Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

[CitroJim]

It's all that power the engine develops after all the TLC you've given it Matt, the clutch just can't cope with it

[MattBLancs]

It's all that power the engine develops after all the TLC you've given it Matt, the clutch just can't cope with it

That, and having too much fun thrashing it round the twisty, hilly roads of Cumbria yesterday! Perhaps it was inevitable...


(Counter point: changed the original clutch on my previous 306 at 164,000 miles and wasn't down to the rivets! No slip either it was just getting notchy going into gear. Perhaps not too fair comparison as that was about half the power and a good few hundred kilos less mass to drag about too)

[MattBLancs]

LED H21W off eBay arrived Thursday afternoon, so put them in last night

Before, which looks ok on a photo!

Fancy looking LED easy to spot against its old fashioned bulb companions

Much longer than H21W, but lots of clearance

Clearance

No after picture as day light failing me. Doesn't look a great deal different, but to be honest I was most worried about it melting itself with the normal bulbs!

[MattBLancs]

206's turn for a bit of TLC

Up at the front

Oil change, C2 spec 5w30 fully synthetic from GSF, Bosch oil filter "from stock"

Short change interval since last one slightly as thought would do it good and mostly as dropped the oil out last time on a Sunday afternoon and then discovered none of the four bottles of oil I've gathered were the correct C2 spec. So it's had a little go with some Mannol 5w30 fully synthetic cheap stuff (20 litre drum, worked out about £6 per oil change!) But concerned as not "low SAPS"

Can you spot what is unusual about this particular DV6 sump?

Other than I have painted it with some spare silver wheel paint!

[MattBLancs]

Decided to make a start on the Coupe engine removal task. Up in the air and on axle stands, undertray off, oil drained. Quite dark, surprisingly. Will have to see how long it's been in there (not that long, from memory) think have it written down somewhere.
Air filter housing, inlet elbow, battery and box all off and out the way...

... Then the rain Alex told me we weren't getting promptly arrived. The joys of working outside!

Before

Oh, and before all that (and after the 206 oil change done) I swapped the tired bonnet gas struts for some new cheap ones from Autodoc - massive improvement and fear of it crashing down onto my head eliminated!

[bobins]

Can you spot what is unusual about this particular DV6 sump?

Self modified ? It came like that ? Or you bought a modified sump ?

[MattBLancs]

Self modified ? It came like that ? Or you bought a modified sump ?

Original sump, modified by me:
A good fit and not too sharp edged socket (in my case 19mm impact socket) on the inside.
Offcut of 6x2" timber with a depression drilled/ chiselled out in the centre. A few 2" nails to give alignment with the sump.

Put socket - sump - wood under the business end of my friendly MOT garage's hydraulic press = Bob's your uncle.

I bought a second hand sump so made the job a straight swap (the modification done months before I was due an oil change)
So then did the original sump same treatment and swapped it again on a C4 i had at the time.

The third sump I used a normal socket rather than the impact type and instead of a nice neat result it punched a hole through instead! Glorified hole punch I suppose and rather effective as such!

So last sump was a write off and went for scrap. Total cost about £15-£20 for the first second hand sump I think and two cars improved - so count that as a win.

Someone has measured the volume left behind on the standard design - I did too but I can't recall the figure confidently - I have in my head it was 700 ml, but don't hold me to that amount. Certainly a large quantity.


There's a video on YouTube of someone who drains the (standard) sump, attached some sort of pneumatic puller into the drain plug threads, pulls the hole down without sump removal. Then when they unscrew the fancy gismo a second large stream of oil is then released! Will see if I can find it.

[MattBLancs]

350ml says this chap:





Ah, found it, here's a special tool that is much quicker than my method!

[MattBLancs]

I thought I might get a second hand alternator ordered, if it was any better at maintaining the voltage, great, if not then I would try and flog it again to get my money back. Found a very cheap one in eBay and buy it now, jobs a good un.

First I'd heard of it, and I've done nothing of the sort!

Seems like I'm not going to be getting that one then. I've noticed sellers jumping on this reason for cancelling - presumably they don't get a black mark from eBay versus a more truthful "turns out we sold it locally" or turns out we priced it too cheap " or "we've lost it in the yard" or whatever the real reason is!! annoying, just glad I'm not stuck with car immobile waiting for this to turn up...

[CitroJim]

How strange

[MattBLancs]

Even cheaper! Hopefully second time lucky. Just had a "your item has been dispatched" notification, so seems more promising.

Have been reading up / watching YouTube videos on partial strip down of these mitsubishi alternators, so something else to be playing about with once it arrives. Was thinking new bearings might be sensible but realised I'll need the "clutch pulley" tools in order to do that. So perhaps just check over of the brushes and bit of a general clean up / blow the muck out of it instead.

[CitroJim]

Fingers crossed

[MattBLancs]

... but realised I'll need the "clutch pulley" tools in order to do that...

Amazon amazingly cheap tat is appealing

https://amzn.eu/d/8eTWf64

Less than £20 for a full set of tools (about £6 would get me one if the splined tools (minus the long reach Torx/Allen/whatever TBC bit to reach through the centre) coming from China off eBay.
Not yet clicked the button to get it ordered. Have nearly a full shelf of cheap tat in generally red plastic boxes!

[CitroJim]

That's a good price for a potentially very useful kit Matt

[MattBLancs]

That's a good price for a potentially very useful kit Matt

I've had a think about it and will get it ordered in the morning, I'll have to clear out and dedicate a second shelf to cheap Chinese special tool sets at this rate!



Whilst seeing if I could find any other options to consider, cheaper sources for the same, I stumbled across this interesting gizmo:

More cheap tat

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394480197285

Wondered if possible sphere removal tool?
(Have read on here about the actual sphere removal tools available on eBay, the DIY bend round a lamp post make your own and other proper ones) just saw it and wondered really.