CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[KP]

No major rush Jim, just as and when you come oop north they are sat in the garage after a light cleaning the other week just gathering dust, 2 with tyres and 2 without

Good news on the bolts hopefully for you, i know they can be a pain could you not get a socket onto them that is a tiny bit too small and just bash the thing on to release them, this would then force itself on as in the past all the locking bolts seem to be of a slightly softer metal than a half decent socket set would be??

[andmcit]

It's a late s2 rescued off ebay:


clickable thumbnail

just passed a milestone with the mileage too:



Some of the time when I stop and leave the engine I swear it leans to the
driver's side and yet other times it looks fine so the ARB rods will need some
fettling. Main issue to worry about is an exhaust blow round the bulkhead
on either the manifold or the main downpipe before the cat.

I've posted an update on the register of cars in the Activa section with more
details. It's just a tiny bit firm on the rear so a middle sphere may be the
first test to see what changes when that's done. There's more to follow on
the car and I'm giving early warnings here about the danger of my
yabbering on about it in the Activa section anytime soon.

Andrew

[CitroJim]

That looks a mighty fine Activa Andrew Well saved!

I do like them in blue. I warn you, doing that exhaust leak will be a trial

I picked up my 2.1TD from the tyre place today and good as their word, they had extracted the lockers and replaced them with new looking standard studs of exactly the correct type

And no damage to the wheels whatsever Even more surprising, all studs were carefully torqued to precisely the right figure!!!

It was a good result and they'll now be guaranteed my business in the future. That's if they want it I would not be surpried if thety all hide next time they see me coming

I've been playing with the V6 and my findings on the fast tick rate in soft mode are reported here.

I also looked into the slight LHM weep from the hydraulic pump union and found I'd been a tad careless when I refitted the pump. I found a bit of muck on the union seat, possibly a chip of paint from where Pleiades had painted it. The paint was still soft when I refitted the pump and in positioning the pipe, it may have dug a chunk of paint out and into the seat area. I gave the seat a good clean-up and hopefully now it'll be LHM-tight.

My Activa has been standing unused for three weeks so today I took it out for a nice run around the country lanes But before I could enjoy that I had to charge her battery. I'm thinking her battery may be on the way out as just recently the starter has been a bit slow and today, just a click The battery came up fine after a 20 minute charge but I guess I'll soon have to bite the bullet and replace it.

[andmcit]

damned double posting!!

Andrew

[andmcit]

That looks a mighty fine Activa Andrew Well saved!

I do like them in blue. I warn you, doing that exhaust leak will be a trial

Hell, why does that sound so ominous. I've heard about engine outs and
driveshaft removal etc etc and it appears Gareth has a similar complaint?
Can it really be that much of an ordeal - no wonder I only got the car for
relative peanuts...

Good news with the wheelshop and the bolts - least you both now understand
one another and could go on with a long term mutually beneficial relationship!


Andrew

[XantiaMan]

That looks a mighty fine Activa Andrew Well saved!

I do like them in blue. I warn you, doing that exhaust leak will be a trial

Hell, why does that sound so ominous. I've heard about engine outs and
driveshaft removal etc etc and it appears Gareth has a similar complaint?
Can it really be that much of an ordeal - no wonder I only got the car for
relative peanuts...

Good news with the wheelshop and the bolts - least you both now understand
one another and could go on with a long term mutually beneficial relationship!


Andrew

No real complaints, i only noticed the noise when i moved house and had a wall both sides of where i park the car! Its not affected performance or emissions but to investigate further means pulling the engine out and thats not happening until the clutch is done.

[andmcit]

Oops, sorry about the large piccy earlier - I had the photobucket option set
for Ginormous and didn't give it a thought.

Actually Gareth, your comment in the Activa's spotted for sale that it
looked a bit scruffy was probably about right! It's had a modest amount
of TLC but I believe will scrub up well - the main PITA is the small dink
on the rear driver's wing corner and a minor split on the lower front
bumper. Renewal of the missing bumper window covers have helped
the appearance considerably.

This one has a noticeable raspy fart and actually sound like there's a split.
I have changed the exhaust manifold on a standard 2.0i in an XM and have
to say it wasn't a particularly nice job that's for sure so the turbo manifold
is likely to be nasty squared from the vibes I'm getting.

I'm going to remove the engine from another Activa shortly so will have the
dubious pleasure of gaining lots of first hand experience. I'll take loads of
piccies for the Activa section - assuming it's not under Hurricane weather
conditions...

