Renault diesel info?

[kkitelinger]

Anybody know anything about the Reanult 4 cylinder turbo diesels that Winnebago used. There is one locally cheap, but I haven't been able to find much info on the motor (HP, reliabilty). Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

[gpete]

Anybody know anything about the Reanult 4 cylinder turbo diesels that Winnebago used. There is one locally cheap, but I haven't been able to find much info on the motor (HP, reliabilty). Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

I would think renault engines would be hard to get parts for in the US since they stopped importing their products in the 1980s they may be available in the canadian market

[dslsmoke]

I knew a guy way back that had one, a Winnebago Lesharo, had nothing but problems with it, the fact that it happened back in the '80 when Diesels got a bad rep didn't help any, I lost contact with him, It's been a long time......


Dslsmoke

[richmond2000]

I believe most Ppl swap them out because of issues with them, a popular swap with the renault trafic is the buick 3.8 petrol engine

[nexxussian]

I don't know if they are up on the diesels or not, but the people most free with their French automotive information I have found are on www.aussiefrogs.com . You might try there.

[M715 tow rig]

I don't know what Renault deisel they used in the motorhomes but I was a Jeep mechanic and have had a little experience with the 2.1 L they used in the Jeeps.

On the Jeeps as long as you kept up with the maintanence and changed the timing belt at Renualt's suggested intervals (I think I remember 80,000 Kms) they were pretty reliabe.

But they were EXTREMELY under powered they could barely move the Comanche's and Cherokee's they were put in, the only way to get any power from them was to hold the engine on the govenor and power shift it (oh and they were so gutless they did not offer an auto tranny behind the deisel).

Even the Jeep, Renault engine is impossible to find parts for now. Chrysler no longer supports any parts for it and there is no Renault in North America.

[MJ4bta]

The Renault 2.1l Turbo Diesel that was used in the 83-?89? Winnebago LeSharo and the 85-86 Jeep Cherokee/86-87 Comanche, was called the J8S engine. It was rated at 85hp/132ftlb. They are SOHC, all aluminum, with drop in/wet cylinder liners, and a Bosch VE rotary pump. Renault used them in about 9 or ten platforms on the UK. Nearly all engine parts are avalible through Mobility RV in Iowa, and them alone. I own a 85 Cherokee with a factory Renault J8S that I have been digging for parts and coming up empty handed. I found a new old stock timing belt for $48 that is listed on eBay UK for $24. If someone could find a parts source in the UK that was willing to ship to the US, these engine would be much more feasible for a swap. They were offered with a 3spd auto in the Cherokee, but from the people that I have spoken to that have owned or driven them, they strongly reccomend the 5spd manual. They seem to be prone to timing belt failures that generally end in broken rockers, that cost about $160 each. My Cherokee has 88,000 miles, 5 broken rockers and a bad cam. The only reason I got into this project is that I came across a LeSharo J8S motor with 86,000 miles that runs for free. I dont know what bellhousing pattern they use, so I cant say if the will bolt to anything other than the Jeep AX5, or the LeSharo FWD 4 and 5 speeds. The people that have good luck with these engines like to tinker with them, and swear by the 4 step head bolt torque sequence. If anyone else has any need for info, I will pass along all that I have.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

this engine was widely used in argentinian-made renault trafic... and in brazil i saw some being repowered with vw 1.9 sdi and tdi engines...

[sdstriper]

I just talked to a guy about a mechanics special Jeep Cherokee with the 2.1L Renault tonight, I was hoping it was something do-able but he thinks it didn't get enough anti-freeze and froze and broke something.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

I just talked to a guy about a mechanics special Jeep Cherokee with the 2.1L Renault tonight, I was hoping it was something do-able but he thinks it didn't get enough anti-freeze and froze and broke something.

it's weird... could ice do some severe damage on the engine block??? it could easily damage the radiator or the expansion tube...

[Russ McLean]

it's weird... could ice do some severe damage on the engine block??? it could easily damage the radiator or the expansion tube...

Water expands when it freezes. The expanding ice has enough force to crack cast iron. This problem is well known where the temperature gets well below freezing. That is why I always run an antifreeze mix.

In the more temperate areas, folks try to get away with straight water for their cooling system. Every few years, there is an extra cold few days, and engines are damaged,

[sdstriper]

IIRC this engine is aluminum. If you run coolant without enough anti freeze around here your in for big trouble. It was -1 F here this morning, and well below that yesterday, if you have never experienced that your missing out on one of lifes truly amazing experiences...

