French Car Forum

a wee tip to share when you've spent a few hours in the engine bay & your hands are black...

...I used to use straight washing up liquid, but have now found that its much easier to squeeze a bit of Diesel into your hands from a small bottle, rub hands together, then apply washing up liquid as normal.

Readilly available, dirt cheap and...

Dear all,

I'm a long time Citroen Xantia driver, who's currently thinking about buying a new car for daily transport for the family. Our plan would be to buy a new car, and keep it for a good while -- 8+ years.

Money is a bit tight, so we would like the new car to be reliable, and last.

Besides corrosion protection & reading the manual...

It's been mentioned a few times and I really can't remember who first introduced me to it in a thread so I can't give credit where it's due, but here's how to make your own sphere removal tool from B&Q for around a tenner.

You'll need the following:

Box bar, about 2x2cm and 1m long (I think that's the shortest B&Q do)

M6 threaded rod,...

This is becoming a frequent item so I'm going to bung a reference post here.

Ideally needs to be in a garage and if the battery is at all suspect this should be charged overnight. A defective or discharged battery can cause a lot of headaches and may result it more problems after performing this procedure.

Drop the suspension to low (to prevent...

Hi All,

my Grand Picasso has a Whistly Window - rear passenger, when above about 55mph. It's quite annoying... what is the best way to resolve this? is there something I can clean and lubricate the seals and channels with? I was thinking a light smear of silicon grease...

Thanks for any ideas,
Mike

Over the last couple of weeks I've had a great opportunity to measure the changes in fuel consumption after using Redex Advanced for diesel engines.

After a trip to Wales, I did over 500 miles of mixed driving in my Megane 1.5 dci tourer/estate and still had about 12 litres left from a full tank. I was quite chuffed with the performance.

Fast...

Hi all,

Having had to remove the rear spoiler from my C5 twice in the last year (high-level brake light then washer tube) I'm amazed that all that trim has to come off to access two of the four screws that hold the spoiler in place.

So the last time I did it I made a couple of holes in the interior trim to make it much quicker in the future. A...

The 1.6 16V Hdi engine is everywhere, so it's inevitable that more and more members are going to be looking at them - it's really the only diesel choice unless you want to fork out for a high spec model with the 2.0 engine. However, there are a few issues with it - not least its reputation for eating turbos - which will rather spoil your day. The...

Hello,
Im going to start with a picture as others have expressed some interest in this little setup.
so here it is: It would cost a lot of money to have an adaptations company do this for you.

I am loosing feeling in my feet through Neuropathy I can move my feet and legs fine they are just numb.

I would like to help anyone else in similar...

Hi guys.

I'm about to change the flywheel (and clutch ecc.) on my C4 grand Picasso from 2010 with egs. (half automatic transmission)
My diagnostic tool can't handle that operation and need to find one that does. What tool and software should i use for this operation? :)

regards Klaus

Got a used car? Then don't buy micellar wipes (2 packs for £1 from poundland) and use them on your steering wheel (or any other oft-used car controls) if you've a delicate constitution. :shock:

Have has these two in use for several years, quickly made from a discarded 20-litre HDPE container...

Place on side, run a line around, and cut into two with a jigsaw...

Result:
Oil/fluid drain tray*, with handle and pouring neck...

Tray for tools and widgets...

Not original, but free and durable.

* After emptying out dirty oil,...

Hi guys,
I want to install a good racking system into my Citroen Jumpy. I considered making it by myself, but the van is quite new and I am not really talented in working with wood and don’t want my van to look messy.
I found this one online: . Does anyone have a self-made racking system? Or bought a ready one?
Looking forward to your answers!

This is only a rough guid, I will add more info later

I've done this on my 1997 406 2.1td

Any Bosch fully machanical (no ecu) pump (with sprocket)/pipes/injectors/ cold start unit (the cable that goes from the back of the pump to the thurmostat) from a 1.9 td (XUD9) peugeot / citrion will do, try to find a pump that has no immobaliser (if...

I have had a gaiter develop a very small split (less than 1cm in length), through which some grease has escaped. Although I do intend to replace the gaiter, I still need to use Gracie until such time permits. I did not want to widen the split any further, but I needed to get some grease back in there (before sealing said split). I then remembered...

