I have just been given a really nice CX which has been in storage for a few years. Unfortunatley the garage its in has been broken into and the car semi vandalised. The vandals have cut the ignition wires, smashed the passenger window and cracked the windscreen. I really need to get the car started to get the suspension up, to trailer the car away.
Can anybody advise how to either rewire the ignition barrel or how to "hotwire" the car. If i dont move this soon I am sure it will be ruined. The wires are white and red. Help!
Cx 22TRS owner needing advice please!
Moderator: RichardW
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Stinkwheel
- Posts: 562
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Good luck with the CX22.
I've had 4 22TRS and have to say they are probably my favourite CX.
If you need any advice/info or even any bits as i still have some stuff just PM me.
I've had 4 22TRS and have to say they are probably my favourite CX.
If you need any advice/info or even any bits as i still have some stuff just PM me.
"Rust Never Sleeps" said Neil Young. Did he own old citroens?
1998 Xantia TD exclusive auto estate +3 x BX's +77' ami 8 break + 73' dyane 6 + '83 2CV6 + 94' XM 2.1 sx auto + 89' XM2.0i
+ '85' GSA + '97 XM 2.0 16v + '81 Visa super E
1998 Xantia TD exclusive auto estate +3 x BX's +77' ami 8 break + 73' dyane 6 + '83 2CV6 + 94' XM 2.1 sx auto + 89' XM2.0i
+ '85' GSA + '97 XM 2.0 16v + '81 Visa super E
You can give the car 'artificial' suspension by jacking the car up and using a system Citroen themselves used to use in their workshops to 'hold' the car up on high. Nothing clever about it, though it's useful to get the car's attack angles right for flatbeds/trailers.
The rear is easier to chock - all you need is a 2-3 inch [APPROX] square block of STRONG timber and fit it inside the rear axle tube that runs across the width of the car and is visible at the leading edge of the rear wheelarch.
You'll see the suspension arm alters it's attitude when the car is jacked and the rubber bump stop cone at the tube's 6 o clock position - here you can quite easily fit the block in the adjacent space and prop the paddle part of the suspension arm preventing the car lowering down again. GENTLY lower the rear down and check all is OK before doing the front.
The front is a similar principle but more fiddly to reach. Again jack the car off the ground so the wheels are both clear and at the full extent of their travel/drop down - what you're after is easiest to see on the nearside where the main crossmember above the gearbox - you'll see a square window that has the blade/paddle of the upper wishbone and two rubber cones to it's 3 and 9 o clock positions. Fit a wedge using rock or STRONG timber fitted in the gap that's opened up on the inboard to the car's centre line part of the paddle/window area ON BOTH sides and lower the car slowly to allow the weight to settle... There is one matching mirrored on the driver's side though there is only really access from the rear of the crossmember behind the rubber wheelarch plug on liner.
The car can even be driven slowy onto a trailer up a ramp etc with no pressure in the hydraulics in emergencies in this state as no force is being applied against the rams.
Obviously this is a means to an end to get an otherwide totally flat and unweildy garden ornament to move!!
Other cits use similar syatems to chock their rams BUT the Mcpherson strut arrangement prevents any real way of holding the front up - a brace can be used against the lug the drop link is attached to but you cannot really steer the strut at any real angle then. The official tool is a kind of cut open pacman type shape that sits on the top of the piston under the wheel arch... I'll have to make a pair sometime but lengths of good maple do the job admirably at the present time!
A complete second hand switch assembly will plug directly into the loom's multi plug once you get the lower steering column cowling off BUT to steer AND start the car you'll have to hacksaw blade cut a slot in a small sheer bolt to get the lock off the steering column.
Hope this allows you to save the CX.
And a front windscreen? - best of luck!!
Andrew
The rear is easier to chock - all you need is a 2-3 inch [APPROX] square block of STRONG timber and fit it inside the rear axle tube that runs across the width of the car and is visible at the leading edge of the rear wheelarch.
You'll see the suspension arm alters it's attitude when the car is jacked and the rubber bump stop cone at the tube's 6 o clock position - here you can quite easily fit the block in the adjacent space and prop the paddle part of the suspension arm preventing the car lowering down again. GENTLY lower the rear down and check all is OK before doing the front.