[magicmanwon]

My friend bought one of them thar......... diesels winnies, weak slow and cant get parts for it....Her first trip from Eagle River to Fairbanks Alaska, and back was enough for her to get rid of it.... thru fan belt near Talkeetna!! Overheated and ran battery dead. Could not find a belt around Talkeetna, She hitched a ride back to Wasilla, found all auto parts stores closed as it was sunday late. Bummed a ride back to Eagle River. Spent nite....... Mon got new belt, well she had to buy about four or five to make sure she got the right one. She didnt make it to Fairbanks drove back ER and put up for sale........ Reanulte NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Jim

[keyskeet]

Hello all,
I to ended up with a Renualt diesel powered Winnie in my storage yard. After aquiring the title, i pulled the engine and found water intrusion in one cylinder. So now what to do. I need a liner and piston and some other parts. Or...... just sell it broke or sell the engine parts and repower it with gas. No real money invested as of yet.
All ideas wanted, LOL Have pictures of engine, have lots of parts if someone needs them. You tell me..........
305-395-0965
Keyskeet

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Hello all,
I to ended up with a Renualt diesel powered Winnie in my storage yard. After aquiring the title, i pulled the engine and found water intrusion in one cylinder. So now what to do. I need a liner and piston and some other parts. Or...... just sell it broke or sell the engine parts and repower it with gas. No real money invested as of yet.
All ideas wanted, LOL Have pictures of engine, have lots of parts if someone needs them. You tell me..........
305-395-0965
Keyskeet

why not to repower it with a volkswagen diesel? the 2.1L renault is rated at 57hp without turbo while a vw 1.9sdi (non-turbo) is rated at 64hp, and replacement parts are more easily avaliable... or you could already go with a tdi... btw in its last production years in argentina the diesel versions were offered with diesels supplied by volkswagen...

about gassers: there was a kit to adapt chrysler's minivans v6 engines into them (i actually believe a chevy gasser would be better than a chrysler, but i still would prefer a diesel)...

[keyskeet]

Thanks for the info cRiPpLe_rOoStEr, I'm going to wait a few weeks but leaning toward a V6 chevy gas, if I do repower. Would like to simply have it gone without the hassel. Maybe someone will need more parts. Or be willing to take on the whole project.
Richard (keyskeet)

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

I'm going to wait a few weeks but leaning toward a V6 chevy gas, if I do repower.

which one are you considering, the 60-degree v6 or the vortec 4300? btw the renault transmission is enought strong, there are some ford gt40 replicas made in south africa using renault transmissions (the same used in the 1st-gen renault trafic and longitudinally-engined versions of the renault 21, a.k.a. amc medallion) mated to ford v8 engines...

[keyskeet]

No thoughts on it yet, have to decide to keep the old winnie first. May just tow it to one of the campgrounds down here and rent. Or sell it to do just that. (without any engine) Seems like the smart thing to do. Thanks to all

[Gregor887]

Hallo all.
I have '93 Jeep Cherokee with the 2,1 TD Renault engine. We have no problem with parts in Europe: Renault Espace, Laguna, Nevada, Trafic have the same motors.

Greeting from Poland.

[wanted4bt]

Hello,
I am new to this site, but I was wondering of you could put a 4bt in that camper. I have often thought about doing that and would love more information on that subject.
Thank you in advance.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Hello,
I am new to this site, but I was wondering of you could put a 4bt in that camper. I have often thought about doing that and would love more information on that subject.
Thank you in advance.

the transmission used in those vans is beefy enought but a renault trafic with a 4bt would be too much heavy over the front-end... weight balance would be like crap... they were developed to have small, car engines, from the 1.4L gasser to the 2.1L diesel... i would avoid anything bigger than a volkswagen 3.0L v6 tdi on them due to weight balance...

[wanted4bt]

Thank you for the info. Maybe I ll look for a v6 tdi.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

the v6 tdi would be a good option but if you could find a non-electronic 4cyl it would already not be bad, avoiding a lot of work with wiring...

[wanted4bt]

What do you mean by non-electric?

[wanted4bt]

Would I have more power and better mpg with the v6?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

What do you mean by non-electric?

i was actually refferring to non-electronic instead of non-electric... it means an engine without electronic controllers such as pumpe duse or that common-rail setup...

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Would I have more power and better mpg with the v6?

more power, yes... better mpg maybe, since they would work less overcharged by the vehicle's weight, but since the 4cyl tdi is widely used in commercial vehicles with simillar gvw in overseas markets i would not be so sure about the v6's advantages...

[wanted4bt]

So would a ahu tdi bolt to the renault transmission or is there a better tranny that I could use?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

So would a ahu tdi bolt to the renault transmission or is there a better tranny that I could use?

you can use the renault transmission with no worry at all, except if you could find any usdm transmission for a longitudinally-engined fwd car such as a volkswagen quantum but i believe these ones are pretty rare back there in the u.s., but i have already seen some trafics with the whole setup out of quantum wagons... btw the renault transmission is strong enought to be mated to a v8, so don't worry about reliability...

[wanted4bt]

I have found a 91 2.2 ltr turbo diesel with a automatic for 1700.00 I was wondering is there a 5 speed that would bolt up to the engine. About how much would it cost, would it be hard to find? Thanks for all the information that you have provided.