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

[CitroJim]

Thanks for the photo of the timing belt change Zel Got a few miles to go yet then. No great urgency to get that job done...

All parts needed are now on order. Got to take a run across town tomorrow to pick some stuff up from our local GSF... They offered at least as good a deal on brake pads and flexi-hoses as anywhere on the 'bay I could find...

This afternoon I’ll start dousing the rear caliper bolts in Plus-Gas again ready for the pad/disc/corrosion removal job planned for Friday. I hope the new back-box will be here by then and with front pads flexi-hoses done on Sunday the car should be good for MOT next week

That's the plan!

[CitroJim]

Got a bit more done on Gabriel this afternoon after work...

Popped off the rear wheels and started applying liberal amounts of Plus Gas to the rear caliper bolts in readiness for doing the job on Friday... I'll do the same tomorrow and Thursday...

Very pleased she started eagerly from cold

I also checked and sorted her tyre pressures...

She's going to work with me tomorrow and then we're both off to GSF in the afternoon to collect some bits for her...

Then I'll be seeing Robyn. She has a little issue with her 207. Some kind soul has smashed off her door mirror whilst the car was parked up at her work... We need to sort out a replacement.

[Zelandeth]

Good call on checking the tyres, especially with the weather having suddenly got cooler...I really need to get better at remembering to check them! Used to be part of my weekly checks...Then became every other one...Then "if I remember when I do the six monthly service!" Really need to fix that habit...

She's always been good about cold starting ever since the plugs were done, only issue really seems to be that the battery doesn't have much reserve capacity, so if you've not run the car in a week or two, or if you're a muppet like me at six in the morning and forget to wait for the glow plugs it's not hard to flatten it. Not sure whether the battery is just old, or if it's just because I never got out on a longer run as regularly as I'd have liked.

[CitroJim]

Well, all I can say Zel, is that as soon as the glowplug light went out she started instantly

I'm having to consciously think to wait for the glowplus... It's been a long time for me since I've had to...

I just know now next time I drive the Activa I'll sit there waiting for the glowplugs

[CitroJim]

Drove Gabriel to work today. First time I've driven a car to work since June!!!

She started instantly this morning and positively purred all the way to work. It was a very pleasant floaty and wafty journey

The old 1.9TD can still cut the mustard and performance is very respectable..

Noticed this morning she still has a largely intact undertray fitted. That is very unusual still to find! I fear it may be coming off soon as one of it's mountings is looking very weary...

She's had a few admirers this morning in the office car park

[demag]

I've really enjoyed reading this article. Thanks Zel and Jim.

Sent from my Wileyfox Swift using Tapatalk

[Dommo]

My recommendation with dodgy looking undertray mount points is to make a large washer out of a piece of arch liner type material, which goes between a large metal washer on your bolt, and the undertray itself. Hard to explain and I'm on a phone but when I get back home this weekend I'll get some photos of what I mean Jim!

[CitroJim]

I've really enjoyed reading this article. Thanks Zel and Jim.

Dave, thanks, good to know the blog is being enjoyed

There's a lot more to come yet

[Zelandeth]

Oh, had forgotten that!

The under tray was half removed when I was fiddling with the belts when the A/C pulley decided to play up, and I never got around to properly reattaching it...was mostly held on by cable ties when I started anyway...

[CitroJim]

I reckon it's near the end now Zel but I'll keep it as I can make it good again with some metal reinforcing..

I'm really falling in love with the 1.9TD engine again. It may be old-school these days but it's still a bloody good engine...

[CitroJim]

I am guilty of getting ever so slightly carried away this afternoon and evening... I went out at around 5PM just to pop Gabriel's rear wheels off and apply some more Plus Gas around the rear calipers...

I did that and then just tried loosening off the caliper bolts after applying a bit of heat as an experiment... With care and after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing they started to move quite freely and to cut a long story short, one side is now completely done with a new disc and pads fitted

The caliper bolts showed signs of Loctite so that's likely the first time they've been out...

I reassembled with copious quantities of copper grease...

I'm hoping the other side will be as straightforward...

The only casualty was the little through-bolt that retains the disc pads. It was stuck fast and resisted all attempts; it sheared... Luckily, I had a good second-hand one...

Are they still available?

Tomorrow I will do the other side and then put the new flexi hoses and disc pads on the front and hopefully, if it arrives, fit the new back box and then...

She'll be ready for her MOT...

[Hell Razor5543]

Erm, those kits are available from ECP (I can hear citronut now), for under £9;

http://www.eurocarparts.com/brake-acces ... itting-kit

You can also see the front kit is available. I would say (based on personal experience) to inspect the packet before you leave the site. The first kit I bought had a split in the bag, and parts were missing. As the guy on the counter had watched me check the packet (and then seen what I found) there was no argument.

[CitroJim]

Thanks James, excellent, much appreciated

A set will be on order soon!

[myglaren]

They are supposed to be available from Halfords but they never have them in stock.
I suspect ECP supplies them to Halfords on demand.

[RichardW]

Allegedly still available at the dealer for the princly sum of £1.34 for the bolt. No load on it, a bit of threaded bar with a nut on each end will do....