The front is a similar principle but more fiddly to reach. Again jack the car off the ground so the wheels are both clear and at the full extent of their travel/drop down - what you're after is easiest to see on the nearside where the main crossmember above the gearbox - you'll see a square window that has the blade/paddle of the upper wishbone and two rubber cones to it's 3 and 9 o clock positions. Fit a wedge using rock or STRONG timber fitted in the gap that's opened up on the inboard to the car's centre line part of the paddle/window area ON BOTH sides and lower the car slowly to allow the weight to settle... There is one matching mirrored on the driver's side though there is only really access from the rear of the crossmember behind the rubber wheelarch plug on liner.
The car can even be driven slowy onto a trailer up a ramp etc with no pressure in the hydraulics in emergencies in this state as no force is being applied against the rams.
Obviously this is a means to an end to get an otherwide totally flat and unweildy garden ornament to move!!
Other cits use similar syatems to chock their rams BUT the Mcpherson strut arrangement prevents any real way of holding the front up - a brace can be used against the lug the drop link is attached to but you cannot really steer the strut at any real angle then. The official tool is a kind of cut open pacman type shape that sits on the top of the piston under the wheel arch... I'll have to make a pair sometime but lengths of good maple do the job admirably at the present time!
A complete second hand switch assembly will plug directly into the loom's multi plug once you get the lower steering column cowling off BUT to steer AND start the car you'll have to hacksaw blade cut a slot in a small sheer bolt to get the lock off the steering column.
Hope this allows you to save the CX.
And a front windscreen? - best of luck!!
Andrew
Last edited by andmcit on 17 Nov 2005, 18:44, edited 1 time in total.
-
Stinkwheel
- Posts: 562
- Joined: 28 May 2004, 01:02
- Location:
- My Cars:
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Good call Andrew, Id forgotten this trick, used this one on my first prestige to get it onto a trailer when it burst a suspension pipe.
Good point about windscreens but call your local independant specialist when yu get to th epoint of needing one, my local guy managed to get me a used one quite easily last time but I've also had new, they are still available, just not the cheapest thing.
Good point about windscreens but call your local independant specialist when yu get to th epoint of needing one, my local guy managed to get me a used one quite easily last time but I've also had new, they are still available, just not the cheapest thing.
"Rust Never Sleeps" said Neil Young. Did he own old citroens?
1998 Xantia TD exclusive auto estate +3 x BX's +77' ami 8 break + 73' dyane 6 + '83 2CV6 + 94' XM 2.1 sx auto + 89' XM2.0i
+ '85' GSA + '97 XM 2.0 16v + '81 Visa super E
1998 Xantia TD exclusive auto estate +3 x BX's +77' ami 8 break + 73' dyane 6 + '83 2CV6 + 94' XM 2.1 sx auto + 89' XM2.0i
+ '85' GSA + '97 XM 2.0 16v + '81 Visa super E
A big thanks to all of you for taking the time to help me by giving advice. I am sure the info will be invaluable, and I do really appreciate it.
I am up early tommorow morning and off to tackle this beast, I`ll give it my best shot.
The cars only covered 60k and it on an E reg. Its especially important I get it home as it belonged to my father who has recently passed away, so again thanks for taking the time to help me out.
I`ll update this to let you know how it goes....
Cheers.
Re: the ignition
Godforbid you need to change the ignition lock IF it's damaged - some futher thoughts and explanation on this part of the rescue!
To start/steer the car the column lock needs full removal WHICHEVER way you lift the car's suspension up.
The lower cowling is straightforward enough to remove and you'll need a big socket [IIRC a 22 or 24mm] to undo the deep-in-the-steering-wheel nut.
The steering lock is held on with a R profiled bracket bolted around the column with two bolts - one's an 8mm head which is a sod to get at and fully undo/remove as access is tight THOUGH loosening it should be enough.
The other bolt I believe is an M10 bolt which has a sheer head thus leaving a mushroomed head on show. You'll need to hacksaw a slot in this to unscrew it with a slot screwdriver - fiddly but it just needs the time.
That all said, IF the wires are the ONLY part of the switch damaged it'll depend which length has been butchered...
The rear of the switch is held onto the ignition barrel by a metal 5mm metal band which when unclipped allows you to see the cassette contacts that are made by the flat drive from the lock. This can be exchanged with another switch which IIRC is the same as a BX's though don't take this as gospel as I've never had much to do with BX's...
The red/white wiring then meets the main multi plug that lives up to the LHS of the steering column - if it's cut beyond the multi plug there's a guess as to which does what as they're mostly unhelpfully coloured the same when Citroen's design engineers were having a laugh...
