to high tension. The other Renault 4 coil I tested for Claude was 3 ohms and 8k ohms. It has been bolted to the side of a hot engine for 50 years which won't have been kind to it so probably worth seeing if a new one makes any difference. The condenser will be the only old bit left so I can change that too if all else fails.

 

[malcolm]

The coil and condenser made no difference. The problem was the main jet which I had drilled out too much so the engine was running too rich. It runs much better with a standard jet. The only thing I've not figured out yet is why the timing needs to be 15 degrees advanced but it seems to run OK. The centrifugal advance mechanism seems to be working.

The new carburettor has increased top speed to 85km/h and it'll cruise at 80km/h now. Previously I was regularly changing down to 3rd gear but I can stay in 4th gear now. I think it's the 747cc engine combined with really bad aerodynamics.

The temperature is suddenly 29 degrees C here today. The Rodeo works really well in hot weather - it has lots of ventilation but not much buffeting as it doesn't go fast enough.

 

[malcolm]

The Rodeo broke twice today. 8km away from home I had a bad knocking noise from somewhere near the front left hub. I found the noise mostly went away at about 50km/h so decided to try to make it home. 2km away from home the engine died. It started again after a few minutes then died again so I waited half an hour and it worked well enough to get home with a really loud knocking from the hub.

I had expected the knocking was from something broken in the brakes but they looked fine. The brake drum had wear all around the edge where it had been contacting the back plate. Turning the wheel with the brake drum removed it would get to a stiff point then suddenly release. I think a wheel bearing has disintegrated.

The engine problem should be easier. It's got to be one of the two parts I replaced getting too hot - coil or condenser. I'll put the old ones back.

I made it to 90km/h by pulling the choke out a little. I'll enlarge the jet with the drill bit I used for the van rather than the cheap one. I recall drilling out the van jet twisting the drill bit by hand.

 

[malcolm]

I took the driveshaft off. The CV joint is very stiff and the joint can't be moved by hand. I think these are old stock reproduction driveshafts and the bearing surface is roughly finished and has a deep wear mark. That's a lot of wear for 100km so I will probably need a pair of driveshafts and not just the one.

A seized joint would account for the knock. But the bearing isn't good either - it has a tick so that'll need replacing.

I've got a new theory on the engine cutting out. These days rotor arms tend to be made from a plastic that conducts electricity when it gets hot. I had the trouble in the MG and it is difficult to diagnose as the rotor arm cools quickly when you remove the cap. I'll try to find an old stock one.

 

[malcolm]

I started changing front wheel bearings and found the plastic parts that retain the ball bearings had fallen out. All the balls were at one side of the bearing which would account for the loud knocking on the last run.

The other side doesn't turn smoothly so another pair of bearings on order so I can fit the other driveshaft next weekend.



It was a funny bearing construction with plastic used to distribute a smaller than normal number of balls evenly. Probably it's a modern replacement bearing and they've saved some money. Traditional bearings work until the grease runs out but this one worked only until the plastic fell out. The ones that went back in are the traditional metal cage design.