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

[red_dwarfers]

Thanks, useful bit of info that

On a similar note about Vauxawfuls, Dad did a service on the Mk5 Ashtray and had quite a job trying to find the oil filter. Turns out that its underneath the exhaust manifold. I guess there are reasons but the whole thing about making the oil warm before draining it/changing the filter pretty much goes out the window

[CitroJim]

On a similar note about Vauxawfuls, Dad did a service on the Mk5 Ashtray and had quite a job trying to find the oil filter. Turns out that its underneath the exhaust manifold.

That's a silly place to put it They obviously had some French collaboration in the design

maybe that's why the Ashtray that lived down the road from me put a rod through the block a while ago. I heard it knocking one day and then the next, it arrived home on the back of a low-loader dripping oil.

Maybe because the filter is in such a daft place, it was never replaced and blew up the engine?

It's been a good day today. I've done nothing except catch up on happenings in this forum, reply to a slew of Citroen related email and write my December column for the "Citroenian". That alone has taken most of the day. I woke up this morning without a clue of what I'd write about but the creative juices flowed a treat and 7 pages went off to the editor. Last month it was 9 and you'll be able to read those, those of you who are CCC members of course, in the next few days.

The only break as been a run to the garage at the end of the road for the fitting of four new tyres on Robyn's 206. They did the tracking as well and I'm happy to find the car steers absolutely dead straight ahead and the steering wheel is properly centered.

Looking good

Never worry about me not being very active on here in the week. I'm still here and as keen as ever but work turns my brain to mush every day and in the evenings I'm good only for flopping into a chair and quietly loosing the will whilst I try to regain a bit of brain function ready for the next IT-related onslaught...

Every afternoon I come home feeling like an empty shell and by 7 I can just about summon enough brain function to turn on the wireless and listen to the Archers. Doing anything much more constructive is a non-starter

In other news, I'm pleased to learn that a fellow forum member has become the owner of a V6 with a potentially dodgy gearbox. I'm now steeling myself for another 4HP20 rebuild and I'm actually rather looking forward to it.

Luckily, said new owner has the facilities to remove his own engine and gearbox in his barn and I'll most likely do him an exchange 'box.

Before that I must prepare my workshop. I still have a diesel pump in bits in there, the one that I declared beyond repair. I'll reassemble it loosely and throw it into the stash after writing a quick note of it's condition on the side of it...

[CitroJim]

Robyn's car is through the MOT

It initially failed on emissions and needed a new lambda sensor. I was not entirely surprised as I noticed the exhaust was a bit smelly even when fully warm.

The garage also said they thought the cat was on it's last legs and were happy to explain in technical terms why. They also gave an advisory on a corroded front-to rear brake pipe. Hopefully it's an easier job in a 206 than in a 205....

Seems my smell test of an exhaust is a pretty reliable guide

I was very happy with the garage I took the car to. they're close by, very friendly and I could not fault their workmanship

Yesterday I ran to Somerset and back in my MK2 V6. I planned it to be the last journey it would make before the winter lay-up but after driving it on what was a very difficult and rotten journey I'm now not so sure I want to lay it up now. I may have a change of heart and lay up the Activa instead...

I've never encountered such heavy traffic on the trip The Buckingham to Bicester road (A4421) is currently closed for resurfacing and all traffic therefore has to divert along the A421/A43 and M40. That part was horrendous and at 07:15 was gridlocked. Such was the density of traffic on the A34 that I chose the scenic route down via Swindon. It takes longer but it's a lot easier to drive with a lot less traffic.

On the way home I diverted it completely by carrying on up the A361 past Swindon to Chipping Norton and then cutting across to Buckingham on B roads. It was beautifully scenic but oh so painfully slow due to all the speed limits through the endless small Costswold towns and villages on the route. The mileage was not much different but it added a good hour and a half onto the journey...

The only good thing about it was the car I was driving. My MK2 V6 is indistinguishable from a brand-new car

[Deanxm]

Thats good news Jim, and only a Lambda sensor needed!, seems like you got off lightly
The xm was getting a bit smelly even though ive put a new o2 sensor on it, after the run up to cxm its been fine though although i do wonder how much longer the 18year old cat will last.

