Confessions of a Citroholic

Post by **RichardW** » 22 Sep 2008, 12:14

HA! Some citroen stuff done this weekend

OK, it only consisted of refitting the Xantia boot carpet now it has dried out, and vacuuming both cars out

Rest of the weekend spent on painting, pulling a chimney liner, and scratching my head about the fireplace tiling. After climbing up and down the chimney scaffold about 20 times on Saturday, my legs are sore!!

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 22 Sep 2008, 13:57

That's a mighty fine garage you're building for the Citroen and what a good idea to have a chimney to evacuate the exhaust fumes while tuning it.

8)

Post by **RichardW** » 22 Dec 2008, 16:59

Not much done here due to the arrival on the 16th Dec of the new Citroen apprentice, Dillon Alasdair.

Bit like owning a modern Citroen - no Haynes manual and prone to do unpredictable things! Loving it though

Post by **myglaren** » 22 Dec 2008, 17:10

Congratulations Richard

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 22 Dec 2008, 17:14

Congratulations Richard!

Post by **CitroJim** » 22 Dec 2008, 17:31

Well done Richard! Congrats to you both

The perfect Christmas present!

RichardW wrote:no Haynes manual

Yes there is. A BoL called "Baby"

KP · Post by KP » 23 Dec 2008, 08:07

Congrats on the new arrival

Many sleepless nights ahead now i think lol

r.welfare · Post by **r.welfare** » 04 Jan 2009, 09:17

I've got that Haynes Baby manual - it's surprisingly useful! But you will learn to trust your wife's instincts on these things...my daughter is now 5 months old and she's only just started sleeping through the night

Congratulations!

XantiaMan · Post by **XantiaMan** » 04 Jan 2009, 09:29

Our little un slept through the night from 2 months through to 6 months, and then he didnt... only in the past month has he started doing 8-9 hours again, he is now 10 months old. It doesnt get any easier so enjoy it now, you'll miss the early days!

Post by **CitroJim** » 04 Jan 2009, 10:41

r.welfare wrote:I've got that Haynes Baby manual - it's surprisingly useful! But you will learn to trust your wife's instincts on these things...

Mum (and Dad) know best; instincts really do work if you let them, even when they're teenagers!

r.welfare wrote: my daughter is now 5 months old and she's only just started sleeping through the night

You're lucky

Our Robyn didn't sleep through the night until she was 18 months old

In fact, she hardly slept in her cot either. We blame it on bringing her home from her birthplace in Australia at 5 months; she seemed not to adjust to the time change. Just before we left, she was just starting to settle into a good sleep pattern nicely...

Siany, her younger sister made good use of Robyn's practically unused cot. She slept through from a few months. Robyn's 16 now and can sleep for England (or should that be Australia..)

Post by **RichardW** » 07 Jun 2009, 20:08

Well, 5 months since last update. - suppose we have been a bit busy with Dillon though! I know everyone says it, but can't believe how fast he is growing up... here he is a couple of weeks ago enjoying beetroot - he had to have a wash in the kitchen sink after that!

We are lucky (so far) that he decided that sleeping was a good idea from when he was about 6 weeks old, and now usually sleeps from 8pm to 8am (or later - nearly 10am yesterday apparently!)

I did eventually get the fireplace finished and stove installed - it is really great in the winter - certainly not cold in our living room any more 8) I'm very chuffed with the result!

I've still to fit the wood surround, hopefully get to that in the next few weeks. Of couse, having chosen the flooring, realised I should have cast the concrete hearth another couple of inches higher. Ho hum....not changing it now!

I still haven't any floor coverings down - but SWMBO has been away this weekend so I have fixed the soggy bit in the dining room floor, and grouted the tiles on the front edge of the fireplace, which are the last 2 jobs to do before we put the floor down.

Been pottering about in the garden too - we have put in a lot of effort over the last 2 years landscaping the garden - and are particularly impressed by these cirsium - even more so, as we bought them in 2007 (SWMBO insisted even though I was deep in replacing the central heating, and there was little chance of doing the landscaping where they were to go) so they overwintered in small pots, then were planted out in May 08 - each was about 6" diameter and 9" high.....

