Disaster! The Renault not so sweet 16 has thrown it's toys out the pram!

Well, where do we start with this one.
After 300 trouble free miles and running like a dream this week, the #renault #r16 picked up a little bottom end knock. So we immediately abandoned our run to the coffee shop, gently drove it back to base and set about finding the cause!
There's lots to go at on this one, and ultimately I wish I'd of dropped the sump and checked the pickup pipe earlier. But we live in the real world, and nobody does that without reason. And this is the reason.
Massive shout out to Duncan Topliss at Retro Renault Services who has been on the end of the phone and is on the hunt through his parts department for a new set of shells, and hopefully an uprated oil pump.
Did we catch it in time before any damage? We'll have to wait and see...

[@Kensclassics]

Having been a R16 owner and fan since 1970, it is brilliant to see theses UK detailed mechanical videos rather than some one just showing you around the car, can't wait to see the oil pump coming out for inspection, if it was only the strainer pipe blocked it should be OK, should be handy enough to renew the big end bearings now if needed with the sump off, keep up the good work, can't wait to see the next video.👍👍

[@hbhmhbhm]

Good luck with the rebuild, I can't wait for the next installment as the R16 is one of my favorite cars!

[@Randgalf]

This is actually more useful than you might imagine. The R16 has been one of my all-time favourite cars ever since I was a kid, and just last summer I finally got around to acquire one, a metallic blue 1978 year model (I'd like to get hold of an earlier one, but one thing at a time). Not that I necessarily have experienced any loss in oil pressure, although the light did come on once after a bit of motorway driving, but the oil level was low and I topped it up, seemingly solving the issue. Watching this though makes me want to at least take off the oil pan and clean up the sludge which no doubt will have had time to build up over the years, because why not if the pan is that easy to remove without dismounting the actual engine. Also, the pan itself have a dent around the drain plug, meaning it's currently sealed off with Loctite around the threads, which is not ideal, so there's another reason to remove it and maybe even replace it. All in all, great inspirational and informative video, this! I'll certainly follow you on your venture with this French classic.

[@NorthEastTuning]

@Randgalf I'm really pleased to hear that, thank you. I hope.this video gives you the knowledge and confidence to get the job done, I'm just uploading part 2 where I remove the oil pump and big end shells. Which will be an eye opening video which will likely make this job a priority for you. Hopefully I can help you enjoy many more years of happy 16 ownership. 🙌

[@HowardLeVert]

Loved how you were resting your light on one of the torsion bars! Will eagerly await the next instalment on this lovely car.

[@NorthEastTuning]

Got to give you the best view of that torsion bar that I can. :p Glad you enjoyed, I'm looking forward to part 2 as well. Tomorrow morning I'm going to whip the caps off and inspect and measure the crank, so the next video will be doing that along with showing how to remove and inspect the oil pump and showing people how to inspect a crank or shells for unusual wear.

[@PlattLaneEnd]

In the mid 80s, I had a Triumph 2000. A bit left field for an 18 year old lad. It started bottom end knocking. The paper oil filter used to drain overnight - terrible design. My mechanic BIL and I fitted new big end shells (I couldn't afford a crank regrind etc). It worked! I drove a few hundred miles and it sounded perfect. Then one day, on start up, the oil pressure warning light stayed on. Hmmm... I took the sump off and the oil strainer was blocked with huge amounts of white silicone. The BIL had put way too much sealant on the sump (I knew no better either!). The sump had then chopped it off and inevitably, it got caught up. I managed to correct it all and no harm done. It ran perfectly for a good few years after that. RJA 673H from memory!

[@sQuEeZyMaN13]

Im currently repairing a Renault 16 U.S. spec after a long period of neglect, would you happen to remember what size and type of thread that oil pressure port in the side of the block is? When I bought the car, it had a British Standard Pipe Taper (BSPT) hose barb and rubber line leading to a gauge, of which the fitting I don’t think is right now that I’ve seen this video… Also, it’s SOOO awesome to have at least one other person on KZbin posting more technical content on the R16, I’m getting ready to start recording my “adventure,” and should be posting soon.