D

[superloopy]

Well done on getting Robyn's car through Jim

My Activa's well past its test date but as it needs a cambelt change i'm not too bothered at present.

Nothing's getting touched at the mo' due to F-I-L's bereavement.

That includes DIY, garden and the cars, just not in the mood .

And what with Xmas and all that

May get a chance come the New Year, any chance your Activa 'write-up' is ready for the press yet?

[CitroJim]

although i do wonder how much longer the 18year old cat will last.

Speaking to the garage, apparently the larger they are physically the longer they last. Apocryphal perhaps but those on the TCT and V6 seem to go on and on and on, being the size of small dustbins. The one on the 1.4 TU 206 is a tiny little pipsqueak of a thing...

So, on that basis, yours will most likely be OK for a few more MOTs yet. What was yor last emissions figures?

Nothing's getting touched at the mo' due to F-I-L's bereavement.

Oh Mike, so sorry to hear that Quite understood how it's taken the mood away for playing cars. I've been in very similar circumstances and I can safely say the desire will soon return as strong as ever. In fact, getting lost in playing cars can be a great therapy. It was what got me out of my last nervous breakdown and still works wonders for me when life gets a bit hard going...


Don't even mention Christmas I've cancelled it this year on account of the costs incurred in keeping Robyn mobile for another year

She has her car back now and didn't even notice I'd given it the valet of its life inside and out - Kids!

On the Activa Write-Up Mike, which one? Cambelt? I have all the photos and just need to get the write-up done. Time is my problem. Maybe now the nights are drawing in and the rain falls. I'll have that time. I want to rework my website and make it a bit better than it is so that'll be a good opportunity...

Yesterday morning I was up bright and early and gave New V6 a good wash and cleanup before sadly laying her up for the winter and bringing Old V6 back into daily duties.

I've remarked about the performance of Old V6's headlights in the past and I decided, especially now the clocks have gone back, to set about doing something about it.

Personally I detest this fixation we have with mucking about with the clocks twice a year. I wish they'd just leave the damm things alone or move the time an hour forward from BST in the winter so we have light evenings.

Back to headlights, I contemplated the relay mod on the V6 but due to there being no easy place to accommodate the additional relays and no way for me to add the wiring in an unobtrusive way, I've postponed that for a while. The biggest problem was that they were set very low so late evening I gave the adjusters a quick tweak to bring the lights up a tad and the difference is incredible. They seem a tad high now but a 20 mile journey last night didn't elicit any displeasure from oncoming cars so I can only assume they're OK.

Today, if it ever stops raining, I intend to shine the Activa lights (they're perfect) on the garage doors, draw the beam patterns on said doors and then shine the V6 headlights against the door and adjust the beam patters to match.

Driving briskly along a dark country lane last night, I'm satisfied the relay mod is not really necessary and the carlos fandango super-Bright bulbs I have fitted are doing the job

Last evening, a most pleasant and enjoyable time was spent with Xac doing a bit of spannering on Jenny... It's amazing what can be achieved on a wet driveway in the dark with just a failing inspection lamp for illumination...

The failing inspection lamp is mine It's one of these rechargeable LED jobs that cost a good bit and has been a godsend as it is (was) very bright and gives (gave) a lovely working light but recently it's stopped holding its charge. It's bright for only about 10 minutes after a charge and then goes a bit dim and will stay a bit dim for ages and ages. I suspect the battery pack as the charge complete lamp comes on far too soon when charging...

I'll have to take it apart and see if the batteries can be replaced. Otherwise I'll have to bite the bullet and get another one as I'll be lost without it.

[Deanxm]

The cat on the xm is indeed large, its bigger than the tct one by a fair bit and its bigger than the Activa one too.
CO is a little high on the last four mot's looking back actualy, although that was after i put a new throttle body on it and i have a not touched the co adjuster so maybe giving that a tweek will help swing things back to normal but co always comes out at either .27% or .20%.
Heres an interesting thing though, when she gives .20% co content they say the limit is .20%, so she is right on the max limit, now when she gave a reading of .27% last year the sheet says the limit is .30% then again this year the sheet says .20% was the limit and she went though at .20% i wonder if my garage are moving the goalposts somehow although i wouldnt think thats possible.

