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Author Topic: Time to Find the Oil Leak, and New Summer Tires!  (Read 9386 times)
Espace Atlantic
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Posts: 25



« on: April 10, 2016, 08:24:26 pm »

Hi everyone,
Now I quickly browsed through all the earlier threads in the Espace category, because back when I joined the forum I read much of it, and now I could not remember if there was some advice, about the J63 performing better with a different wheel dimension (than the original which is 195/65 R14)  ?

Didn't find anything like that now, and I may well have been confused by some posts about JE models of the Espace, instead.

Anyway, our trusty and well-handling J63 needs new summer tires soon - Winter is over, at last!

The other little job this Spring is to find an oil leak which the car has had for many years. This leak has never seemed to get worse, and every couple of months I top up with maybe 1/2 to 1 quart (car isn't driven as often as before).

My norwegian mechanic, who prides himself on being expensive (mostly german cars), has warned me that he can't allow me to pass this year's EU inspection with the leak, and that it will cost me a fortune if he has to spend the necessary time on it. So he's recommended that I clean the engine and look for the leak myself.

So now that the weather is warmer, I thought I'd unscrew the protective plates under the engine and have a look.  All I know from beforehand is that the leak seems to be near the front axle., because that's always where oil has dripped onto the garage floor.

If any of you have any advice on how to do the job well, I'd be delighted to hear it!
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96 Espace 2.0 'Atlantic'
07 Espace 2.0DCI 'Privilege'
renaultsan
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Posts: 98


« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2016, 08:57:07 pm »

With the splash gards off, check  the  front crankshaft seal and all around the sump gasket. You did not say if yours was manual or automatic, if its manual then check the weep hole at the botton of the bell housing. If you have a leak there then to fix it the gearbox (or the engine) will have to come out to replace the rear oil seal. It would be a similar case for an automatic but a little more difficult as the rorwue converter would need to be released and pushed back into the bell housing. Also check the rocker box cover gasket as it could also leak from there and run down the block. Also check the sump plug as if the washer has been damaged it can leak from that point
Good luck with it.
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Renault Alpine GTA D500
Renault 25 V6 Automatic
Renault 25 TXI Multivalve
1990 Renault Espace
1974 Renault 15 TL 1300
1978 Renault 15 GTL 1300
Renault 25 GTX 2,2
Renault Extra 1.9 Diesel Vans (2)
Espace Atlantic
Jr. Member
**
Posts: 25



« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2016, 01:48:34 pm »

^^^

Thanks Renault-san!

Here's ANOTHER little Espace-issue I have, which has dragged out.


There's a french website called NPA50.fr which sells parts for the different Espaces up until the 2006 model year.

This guy has several parts I wish to buy... BUT HE DOESN'T ANSWER MY EMAILS

 Huh

I wonder if it is because, here in Norway, I'm outside the EU, and he finds that difficult?

Could anyone inside the EU try contacting him to see if he answers?

« Last Edit: April 11, 2016, 03:56:49 pm by Espace Atlantic » Logged

96 Espace 2.0 'Atlantic'
07 Espace 2.0DCI 'Privilege'
renaultsan
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Posts: 98


« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2016, 03:21:51 pm »

What parts are you looking for? A few details of your car would help.
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Renault Alpine GTA D500
Renault 25 V6 Automatic
Renault 25 TXI Multivalve
1990 Renault Espace
1974 Renault 15 TL 1300
1978 Renault 15 GTL 1300
Renault 25 GTX 2,2
Renault Extra 1.9 Diesel Vans (2)
Espace Atlantic
Jr. Member
**
Posts: 25



« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2016, 03:56:05 pm »

What parts are you looking for? A few details of your car would help.

I need a new electric window contraption for the front right-hand side, see attachment.

And I broke the customized jack for the J63, would like a new one.

electric door locks all around, one gave up the ghost and I expect more will.

Other than that, everything is working fine for the moment.

- and by the way, my '96 Espace is manual transmission, 2.0 gas engine, outfitted with a dark blue cloth that resembles nautical charts, something which I liked because I've long had sailing as a passion.  Smiley
« Last Edit: April 11, 2016, 04:02:00 pm by Espace Atlantic » Logged

96 Espace 2.0 'Atlantic'
07 Espace 2.0DCI 'Privilege'
renaultsan
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Posts: 98


« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2016, 04:46:03 pm »

The electric door lock motors are available on e-bay, I replaced the one on my tailgate that way, the Renault 25 electric locks are the same. As for the window regulator, I have seen them on e-bay also. The replacement jack might be a little difficult to find but should be available from a UK breaker seeing as how your Espace is a much later model than mine. I do not think your location has anything to do with the guy not ansering your e-mails, he just does not want to bother with it.
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Renault Alpine GTA D500
Renault 25 V6 Automatic
Renault 25 TXI Multivalve
1990 Renault Espace
1974 Renault 15 TL 1300
1978 Renault 15 GTL 1300
Renault 25 GTX 2,2
Renault Extra 1.9 Diesel Vans (2)
Espace Atlantic
Jr. Member
**
Posts: 25



« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2016, 09:28:48 pm »

The electric door lock motors are available on e-bay, I replaced the one on my tailgate that way, the Renault 25 electric locks are the same. As for the window regulator, I have seen them on e-bay also. The replacement jack might be a little difficult to find but should be available from a UK breaker seeing as how your Espace is a much later model than mine. I do not think your location has anything to do with the guy not ansering your e-mails, he just does not want to bother with it.


