Davie's french attraction.

[Hell Razor5543]

[daviemck2006]

I'm working through the jobs on the 205. This was prompted by a must look at it now problem of a front brake sticking on. Thankfully I was less than 1/2 mile from home. The pads and discs look very recent, in miles anyway, goodness knows how much time lol. There was not a drop of grease anywhere the pads, so all removed cleaned and refitted. Engine oil and filter changed, I have just used cheap tesco stuff, I will give it 1000 miles then flush it and change it again, and fit a new sump, it is very rusty and felt a bit weak when taking off the drain plug. Air filter and plugs like new. Just the driveshaft boot to change, it's still jacked up on axle stands yet. The other expense it needs is 4 new tyres. Out of the five, two are Michelin mxt which I think would be original 1995 made, no date code, bad perishing on the side walls. Three Falkenham with a date code of 2102. One has about 5 mm on the back, and is ok, two fronts about 3mm, slight perishing probably legal but very pathetic grip in the wet. There is a set of 14" gti wheels with my name on them coming this way! However I would rather keep the originality of the car and have steels and trims, but the trims are knackered and the wheels seriously rusty so undecided yet.

[daviemck2006]

Well after a week of resting after putting my back out. The driveshaft boot is done, and I drained the gearbox and treated it to new oil. Mot booked for Thursday next week. I have a feeling it's going to need new brake pipes, they look a bit crusty. It's going to get new brake fluid anyway so I will wait until after the mot. I will also drain and flush the cooling system. I think after 11 years of only doing 1500 miles a year a bit of tlc won't go wrong. The cooling system will get done while it gets a cambelt and water pump. Then it should be in tip top condition.

[CitroJim]

Davie, delighted to hear your back has recovered enough to be able to do the boot and oil. Excellent

All the best with the MoT

[daviemck2006]

The renault threw it's toys out on Saturday night. For a couple of weeks it has been randomly setting off its alarm. I was in Aberdeen to a function on Saturday and at midnight it wouldn't start. Called out the AA, tested battery, it had 12.1 volts. Jump started it, alternator putting out 14.5. So I'm waiting for them to come to the house, as it won't start again, I will get a new battery for a £35 excess on my breakdown repair cover. I am now assuming that renaults are as bad as Citroens for needing a battery in top condition. It's maybe just modern cars, lose 1/2 a volt and the car takes a hissy fit!

[CitroJim]

It's maybe just modern cars, lose 1/2 a volt and the car takes a hissy fit!

It seems so but it's silly. You'd have thought modern automotive electronics would have been deliberately designed to work at a low - say 6V - voltage and regulate this from the nominal 12v battery supply. Then a failing battery would not upset the electronics so badly. It seems fundamental to me but then I'm most likely missing something significant here

[daviemck2006]

That's new battery fitted. Now starts the hunt to see if I have the radio code! Martin, the local AA man, who I am on first name terms with after the fiesta, says they used to call them renault migrane they suffer so many electrical faults! He did say it's more likely to be diesels with electric handbrakes that were the worst and 1.4 and 1.6 petrol weren't bad cars.

[myglaren]

It's maybe just modern cars, lose 1/2 a volt and the car takes a hissy fit!

It seems so but it's silly. You'd have thought modern automotive electronics would have been deliberately designed to work at a low - say 6V - voltage and regulate this from the nominal 12v battery supply. Then a failing battery would not upset the electronics so badly. It seems fundamental to me but then I'm most likely missing something significant here

This!
Most off the shelf electronics seem to prefer 5V anyway.

[daviemck2006]

Small hole in boot floor, both front flexi brake hoses perished, both front bottom ball joints worn. Not bad for a 20 year old.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[CitroJim]

That's not bad at all Davie, all things considered...

Consider yourself lucky it's not the flexi hose on the rear beam. Access is a tad 'interesting'...

Are you doing any of it yourself or entrusting it?

[daviemck2006]

I've just booked it in to get the welding done and away to order the flexi pipes, only like 7 quid for pagid ones and complete bottom arms. I will do them myself, I think the weather is going to be better next week, and got 14 days to get it done. It will be a fine chance to change the brake fluid, which I wanted to do anyway.

[daviemck2006]

£58 of parts ordered.

[daviemck2006]

After 3 years of not working, I start a little part time job on Monday. A fast food delivery driver for a newly taken over chip shop which is branching out into all sorts of cuisine and starting home delivery. I will only be part time, and earliest start 4 pm and latest finish 10 pm. Using own car so just as well I have 2, incase one breaks! I will see how if goes, if things go ok I can see the need for the renault leaving my custody and a diesel that will run on wvo [emoji4]

[Stickyfinger]

Large portion of cod nd chips please, not paying if it takes you more than 1 hour ...

[daviemck2006]

Large portion of cod nd chips please, not paying if it takes you more than 1 hour ...

Hmmmmmmm I think I will need more than a £3 local delivery for that [emoji13]