Re: [AMC-list] I bought the Renault convertible

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

Justin, I drove an Alliance for a few years and test drove a Medallion wagon. I loved the Medallion, the Alliance was okay for around town, not a long trip car! Comfortable, but I had the 1.4L with auto. In a hilly area on a long trip it wouldn't hold 65 up hills. With that in mind you'll probably enjoy the little car. It's a great around towner, rides and handles well and roomy considering its size. VERY comfortable front seats. All the converts had the 1.7L, so you should be in much better shape than I was!

I had ONE problem with the Alliance -- weak spark (I don't think it got to no spark). It uses a crankshaft position sensor (CPS) like the Renix Jeep. It's an induction coil, mounted right on top of the bell on the 1.4L. The end just had trash on it -- cleaned it and it was fine. If you get no signal from the CPS you won't have spark. That's a more likely culprit than the ignition module. It's an induction coil on Renix and Renault applications, not a Hall effect switch as in the Jeep 4.0L HO applications (later Renault might be a switch, have no idea). 

IIRC the Renault does have a sealed cooling system with a water tank with pressure cap up on the firewall above the engine. If the tank has a crack (common) or there is any leak in the system it won't cool right. And you're correct -- it has to be bled correctly to work right also. Dad had a Premier that was tough to bleed -- had to know the right procedure! When not done right it had overheating issues. 

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Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 08:46:12 -0700 (PDT)
From: Justin Shelton <justinshelton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

OK, guys, so in spite of a few dire warnings to not do so, I bought that '87 Renault Alliance convertible that I mentioned a month or so ago.  I never really got back to the guy after I first looked at the car, but seeing as these vehicles have such a tiny following, I think that no one else ever even replied to his ad.  Last week he emailed me - probably his last and only resort in hoping to preserve marital harmony - and  told me to bring $250 and a dolly and it was mine.  I did so the following day.

I got the car home and put a battery in - it turned over and doesn't make any odd noises of valves being slapped around, nor is it spinning to fast as I turn it over, so I think that the engine has compression.  (I did not do an actual compression test yet.) I pulled the timing belt cover, and the belt is not broken and it appears to be properly installed. Next I tested for spark: there is none, but I did find that the spark plug wires were incorrectly installed (they were on in order for the 1.4 not the 1.7 engine).  I ordered a new Renix spark control module from AutoZone (I know, I hate them too, but they're open late and are only five miles away.)  The module should be in tomorrow, so I'll pick it up after work and see what happens next.  Who knows?  Maybe for $250 + a $120 module I'll have a driver???.  None of this of course addresses the supposed overheating condition, which is why the PO said he stopped driving the car, but I'll get there when I get there.  Maybe the 
cooling system just needed to be bled.  One other note: there is absolutely no crud on this engine, so I'm curious if its not a rebuilt engine with fewer miles than the 112K shown on the odometer.

Who knew I'd ever be excited about a Renault????  Now I am curious about those incredibly rare Medallions!

--
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://www.amc-mag.com
(free download available!)


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