[@Adeyspec]

Probably just the blocked strainer, might be worth checking the pump whilst there but it'll prob be fine. New set of shells and send it. Loving the videos btw (y)

[@PhillipSmith-q7o]

The Haynes manual suggests changing bigend shells on all manner of cars at a similar mileage.

[@NorthEastTuning]

@@PhillipSmith-q7o I wonder how many people do. Bet it's very few. 😂

[@chriscansdale6389]

I have to say I'm amazed you let that run without any oil pressure.. I'm facing this in my Morris Minor. Newly built engine failed when rubber from the timing chain tensioner jammed the oil pressure relief open. My freshly ground crank ruined again in a flash and I had seen the oil pressure falter and stopped immediately but it was too late. Like you, I bought it and it was running beautifully, so quiet and smooth. How I dont know, as a suspicious head gasket investigation ended up revealing marked bores, buggered bearings, scored crank... hence the rebuild that then failed as well. I'm looking forward to seeing the next episode and what you find....

[@NorthEastTuning]

@chriscansdale6389 that sounds like a terrible situation to be in. Especially if you bought something, or had an engine that was freshly built. I have a lot less to lose with this one, it was bought as an unknown and from my point of view not only does refreshing the bottom end mean I can enjoy it for longer with peace of mind, but in retrospect it allows to make and share content. Not that it was part of the decision to start it with no oil pressure. At the point I knew it had no oil pressure, the car had already been driven half a mile and been started and stopped and driven in and out of the workshop. If there was going to be irreparable damage, it wasn't going to happen in that 20 seconds at idle. I've built plenty of classic engines in my time so I'm not too worried about a set of shells. It's certainly not the worst I've heard and now I've seen the state of the pickup, I'm confident there's been no lasting damage. I'll be pulling the pump and shells tomorrow, so expect an update.

[@chriscansdale6389]

@NorthEastTuning one of things I'm most looking to see/hear about is new bearing shells being fitted to a crank that must have some wear in it by now (excluding any potential damage from this issue). You'd be very lucky to have no wear surely? What impact will there be on bearing clearance etc? You did read my scenario right.. new car purchase that had been stored for 10 years (deceased estate), health check because I have a 7500 km return trip in April ( across Australia) needed a rebuild and that rebuild then failed.. start all over again.. was going to do what you are about to, but I was told it would have a limited life because of any crank wear.. Anyway.. enjoying the format.. looking forward to the updates as I do like the Renault 16's as well...

[@Adeyspec]

PS would look cool with a few inches out of the ride height 😁

[@User-wollswoycegawage]

Workshop manual you say recommendeds changing shell's at 40,000 But presumably that's before shell's start knocking Surely the only way to fix that properly now is crank regrind Or it's going to start knocking again soon And that worry evertime you take it out Did i hear the bottom end knock then What's that noise Better not take it up the motorway Don't do more than 1200 revs until it's warm Don't rev it above 3000 revs Is it going to break today Etc etc

[@NorthEastTuning]

@User-wollswoycegawage you don't know that though. And nor do I at this point because we haven't inspected and measured the crank. That's for the next episode.

[@User-wollswoycegawage]

@NorthEastTuning I had a 63 Morris LD panel van not run in 45 year's I removed sump was brown sludge glad I did

[@NorthEastTuning]

@User-wollswoycegawage this was a running driving car in daily use until it was parked up 18 months ago. 😂

[@nightstorm9128]

The engine inside is filthy for a petrol engine ,,Due to poor oil changes and conventional oil,,,If it were mine I'd run full syn,,oil ,,And do 3 or 4 oil changes over 3 or 4 hundred miles,,,Changing the oil filter each time,,It will clean the internals up no end,,