The Xantia has shown just what a capable load lugger it is in the last couple of weeks - went to B&Q and bought a load of bricks and building sundries, plus fencing - must have been well over 500 kg - no problem, up the suspension comes, and the HDi just grunts and pulls it easy as. ws a bit bouncy suggesting new spheres might not be that far off. Today took a load of stuff to the tip, then stuffed it to the gunnels with fire wood. Now nearly up to 85k, expect it will get past 40k in 2 years by the end of August. Cambelt is looming, but not sure my nerves will stand DIY, or my wallet a garage job - after the £400 for the new LP fuel pump in the Picasso last week! A previous firewood fill....

We have grown to like the Picasso - it is perfect for the job asked of it, even if the ride is a bit bouncy. Could do with a few more horses, might change it for a 110 HDi version next year - although that is the 1.6 version complete with DPF and DMF

More Citroens due to arrive in the family - my Parents have ordered a Relay based motorhome for their retirement - Dad's 2002 Xsara will be passed onto my Sister, to replace Dad's ex-Xantia (1993 1.8 ). My other sister did scrap her ZX D though and replace it with a Skoda.....

Post by **RichardW** » 27 Jun 2009, 23:00

Changed the oil in the Picasso today...a bit of a trial! Up on the ramps to get the undertray off - surprisingly easy with the 1/4 turn fastners (although they feel less than secure so some new ones might be in order!). The filter was a git - last fitter obviously thought it was necessary to mash it into the oil cooler, and there's a PAS pipe in the way so you have to reach in under the top hose which has a nicely positioned clip to mash your arm - the alternative is to go in straight down, and there is a pipe clip on the back of radiator just in the right place to rip your forarm open

Was surprised to find the front subrame quite rusty under the undertray, go gave it a wire brush and coat of underseal - unusual on a 7 year old car! Was amused to find that this engine has 2 oil fillers - they have fitted one in a similar place to the old XUD on the front of the engine, but once you have the engine cover off, you see there is also the 'normal' HDi one on the rocker cover

I have finally sorted out the fireplace wood surround, just waiting for the oil to dry on it (not ex-HDi sump oil!) then just got to fit it (all fittings already made - had to manufacture some 'key plates' to hang the mantle piece on , then set them in to the back of the mantle. Woodworking and metal fab in the same day - pleased with the result, but all the hard work is hidden! Very satisfying working on a nice solid piece of beautiful wood.

Our Kenwood chef expired in a cloud of smoke this afternoon, so that is another job I have to do to try and figure out why and if it can be fixed. If anybody knows how to get one apart, contributions gratefully received!

Post by **RichardW** » 28 Jun 2009, 10:51

"Tell me you put them back in the block immediately after that photo was taken, please"

It was only after we looked at the photo we noticed the knives.... OK then as he was not reaching too much, now though a few weeks on and anything within (long) reach is fair game!

A bit more research pointed the finger at the capacitiors in the speed controller in the Kenwood, and sure enough when I figured out how to open the bottom cover, one of them has got a big hole in the side

Ordered a repair kit from Ebay for seven quid, so pretty good. Now, where did I hide my soldering iron....????

Post by **RichardW** » 11 Jul 2009, 21:50

Fitted new front pads, discs and handbrake cables to the Xantia today (at 86,050 miles). They're heafty beasts the discs on the HDi 110! Mind you at £140 for the parts, they ought to be

Hate to think how much that lot would have set you back fitted at the Citroen Dealer

There was a half inch band of very rough surface on the outside edge of the back of each disc, which will account for the nosie and vibes I was getting on braking. Managed to get all the disc screws out with careful use of sharp edged torx bit - interesting the way they let go - a loud crack and then finger tight only, the thread being very shiny when they were out - obviously the main sticking point is the back of the head, so refitted with plenty of copper ease. I will probably fit new screws shortly, as the heads got a bit mashed

Seem to last well these brakes though - must be more than 30k since I fitted new pads, and there was planty of meat left on them (apart from the NS outer pad which got worn away when the cable was tight and the pad a bit stuck).

Tomorrw? Fixing the toilet

Post by **RichardW** » 13 Jul 2009, 08:22

Interesting Mike - I have EXACTLY this problem with the OSF cable - but mine is a QH cable

Must be something in the fitting - what age car is yours on? Mine is a late HDi 110 - need someone to check service.citroen to see if there was a cable change. Perhaps there is a stepped ferrule on inboard end that has not engaged in the equaliser properly. i have kept the old cable (in case I found the brake dragging too much and it had to go back on temporarily - I will have a look at it and see). Post coming up

Meant to add to my original post - I used the drive-it-in-gear-and-brake method to break the disc off the hub. It's certainly effective, but they don't half give way with a loud bang - thought I had broken the diff or something when the first one went