#460002 - Restoration

[Serge]

Another short video made it's way online!

Restoring the handbrake lever mechanism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqrfRhK0nIo

Enjoy!

[BDA]

Great video, Serge! I don't remember how the hand brake went together on the TCS but I'm sure it was easier than that! I think Chunky simplified this later! I hope yours works better than mine!

[jbcollier]

The early handbrake levers are from Renault while the later ones are from Ford.

[lotusfanatic]

Hello Serge,

you’re another step closer....

Mark

[BDA]

I was talking with my nephew who welds the other day and the term "stack of dimes" came up. For some reason, I remembered that Serge used that term (probably a long time ago) and at the time, I didn't think anything of it but then it hit me that Serge is from Belgium where there are no dimes! I was tickled by that and impressed that the term is used even where they don't have dimes!

[Serge]

I am considering all options for fabricating my inlet manifolds.

Could somebody measure the temperature of the flange of the exhaust manifold of a Renault engine (wedge or Crossflow) of a hot engine. Just need to know what kind of temperatures I can expect the intake manifold to endure.

Serge

[jbcollier]

Brazing won’t work.

[Serge]

Brazing won’t work.

I am considering high temperature thermoplastics.
But they only go up to 230 celcius, and I am afraid that this won’t do.

Serge

[jbcollier]

It can get much hotter than that. 

[gideon]

Some measurements would still be very helpful I think.  The block itself shouldn't get much above 100 Celsius (I believe - though correct me if I'm wrong), and both the inlet and exhaust flanges are in close thermal contact with the block.  From what I've read, the exhaust manifold (or headers) could get up to 650 Celsius though, so a small distance one way or another could make a huge difference in temperature. 

An infrared thermometer is probably the most practical way to measure this.  I have one in the kitchen that I use for cooking.

[gideon]

For what it's worth, I did spend a bit of time looking at some articles about new high temperature resins.  If things have to be made, then I'm keen on making them from composites if it's practical.  Bismaleimide resins looks like the most promising in terms of price/performance/practicality.  It is important to understand, I think, that there can be a big difference between the highest temperature a polymer can withstand, and the temperature that it can withstand on a prolonged basis, with repeated heating and cooling cycles. For example, here's a quote from a short 2014 piece on compositesworld.com .

"Toho Tenax Co. Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) [...], announced on Nov. 6 its development of a new prepreg that offers super-high-heat and oxidation resistance, suited to automotive and aircraft engine compartments. The new bismaleimide resin pre-impregnated prepreg reportedly does not reach glass-transition below 320°C/608°F. It also maintains oxidation resistance without heat cracks under continuous use in the range of upper 200°C/392°F degrees. Conventional bismaleimide resin-impregnated prepreg has been used in high-temperature applications such as automotive and motorbike engine compartments, but it degrades due to resin oxidation after continuous use at high temperatures and forms microcracks after repeated heat expansion and contraction."

[Serge]

I have a new quote going for cnc milling the manifolds, but they are looking into it to see if it’s feasable.

My thinking now, is milling the runners and getting the flanges cut on a waterjet, then TIG welding it all together.

Serge

[jbcollier]

Are you talking about intake or exhaust?  I have seen plastic intake manifolds so it could work for that.  For sidedrafts, it would require triangulated bracing.

[BDA]

My PT Cruiser has plastic intake manifolds but it is a cross flow engine. If the Renault is not a cross flow, I wonder  the heat would be too high for plastic intake manifolds but I only wonder. I have no experience or knowledge to go on.

I'm a bit confused. Can you TIG plastic or am I terribly misreading your post?

[gideon]

Maybe I can clarify - there is a thread about it on Facebook which I have been following.  Serge is trying to make an intake manifold for his wedge head Renault engine.  It will be used with a set of headers for the exhaust. It is designed to work with a pair of DCOE 40 carburetors or compatible throttle bodies, and also to work with the original cooling pipe arrangement.

He has been considering several options for making the manifold including (i) 3D printing with a special thermoplastic and (ii) making it in sections from aluminium using CNC and a water-jet, then welding the sections together.

As it happens, I also have a wedge head Renault engine and I'm hoping that Serge is going to build a nice manifold for me - which is why I have been following along closely.