Nice to hear how you get on - keep us posted
All the best,
Andrew
Godforbid you need to change the ignition lock IF it's damaged - some futher thoughts and explanation on this part of the rescue!
To start/steer the car the column lock needs full removal WHICHEVER way you lift the car's suspension up.
The lower cowling is straightforward enough to remove and you'll need a big socket [IIRC a 22 or 24mm] to undo the deep-in-the-steering-wheel nut.
The steering lock is held on with a R profiled bracket bolted around the column with two bolts - one's an 8mm head which is a sod to get at and fully undo/remove as access is tight THOUGH loosening it should be enough.
The other bolt I believe is an M10 bolt which has a sheer head thus leaving a mushroomed head on show. You'll need to hacksaw a slot in this to unscrew it with a slot screwdriver - fiddly but it just needs the time.
That all said, IF the wires are the ONLY part of the switch damaged it'll depend which length has been butchered...
The rear of the switch is held onto the ignition barrel by a metal 5mm metal band which when unclipped allows you to see the cassette contacts that are made by the flat drive from the lock. This can be exchanged with another switch which IIRC is the same as a BX's though don't take this as gospel as I've never had much to do with BX's...
The red/white wiring then meets the main multi plug that lives up to the LHS of the steering column - if it's cut beyond the multi plug there's a guess as to which does what as they're mostly unhelpfully coloured the same when Citroen's design engineers were having a laugh...
Nice to hear how you get on - keep us posted
All the best,
Andrew
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fastandfurryous
- Posts: 1388
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- Location: On the road, travelling at high speed. Meep Meep.
- My Cars:
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For a windscreen there are quite often people on eBay breaking CX's, and the windscreen is very easy to get out / put in. It's the old trick of soapy water and strong cord.
I was taking some bits off a CX a couple of weeks ago which still had a near perfect screen in it. I was going to take it myself, and change my CX's screen, as it's just starting to delaminate, but it's also a top-tint one, and I don't want to change it for a clear screen if I can avoid it.
Whereabouts are you wizzywig? this CX was/is in Stourbridge, west Mids. It's probably still there, and the guy really wants parts from it to keep others on the road. If you PM me, I'll give you his phone number.
David.
Edit: Just noticed... Scotland. Not particularly helpfull then, unless you're due to be making a journey down south soon. Sorry!
I was taking some bits off a CX a couple of weeks ago which still had a near perfect screen in it. I was going to take it myself, and change my CX's screen, as it's just starting to delaminate, but it's also a top-tint one, and I don't want to change it for a clear screen if I can avoid it.
Whereabouts are you wizzywig? this CX was/is in Stourbridge, west Mids. It's probably still there, and the guy really wants parts from it to keep others on the road. If you PM me, I'll give you his phone number.
David.
Edit: Just noticed... Scotland. Not particularly helpfull then, unless you're due to be making a journey down south soon. Sorry!
This is not a signature.
Well its been a busy few days with the CX! I managed to get the car recovered and onto a trailer without too much trouble - thanks to a combination of the advice given on this forum.
Its now residing in the back garden, with a polythene passenger window, and I am really looking forward to getting it back on the road.
I managed to turn the engine over with the hotwire method, I am glad its not siezed.
My C15 van nearly cut out trying to jump start the big CX!
I`ll no doubt be posting some really stupid questions soon as I attempt to figure it all out!
thanks again to all who helped with info
Its now residing in the back garden, with a polythene passenger window, and I am really looking forward to getting it back on the road.
I managed to turn the engine over with the hotwire method, I am glad its not siezed.
My C15 van nearly cut out trying to jump start the big CX!
I`ll no doubt be posting some really stupid questions soon as I attempt to figure it all out!
thanks again to all who helped with info
Great stuff - Glad you managed to prevent the mongrel idiots returning to finish ruining the car!Wizzywig wrote:Well its been a busy few days with the CX! I managed to get the car recovered and onto a trailer without too much trouble - thanks to a combination of the advice given on this forum.
Its now residing in the back garden, with a polythene passenger window, and I am really looking forward to getting it back on the road.
I managed to turn the engine over with the hotwire method, I am glad its not siezed.
My C15 van nearly cut out trying to jump start the big CX!
I`ll no doubt be posting some really stupid questions soon as I attempt to figure it all out!
thanks again to all who helped with info
If you don't ask ANY questions you wont get ANY answers - even if the answers are stupid too!!
All the best, Andrew