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21 Turbo 21 Turbo Quadra joins Renault 5 stable!

The amal valve should be found inside the air box, but may have already been removed.

The whine certainly sounds like it could be the diff might of been damaged with the diff lock if its been doing it since 4 years old?

Common issue with head gaskets is weeping from the rear, the rag he has placed there is stopping it going on the clutch where I imagine most owners in the past first new about the problem. As far as my experience goes it shouldn't suddenly let go but I would get it addressed sooner rather than later. Changing the head gasket is quite easy, takes about 4 hours (depending on snapped bolts etc.)
 
I see a valve inside the air box that looks a bit like that! The whine appears to be coming from the front rather than the rear. Is there a diff lock on the front as well? Or could I be mishearing and it's actually coming from the rear?
I'll add the gasket to the list of things to do. Presumably no need to skim the head if it's not overheated?
Andrew
 
Hi and welcome to the world of the 21 turbo.

Here is a a photo of the fallen card that is stopping the sunroof going back properly. I just removed mine completely.
Its not that bad a job too get to it, a couple of hours would have the job done and all back together.
To remove the headlining, just remove the top interior side trim, the interior light at the front, remove the rubber trim piece at the rear of the headlining / top of rear window, the lining should now just be held up with approx 5 velcro strips, the easiest way to get to these as you dont want to bend the lining is to get a long number plate and just slide it in from the rear and feel around until you find the velcro strips and use the plate to prize them apart, you can then slide the lining out through the boot.

Remove the suspect card and double check the sunroof then goes all the way back. If your lucky then it will, if anythings broke then you will have to replace the sunroof mechanism which aint the end of the world.

Dropped Card 070604.webp
 
Thank you! I had a quick look today and it appears that the mechanism is broken on the passenger side. There's a little thing that flips up and down and pushes the roof up when it's closed. It flaps around and doesn't appear to be attached to the sunroof glass thingy. Difficult to explain. I think I will need to replace it. Sunroof is a low priority though.
So tempting to dive straight in, but I want to enjoy driving it first! Plan is to drive it until just before Christmas and then get some stuff sorted over the Christmas break.
Funnily enough, the driver's door not shutting reliably is the highest priority job right now, I think! It's a bit embarrassing that I can't shut it sometimes. Do I just need a new catch mechanism in the door itself? I don't think the door has dropped. I can't move it up and down on the hinges. It sometimes shuts very nicely.
The car is the most complex classic I've worked on. I did some stuff on a 1999 BMW 530d Touring, which was the family car. The engineering on that car was second to none.
Andrew
 
Its the lock mechanism itself, I've had it several times on various 21's. Remove it, lube it, free it up and you'll be fine.

The sunroof mech being broken isn't unusual, either side are 2 very pathetic plastic 'arms' that require no encouragement to break. Changing the assembly isn't hard, finding a working ph3 however, might be.

Dave's covered everything else. I've no experience with a Quadra as I prefer the quicker variant of 21 eh @DaveL485 ;)
 
1. Driver's door. Sometimes it just won't shut. I try shutting it gently or slamming it, but it's as if it "bounces". I have lubricated the catch in the door. It seems intermittent. I've checked the adjustment of the catch post on the b pillar. It appears to be fine. Any suggestions?

The lock isn't rotating and catching when the striker hits it. Possibly dirty but might be worn...had a few do this. I've always had spare locks handy in the past so have just swapped them out (the bit in the door). You could take it right out and degrease with brake cleaner and a paintbrush, re-lubricate and refit which is what I would try if I didnt have a spare lock in the future.

2. The head gasket appears it may be leaking oil down the back of the engine. There's quite a stain down the bellhousing and there's a rag stuffed between it and the head! I tried to take a photo:
"They all do that". No, really, they do. The engine channels oil up to the head around head bolt 7, and where the oil runs past the HG from the factory is a design flaw where the gasket doesn't have any extra sealing function on it. Over time the oil and pressure saturate the HG material and it starts weeping out the back of the head. There is an updated head gasket with a metal sealing compression ring around the head bolt hole/oilway, which we can assume isn't fitted to your car. It has a little bit that pokes out the back of the head with three notches in it, which the standard flawed one doesnt have. If you don't fix the HG oil leak, the oil will eventually contaminate the clutch friction plate. Only fix is a new (updated) head gasket :)

3. What's this? Is it the Amal valve? The electrical connection to it has been unplugged:
Auxilliary water pump. It activates after the engine is switched off and runs for 10-15 mins on a timed relay to stop the Turbo overheating after coolant stops circulating. I would guess either the pump has broken, or the relay is broken, or the relay is stuck on (which runs the pump until the battery is drained lol). Test the pump straight from the battery thats easy enough. The relay you can take apart and look for burned circuits or blown resistors but you should hear it click on and off by turning the ign on and off. It lives under the black cover behind the battery, is a big black relay looking thing with a blue inside.
The Amal valve is what Andy has pictured, it's basically an ECU controlled bleed valve. The ECU uses it to restrict boost to 8psi (wastegate pressure) when engine temp < 50c or car is in reverse. In a 2wd it also uses it to restrict boost to 8psi in 1st. It does this by pulsing at a constant frequency of 12hz, but varying the time open<>time closed to vary the bleed of pressure off. For it's time, very clever.