I know these are a damn nuisance if you want to dismantle the joint so it can be washed out and re-greased properly, so here's the easy way to do it.
You need:
A short piece of metal bar if the same diameter as the projecting part of the joint. I used a 1/4" socket.
An O-ring that will fit the above (or an elastic band).
C - cleaner.jpg D -...

I had this given to me recently, if you like a lot of car info and pics you will like this.

Ever since hard chrome plating was outlawed, most wheel nuts on alloys have little shiny plastic covers that you need to pull off to get a wheel brace on. That can be awkward if they are in deep holes on the wheel. I've struggled on one or two cars if they haven't been off for a while.

Just got a new (to me) C4 Pic and bought a spare wheel/jack...

Useful mention....

following an MOT failure on 'Rear Brake Imbalance' among other things, I decided I needed a new set of adjusters

So having worked out that my shoes are the LS1233 type (Lucas with Roll Pin as opposed to without )

I then realised I couldn't find any adjusters anywhere

So cross-referencing the list of other cars those shoes...

As some of you may be aware, the Mk1 (at least) C5 handbrake cables are routed through metal guide tubes running from below the centre-console, alongside the exhaust, to the wheel arch.

It seems to be the case that, over time, most likely due to the heat from the exhaust, the cable sheath welds itself to the inner wall of the guide tube. As a...

I thought I would post up a 'How To' on replacing the C5 X7 Pollen Filter and Cleaning the Air Con / Air System, specifically for the Right Hand Drive model, as the very few You Tube videos on this are for Left Had Drive vehicles and are are generally not in English. Citroen Service docs don't really help much either as they show the process for a...

I replaced a CV joint boot yesterday on my son's Micra, using one of those stretchy univeral replacements. I didn't want to remove the driveshaft (the gear oil fillers tend to seize on these boxes), but found it impossible to get a decent pull on the boot to get it over the expansion cone tool. I then hit on an idea: I found a tiin can which...

I replaced the alternator on Mrs Optix's Xsara this morning. Overall a straightforward job, except that there are many many variations of pulley and tensioner arrangements on the 1.4 engine, and the HBOL doesn't have the arrangement that mine has at all! I spent some time trying and failing to work things out, so I thought I'd post a quick...

There are numerous components that are coded together. If I knew what they all are I would post them up, but I don't. However, somebody with the relevant knowledge should come along with the information you need.

I was up at the scrappy today (I have mentioned a C5 estate in the 'For Sale' section) and, amongst other things, I bought the drivers door switch module (as my C5 would not automatically raise the front passenger window; I would have to hold the switch). While the one I bought turned out to not be suitable, it did show me how the unit worked, so...

Yes yes, I know, many people call it "Snake Oil" etc etc.
However, I can only speak from experience, so here goes.
As a couple of you helpful gentlemen know, i recently acquired a Citroen Synergie HDi (the one with the brakes that kept locking on-now sorted)

Anyway, when I bought it it was smoking profusely which i originally thought...

Well, decided to bite the bullet having got my new condensor and fitted it today. Bit fiddly, but yes, it can be done without bumper removal, grille removal or complete fan carrier removal. For me, it worked out like this.

Undo and remove the four push fit clips that secure the upper part of the front grille assembly to the rad carrier. Remove...

Here is a pic story of radiator fan removal without removing the bumper .

I have done this a couple of times and this time I decided to take time

and see how long does it actually take :wink:

Took pic in the beginning of the job and also during different phases:

Important ! : Fan blade screw has left hand threads. i.e. screw...

Or other 'vacuum' oil extractor.

Although its probably not that necessary I do prefer mine reasonably clean.

I'm going to assume the exterior of it is already clean and you've wiped down the outside of the extraction pipe / the body itself and more importantly it is empty :D , do not do this if it is *not* empty.

1. Get an old mug ( as in...

We're deeply indebted to charentejohn for gathering and collating the following information:

Over to John:

Sensodrive boxes in general.

The following is a summary of the links below but worth reading them anyway in order to understand the box I general.

Normal driving in Auto mode should give a slight hesitation between changes but be hardly...

I saw this Citrojim, and thought of you.

It's a scented candle.

