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Phil, you have to work really hard to only get 27 mpg out of a UK gallon with a GTA. I used to get 35 all day long on mine even going 150kph. Best I ever got was 42mpg and only when it was in need of a tuneup would it go down to 30. I had miscalculated- even local trips and razzing about occasionally has seen an average of 34.1 mpg (US). Stuck the numbers into Fuelly today and it spat that back out. I found all the receipts for the fuel. Masi: Even without touching the motor and gearbox, the wipers will now smoothly wipe across a dry screen on "slow". It was well worth the hour spent! --Phil |
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Last Edit: Nov 23, 2014 3:23:18 GMT by PhilA
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Nov 25, 2014 18:52:45 GMT
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Masi: Even without touching the motor and gearbox, the wipers will now smoothly wipe across a dry screen on "slow". It was well worth the hour spent! Good to hear and thanks, will give it a try on mine then (the next time I'll be able to work on it). |
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Renault Laguna Sport Tourer 2.0dCi 178hp -11 // Renault Laguna 2.0T -03 // Renault Clio 1.4 8V -00 // Renault Safrane 2.2 -94 // Renault 11 1.4 T -84 // Renault 11 1.4 T -88 // Renault 11 1.7 TXE -86 // Renault 11 1.4GTL -85 // Renault 5 1.3 TS -79// Renault 11 1.4GTS -84
Link to build thread |
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Nov 28, 2014 18:17:50 GMT
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Seeing as nice day + day off and the aircon place is shut today, I made a start on a few things I'd been planning on doing. I took the spoiler off the back of the car and also removed the decklid.  Overall it's not bad, just the lower lip where the inside and outside sections are folded over on each other and spot-welded. That section is a water trap and as such, has gone rusty.  I have some rust converter (which I've used before to great effect) and carefully propping the lid against the house meant it formed a gently curving channel along the lip.  Poured the stuff in and it's just sitting there in the warm sun.. topping it up occasionally as it evaporates.  Whilst that's working, I made a start on the window panel I rubbed down yesterday. Set up in the professional spray-booth..  Starting with primer, applying light coats, allowing it to dry each time in the sun  ..until it had a thorough coat. Left that to set until I could touch it (about ten minutes).  Once that was dry, satin black. Again, light coats.  Nice thick coat, made up from many layers. Not too much dust either.  Left that to dry in the sun, setting the box down to a more stable position.  Inbetween times, the fittings on the back of the car were missing. I had a couple of broken lugs from the old back plastic that needed to come off. Boiled some water and set them into it to soften the plastic up some as it's really really brittle.  After a short soak, gently twisting pliers between the lug and the peg liberated the lugs.  These then fit in the holes in the car where they were missing.  That allowed a trial fit. Looks good. Needs to be rubbed down and another coat applied but that'll do for now.  Waiting on the rust converter now.. slower than waiting for paint to dry. |
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Nov 29, 2014 19:19:50 GMT
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Unbolted and lifted off the trunk lid again as it's a nice day.  Started out the same as yesterday but took the advice of the container's labeling after and soaked paper towels in the solution, covering it with clingfilm and securing that with magnets.  Put the securing bar's thread, the nut and the plate that holds the spare wheel into the back of the car into solution also.  Also put some onto the spare wheel because it's kinda rusty also.  Got all Vulgalour with some 409 and a toothbrush whilst that's sitting working.   Scrub scrub scrub scrub! The seam sealer is all wrinkly and has collected grime over the years.  After a couple hours, everything's looking very clean. Well, apart from where the paint's gone through. That's next up, get rid of the surface rust and get a bit of paint inside there.    Certainly better than it was. Slow process, but worth it, as it's always looked kinda dirty in there. With the carpet back in it should be good. I'm tempted to cut a piece of hardboard to fit under the carpet. |
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Last Edit: Nov 29, 2014 19:23:13 GMT by PhilA
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Nov 29, 2014 20:58:40 GMT
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Got it all packed up for the night. Seeing a fairly decent change in the rust on the bootlid. Needs to be left longer but the day ran out. However, got it all tucked away safely and put some towels soaked in rust remover on the rustiest bits.  That can sit for a couple days, see how it does --Phil |
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Nov 30, 2014 19:52:08 GMT
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As thought, the papers dried out so I fought for ten minutes in the breeze outside with cling film. I hate cling film. It's a horrible material and the cutting edges never work. Either way, it's now covered back up. The nuts and bolts are coming up well.
I now need to figure out how to support the wet paper upside down against the inside lip of the trunk. It's beginning to work.
--Phil
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1987 Alfa Milano/75
1979 Alfetta Mille Miglia
1976 Alfetta GT race car
1970 Lancia Fulvia 1.3 Rallye S
1968 Fiat 850 spider
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Looks nice. But, a California car without aircon..? ouch. Phil |
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My original GTA had 192K on it when I got rid of it and lived it's life in Ontario, Canada, where we have a lot of snow and they use a ton of salt on the roads. The only rust on it was right where you've found it, on the trunklid. Even that was easily taken care of, but I had paid extra for an aftermarket warranty on the body because so many people had said Renaults would rust out, so I just left it rather than take care of it at the first signs. Then, when I did contact them about repairing, of course, the warranty company had gone out of business. Overall, the car was crazy reliable and well suited for winter driving, if you swap out the 50 series tires for some skinny snow tires. Mine could pull up roads that my roommates '90 Accord could not touch. Not that you will have to worry about any of this in Louisiana.
