Gold Sinker Mk1

[aerodynamica]

Ah righto well maybe they all need the old 'italian tune up (and pop off turbo pipe) ' routine to bring 'em back to life!

[chinkostu]

Given how iffy it is to reach some of the clamps I think it's a given they pop off sometimes! Mine only needs to be a smidge loose on the pipe that leads from the turbo to intercooler for it to pop out!

[white exec]

Given the large size of the pipes turbo-intercooler-manifold, the peak pressures inside, the ever-present oil film, and a single metal hose clip at any point [breathe in here], it's a good bet that the odd joint will give way sometimes. Have had it on Toyota too, when it popped off the intercooler with a wonderful whistle and collapse of power.

[CitroJim]

They have been known to pop off the Turbo CT engine too when given plenty of beans and running a little more than stock boost..

If the hose persists in wanting to blow off I'd be inclined to check the wastegate is working as intended... The vacuum hose to it is liable to perish and admit air and thus stopping it working properly and giving a degree of overboost...

[aerodynamica]

Overboost sounds like fun

[CitroJim]

Overboost sounds like fun

It is until it blows a hose off

[aerodynamica]

Hahaha errr, O yea! lolz. Well I was off on holiday today so took old katy out on the open road with mountain bike in the back up some of the old 'narrow and twistys' to get to forestry locations and it performed very well - possibly even has a little more boost due to the tightened clips?

New topic though: the front wishbone bushes.... I think they are getting a bit worn - there's some play in them and I've searched on here regarding the P-bush replacement. It doesn't seem too difficult but what about the foremost bushes? They sound more difficult to change. Any advice for these?

I see the basic set up for having the arms 8mm just below the subframe point to have the P-bush horizintal but is there a similar requirement for the front bush (I'd imagine there is). If getting the bush out is difficult are there any tips for getting the new one back in and do these bushes go in 'dry' without any type of lube. For example the P bush has the metal bearing in the middle that seems to detach from the bush and stick on the wishbone spigot - should there be grease in there? so long as it doesnt touch the rubber? There's no play in either front ball joint, nor the anti roll links or the track rods but there is a loose, kind of clonk arom the area going up the ramps and turnng at low speed with hefty lock and the only 'play' I can detect is in the P bushing and the forward bushing.

[CitroJim]

Front bush is just a normal sort of one Graeme and needs no particular alignment like the 'P' bush...

It's a bit of a ***** to get out due to how it's pressed into the eye of the wishbone but it's a lot easier to press a new one in...

Just check the diameter of the replacement is correct. I've seen some that are a bit loose in the eye..

Also, take a little care in getting the old one out so as not to crack the eye. I've done it and it meant a new wishbone and on an Activa they're not common items...

[aerodynamica]

Forewarned is fore armed! Cheers Jim!

[chinkostu]

Wether its worth sourcing some other arms to change the bushes on? That way you aren't stranded!!

[CitroJim]

Wether its worth sourcing some other arms to change the bushes on? That way you aren't stranded!!

That is a good idea. I keep a pair as alignment templates when replacing the 'P' bushes as alignment is so critical...

[demag]

Graeme I have a spare hydractive diode if you need it. I bought two for my XM but only needed one. I soldered mine directly to the PCB.

Sent from my Wileyfox Swift using Tapatalk

[aerodynamica]

Hi Dave, that sounds good - though I'm not sure my soldering skills are good enough for PCB work. I would probably solder it in the appropriate part of the wire near the multi plug at the ECU and then heat shrink it. I have a plan to modify the hydractive to include a switch that bypasses the accelerator pedal sensor and the body movement sensor together when pressed to deal with the speed humps. I have a basic plan for that just now. A second switch will cut the power to the ECU or break the earth to open circuit to put the suspension in perma - hard mode like hydractive 1. I was just concerned about the accumulation of fault codes in the permanent memory of the ECU that might occur each time the switch was pressed. I think the accelerator pedal sensor can be switched to a resistor to keep it in circuit (think white exec did this?) but not sure of the best way to cut the body movement sensor out and keep the ECU happy. The various Hydractive II documents I have say that the movement sensor needs 80 odd mm of suspension travel to switch to hard mode at 10km/h but the speed bumps must cause at least 80mm reaction because it's certainly going into hard mode on many speed bumps at low ish speed. Also, the documents outline the various fault codes and the body movement sensor causes a fault if it gives no signal where the brake pressure switch activates and the vehicle speed so maybe the modification is not possible. I think it is also if vehicle speed is below 30 km/h though. Anyway, there's no rush to sort this out yet - it's just a dream to have the extra suspension settings.

Today on Old Katy I cleaned the rear wheel arches and the inner sills and applied 2 layers of stone chip underseal. I also filled the dreaded gap on the RH rear arch that causes the rust in the rear door jams, with seam sealer. Gave the underside a good old inspection and stone chip on vulnerable bits. It's a totally solid car with only a few bits looking vulnerable. The dreaded rust patch in the middle of the LH rear wing was (hopefully) prevented with the same treatment so here's hoping the stone chip will help old katy through the winter.

Modified front height corrector cradle still working well. Need to build up a modified cradle for the rear and swap it out including a new plastic link.

Went to AEP and picked up a set of front lower wishbone bushes, P bushings and the front ones, so that's a job for a weekend to come. I have also noticed the steering wheel has gone about 2-3 degrees from centre when traveling straight on the motorway and I'm unsure if it is the result of the worn front bushings or perhaps the rear arm bearngs are going. There's no creaking or anything from the rear but I feel I can detect a little bit of camber on the rear wheels, not 100% it's not actually sormal camber though as I know some Citroens don't show up the played rear wheels as much (CXs don't show it due to the inner dimensions of the rear arms) and it could be the same here but not sure.

Old Katy hasn't become a 'every weekend' project like most of my old cars but there are still things to do!

[CitroJim]

Excellent stuff Graeme, at least you will not be bored at weekends now

Really badly duff 'P' bushes will cause the steering to change but in my experience the cardinal symptom is a distinct 'threepennybit'* feeling in the steering...

* For those too young to remember threepennybits then imagine the steering column bearings are in the shape of 20p or 50p coins and giving rise to a lumpy feel... The threepennybit had many more sides than the 20 or 50p coin and the term was first coined (excuse the pun) to describe worn headstock bearings on bikes and motorbikes...

[xantia_v6]

I would not recommend disabling of the body movement sensor, it is there for a reason: To stop the suspension forcefully hitting the bump stops when a speed bump or similar ridge is hit.

The throttle sensor has I think quite a short action period, so taking your foot off the accelerator a second before hitting the bump has the same effect as disabling it.