Citrojim's AX, Pixo, C3, Running and Cycling Tales

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 20 Feb 2009, 21:39

Glad to hear it went through Jim

I know what a great feeling it is recieving that green tinted bit of paper

CitroJim wrote: A new length of pipe and a pass was secured In doing the job I got my hair drenched in diesel and wondered for a few hours afteward why i could still smell diesel!!!

Reminds me of that episode of Only Fools and Horses where Dell mixes onion paste in with Boyce's hair gell

Post by **CitroJim** » 24 Feb 2009, 12:37

red_dwarfers wrote:Glad to hear it went through Jim
I know what a great feeling it is recieving that green tinted bit of paper

You're not wrong there Kev

I used to be a bag of nerves at MOT time, pacing up and down like an expectant father but these days I'm a little more laid back about it - as long as it's a Xantia..

red_dwarfers wrote: Reminds me of that episode of Only Fools and Horses where Dell mixes onion paste in with Boyce's hair gell

I wateched the Batman and Robyn episode the other day. Hilarious

Just before watching that, I watched the "Germans" episode of Fawlty Towers. That was good. I always love the exchange between Basil and the German in the resturant adfter Basil's "Don't mention the war" bit..

"Well you started it"
"No, you started it. You invaded Poland!"

Anyway, I digress. This weekend was an excellent one and most enjoyable. Read John's (Jgra1 Blog) for the full story but whilst dealing with the turbo oil supply leaK I (and I'm sure John) got our hair soaked in dirty engine oil from lying under the car sorting that particular problem. I can now report with authority that well used diesel sump oil is nowhere near as good as a hair conditioner as LHM

I didn't realise just how much oil was in my hair until I took a shower - I have never seen water run so black for so long after a hair wash

My 2.1TD has fixed itself, touch wood. It exibited the little bit of misfiring/pulsing at light throttle on the way up to Geordieland but not a trace of it on the way home or since.

I'm starting to think I'm too kind to it and it got carboned up just gently running around as Dad's Taxi in town and a gentle tonk to work and back where it barely warms up. I' beginning to think it does not get enough hard work to do. John will vounch for the fact I'm not exactly sporting in my driving. Sedate might be a better word!!!

I'd tried an Italian Tune-Up with no great success but it seems a good Geordie Tune-Up has done the trick...

I now have a spare gearbox for the V6. More in that in my V6 blog, Brief Encounter II.

Post by **myglaren** » 24 Feb 2009, 17:55

My 2.1TD has fixed itself, touch wood. It exibited the little bit of misfiring/pulsing at light throttle on the way up to Geordieland but not a trace of it on the way home or since.

It's the air up here

*

*Corrosive

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 24 Feb 2009, 19:09

CitroJim wrote:John will vounch for the fact I'm not exactly sporting in my driving. Sedate might be a better word!!!

I'm the same

The offical term being Defensive Driving. Just over a month ago I became a RoSPA Advanced Driving Associate

, certainly learning a lot and enjoying it. It will most certainly save mine or someone else's bacon one day.
Highly recommended read is "Roadcraft - The Police Driver's handbook"

...my flat cap is in the post

myglaren wrote:
It's the air up here *

*Corrosive

Sorry, but that was most amusing!

Post by **CitroJim** » 24 Feb 2009, 22:14

red_dwarfers wrote:Just over a month ago I became a RoSPA Advanced Driving Associate

Good on 'yer Kev. Well done

I heartily endorse that.

Will you be going for the full IAM in due course?

I've got the same book somewhere. I got it when I was a biker to improve my knowledge. It is a very excellent book and one every driver should read on a compulsory basis.

Post by **CitroJim** » 28 Feb 2009, 22:04

Firstly, my apologies for being a bit conspicuous by my absence around here just lately

I have to confess my V6 project has been the focus of my activities and as usual, it's been a busy old week generally. 'Nuff said

From Friday evening right through to Sunday I planned that I had a completely free weekend and I could really get cracking on the V6...

The best laid plans and so on

Note, the following is very off-topic and has nothing to do with cars...

Friday evening I had a whole plan of V6 gearbox work but to be honest, after a mad week at work, I was as shattered as a shattered thing and just collapsed in front of the telly

This morning did not start well. For several weeks I've been botherd by a patch of peeling paint on the wall of my downstairs loo. I thought it was a bit of damp but I could not work out from where. My house is 31 years old so is well damp-coursed etc. so I looked around for a reason that could not be blamed on a wet winter. I found it this morning. A long-standing drip from the cold water feed into my washing machine

Judging by the mayhem behind my washing machine it had been dripping for years and it had soaked into the walls

I had no clue

No damp smells, no obvious damp by the machine. You'd have thought it would have leaked out onto the kitchen floor and shwed up, but no. I reckon the floor slopes the wrong way for that to have happened.

All fixed now, just got to let it all dry out and I reckon that'll take years

Those that know me will know that I try to keep my house very clean and tidy. It's a bit care-worn (read homely) in places but I do like it spotlessly clean and tidy. In doing the washing machine today It dawned on me that I'd not done any serious housework for three weeks and things were going a bit down from my preferred standard. Cue a big spring-clean and bout of housework to restore that standard.

