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

[RichardW]

The filter can be a pig to remove from the lid, I usually find just wiggling it (quite forcibly!) side to side gets it free. First one I did without gloves....that was a mistake!! I did see something about using a toilet roll centre down the middle to release the fingers - did try it but it didn't work too well. You being a man with a lathe you could knock up a tool to squeeze the fingers in and release the filter.

[Huskyxantia]

I was very lucky to do mine last spring when the mechanis took the engine out . Plenty of room . I agree too this cars are worth keeping. I've had my moments with mine but it's been ok so far , apart from last weekends blind pothole incident.

[CitroJim]

The filter can be a pig to remove from the lid, I usually find just wiggling it (quite forcibly!) side to side gets it free.

Gosh yes Richard.. Mine nearly made my eyes pop out of my head Lots of wriggling and controlled tugging eventually sorted it... I popped it straight into a small nappy sack which promptly punctured on a sharp edge of the filter and black oil bled out to make a puddle on my nice, clean driveway

You being a man with a lathe you could knock up a tool to squeeze the fingers in and release the filter.

Now there's an excellent plan! I will do just that

I was very lucky to do mine last spring when the mechanics took the engine out .

Engine removed for clarity Indeed, everyone who takes a ride in mine ends up singing its praises - today was no exception From an Astra-owning cyclist - she could see just how useful a Picasso is when you need to transport a bike. or two

[MattBLancs]

I have this image in my mind of Jim powered down and unresponsive at the side of the path. All attempts to commumicate with him have so far failed

Small vial of gearbox oil, wafted under his nose like "smelling salts" might do the trick!

[MattBLancs]

Also just chiming in to say I hate the DV6 canister-less oil filter element too! Sometimes pulls off easily, other times as per Jim's description: eyes popping out of your head scenario!

Quite surprised my 2016 blue 308 has a proper steel screw on oil filter!
The 2009 C5 was a no canister element and just as awkward as the DV6

[CitroJim]

I have this image in my mind of Jim powered down and unresponsive at the side of the path. All attempts to commumicate with him have so far failed

Small vial of gearbox oil, wafted under his nose like "smelling salts" might do the trick!

Yea, that'll work a treat... Even better if it's LT71141 ATF

Walking around the forest with lady-love yesterday I saw this and did wonder if it was once a runner with a bricked Garmin and now very unresponsive

Quite surprised my 2016 blue 308 has a proper steel screw on oil filter!
The 2009 C5 was a no canister element and just as awkward as the DV6

That is late Matt

The only advantage of the element filter is just how clean the job of changing it is - I can do it without spilling even the tiniest drop of oil.

I don't even see an advantage in cost, given they are just a bit of cardboard and plastic. They are no cheaper than a decent canister filter...

[RichardW]

I imagine the paper element is to save waste, a small amount each filter adds up to something over millions of changes.

In theory if we can figure out a size I could 3D print a tool. Might need to acquire a spare filter cap to experiment with

[CitroJim]

In the attic for totally unrelated reasons this afternoon I came across my very first SLR camera, acquired very second-hand in 1976...

Completely forgot I still had it...

It's not in full working order but that's not surprising as it's not been used since the early 80s and has lived in a succession of attics since...

It's compete with a 'Leningrad 4' exposure meter and a Hoya telephoto lens...

The camera badly needs a service as not all shutter speeds work. It looks retrievable though...

I also discovered my old Paterson developing tank...

That camera has to be well over 50 years old now...

[myglaren]

I thought the light meter was a Lunasix, like I had in the sixties. Russian copy clearly but had never heard of them. Praktikas were ubiquitous though. Never owned one, had an Edixa Mat TTL instead.

[MattBLancs]

The only advantage of the element filter is just how clean the job of changing it is - I can do it without spilling even the tiniest drop of oil.

Yes, it seems common for the paper element type to almost invariably be mounted "lid uppermost" and to incorporate a self draining function (i.e. that's what the little peg with an O-ring is doing)

Image from GSF site, DV6 oil filter

And that works well. It's only the very variable fight to get filter out of the lid, plus my worries about whether that paper element can be bypassed (i.e. it doesn't have much in the way of a seal) that puts me off them.

I imagine the paper element is to save waste, a small amount each filter adds up to something over millions of changes.

Yes, minimising waste is the aim as far as I've heard. No steel cartridge also permits destruction by incineration (and/or potential "energy from waste" from said burning) without a pesky residual steel can.

[Stickyfinger]

Always knew you had "Russian connections".....now we all know how the Ivan's managed to get the Cream Egg recipe....the things people will do for a bribe of Russian quality optics !

[xantia_v6]

On the topic of quality optics, I am continuing my project of clearing out the cartons at the back of the garage, contains mostly stuff that was cleared out of my dad's garage 30 years ago.

I recently found this unpromising looking box:

It contained this interesting flyer from 1955:

Not only that, but also the lens is present!

It apparently was the fastest C mount lens available in 1955, but not cheap. NZ£76 (1955) is equivalent to about NZ$5000 (GBP2200) today. No wonder my mother grumbled about the money he spent on photographic equipment.

I don't think that it has seen much use.

[CitroJim]

Always knew you had "Russian connections".....now we all know how the Ivan's managed to get the Cream Egg recipe....the things people will do for a bribe of Russian quality optics !

Ahh but the camera is East German

I've found the iris on the 50mm lens is stuck wide open so more work to do...

I imagine the paper element is to save waste, a small amount each filter adds up to something over millions of changes.

Yes, minimising waste is the aim as far as I've heard. No steel cartridge also permits destruction by incineration (and/or potential "energy from waste" from said burning) without a pesky residual steel can.

That makes perfect sense

I understand most of the non-recyclable waste from Milton Keynes is incinerated to generate electricity... My old element filter will go up nicely but maybe the old steel canister filter (from Strawberry) also disposed of in the same bin with it won't burn quite so well...

It apparently was the fastest C mount lens available in 1955, but not cheap. NZ£76 (1955) is equivalent to about NZ$5000 (GBP2200) today. No wonder my mother grumbled about the money he spent on photographic equipment.

That's an exceedingly fast lens, even by today's standards Mike... What a find!

I thought the light meter was a Lunasix, like I had in the sixties. Russian copy clearly but had never heard of them.

Oh yes, almost a direct copy Steve. It still works but I've not yet checked its calibration against the meter on my phone or in my DSLR.

[myglaren]

I wasn't aware of the 1:0.95 lens but knew about the Canon equivalent that cost a small fortune in the sixties.

[CitroJim]

I wasn't aware of the 1:0.95 lens but knew about the Canon equivalent that cost a small fortune in the sixties.

I'm utterly shocked at how costly top-end photographic kit is these days too Steve... I'm sure they use the same random price generator as employed by some purveyors of NOS classic Citroen spares

Today, as and when I could, I've dismantled the Praktika lens to determine why the iris leaves are reluctant to move... Quite a voyage of discovery.

I can't wait to dismantle the camera and discover why it's not happy at some shutter speeds...

More to follow