Personally I detest this fixation we have with mucking about with the clocks twice a year. I wish they'd just leave the damm things alone or move the time an hour forward from BST in the winter so we have light evenings.

Couldnt agree more, i always end up forgetting to change the clocks too which can be interesting.

D

[CitroJim]

Dean,

There is a 0.200 limit and a 0.300 limit depending on the test being carried out.

The first one they do is a fast idle test and here the limit is 0.200. They can have two goes at this one and I believe it is carried out at something like 2500 rpm. Generally on fast idle the CO level will be lower in any case as the engine is running smother and the mixture atomisation and control is better. Engines emit most CO when ticking over and rapidly clean up their act as the speed is increased.

Often a duff cat (or even no cat) will pass the fast idle test if the lambda and MAP sensors are good and everything else is in good nick. This explains why a fail can be turned into a pass if the natural idel speed is upped a tad (where you can)

My Activa recorded a 0.005 on this test and Robyn's 206 0.008.

The next test is a natural idle test where CO is checked at normal idle speed. This one is the clincher and the cat has to be good to see a pass. here the limit is 0.300.

As an example., my Activa with a good cat achieved 0.003 on this test and Robyn's 206, which has a weak cat, could only do 0.282 (a real scrape)

Interestingly, with the bad lambda sensor, Robyn achieved 0.941 CO on the first fast idle test, 0.920 on the second and 0.499 on the natural idle test.

All the figures were taken from the SUN DGA2500 printouts.

With a new lambda, this sorted the fast idle test but the cat was struggling to cope with the natural idle test.

This shows the value of an MOT emissions test if you have any doubt about the health of your lambda sensor and/or cat.

What was your fast idle results Dean?

[Deanxm]

Ah yes i understand that, here is three emmissions tests with max co levels and actual and you will see my confusion.

.................Fast limit.............fast actual...........idle limit...........idle actual
Aug 2006 .20% .20% .30% .28%
Aug 2007 .30% .27% .50% .47%
Aug 2008 .20% .20% .30% .29%

Do you see what i mean now Jim, what happened in 2007 i will have to find the last two they are around somewhere.

D

[CitroJim]

I see what you mean Dean!

Looks like in 2007 he tested on the non-cat limits...

[CitroJim]

Feeling distinctly groggy this evening

I've had a 'flu jab today and I have what feels like a mild dose of it...

Hopefully it'll stave off any real 'flu later in the year and feeling a bit groggy tonight will pay dividends later.

Our work offers them free and on-site for all staff... Does them good as it reduces sick leave...

On the subject of leaks (seems one of my favourite Xantia subjects, although not from choice ) When I collected Old V6 on Saturday I thought I could detect a bit of a musty smell in it.

I checked all the usual places for leaks and found none but did find a nasty, sticky residue under the front passenger's footwell carpet. Turned out it was anti-freeze from its heater matrix leak two years ago.

Wiped up with a cloth and the smell has mostly gone now...

[Deanxm]

bet the sight of antifreeze on the carpets was a bit of a shock for a second Jim

Found this years emissions test aswell, they done the same again but it wasnt as bad this time, still think the cat is on its way out though, good job they are only cheap, mind you i did make myself a decat section that ive still got

D

[Xaccers]

Sympathies for you Jim!
Danielle's mum's had her flu jab in one arm and pneumonia jab in the other today.

[xantia_v6]

The failing inspection lamp is mine It's one of these rechargeable LED jobs that cost a good bit and has been a godsend as it is (was) very bright and gives (gave) a lovely working light but recently it's stopped holding its charge. It's bright for only about 10 minutes after a charge and then goes a bit dim and will stay a bit dim for ages and ages. I suspect the battery pack as the charge complete lamp comes on far too soon when charging...

I'll have to take it apart and see if the batteries can be replaced. Otherwise I'll have to bite the bullet and get another one as I'll be lost without it.

You can get most types of rechargable cells from these people I got some cells to refurb an old PC battery pack a few years ago and the quality seemed OK.

[Deanxm]

I have used one of These for a while now, they give a good spread of light, fit in anywhere and are nearly indestructable, they dont get too hot either, we use them at work for hanging in chimneys...................and one in the shed of course .

D[/quote]