Andrew

[XantiaMan]

I have to say, i have only noticed this being an issue on S2 Activa's and it leads me to believe it could just be a characteristic. Normally, if a cracked in a manifold existed, or a gasket was blowing, this would lessen once warm. As it doesnt, and with mine performance is smooth and strong, holds boost very well, doesnt run hot or have any visible signs of leakage in the manifold area, i am not inclined to go to the hassle! But, when the time comes and the engine is out for whatever reason, it will be getting a very close look, and all gaskets replaced just in case.

[CitroJim]

I think it's been a long, long time since I've updated this blog. In my defence m'lud, life has been a bit on the busy side recently..

Well, two shows have come and gone and both were excellent, even if the weather wasn't.. It seems a long time now until the next one This year I'll try to make the Classic car Show at the NEC and loiter around the CCC stand.

My 2.1TD has left me for a new home leaving me with the V6 as daily driver and my Activa as weekend car. The V6 might seem a strange choice as a daily driver but it actually does the job supremely well and as long as you treat the accelerator like a rare ming vase and keep away from the sport button it does pretty well on fuel; certainly better than the Activa.

In truth, one of my Xantias had to go as running three cars was not sustainable, either from the point of view of properly looking after them all or the expense. And one had to go to make way for Robyn's first car, which loks as if it'll be Dad's Nissan Pixo as he is after another car. he wants a Saxo but is still cogitating over an Auto or a diesel manual.

In one of my last entries I said I must arrange collection of the Exclusive alloys I bought from Will. FCF International Couriers did the business with those and Steve (Myglaren) brought them along to the CXM rally and even delivered them to my house! Steve, you're a diamond!

Two of the wheels have now been tyred and are on the V6, allowing me to get rid of the oversize ones on the rear. The difference in ride is noticeable and they balanced up a treat with a minimal number of weights. The car is now as smooth as silk to 100MPH!

Following my surgery on the electrovalves, there has been no further problems on the hydraulics as such and that part of the car has been reliable. The V6 has seen a number of journeys to Somerset and back recently and since the rebuild I've now done 3,500 substantially reliable miles in it. It did blot it's record a little last weekend though. I went to see the folks in Somerset and met up with John (jgra1) and Kev (red_drarfers). I took Kev for a ride in the V6 with a sport mode demo and that was fine but afterward, the next start showed the engine management light on and an engine running on less than 6 cylinders. After Kev and I limped to dad's house, it was given a chance to cool off and it was then fine again. Sadly, 10 miles into the return journey, it happened again and I had no option but to call out a flatbed. In the end I got home at 03:30 after a two stage recovery. Britannia Rescue were wonderful.

A Lexia check next day showed the ignition coil at fault so a new one was sought. I called the local Stealer who wanted £237 plus the dreaded for one. A Google found one at a coil specialist for £116 and it arrived next day. Remarkably, it was an OE Sagem one Fitted and touch-wood, problem resolved.

Another problem was discovered though. I have an LHM leak (well, a leak by my standards but a weep to anyone else) I noticed the NS corner of the front subframe was a bit damp. Investigation showed the rubber hose that attaches to the metal leakage return pipe from the steering pinion was perished right on the join. This rubber pipe forms part of the main return octopus and likely would cost an arm and a leg new so a quick call to Pleiades was made. Martin tells me it is OK to trim the pipe back and splice in a length of petrol hose of the right diameter as it's a functional return and under little pressure. The only problem is that being a V6, access is an issue in that it's almost inaccessible; the LHM reservoir will have to come out yet again to sort it.

Then soon, the V6 is going to need a new exhaust system... And I still need to do the heater matrix, the rear arm bearings and the cruise control.

Tomorrow my Activa goes in for an MOT. A check this evening showed one dim numberplate lamp as a problem and it has been treated (at last) to new front wiper blades... It hardly seems a year is up since the last MOT. Time really does fly.

Behind the scenes, work continues well with the new forum server and converting the forums to phpBB3. My personal jury is out over whether or not phpBB3 is a good move or if we should stick to phpBB2 as we are on now. have a look at the new test forums at www.xantiav6.co.uk/forum for the FCF and www.xantiaactiva.co.uk/forum for the BXC and tell me what you think. I'm not happy with the speed of phpBB3.

Life on the domestic front continues apace. Work is busy and the issues with mum and dad down in Somerset are far from resolved; many more runs to Somerset in the near future are expected. My cars are working hard...

