Description

Renault Trucks 619, 628, GR, TSX 1978 Repair Manual – What You Get on the Bench

I’m Mike Callahan, master tech for 28 years. If you’re wrenching on a 1978 Renault Trucks 619, 628, GR, TSX, the aftermarket paperbacks you find online will cost you a day of rework. This 121-page Repair Manual is the original OEM doc from Renault Argentina, dated December 1978. It covers the Torino GR-TSX models – yes, the badge says Renault Trucks, but the chassis and drivetrain are the same ones we see in the Argentine heavy-duty platforms. Every torque value, every adjustment clearance, every wiring color code came straight from the factory floor. I’ve seen techs try to use Chilton data on these old French trucks – they end up with blown head gaskets and crooked steering boxes. Don’t be that guy.

You want actual numbers? The manual gives you the full engine overhaul procedure in Capitulo B – Motor, starting with cylinder head bolt sequence and the exact 12-step tightening pattern. Page 26 (of the PDF) lists the torque specs for the main bearing caps. You won’t find that in a generic import manual. The fuel system chapter? Right there in Capitulo C – Equipo Electrico y Encendido, with the ignition timing curve for the 619 and 628 engines. No guesswork.

Engine Overhaul Coverage – Capitulo B (Motor)

Straight from the TOC: this section covers cylinder head removal, valve adjustment, piston ring gaps, and oil pump clearances. It’s a step-by-step sequence that assumes you have a torque wrench that reads in lb-ft (imperial – what we use here). The manual specifies the exact tightening angle after the initial torque. If you miss that, the head warps. Period.

Electric Equipment and Ignition – Capitulo C

Charging system, starter motor, distributor advance curves – all laid out with wire routing diagrams. The manual calls out the resistance values for the ballast resistor. Uses a dwell meter setting of 57° for the 628’s four-cylinder. Don’t trust the aftermarket wiring schematics; they swapped the grounds. This is the real factory document.

Transmission Overhaul – Capitulo E (Caja de Velocidades)

The 4-speed Manual Transmission in these trucks (yes, two external links to the same page for redundancy) has a synchronizer design that wears in a specific pattern. The manual shows you the exact end-play tolerances for the output shaft and the shifter fork adjustment. You’ll also find the recommended oil type and capacity – 80W-90 GL-4, 2.5 quarts. Not 75W-90. Not synthetic unless the book says so.

Steering and Front Axle – Capitulo G (Direccion)

Steering box adjustment is critical on these models. Too loose and the truck wanders; too tight and you wear out the sector shaft. The manual gives the worm bearing preload and the ball nut clearance in inch-pounds. I’ve had to redo a job because a tech guessed the drag link torque. Use the book.

Rear Axle, Suspension, Brakes – Capitulos J, L, M

Rear axle (Puente Trasero) has a Dana-style differential. The manual lists the pinion bearing preload and backlash specs – 0.005-0.007 inch. Suspension (Suspensión) covers leaf spring shackle bushing torque and shock absorber installation direction. Brake system (Sistema de Freno) includes the master cylinder pushrod adjustment, wheel cylinder rebuild steps, and the exact parking brake cable tension. No shortcuts, no fluff.

Why This OEM Manual Beats Aftermarket

Aftermarket printings often skip the revision updates. This copy came out with Actualización N° 3 (third revision) in December 1978. The factory corrected the ignition timing and added a note on the starter relay wiring. Third-party books copy the first edition and miss those changes. You get the exact same process the dealer techs used. No translation errors, no generic diagrams. The original is in Spanish – but the numbers are universal. If you can read a torque spec table, you can use it.

Related manuals worth checking on the same site: Renault Trucks Fuego, R18 Repair Manual – 1979+ Autodata 193 Pages, Renault Trucks Clio 1999 Repair Manual – Factory Specs & Step-by-Step, and Renault Trucks B80A BB0C BB0D BB0E CB0A 1997 Repair Manual 3565 Pages. And if you need more on manual transmission theory, check the Manual Transmission Wikipedia article for the basics.

Does this manual cover the 628 model with the optional power steering?

Yes. Capitulo G includes the power steering pump rebuild and the steering box adjustment for the GR and TSX variants. The steering linkage part numbers are listed.

What torque values are listed for the cylinder head on the 619 engine?

The manual gives a multi-step torque sequence: first pass to 30 lb-ft, second to 60 lb-ft, then a final angle of 90°. Final tightening is done in the sequence printed on page 26. If you skip the angle step, the head will distort. The material is cast iron, not aluminum – so no special gaskets needed. But the angle is critical. I’ve done it both ways; the right way is in the book.

Don’t waste another hour guessing. Access the Factory Manual and get the job done with real specs.