Sump Guard for Renault 4

[mattrob]

Hi, We're taking part in an African Rally. Is a sump guard recommended for any off road use or does this interfere with the engine cooling too much? I can source a plastic sump guard, would this provide suffiecient protection?? Any advise or help would be greatly appreciated

 

[reidalpine]

I'd definately go for the Metal-one as the plastic is for 'light'duty' i.e Cosmetic only. As it's meant to take on rocks and heavy bumps you need the real thing!
-If worried about the cooling you might consider drilling holes in it
In case Use a ball-point hammer and punch the Rear part of the drilled holes inwards to keep holes from sticking-in the ground.
-I would have thought the people arranging such an adventure would Require you to have a Real sump-guard ??? -R.

 

[angel]

Any sump guard is mounted too low to interfere with cooling air on a R4. The radiator is mounted a lot higher.

Apart from building a custom one, THE sump guard to use is that used on "equipment speciaux" R4s, such as these destined to African markets. Not only it is wider, extending to the tie rod bushes, it is pressed out of around 2mm thick sheet steel. You can literally skid the car over rocks on this. The problem is however, where to find it... :-(

 

[Enrique]

I thought that thick sumpguard was standard on ALL R4s! Here in Colombia all of them came with it. Maybe ours came with same specs as the African ones. R12s had one too. I can't imagine driving around without it.

 

[Pavel]

I thought that thick sumpguard was standard on ALL R4s! Here in Colombia all of them came with it. Maybe ours came with same specs as the African ones. R12s had one too. I can't imagine driving around without it.

Hi Enrique, it´s very interesting, what you write. Can you take a picture of the sump guard on the R4?
Regards Pavel

 

[angel]

I thought that thick sumpguard was standard on ALL R4s! Here in Colombia all of them came with it. Maybe ours came with same specs as the African ones. R12s had one too. I can't imagine driving around without it.

It was fitted to "special equipment" R4s, that means equipment numbers 5xx and 8xx, and they were exported to many countries with "worse than poor" :-) road conditions, not only Africa.

 

[mr-reno-139]

i have got one of these heavy duty guards for sale think i posted pic some time back ?