[CitroJim]

My Activa flew through her MOT test today with no advisories and emissions barely registering on the tester Another year covered. It's a whole nine months until the V6 will need an MOT

Emboldened, I tackled the weeping pinion valve functional return pipe on the V6 late this afternoon. What a job It makes a heater matrix replacement look like a stroll in the park

Although just weeping at this stage, I was determined to change it as it carries a high volume of LHM at low pressure and if it let go big-time it would soon empty the reservoir and I have no desire to call on the services of a flatbed so soon after the last time

The rubber pipe in question joins the metal pipe from the pinion valve on the nearside of the car. The joint between rubber and metal can just be seen and got-to behind the subframe but there's no room for a hand. All must be done with tools. The rubber slides over a flared end on the metal pipe and this was where the pipe had split. I had to unclip the clip (difficult) and then slit the pipe with a long craft knife before the old pipe would come free of the metal pipe. All this lying under the car and with LHM dripping into my hair

Then, the rubber pipe runs at a right angle and disappears up to the LHM reservoir in the company of a positive gaggle of other hydraulic pipes, all clipped together. Finally it ends as one of the three legs of the octopus below the big main return pipe on the reservoir.

I had to remove the LHM reservoir but this did not really make the job simple, it just helped a bit. Next, I cut the offending pipe about five inches from the octopus and pulled it free. Somehow I managed to thread the new length of pipe (5/16" fuel hose, exactly the same size as the old) back down in its clips so that it exited under the wheelarch. Then working under the car and with one hand pushing from the wheelarch, I got the end of the pipe and a jubilee clip onto the flare of the metal pipe and pushed hard. Success. You can't tell the job has been done at all

This job is made so difficult by a total lack of any sort of reasonable access at all. I wanted to take some pictures by you can't reallya nd even if you could they'd be meaningless. All you'd see is a glimpse of a rubber pipe joining on to a metal one and from the wheelarch, the barest sight of a rubber pipe at a distance turning through 90 degrees. From there it is effectively totally hidden!

Then it was just a case of joining the stub of old pipe from the octopus to the new pipe and the job was a good 'un. After replacing the LHM reservoir, the wheel and a top-up of LHM, she was good to go.

So, that's another job ticked off the list. I'm just wondering what else the V6 has in store to surprise me...

[davetherave]

I think you just do these jobs to condition your hair with LHM Jim!

[KP]

Glad to hear your V6 is still doing well Jim and the repairs are continuing.

Have you sourced a new exhaust system for you car yet or are you thinking of just spending hte money on getting a new custom stainless steel one made up so that it lasts a bit longer?

Do you think an activa would pass the MOT without the CAT then if the emissions are so low? Good to see that even after many years their expensive exhaust bits are still lasting. keeping my fingers crossed for mine as its due in the next month or two

[CitroJim]

You know Dave, I don't find LHM at all bad and don't worry at all in being covered in the stuff. In fact I work without gloves when doing hydraulic work as partly I find the LHM makes gloves impossibly slippery and secondly, LHM seems to have ony good effects on my skin and it washes off very easily. One of the cosmetic firms could market it and use a slogan like "The anti-wrinkle cream with the added special green ingredient"

I wonder sometimes how much good (or bad) prolonged skin contact with LHM actually does?

I'm sitting here with lovely soft hair right now

Will, it's a moot point about a decatted Activa passing the MOT. I reckon it would as I once looked at a decatted Activa wearing a custom stainless exhaust. It had recently been MOT'd. Point is, unless you pull the innards out of the existing cat case, it'll fail on a visual test by a keen-eyed tester. We need someone to take a decatted Activa for an MOT or at least an MOT-type emissions test.

I'm cogitating over the V6 exhaust issue. My main problems are a ratty back box (not yet leaking) and a very corroded joint where the middle box joins the cat. It looks like this might write off the cat unlessd a clever company can do a repair and it's quite feasible to do if someoine has the necessary skill; perhaps as part of making a stainless system for it.

The only thing that worries me about a stainless system is the noise. Said Activa I looked at was terribly noisy and boomed and resonated to the extent that it made the whole car horrible to drive.

[KP]

If you spend the money on a custom one you can get the noise set how you like.

My coupe wasn't too bad until over about 80ish and that went from 1cat, 1 centre box and 1 rear box, to just 1 rear box and was 3" pipe from the turbo back instead of 2". it was great when it was on full boost and on cam, but not too bad low down when in the car.

Glad the alloys are good for you as well and that they are still being used on a car worthy of them

Personally on the decat Activa discussion we need to see if someone could get a decat pipe put in place and is easily able to bolt the cat back in. Not sure on the exact layout of the exhaust as never seen the car in the air for long enough but if i get the tracking done i'll have a nosey at mine

[XantiaMan]

I may find out soon what the emissions are like without a cat...

Its part of the downpipe though, so flanges would need to be welded onto the cat and the decat pipe to make them easily swoppable.