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

[CitroJim]

Its a good car that one you know

It certainly is Chris and it'll be getting better as time goes by...

[Northern_Mike]

Its a good car that one you know

It certainly is Chris and it'll be getting better as time goes by...

So you're not going to flog it and buy a Jap-o-Hatch then?

Thank heavens for that.

[CitroJim]

So you're not going to flog it and buy a Jap-o-Hatch then?

Thank heavens for that.

Not before the next MOT is due

[addo]

I've heard about MOT fails. Apparently the car is crushed on the spot, your children are removed to foster care, pets euthanased and your mortgage called in.

just a good eat

No.69?
From the local Chinese restaurant, I meant...

[CitroJim]

[CitroJim]

When I collected my XM from my MOT man he made a few nice remarks about it and saying how rare they are now before telling me that a few minutes previously he was at the tyre and exhaust mob nearby and was amazed to see another XM.. He said (roughly) "I can go f'ing months and months without seeing one and then f me, I see two in the same day!"

It turned out the other XM was Chris570's in for tracking adjustments before he popped round to see me for an LHM top-up.

[KP]

Hows the exterior of the XM holding up Jim??

[CitroJim]

Hows the exterior of the XM holding up Jim??

She's pretty good Will. Chris did a spot of machine polishing on it and now the only slight detractions are a couple of small dents which need sorting... Apart from that she's as solid as a rock

The MOT testers must have liked my XM so much I reckon they took it for a spin. It was a wet old day here and two of the rubber mats were covered in mud

I noticed a tiny coolant leak from one of the tee-pieces where one of the LPG vapouriser heater pipes tees off. A little tighten of the offending Jubilee clip seems to have stopped it.

I also looked at the vapour-phase filter between the vapouriser and the LPG injector rail. It looks like a mini air filter and I was staggered at how mucky it was. I've given it a blast on the air-line whilst I await a replacement. They cost around about £6 and are available on ebay...

The engine is definitely running a lot happier on both gas and petrol now it has the benefit of an oxygen sensor

[Citroenmad]

How did you sort out the rough running on LPG after the sensor refit Jim? Have I missed that bit?

[CitroJim]

It's only just a tad rough on idle Chris, everywhere else it's as sweet as a nut on gas. In fact now when under reasonable way you can't tell when it switches from petrol to gas The roughness is most notable when coming to a standstill in D and say, waiting at a junction for a few moments. Under cruise conditions everything is really perfect.

I had a plug out this afternoon and the colour of it was perfect. The mixture looks spot-on.

Idle on petrol is the best idle I've ever known on a TCT. In fact it is a very sweet engine indeed.

I've been researching hard and learned a lot about LPG systems in general and the Tartarini SGI as fitted in particular, hence the vapour-phase filter. Cleaning it has helped a little and my next line of investigation is the plugs.

LPG needs a bloody good spark to fire it as LPG is cold and tends to like to try to blow the spark out. Currently it has NGK BKR5EK plugs which are twin electrode affairs and according to the forums they are not the best for firing small LPG charges at idle and the preference is for the needle-pointed plutonium tipped variety.

I'll be getting a new filter and seeking recommendations about the best plugs. I'm wondering to if there's a reason for having slightly hotter '5' plugs fitted rather than the recommended '6' plugs.

The gas ECU is, I understand, more or less auto-adaptive and it does seem to be learning now it can see an oxygen sensor. I'm debating whether or not to shell out the £40 or so on the diagnostic software for it and gently try tweaking it.

I'd still love to know why it was de-catted and de-sensored...

I know one thing, I'm really enjoying getting to grips with LPG systems. I am, as they say, a fan of them

[myglaren]

Plutonium spark plugs Jim?
Does your XM glow in the dark

[CitroJim]

Does your XM glow in the dark

Only with the lights on Steve

I got the wrong element. I meant iridium

Just ordered a set, along with an LPG filter so it'll be interesting to see if they make a difference...

[addo]

I'd still love to know why it was de-catted and de-sensored...

I'd say part of that global phenomenon we know here as f***nuckles. No shortage of these special people plying their trade as mechanics.

[CitroJim]

No, I'd say there was perhaps a world surplus of those Adam, with the UK as a prime producer

And I suppose de-cat pipes are cheaper than new cats... Especially the one fitted. It was not a good example...

[andmcit]

Plutonium?

Is that to power the 1.21 Gigawatts of electricity needed to make time travel possible?