Sitting Lesharo

[scott.edwards]

Hi Fred,

I'm back from a short holiday in Nawlands.....sorry for not replying before I left.

The bendix units are based on the Renault Medallion engine only...... engine proper, fuel system to a large degree, ignition system..... some of it.

transmission, no,
brakes, no,
steering, no
Electrical, no

That said, parts from some Renault Trafic's in the uk or Europe are a direct cross...... but that is a bit of a jungle as well as the units over there did not have the same auto transmission configuration.

John and I also added a doc in the files, think under maintenance. It has a list of maintenance items and some cross reference part numbers that should be useful...... grab a copy and keep it on file. Make the files on this web site your friend!

So long story short.... Ask, more or less someone will chime in on parts. They are a little difficult to get, but not impossible. You just have to realize that getting parts for any vehicle older than 10 years is going to be the same. I think we do ok considering how old these are. They also can be reliable if looked after. Many are not.... transmission oils not changed.... final drive oil not changed...... oil leaks not fixed, rotted rubber not replaced..... for the Bosch units, they run bad mostly because of vacuum leaks. The Bendix units have a lot less vacuum lines, and not so many weird ones to have to deal with, and is a more modern Fuel injection system...... so this is good!

As for the fuel tank, it can be done from underneath no issue. Your biggest issue will be removing the fill tube, as it is usually fused to the metal quite well. It will drop far enough that you can remove the connection plate at the top and stick a hose inside to pump the old fuel out..... but it is tight, and expect a kink in your neck before you are done.

As for Roberta's question as to installing a drain, I would not do this as it is a plastic tank.

Cheers, Scott
91 LeSharo



--- lesharo-owners 1449597601.M608500P3272Q2

[BANDIT2]

The diesel sender is on the top of the tank, is gas the same?
During my restoration I fitted an inspection cover in the floor above, I can remove the sender and pump fuel out that way if needs be.

[Larry Sr]

You are right about sealing compounds,gaskets fuel being caustic,etc, However,about 6 years ago, after installing a Generex 3000, in an 86 LeSharo, needed a good way to install a fuel line into the tank to feed the generator.
After doing some experimentation, was able to drill a 1/4 inch hole in the tank about 1 inch above the bottom, install a brass 1/4 inch tube then fix it in position with JB Weld, the off the shelf stuff sold at auto parts stores. I clamped the tube down to the hole with a washer shaped patch that was drilled for 1/4 inch tubing, and had 3 small self tapping screws to hold it in place. I was able to install the tube into the tank, run the "washer" down close to the tank, apply a golf ball size gob of freshly mixed JB Weld and shape, set the three small self tapping screws before it hardened, When hardened (very short time) found the fix was solid, added fuel to tank and tested for leaking. It didn't. The last I heard, the vehicle with its improvised fuel line to the Generex is still operating.

Larry Sr
lsrschoppe@aol.com




--- lesharo-owners 1449608401.M546000P3728Q1

[Roberta Radavich]

Aha! That makes me feel better... a creative thinker. Larry, you win
my smile again! I still wonder... Do we have knowledge of some
gasketing material that is designed to be impervious to gasoline?
Could there be a soft gasoline rated tubing, for instance, that could
be cut and laid flat to form a gasket out of... or something of that
nature?
Roberta

On 12/8/2015 12:07 PM, Larry Sr lsrschoppe@aol.com [Lesharo-owners]
wrote:

--- lesharo-owners 1449612001.M717875P3804Q1

[RonOhler]

You have to be careful with many compounds and today's "gasoline". The addition of alcohol (ethanol) creates quite a problem with many elastomers and epoxies. Some elastomers tolerate ethanol while others swell and disintegrate.
Some epoxy compounds are alcohol resistant where others are dissolved by it. I have personally seen the results of an experimental aircraft who's fuel tank was made with fiberglass and epoxy that was not resistant to alcohol. The epoxy dissolved away from the fiberglass and the glass fibers plugged the fuel filter. We siphoned the tank and got large pieces of glass cloth on the siphon hose.
The polyethylene used for automotive fuel tanks resists many chemical bonds. Epoxy may stick for a while but may end up peeling loose if any loads are placed on the joint or the tank flexes. Typical methods of making through connections in such tanks are done using a rubber grommet that fits tight in a hole and then has a fitting pressed into it that expands the grommet tight in the hole. The grommets eventually fail but that can be decades down the road. The most common place I have seen these fittings used is on snowmobiles.Best,RonO