BTW, the stock cover for the spare was just a thin particle board, round and slightly larger than the wheel well, with some spacers stapled on to keep it centred over the spare. Pretty easy to replicate if you need to.
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I think I'm just going to make a board the same shape as the carpet and attach a strap to it so it can be lifted up easily. Then it's all flat and will also protect the wiring.
--Phil
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jpsmit
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,274
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That's a very... brightly colored engine.
Wonder if they did the timing belt?
--Phil
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Bought some new 320-grit paper today and rubbed down the back quarter of the car. Wiped it down with petrol and applied etch primer:  Got three coats on, then applied a coat of Chrysler Bright White and ran out. Put the trim on behind the window, that looks nice. Didn't do below the petrol filler because the paint there's still good and it's got a piece of bodykit to cover it up.  Going to work my way round the car in white, then add the yellow once that's dry enough to mask off. Need to find some fine-line tape. Nowhere round here sells it. --Phil |
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Last Edit: Dec 7, 2014 22:28:46 GMT by PhilA
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Hard to tell in the light, but it looks kind of like the stock white colour, which was my favourite colour for this car. If you are so inclined and wish to take the mouldings off the side, the black stripe near the top can be peeled off and there are rivets underneath that can be drilled out. On the door, there are clips at the bottom and the moulding slides off. The rocker mouldings I'd assume have some screws or plugs underneath holding them on, I could check if you want. To put these back on, be aware that they spec special rivets which are basically just weaker than normal rivets so you don't extrude the plastic around the rivet when you put the moulding back on. In a pinch, I've used normal rivets and it's worked fine. It's all hidden when you put the black strip back on, using automotive double sided tape.
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No, the camera didn't like how bright the white was compared to the rest of the image. It was a bright sunny afternoon.
The original white was more cream.. the body kit pieces I got were white, this is real proper refrigerator white.
Already had the molding strips off.. the kit is going to stay on for now, this is just a very rapid blow-over to cheer the car up a bit until I can afford proper paint to be done.
Phil
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Jan 24, 2015 14:22:38 GMT
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I've not done much to this lately other than drive it to and from work. Got 940 miles on now...!
Tried bleed the brakes again. I can hear the squelch and squeak of air in the system but can't seem to get rid.
I'm going to get some assistance, bleeding this system with one person seems to be a no-go.
Other than that the weather's been too cold or variable to allow me to lay on any more paint.
I need to pull the fascia off again and pull the needles of the gauges and re-seat then on their spindles because it would appear somebody's done that in the past and put them back on wrong.
Phil
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Jan 24, 2015 20:39:55 GMT
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Good to hear it getting some miles clocked.
How are you managing the bleeding by yourself? I had a spare cap for the brake reservoir, put a valve on it. Then put a hose from a tire (deflated a little to not to have too much pressure) to the cap, to get pressure in the system, and then do the bleeding. Worked quite well.
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Renault Laguna Sport Tourer 2.0dCi 178hp -11 // Renault Laguna 2.0T -03 // Renault Clio 1.4 8V -00 // Renault Safrane 2.2 -94 // Renault 11 1.4 T -84 // Renault 11 1.4 T -88 // Renault 11 1.7 TXE -86 // Renault 11 1.4GTL -85 // Renault 5 1.3 TS -79// Renault 11 1.4GTS -84
Link to build thread |
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Jan 24, 2015 21:08:17 GMT
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Good to hear it getting some miles clocked. How are you managing the bleeding by yourself? I had a spare cap for the brake reservoir, put a valve on it. Then put a hose from a tire (deflated a little to not to have too much pressure) to the cap, to get pressure in the system, and then do the bleeding. Worked quite well. Similar concept, Gunson Eezi-bleed. I've done a bit of research and it would seem that this particular system, like the ABS-equipped later models respond better to vacuum bleeding. The pressure reduction/pipe failure combination valve keeps hold of air and traps it very effectively. It's not an easy system to bleed with only one person. Other than that I've discovered it doesn't like near-freezing temperatures with 20W/50 in (which it does like in 25+C weather) as the top end is a bit noisy for about ten seconds or so until the oil's pumped up. Basically something's a bit slack, I think one of the valves, the guides really need doing, but eh. Phil |
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Feb 10, 2015 14:40:55 GMT
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I haven't been on this forum for a while and one of my 1st searches was this! So glad to see you working away at it still. I love reading these updates. Keep up the good work Phil.
Cheers, Colin.
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Feb 10, 2015 22:57:24 GMT
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Patience is wearing thin with this car right now.
Power steering is making a noise, brakes are still curse word after having been bled, the guy doing the brakes forced the window winder and yet another regulator has broken.
I'm getting a bit fed up with it.
Anyone have a pair of 2-door Renault 11 electric window mechanisms and switches they want to sell? The manual ones are horrible.
--Phil
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