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

[MattBLancs]

Bit of a plumbing job today (after an IKEA trip with obligatory cheap but good idea breakfast!)

New tap for downstairs loo, though working ok the chrome had failed. Also the mixer cartridge is getting a little stiffer.
The trap beneath was looking tired, but I'd not realised how bad the pop up waste part of the assembly was. This is how it "undid"

Top section was still in the basin!

In contrast, despite looking awful, the very crusty mono block tap securing stud and nut actually unscrewed fine! Consistently stiff all the way off (to the extent I thought it was just spinning for a time!)

Pretty sure I will have copper greased this when installed, to testament to doing that I'd say

Quick before and after:

Before, then:

An anti vac trap (as the old one originally used to glug if running water fast or emptying half a basin full out)

Old trap was knackered and full of the horrible usual stinking slop that lives in drainage systems.

The pipework has been pulled upwards but hopefully it'll suffice.

Silicone drying (the basin was very, very cheap - a second or more accurately probably a reject! The hole in which the waste sits is roughly round but nowhere near flat! Trap sits on opposing edges with visible gaps 90° round from each. So fairly hefty silicone gap filling needed. I did manage to blob enough on that the original items never leaked, so fingers crossed I can repeat that success!

New plug hole is a push "click clack" type. The lever behind the mixer tap seems to get falling out of fashion.

[PaulC5]

Our water is very hard so we get a lot of limescale. All the basins have the sprung click clack type of plugs (not the ones that spin round) but they all stopped working despite frequent efforts to clean the scale off using vinegar. As a result we use the old type of rubber plugs.

[CitroJim]

Good work Matt!

We have exceedingly hard water here too... Something that needs constant attention to keep under control...

[MattBLancs]

Our water is very hard so we get a lot of limescale. All the basins have the sprung click clack type of plugs (not the ones that spin round) but they all stopped working despite frequent efforts to clean the scale off using vinegar. As a result we use the old type of rubber plugs.

My dad has had one sink with a failing click clack plug - when I post mortemed it, the spring had corroded and snapped (hence it didn't pop up anymore)

Good work Matt!

We have exceedingly hard water here too... Something that needs constant attention to keep under control...

Thankfully our water is pretty good, so we don't have limescale problems like that. I've been elsewhere where the kettles fur up and I could soon get fed up with that!

Soon be time for taking the trailer to the tip...

Oh, lovely!!

[MattBLancs]

Very thankfully was just dry for the tip trip.
Just back and trailer decoupled

Raining hard again! Grateful the tip trip relatively dry

[MattBLancs]

Blue 308 SW has been towed up to Preston, ready for (hopefully) being fixed next week.

Not to be outdone by the tip run's heavy rain, getting set up to tow with the towing bar was interrupted by a brief hail shower!

Sarah's first experience being the "tow-ee" rather than "tow-er" (she's dragged me in both the C5 and Blue 308 previously!) and if nothing else she can be sure she's not keen on it! Absolute trooper, as usual

I've written a note for the garage and left the new (long) driveshaft, new hub nut, second hand starter motor and 2.1 litres of new gearbox oil in the car for them.

[MattBLancs]

Good news: blue 308 is fixed!

Bad news: got a lift arranged with my dad and we crawled (15 minute journey actually more like 30 due to busy Preston rush hour traffic)

Garage kindly took me through what they'd done:

• Slave cylinder obviously in a state of distress,
• starter swapped as requested,
• driveshaft not swapped - as Autodoc haven't supplied me the right part - too short!)
• the state of the clutch (definitely worn, but not down to the rivets)
• DMF not moving that freely so was also worthwhile changing (and so has been)

Then time to pay the bill and plan unravelled!

oh sorry, we're cash only - sorry I didn't say , I thought you knew

Err, nope! I didn't know. Funnily enough I wasn't wandering about with a grand in cash in my wallet and hadn't asked on the phone about payment methods.

So a return trip (probably in equally terrible traffic) this evening awaits

[mickthemaverick]

Ouch!! And ouch again! So you have now got new flywheel, clutch and starter motor for the outlay so probably not that bad a deal but still a dent in monthly expenditure!! Plus side? You didn't get cold and wet followed by a week in bed with the flu and you can use the car again!! Not so bad after all!

[CitroJim]

Gosh, amazed they're cash only... That's a right load of hassle when such large sums are involved

Not the sort of amount you can casually withdraw from a cashpoint or from the post office I'd imagine so a trip to the nearest branch of your bank that is still extant will be needed...

For me, that's a trip into the city centre and even then I'd be nervous about walking back to my car with such a large amount...

Can the garage not accept a bank transfer?

[mickthemaverick]

Can the garage not accept a bank transfer?

I'm sure they would have suggested that if it were possible Jim but looks like a 'keep it off the books' job probably because I believe Matt supplied the parts so they may be concerned about possible warranty issues later on.

[MattBLancs]

The Blue 308 SW is home again!

I think the garage is revelling in being old school and not embracing that new fangled "electric money" thing. Nice hand written "invoice" provided.

In terms of warranty concerns - they've sourced the clutch kit, DMF and slave cylinder so will (hopefully not need to, but ultimately should) take responsibility for those.
I supplied second hand starter motor (which incidentally turns over miles faster than the other (also second hand) one I fitted a few months ago (when I had the dead starter solenoid)) so I take responsibility for that.

I also supplied a new driveshaft but too short so that's not gone on. Another days problem that. No untoward noises but it's not quite the right outer CV so will tackle it at some point.

Also supplied gearbox oil which they haven't used.

[MattBLancs]

Ouch!! And ouch again! So you have now got new flywheel, clutch and starter motor for the outlay so probably not that bad a deal but still a dent in monthly expenditure!! Plus side? You didn't get cold and wet followed by a week in bed with the flu and you can use the car again!! Not so bad after all!

Yes, will take it on the chin this time. Biggest garage bill I've ever had (previous was about £500 for fitting a 306 rear beam, years ago)

DMF, clutch kit and slave cylinder is about £600 in parts so I've paid about £450 to save time and health of doing it myself outside in November, so am happy with that.

Gosh, amazed they're cash only... That's a right load of hassle when such large sums are involved

Not the sort of amount you can casually withdraw from a cashpoint or from the post office I'd imagine so a trip to the nearest branch of your bank that is still extant will be needed...

For me, that's a trip into the city centre and even then I'd be nervous about walking back to my car with such a large amount...

Can the garage not accept a bank transfer?

Yep, £500 is the daily limit cash machine withdrawal. Thankfully have pulled the cash together without having a specific (daytime) trip to the bank to pull more out - in branch I think the limit is more (£1100 from memory) but as you say actually getting a branch to be "in" is the challenge!

Don't like wandering around with loads of cash either

[MattBLancs]

I've brought the DMF and old starter motor home - former will get a post mortem to understand how it's failing and the latter hopefully a strip down, regrease / clean up then into spares pile. I think it'll fit the EW10J4 engine of the Coupe (and is a more chunky, more powerful one than the petrol item) and might fit the DW12 of the HDi Coupe.

[myglaren]

I thought it was still £250 from an ATM. I have been going to the bank if it has been more than that.
They have handed over £3k without batting an eyelid.

Usually pay the garage that I use by bank transfer. He sends me the bill, I pay it then board the next bus to collect the car. Or walk if I have half a day to spare and the weather is good.

[mickthemaverick]

Not counting MOT's I haven't paid a penny to a garage since 1992 when I paid Green and Wetherleys in Watford to regrind my Celica's crank shaft and reface the head. !!