From: "Roberta Radavich oldhuffalump@frontier.com [Lesharo-owners]"
To: Lesharo-owners
Sent: Tuesday, December 8, 2015 11:52 AM
Subject: Re: [Lesharo-owners] Sitting Lesharo


Each time I see this topic I can't help wondering... we manage to have
some sort of way to deal with oil pans and their occasional needs for
new drain plugs... is there some alternative out there that
would just allow folks to drill a hole and add a drain plug in the
bottom of the gas tank... what do you think? It can't be that hard to
seal the little bugger back up...
Roberta
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--- lesharo-owners 1449633602.M483500P2180Q1

[Roberta Radavich]

So the rubber expansion plug from the hardware store (which I
associate with marine use) would be a crude example of this... sort of
like these guys?

http://www.plasticoid.com/expansion-plugs.html

Roberta




On 12/8/2015 7:38 PM, ron ohler ohler_ron@yahoo.com [Lesharo-owners]
wrote:

--- lesharo-owners 1449633603.M827250P2180Q2

[Roberta Radavich]

How is neoprene likely to do with gas exposure? I notice the same
group that makes the plugs I sent the url on has quite a number of
materials they make these plugs out of.
They list an "M35 green neoprene for added chemical resistance"
Roberta

On 12/8/2015 7:38 PM, ron ohler ohler_ron@yahoo.com [Lesharo-owners]
wrote:

--- lesharo-owners 1449633604.M108500P2180Q3

[Roberta Radavich]

Poking around on internet forum for folks that do flying, I came up
with a link to this kit... which I know nothing about... but I'm
convinced that while none of us is willing to say that we recommend
someone drill a hole in a tank full of gasoline to drain it, it gives
hope that there might still be a means by which badly fouled gas could
be removed, more gas added and sloshed, and the drain again be pulled,
without risking plugging up the screen intake in the gas tank, the
fuel pump etc.
http://www.sullivanproducts.com/FuelSysComponentsMainFrame.htm
Heavy Duty Multi Fuel Stopper Kit
Similar to our S478, this new kit features:

*

[Rebe Feraldi]

Also, Permatex(R) has several fuel and fuel/alcohol resistant
sealant/adhesive products which are safe for use on polyethylene plastic
(among other materials)....(e.g., Motoseal, Permashield)...

--- lesharo-owners 1449637207.M421000P3448Q2

[RonOhler]

I used to fly ultralights. It is possible that aircraft supply companies such as Wick's or Aircraft Spruce and Specialty may have something that would work. I'm pretty sure they have on-line catalogs. I just don't have time to look right now. I don't know if California Power Systems is still in business. If yes - they may have something too as they serviced a plane that used rubber bushed fittings in it's fuel tank.
Best,RonO
From: "Roberta Radavich oldhuffalump@frontier.com [Lesharo-owners]"
To: Lesharo-owners
Sent: Tuesday, December 8, 2015 11:12 PM
Subject: Re: [Lesharo-owners] Sitting Lesharo [1 Attachment]

[Attachment(s) from Roberta Radavich included below] Poking around on internet forum for folks that do flying, I came up with a link to this kit... which I know nothing about... but I'm convinced that while none of us is willing to say that we recommend someone drill a hole in a tank full of gasoline to drain it, it gives hope that there might still be a means by which badly fouled gas could be removed, more gas added and sloshed, and the drain again be pulled, without risking plugging up the screen intake in the gas tank, the fuel pump etc.
http://www.sullivanproducts.com/FuelSysComponentsMainFrame.htm
Heavy Duty Multi Fuel Stopper Kit
Similar to our S478, this new kit features: