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Turning the engine over

Sooty the Renault 4l

Sooty the Renault 4l

Enthusiast
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Location
Dordogne, France
Hi, my wife's 1986 R4L over heated back in April, I didn't have time to look at before now, I have drained the oil and water from the sump and removed the head and now i have a question, with one front wheel on the ground and the other off the ground, with the car in gear shouldn't I be able to turn the engine over using the front wheel that's off the ground?? thanks in advance
 
STOP! Have you clamped the cylinder liners in place? Do this before you do ANYTHING, as disturbing the position of the liners will lead to a whole hill of extra work, which is usually unnecessary if they're clamped first.

As to turning the engine over in the way you describe, it ought to work. Top gear would give you the most force to turn the engine over.
 
Hi. I hope when you lifted the head you didn't inadvertently lift one or more of the liners also. To clamp the liners down you need some large washers or some other means to straddle the liners to hold them down when you turn the engine over. Good luck.
 
Thanx guys.
Yes, I have clamped the liners down, looks as though the crank is seized as the wheel won't turn!!
 
At the risk of stating the obvious, I take it the wheel turns when the gearbox is in neutral. If it does your analysis may well be correct.... Having removed the head, pouring diesel down the cylinder bores sometimes helps.
 
It's not at all likely that your crank is seized. It's much more likely that the piston rings are a bit rusted and stuck to the bore. Use a little diesel fuel as suggested, (or a 50/50 mix of acetone & ATF).
 
Ok, so I didn't have any diesel to hand so used paraffin but it's been a week now and I still can not get the engine to turn over?? I was expecting the paraffin to to seep down the bores past the gaps in the rings but I didn't?? I presume it doesn't matter which wheel is in the air, left or right?
Many thanks
 
Good to hear you've got the liners securely clamped down, is this using very large washers or slotted bars? With the car jacked up you could also then remove one of the front wheels, but ensure the other front wheel if fully on the ground and chocked. With the car on top gear, you can wedge or preferably bolt a steel bar across two of the three wheel studs extending to the concrete floor behind to act as a lever. With the car blocked and chocked, you can then VERY CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY lower the jack to use the weight of the car through the lever to tension the drive train and crankshaft. This additional torsion should be enough to release the diesel-soaked piston rings, even if you have to leave it in tension overnight. Please ensure the car can only drop an inch onto the blocks/jack for your safety when the lever is fully-tensioned.
 
HI John, yes I have the liners held down with large washers, looks like i need to purchase some diesel to get this job done!!
 
Old engine oil might be a starting point. If you have any left over from previous work it would be cheaper than diesel.
 
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