Many unknown problems with car,

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I have an old Renault Espace with what I hope are common problems with other cars. I bought it second hand with no service history but it was cheap and I could haul the family around.
The first problem (That wasn’t a problem on the test drive) is that when I select reverse gear I get a grinding noise before it goes in. When I select first and second gear it is very stiff and difficult to select. The other gears seem a little stiff but not a problem at the moment.
I have also noticed that when I am driving along, if I turn slightly to the right, I have a horrible broken noise coming from the passenger’s side front wheel. The springs and bushes look fine. The noise only happens when I steer right and it is difficult to describe. The best way I can describe it is a large heavy ball in a washing machine.
Another not so critical problem is no heat comes out of the blowers, if I turn the temperature to cold; it gets cold but hot is not even warm but very lukewarm.
Could any of you, if possible, give me some idea of what the problems might be? I have no money and want to try and make repairs myself?

Thanks in advance

Tony
 
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Sounds like the wheel bearing. jack it up that corner and try to waggle the wheel, basicaly any movement of the bearing is bad. If you can price the bearing at the garage and a bearing factor (use yellow pages) they are often much cheeper from a bearing factor (especialy if you go to them in an overall and get trade discount)...... the gearbox sounds like the linkage needs adjusting and greasing. In no Espace expert but i presume the gear box is some way from the gear leaver and it might get clagged up and dry.... so my opinion is probably quite cheep to fix. i hope...good luck.
 
Great information, Thanks very much for you help, I will try the wheel bearing at the weekend.

Regards
 
Doesn't sound like a wheel bearing to me, as the noise would be constant, not just when turning.

I'd put money on a worn outer CV joint on the ns driveshaft as they make the exact noise you described. May get away with repacking it with grease, but usually need a new joint. Factors are usually the cheapest, but ask how much a reconditioned driveshaft is as the cost may not be that much more, when you take into consideration that replacing a joint is a more labour intensive process than replacing a drive shaft.

Gear linkage, like the sidecar john said may need adjusting/lubricating. Then again it may be worn bushes.

You temperature problem could be a couple of things
1. Is your temp gauge reading a normal level? if it doesn't go up very much. The thermostat could be stuck open, which means that cold water is circulating through the heater matrix. If so replace thermostat.
2. In the heater box there is usually a flap above the heater matrix that is opened by a cable when you turn the control in the car to warm. Usually what happens is the cable either breaks or becomes detached from the flap so no warm air can enter.

cheers

CJ
 
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Thanks again for this very usefull information, my car will be up and running in good condition in no time. I will post another message if the works fail at the weekend.

Regards
 
I forgot to ask, is it dangerous to be driving the car with these problems?
 
I didnt have time to look at the car this weekend but I did go to a garage today to ask some questions and possible prices. The fault with the noise was pointed out to be a ball joint from the steering arm on the drivers side, the rubber bush has collapsed and there is a lot of play in the arm, this does not explain the noise on the passenges side but I guess it looks an obvious cause
The crunching in the gear box has been diagnosed as the clutch, the mechanic explained that be pressing very hard on the clutc, the gears go in easier, which it did except reverse still sounds horrible, no matter how much the cluth goes in to the floor!
I jacked up the car and there is a little play in one of the gear linkages, I also noticed a rubber bush like object at the linkage nearest to the gear box and this was miss shaped. I have no idea how to make repairs to these linkages, it all looks very complicated!
Anyway, garage cost is £500+ as they believe the problem is a clutch.
Any advice to make this cheaper, does this sound a rip off?

Many Thanks
 
Usually you replace the complete linkage, not sure on an Espace.

If you have noticed play and worn bushes, I'd get that done first.
Mechanic may be chancing his arm hard to tell. Clutches normally fail because they are worn, burnt out and slipping, not because they can't disengage from the flywheel. Unless the pressure plate has a fault.

Is the Espace clutch, cable or hydraulically operated? Could be a worn clutch cable, and by pressing down that bit harder causes the clutch to disengage that little bit more?

I'd deffo go for the linkage first, as it doesn't take that much free play to cause problems and will be a whole lot cheaper than £500

CJ
 
Quote: "have an old Renault Espace with what I hope are common problems with other cars. I bought it second hand with no service history but it was cheap and I could haul the family around. "

I do not wish to sound patronising, You should never compromise where is comes to your families safety. No matter now cheap it was.
 
RichardWh said:
I do not wish to sound patronising, You should never compromise where is comes to your families safety. No matter now cheap it was.

Very constructive!

Must have great view from that Soapbox, lol!!
 
No mention of clutch adjustment ..

Check price of parts at main dealer first .. also get the part number !!
Factors are ok but not always right with part numbers, especially where models have changed, and mods made over time.

Check the prices for supply and fit new parts at a couple of main dealers .. they will have a menu of standard prices for jobs, perhaps illicit the time required in hours too, a good starting point. ... Currently you know nowt about the job or time involved .. Do the research.
Once you have cost of parts and 'expert' time to complete ... You are in a good position to judge the smaller garage ... But will they replace perhaps a weeping oil seal causing a 'sticky' clutch, cost a note or so, and trip to supplier / await delivery... but that space in the small workshop is worth £10's per hour ... I wonder.
In the end you pays your money and takes your chance.
Best of luck.
Just found this ....
Technical Note 42
Renault Espace
Clutch Drag/Non Clearance; Inability to Select Gears:
Technical investigations on Espace models with the above problems have found that the clutch pedal is
prone to both flexing and cracking. This results in reduced stroke length when operating the clutch,
leading to the non clearance problems. A strengthened and modified clutch pedal is available (Renault
Part No 6025 002 645), or the existing pedal can be strengthened by welding a support bar across the
right angled section of the pedal at the upper end, this is equal to the Renault modification. If non
clearance problems are experienced on the above models ensure that the clutch pedal is checked
thoroughly for flexing or cracking.
back
http://www.national-auto.co.uk/media/technotes.pdf[/QUOTE]

hmmm.. take care here, may or may not be your problem..
This is always gonna be the type of problem with poorly maintained vehicles .. No such thing as a bargain in the motor trade, just differing levels of rip off. .. Cheap now, pay later comes to mind ;)
 
empip said:
Factors are ok but not always right with part numbers, especially where models have changed, and mods made over time.

I think you are a little out of touch. My company use the DVLA database for the cars details. Not 100% but 99% .
 
Quick Fit said:
empip said:
Factors are ok but not always right with part numbers, especially where models have changed, and mods made over time.

I think you are a little out of touch. My company use the DVLA database for the cars details. Not 100% but 99% .

I prefer the manufacturers database.
I was wary of the 'special edition' the mech spec may very well not match the standard model, leaving possibly a dodgy area.. for the aftermarketeers.
I stand by finding the OEM's part number and go from there.
The cost was the same !! So I guess the OEM's kit was the only option, which made the cost research worth while.
OldNewDisc.png

Ignore the text in my sketch showing part section of the rotors-(also actually vented), the black hatching shows the 'factors' offering .... The pinky hatching the real thing .... The erroroneous info still exists !!
Part No. NBD 824 ......
...Sourced from one of the foremost clutch and brake manufacturers in the UK. This quality ensures that the development, manufacture and supply of products are all carried out with the requirements set out in the UK ISO standards.
:?:
;)
 
i would say new clutch, it will come in a 3 piece set including thrust plate, at the same time you can get links adjusted. they will adjust the clutch to get it to engage and disengage anyway. but 500+ plus for thr clutch is high price. steering bush could be the prob with the noise.

good luck
 
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