Good to know about the locks, that's the kind of thing that's always nice to hear. As to the custom jack, today I found a yard here in Norway has one! So that's sorted out.

But they didn't have the exact same type of window regulator (as I included a photo of above), instead they have a slightly different  kind as shown in the photo below. From a 1992 model Espace and their asking price is about $150...  snigger

Makes me wonder if the rusted out wire of the lifting motor (which works) can just be replaced instead, with a strong thin dyneema-type product which won't rust...

Even more wonderful than having an Espace with Nautical upholstery, would be if it also had yacht line in the window rigging!

Did I mention that this whole Espace-fascination originally came about, because of my being involved in building racing boats in composite materials, which then made the Espace sound ideal for me, and to impress my composite-obsessed friends?

But back to this alternative, older window regulator, does anyone know if it will fit right into my car, without modifications?  Was there any change in the design/construction of the Espace front doors between 1992 and 1996?


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96 Espace 2.0 'Atlantic'
07 Espace 2.0DCI 'Privilege'
mhi
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Posts: 59


« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2016, 10:58:38 am »

electric door locks all around, one gave up the ghost and I expect more will.

I've replaced three of the six electric lock motors on my J63 - tailgate and both rear passenger doors. All of these use the same actuator (motor), and all died because the little electric motor inside the plastic sealed box developed a dead spot.

Cheap-ish replacements from eBay worked perfectly for two of these. For the third, the replacement worked for a day or two then became unreliable. I thought it was dirt or other problems in the lock mechanism -- the new motor which seemed to work all right whenever it was taken out and tested. Several lock adjustments, cleaning sessions, and many weeks later, I eventually broke open the plastic case to look at the actuator internals. The new one was missing a little nylon thrust bearing, and that was why it kept sticking.

So...
(a) Beware quality control of replacement lock actuators.

(b) Save your old lock actuators, because you may want to use one to diagnose and fix a dud replacement.

(c) The actuators are easy enough to split open to repair - you will need to glue them up afterwards.

(d) The little electric motor inside is a model FC-280 (mine was sold as FC-280PC-SC, the variant with the shaft emerging from the same end as the connectors) and just the motor is much cheaper than the actuator. Next failure I'll try replacing just that motor.

I have not had to replace or repair the actuators for the front doors, which have a switch as well as a motor, and more connections, nor the one for the fuel filler flap. The front door actuators don't seem to be listed on eBay. Front door lock problems have (so far) all been cured by cleaning and lubricating the lock and the door handle.

Mark
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1994 Espace RXE 2.0 (J636)
Espace Atlantic
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Posts: 25



« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2016, 12:31:00 pm »

^^^
Thanks, Mark!

It was the left rear door that stopped working for us. When that happened then sometimes the fuse for the central locking also blew, so after a few replacements I just left the dead fuse in place and we didn't bother to lock the car for a long while. Gave a certain sense of reassurance in fact, since it made no difference in this neighborhood.

I'd not heard of a J63 having a lock on the tank lid.  Fortunately, no-one has ever siphoned off our gas either!

The damned tank lid is the only exterior part of this car that rusts, I've sanded it down and repainted it twice and now it soon needs doing again.

When you mention gluing the actuators together again, I think it might be another occasion to use self-vulcanizing tape? What a wonderful tape that is, useful on many occasions.
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96 Espace 2.0 'Atlantic'
07 Espace 2.0DCI 'Privilege'
Espace Atlantic
Jr. Member
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Posts: 25



« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2016, 09:52:22 am »

Got a reply from NPA50.fr today! No problem shipping to Norway, he writes.
We'll not have to keep that window shut anymore, as it has been since October.

Now I'll have to check the driver's side mechanism, in case the wire down there is also about to rust apart.
Given the long period every year that we're driving on salted roads, this is minor stuff - a little worse is that
the upper and lower suspension arms will need treatment or replacing in the next couple of years.
Anybody know of any other hidden places on these cars where rust can suddenly cause a problem?
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96 Espace 2.0 'Atlantic'
07 Espace 2.0DCI 'Privilege'
Espace Atlantic
Jr. Member
**
Posts: 25



« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2016, 10:36:12 pm »

Made some calls to find summer tires today. Trouble was that the 195/65 R14 size was something which almost nobody had in stock, and the best I found locally was a set of Vredestein Sporttrac 5.

Reading up on those, I was't happy that they were beat in recent tests by everything except chinese brands...  I mean, my kids are going to drive this car, and the braking distance and handling in f.ex. wet conditions is something I want to be best possible.

So I asked a friend of mine what I could do to have a better selection, and his advice was to go to a slightly different dimension, which is legal to do.  When I then called around asking for 185/70 R14 tires then I found they had more kinds in stock.

And at a marginally higher price than the Vredesteins, I then ordered a set of Nokia Hakka Green; which tires scored best in the tests here in Norway this year (and were 2nd last year).  I look forward to them being installed - right now the car still has the studded winter tires on.

Only thing left is to replace those disintegrating hubcaps - But I think it is disgusting that the Renault dealers want $200 for a new set of plastic hubcaps, and the only alternative is some damned generic garbage. So if anyone has a nice set of Renault 14' hubcaps, then speak up fast and you'll get a decent price for them   Wink
« Last Edit: April 15, 2016, 10:39:43 pm by Espace Atlantic » Logged

96 Espace 2.0 'Atlantic'
07 Espace 2.0DCI 'Privilege'
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