After the house was brought ito order, it was then the turn of the front (not exactly a garden) to be brought to order as it was looking scruffy after the winter. That done I gave the garage and drive a good clean-up despite it being full of a V6 in bits and a V6 gearbox in bits respectively....

Right, that's the end of the off-topic bit. Now we can get back to the cars

I've been using my Activa a bit this week as it had been standing for a week and a half and badly in need of a few runs. Plus I'd not checked it over for a couple of weeks so both the Activa and 2.1TD were subjected to their thorough weekly checks. Both passed with nothing more than a hoover-out and a dust of the dashes

Considering my 2.1TD completed an epic journey last weekend it showed no signs of it as regard fluid levels or anything breaking and this week it's been as good as gold; the "Geordie Tuneup" seems to have done the trick

Both could do with a good wash. Maybe tomorrow

That's the work all done

I'm a bit funny as before I can go out to play cars (and that means the V6 at the moment) I must get the chores out of the way and that includes giving my fleet their weekly checks..

I did find time to play V6 gearboxes this evening and the latest instalment of that saga can be read in the usual place. Just off to write it now and then I really must catch up on what has been happening on the forum generally...

Post by **CitroJim** » 07 Mar 2009, 21:05

Just re-reading my last post I see I've been a bit conspicuous by my absence again this week. And no wonder, it's been a shocker of a week and I'm glad it's over

As the week wore on so I've become more and more snowed under and toward the end, it was all looking a bit serious

The forum has barely been looked at

Even this morning, I woke up feeling very jaded and dejected but there was a chink of light at the end of the tunnel

The girls have been away for the day at a Majorette fundraiser which meant I had a clear few hours and given a reasonable day weather wise, there was only one thing to do. Get some more done on the V6

That done, life now looks very different

It is absolutely amazing what a day of spannering can do for one's general wellbeing and outlook on life

Overalls on, gloves on, spanner in hand and off we go. Happiness and contentment found

I have to admit, it's like a drug to me. Some might go for the bottle, other for a puff of the funny baccy but for me, a Xantia hits the spot every time

Seems I need a project on my drive

Without one I'm not sure how I'd cope with life, honest. I have to admit I'm addicted and I'm not sure there's a cure, not that I want a cure...

If any mental health professionals wish to comment, I'd be delighted to hear your thoughts

Thankfully, the V6 is going to keep me occupied for a good while but when it's done, what next? Where do I go from a V6? That worries me..

I'll not go into what I've been up to today on the V6. I'll leave that for my "Brief Encounter II" blog. Suffice to say, the day has been productive and successful.

The other members of the fleet continue in their normal manner and in particular, the 2.1TD continues to run like a clock. It's just turned over 103,000 today...

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 07 Mar 2009, 21:30

CitroJim wrote:Where do I go from a V6? That worries me..

Sounds like you need a needy Citroen GS or Cx then Jim. 8)

Andrew

Post by **RichardW** » 07 Mar 2009, 21:33

CitroJim wrote:Seems I need a project on my drive

There's a pile of rust in my garage that used to be a Visa Decap just waiting for someone to get stuck in, if you fancy a trip north of the border

addo · Post by **addo** » 08 Mar 2009, 07:51

Where do I go from a V6? That worries me..

Simple. A Northstar with Haltech ECU.

Bet it would fit.

Post by **CitroJim** » 08 Mar 2009, 10:29

addo wrote:Simple. A Northstar

What's one of those then Adam? I've looked on the web and all I can find is a gay comic cartoon hero and a horrible Yank-Tank having a V8 engine made by GM of that name

I'm sure you mean neither of those.... (I hope)

addo · Post by **addo** » 08 Mar 2009, 10:45

It's a transverse 4.6 litre, quad valve V-8 driveline, popular with the more perverse motor swappers in America. I think the Golf install was probably the most fun one I've seen.

But - if there is room in the Xantia for either a four or a six - there's room for this one!

Post by **myglaren** » 08 Mar 2009, 10:53

Some years ago I believe the Northstar featured on Top Gear.
In a Cadillac IIRC.
The engine and it's peripherals were armoured and multiple redundicaterizated to thwart terrorist attacks and the engine would only run on as may cylinders as it needed, minimum of four though.

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 08 Mar 2009, 20:16

addo wrote:It's a transverse 4.6 litre, quad valve V-8 driveline, popular with the more perverse motor swappers in America. I think the Golf install was probably the most fun one I've seen.

But - if there is room in the Xantia for either a four or a six - there's room for this one!

I thought that's what you meant addo. 8)

I would like to see what that is like against a VR6, not a Synchro though!

A 4.6 litre V8, up against a 2.9 VR6, I would bet on the Northstar conversion.

Bye Bye (not GTi) VR6!

KP · Post by KP » 09 Mar 2009, 12:13

Jim for your next project why not go for a V6 or a 2.1td Activa or Activ-ise your estate maybe?? Now that would be a good head turner