Renault 1929 RY1 Monasix

3 minute(s) of a 217 minute read

Hello Chuck

Thank you for your interest. I have just yesterday purchased 12 new Valves, 6 exhaust and 6 inlet from a local supplier of NOS parts. These came at a fraction of Depanoto' quoted price even before adding the cost of postage. Strangely the valves that I required were a "standard" item from Depanoto's Web-site catalogue. So it seems that even their catalogued spares are not made to any given standard? Perhaps it is just a breakdown in the translation or communication.

Bj.

6-12-2015

Hello PEHerman

Thanks for the tip. I now have all six pistons out of the block, unfortunately on closer inspection there are a number of other problems with this one and I have decided to go back to the NZ block but to use the French crankshaft and conecting rods etc. The NZ motor is 1927 and while the main bearings are the same size, the later 1929 (French) crank has 4 mm larger big ends. Both motors have the same cylinder bore so I can use parts from both engines to build a composite 27/29 unit. Perhaps not the best practice but on past experience it is a huge waste of money and effort restoring vintage engines to better than new when all the cars are going to do is stand in a museum or a "Private Collection" and are unlikely to ever be driven more that a mile or two if at all. In the past I have spent between $30,000 and $40,000 on "top shelf" rebuilds on engines that have never been started again. I have decided that as long as the car can be driven without obliterating the countryside in oil smoke it will be OK. Having only recently learnt the meaning of "Caveat Emptor" the hard way, I may as well employ this nice legal term too.

If I get to finish this restoration it will probably be a miracle and possibly the last thing I do in this life.

Already I have spent more on this car than it ever will be worth and I still have not got to the stage of having a "rolling chassis"!

To anyone disagreeing with this philosophy, I would be delighted to receive your offers to take over the project.

Bj.

On the subject of "oil smoke" looking at the pistons that came out of the "French" motor while the pistons have four rings there is no provision for an "oil control" ring. There are three rings above the gudgeon pin and one at the bottom of the skirt, there is a row of holes drilled just below the third ring.

Bj.

OOPS!

Having further cleaned out the ring groves I now have discovered that there is in fact provision for oil control rings it was just that the groves were completely caked with solidified gunk.

6-15-2015

It is not only the ring grooveds caked in gunk! I have finally managed to get the carburettor apart. It too shows all the signs of having led an out-door life. Possibly for some of the time under water. The sliding venturi which acts as the choke for cold starting is also caked solid with calcified aluminium and everything seems to be corroded. Whether it can be rescued or not is open to conjecture.........

Bj.