C5 Glasses / Sunglasses Storage Modification

Target Vehicle: Citroen C5 MKIII (X7) 2008 on
Peugeot Part: 9128 AR
Price: £25.68
Tools: Torx 20, Small flat head Screwdriver
Time: About 20-30 Minutes
Tech Level: Easy

Scenario: If like me, you have a pair of glasses or sunglasses and case that you keep in the car, there are very few places...

There's not much about maintaining these on the net yet, and there's no BOL (although there is a Revue Technique which I might invest in!) so as I do jobs I thought I'd post up here how to do it for future reference.

Pollen filter

Oh, this is a right game. They didn't swap over the pollen filter / AC pipes for RH drive cars, so the pollen filter...

When I originally purchased my Lexia/Peugeot Planet, I discovered that the OBD to 30 Square Pin adaptor (used no older models ie Xantia and XM) wouldn't work

I decided therefore to purchase the 30 pin Circle to 30 Pin Square adaptor, however, this didn't work either.

In a conversation with a couple of people I was sent a couple of...

i have installed the payed for ( shock horror ) version of Tapatalk onto my Galaxy s2,

can you give me a guide/run down/hints/tips on how to operate it pretty please

My Xantia needs 33psi, had new tyres fitted and when I got home to check with "pencil type" gauage and it showed 25psi. :shock: I did a check as the steering did feel a little unusual.

So I've been back to the tyre place who were very helpful =D> they did work on the tyres and upon return I whipped out my pencil tyre pressure gauage...

Just a note for anyone that requires a replacement bsi or ecu.
If you purchase a 'complete set' off certain web based auction sites then you will require the vin number from the vehicle they were taken from. If you do not have the original vin then you will not be able to get the pin code to program in new keys or match ecu/bsi in the future.
If...

I've just replaced a set of Xantia Blower Transistors and took a few pictures.

Here is how to do the job:

1. Clamp the module into a vice and using a 6.5mm drill in a hand drill, drill out the rivets holding the transistors.

2. Drift out the old rivets carefully.

3. Desolder the base and emitter pins using a good solder sucker until...

here is the link to my thread i ran for the above solution

Xac is having the seats from the VSX and will need to becomes "a dab hand at removing the seats" so I thought I'd be helpful and relate my recent experience.

For the front seats, you need a long T40 (IIRC) bit, 3/8 adaptor, a long extension and a good rachet (or rachet plus 12" (ish braeker bar) because the seat cushions get in the...

Jim describes the job in this thread (half way down page 2):

Matrix change info

And there's some more handy tips later in the thread.

I will try and remember to add any more relevant links to this post as they turn up.

I wanted to share an error that I have on my Peugeot 406 -00. Maybe it can happen to other PSA cars too, I don't know.

I bought a JVC radio player and put it in my car. This radio is *NOT* among the recommended models from Peugeot... Anyway, I installed it and it and it works fine, until I turn off the car and let the radio play that minute the...

I`ve just put a K & N panel filter on my 406 HDI.All my local factors did`nt do 1 for the 406,or list 1.ECP`s did 1 for the Xantia,but not the 406.

After looking at

knfilters.com

the Xantia filter is the same as the 406 Hdi filter.K & N part 33-2539.Order`d a Xantia filter from ECP`s,£41 with the VAT,fits a treat.On the ECP...

Wasn't sure whether this should go under the recommended sites, or under here :)

Note: This doesn't cover key fob remotes, but general consensus appears to be - don't buy second hand key fobs as you won't get them working, and will be a waste of money.
Note2: My Experience here only covers the C5, I don't expect other cars that have a similar...

Just a little contribution to this forum. This video shows how to replace the recirculation door actuator on a Renault Clio mk2.

Link to the video: .

Both Chris Morewood and I have had to do battle with the Xantia rear suspension recently, and have picked up plenty of info and knowledge along the way. Both problems started with corrosion on the rear cylinder causing a leak - In Chris's case spontaneously, in my case as a result of a sphere change. As Xantias age, this is likely to become a more...

When the tab on a door lock button broke despite considerable care, I investigated a bodge to jam the two parts back. In my assorted paper clip box, I found item 1, used by scribes and shysters to clip pages of writs together. To experiment, I cut off a length of the strip. It turned out to be thin enough to slide between the button and the inner...

my son has just set up a Drop box account on my Galaxy s2

what do you highly techy types think???

Or Or Or well syndrom????? :o :o :wink: