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

[CitroJim]

The V6 Xantia successfully passed her MOT despite my worry about the brake flexi. That was just an advisory and the only one..

So that's the car good for another year last year I did a grand total of just under 5,000 miles in it. I know that from the new MOT certificate that now shows the past five years' mileages..

[bxzx16v]

Well done Jim on the pass , there was no doubt in my mind .

Mark

[CitroJim]

I learned how the MOT test assesses flexis. If the perishing cracks are deep enough that you can make the inner core or reinforcing cords visible then it's a fail. Minor perishing with just tiny cracks - as mine - are an advisory. Hope that helps you assess it Mike...

[CitroJim]

Had a lovely day out today. PavlosV6 and I went to the National Vintage Communications Fair up near Leamington Spa; a Mecca for all those who love old wirelesses. We journeyed up in my XM. Pavlos seemed to like it...

Spotted a very tidy GSA and a late Xantia estate in the car park. Mine was the only XM though... I believe the GSA may well belong to someone on here, Mike, uhn113x. Sadly I never caught up with the owner The Xantia owner was a CCC member.

Yesterday Xac came round and swapped the radiator in Cassy whilst I made tea and looked at why my ELIT diagnostic machine had a dim display. I had a clue it was a connector problem as hitting it made it come a bit brighter. A strip down showed the display connector was a bit mucky and corroded. A clean-up and all is now fine.

[spider]

Looks like it was a fun day out. , any pics of interest from it to share ? (no problem if not) although the vintage TV's interest me a little. I looked inside one a few years ago and was shocked at more or less just rubber wiring, probably highly dangerous these days (bad enough really with a modern one at EHT potential). From what I recall without any research I don't think they would work properly due to the difference in number of lines, wonder if anyone has tried though.

Those 60's (70's?) 'space man helmet' b/w TV's seem quite collectable these days too.

The cat's whisker radio receiver always impress too, simply as its 'free' no power

[CitroJim]

Those 60's (70's?) 'space man helmet' b/w TV's seem quite collectable these days too.

They are Andy and I saw a few at the fair. No pictures I'm sorry to say

I grew up fixing the old black and white TVs and the EHT never worried me much. Fixed my first one at 12 years old and then worked in a TV repair workshop weekends and school holidays..

My speciality was the early dual-standard colour TVs. They were a challenge. A bit like a V6 XM...

The old 405 line sets can still be used but you need to build a converter and a small VHF transmitter!

Been a bit of a difficult week and hence why I've not been about and will not be going to Wetherby. It was difficult enough that the Activa had to be put to one side as I was having trouble changing gear Out came the V6 Xantia again and yesterday I noticed the ABS light was on.

A bit of testing showed it was the LH Front, the same on that failed about six months ago.. I replaced it with an ultra cheap ebay one and it's barely lasted six months... I noticed the pole pieces were very rusty. On a pukka one they are made of stainless steel whereas on this really cheap one they clearly were not.

Paul (PavlosV6) came round to see me this afternoon. I'll leave him to tell what he got up to on his V6...

I'll start catching up on what been happening on here shortly but it looks like I have a lot to get through... Been a busy week by the looks of it...

[CitroJim]

Sorry for the long absence Hopefully I'm back and able to look and catch up slowly on what has been happening here. Until now I've just not had the mental facility to concentrate on the forums. I open them, start reading and just loose the will to go on. So I close down and go and do something else that takes a lot less mental effort...

I've not had the mental ability to drive far either and hence why the Activa has been put away again Clutch and gears were just far too much to cope with

There was no way I could even attempt such a trip such as going to Wetherby and back..

Things are still not right so please bear with me a little.

Anyway, yesterday I did manage something significant. I finally got the ELIT talking to the gearbox ECU on my XM I made up a custom lead and indeed as I suspected I established a dialogue by speaking S2 Xantia to it. The difference that the S1 Xantia and XM speaks to the ECU using only the K diagnostic line whereas the S2 Xantia uses both the K and L lines..

So the car definitely has an S2 Xantia ECU fitted.

The fault turned out to be a torque reduction fault whereby the ECU cannot signal to the Engine ECU to retard timing (and thus reduce torque) when making gear changes. The fault cleared and so far has not reappeared..

Looking at the circuits for both the S1 and S2 Xantia I see that on the S2 both K and L diagnostic lines from the engine and gearbox ECUs are linked together whereas in the S1 they're not, only the K line being linked.

I'm wondering if the ECUs talk to each other over the K and L lines?

The research goes on but I believe the Engine ECU and gearbox ECU may be incompatible with each other. Not to worry though as it doesn’t seem to cause much issue with driving but may explain whey the car feels very lively...

Now off to try and catch up on what's been happening. That's if the old brain will let me

[Hell Razor5543]

Welcome back Jim.

[CitroJim]

weather related perhaps? That's been up and down recently, barometric pressure does strange things.

I'm wondering that Mike, I seem to be much better in the winter

Welcome back Jim.

Thanks James, it's good to be back

[lexi]

Is the fatigue affecting the mental capacity Jim? You are maybe using it on other things ( work) and have none left when you come to a job you would like to complete.

Combined with your illness Jim it does not take long at our age to lose the ability to do what we did only a few years previous. I know that sounds silly but when I think what I was getting through just 5 yrs ago...can't do it now and it ain't justthe medical reasons. I bet if you look around you the guys your age ain't doing as much as you?

Here is wishing your health mate

[CitroJim]

Is the fatigue affecting the mental capacity Jim? You are maybe using it on other things ( work) and have none left when you come to a job you would like to complete.

Very much so Lexi, it's a cardinal part of ME and it's known colloquially as 'Brain Fog' which is a pretty good description of it really. It's like your head is full of fluff and cotton wool. Clear logical thought and concentration on mental tasks is all but impossible. As I say, you start to try to read and you loose the will to go on.

Yes, work depletes a lot of my mental energy, that's for sure. I'm good today as I'm enjoying my day off - my middle weekend in my part-time work scheme! It affects me at work too and some days I have to leave early as I just can't carry on...

Today I'm just physically knackered.. The brain is quite good. Some days I have a rare convergence whereby my brain and body are good at the same time Not as often as I'd like though and such days just can't be predicted or anticipated. Normally one faculty or the other is down in the grass and some days both are

I know what you mean about age Lexi but I look at those around me the same and older and they can do far and away more than I can and live far unhealthier lives. I don't smoke, I don't drink, I eat a very healthy diet, I exercise as far as I can, I don't chase loose women and yet I get tired just listening to what some of my friends have been up to recently

Still, I do still grab life by the balls when I can. I refuse to totally abandon my life to this and let it get the better of me. Occasionally I really suffer because of that attitude but bugger it - life must be enjoyed...

[lexi]

Ah! righto Jim. I am kind of shocked to hear of this.

'Tis a true saying right enough...........you can't choose your family, or your illnesses...

[CitroJim]

'Tis a true saying right enough...........you can't choose your family, or your illnesses...

Indeed and sh*t happens You just live with it and get on with it. Big issue is that I look very well and healthy (result of necessarily having to live healthily and carefully) so people don't understand just how things are. So many associate illness with looking rough and an illness where you look in the pink causes awful confusion... And it doesn’t help it's a fluctuating condition...

Still, it's not fatal or terminal - in fact just the opposite. All the necessary healthy living is likely to extend life so every cloud has a silver lining...

In fact there's a very dark joke in there... The good news is that ME is not terminal. The bad news is that ME is not terminal...

Off out in a bit to see if my gearbox has remained fault-free...

[Hell Razor5543]

That joke reminded me of an incident whilst travelling back from seeing family in Germany. I have been blessed with a strong stomach (well, it has to put up with my cooking!). The weather in the Channel was somewhat rough (roller coaster, more like), and I was one of the few not affected by this. I nipped off to use the toilet, and saw somebody throwing up into one. To comfort him I told him that nobody dies of travel sickness, to which he replied "Oh God, don't say that! It's only the thought that I might die that is keeping me going!"

[Northern_Mike]

weather related perhaps? That's been up and down recently, barometric pressure does strange things.

I'm wondering that Mike, I seem to be much better in the winter

This just shows how it affects different people in different ways. I find the cold weather, or at least getting cold, absolutely ruins me for a couple of days. Even walking down the mile or so into the village will do me in. What's worse is that I feel ok before I set off, and forget..

I actually went to bed at a normal time, as I wasn't working on Monday night. I was utterly, completely drained. Head fog, cracking headache and pain. I fully intended getting up at about 10am to have a day with Sam and Adriana for a change. I finally woke up at 2:15pm. Fell asleep in the chair again at 9pm, got woken up by the cat at 10:30 when I went to bed, and slept until 8am this morning. I feel a little better, but still foggy.

I washed and polished the MX5 again on Monday afternoon.... I felt fine before that. Crazy really