5. Gearbox whine: it is related to road speed, not engine speed. I've been in touch with the vendor and he definitely thinks it's always done it! He bought the car in 1996 so it was only 4 years old then. I suppose it could have been faulty then and he's just lived with it, so I should probably just live with it until I have to take the engine or box out for some other reason?
Up to you. Personally, i'd take it out and get it fixed. Must be a whiny diff...it would do my swede in (but thats just me)

6. There's quite some clonking coming from the rear when I transition off/on power. Diff worn? Are there some bushes that might need changing? Can they be got from anywhere?
Get underneath and check out the propshaft centre bearing. Particularly the rubber in the donut that holds the bearing race to the outer metal ring.

7. What's the engine type code? I can't see it anywhere on the block and I don't want to start taking things off just to find it! I need to order a timing belt kit
J7R 756, but a J7R 752 kit will work too (752 is the dizzy model, 756 is the dizzyless). The engine plate should be on the block under the number 4 exhaust port (ish)

FYI, photo of the coil pack:
The bits where the HT leads push on doesn't look right so I think Lewis is correct in thinking they're from another model....but if they work who cares? :)



PS, where's number 4.? :)
 
Can you believe it? I binned it this morning! A terribly greasy road. Luckily it's all fixable. Only real damage is nosecone, driver's wing, headlight, indicator and the bumper. Very slight dent in the rear quarter but it actually looks like a parking ding!
I have learned my lesson. Fabulously handling and really grippy car, even in the wet, but when it lets go, you're sideways and you run out of talent, there's only one way it's going to end! I was enjoying sliding round the roundabout then I tried to take the exit. The change of direction was too much, I ended up going sideways and I couldn't correct the skid. I mounted the kerb (luckily one of those ramped ones) and spun round to hit the fence posts.
I'm ok. Just a bit upset. And by the way, I am going to fix all the above issues - determined to do so and to look after this car properly. I'm going to try not to crash it again. It's my first proper crash so I feel a bit silly! I've been under a lot of pressure recently with work and family so very tired and I think that has affected my judgement ;-)
Thank you all for your support and I'm sorry to have done this to a Quadra!
I've nearly sourced all the parts I need to fix the accident damage, except the headlight. Anyone got a driver's side headlamp?
Andrew
 
Best you get the mishaps out of the way now before you make the car perfect.

The lights are rare. I might be able to point you in the right direction if needed. Al W , are you on here ?
 
New old stock would be cool - please keep looking, although I may have found a mint second hand one, so don't try too hard.
Thank you all for your support. You're so kind. I imagine most of you have been in a similar situation at some point. I need to practice my skid control in a safe environment and get used to the 4wd handling and what happens when it lets go. I'll chalk it up to (in)experience.
Here's a photo of the damage. As you can see, it's not too bad. I have a red wing, bumper and nose cone on order, along with an indicator. The headlight is held together with sellotape at the moment! Need to wash off the mud too ;-O
The bumper may even be saveable... I'll take it off and have a look. There's the tiniest dink in the rear quarter but it looks like a parking ding so it''s not too bad. I'll get it sorted in the fullness of time.
Oops.webp
 
This experience has also told me that I want to keep the car standard as far as performance is concerned. At least while I get to learn the car's characteristics a bit better. I would love to "play" with it one day, but for now I want to get it up to spec and sorted as is!
 
You utter div! ;)

These things happen though :) i've totalled a 2wd myself. At least its fixable thats the main thing. Lights and indicators are hard to get in decent nick, everyone tends to hang on to any spares for that reason! I converted mine to a 2.0 front end and then bought all the £15 NOS headlights off eBay for fifteen quid each lol
 
Yeah, I feel a bit of a spoon! It truly is the first proper crash I've had! My neck hurts this morning, but it was already giving me jip yesterday. I drove the car in the evening for over an hour and a half and it was all ok. The tracking is slightly out (I've had two garages verify that nothing is bent or broken), so I'll get that sorted first, then I'll bash out the dent in the wing and bolt on another bumper and nose cone so I can still enjoy it!
I have driven much faster and some more lairy cars, by the way, so I like to think I can handle a performance car, but it's just a combination of circumstances. I was both unlucky and extremely lucky at the same time. I hope you were ok after totalling the 2wd.
Parts should start to arrive early next week and I'll start work on it next weekend. I have a free weekend!
 
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