Diravi

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

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ayden
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Post by ayden »

Thanks for all the replies was intruiging reading all the replies and the last post by Doublechevron brings me on to my next question :lol: what is C-matic :P

Ayden
85 ' 305 SRD estate - scrapped
92 ' Fiat uno speed machine - scrapped
00 ' Citroen synergie HDI "the beast" - still going. . . . just
94' cavalier
andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

DoubleChevron wrote:Gee's,
The CX has:

--bloody shocking ventilation.
--It's heater is slow, but works well
--It's BLOODY HOT, there is simply no other way to put it in summer
Did I mention there bloody hot in summer ??
Shane, are you expecting some kind of sypathy from those of us that rarely see the sun because of the never bloody ending rain!! I've had plenty of practice driving with the single wiper system and can tell you it works very well and the blower demist is Ok just a tad lazy to get off it's ar*e!! :wink:

The dash board curling sounds an unusual problem - how much would a few of my spare S2 dashboards fetch then!?

Admit to everyone that once you accept the limitations of the hopless 5 minutes IN adjustment handbrake and a ventilation system that cannot keep up with the massive [and elegant if I must say!] glasshouse, the Cx is a very easy car to live with and in fact is rather addictive!!

The Xantia VSX is a totally different car from another era and design application - yes, it's a plod about local transport means to an end compared to the trans continental express Citroen but if their roles were swapped over each would make a passable fist of things...just they'd feel like a carthorse racing in a steeplechase and a racehorse pulling a cart!

What this discussion shows is that DIRAVI and Cx's generally REALLY get underneath the skin and one can become very emotional about what is at the end of the day viewed by others as just 'another car' that transports you from A to B! Philistines...

or maybe just people that need enlightenment.

All the best,
Andrew
Stinkwheel
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Post by Stinkwheel »

what is C-matic
Auto but manual gearbox, make sense ?

OK so its a manual geabox with no clutch pedal, the lever controls gears through a gate as normal but when you move the lever it energises a system that engages and re-leases a clutch type thing (it may even have a toque convertor - I cant remember) and away you go into the next gear, I've only driven one and it took a little adapting too, im told how well they are set up makes a big difference.
"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
DoubleChevron
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Post by DoubleChevron »

A C-matic is a 4spd manual with the 1st gear removed from the gearbox creating a 3spd.... You then dump the clutch in the bin and fit a torque converter and switch it out using an electro valve.

The system works quite well and is also used on the GS. The DS hydraulic gearchange is far better IMO though :D

seeya,
Shane L.
'96 Big BX 2.1TD exclusive slugomatic (aka XM)
'85 CX2500 GTi Turbo Series II (whoo hooo)
'96 Xantia VSX slugomatic (sold !!)
and of course, lots of old Citroens, slowly rusting away in pieces ;)
tomsheppard
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Post by tomsheppard »

Dangerous on ICE? Bollocks! Deliberately threw mine sideways at eighty MPH last February and it came straight back surprisingly obediently. A ton over the driven wheels helps.
Be happy: it is a way of being wise. (Confucius.)
'92 TZD Estate(Grolliffe), Gone but never to be forgotten.
'95 405 GLX TD Estate. too new to name.
Stinkwheel
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Post by Stinkwheel »

Dangerous on ICE? Bollocks! Deliberately threw mine sideways at eighty MPH last February and it came straight back surprisingly obediently

Oh yes Tom, the old try and kill yourself and see if the car saves you ploy :-)

I once found that ABS on my Old Gti Turbo gets confused by snow and nearly ran into my mates nissan, lesson 1. ABS does NOT work in snow and ice, lesson number 2 Hydro Cits are very surefooted if driven sensibly in same, handy.
"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
Peter.N.
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C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Post by Peter.N. »

Reading all this is is unsettling me. If anyone out there has a rustfree Turbo2 diesel Safari with a good heater and guaranteed block/head, I will buy it. I will put up with the lousy handbrake and having to slip the clutch to get away on a hill.
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fastandfurryous
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Post by fastandfurryous »

Last one of these (CX 25 DTR2 Safari) I saw for sale went on eBay for only just over £300, and even had A/C.

I'm still kicking myself that I didn't buy it.
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DoubleChevron
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Post by DoubleChevron »

Peter.N. wrote:Reading all this is is unsettling me. If anyone out there has a rustfree Turbo2 diesel Safari with a good heater and guaranteed block/head, I will buy it. I will put up with the lousy handbrake and having to slip the clutch to get away on a hill.
Just get a petrol GTi Turbo... There bloody near indestructable and lots of fun 8) :twisted:

seeya,
Shane L.
'96 Big BX 2.1TD exclusive slugomatic (aka XM)
'85 CX2500 GTi Turbo Series II (whoo hooo)
'96 Xantia VSX slugomatic (sold !!)
and of course, lots of old Citroens, slowly rusting away in pieces ;)
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
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Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
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C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Post by Peter.N. »

Sorry! I have forgotten what a petrol engine looks like, since they did away with the carburettor and the dynamo I dont understand them any more, and the are far to inefficient, I regard them in the same light as automatic gearboxes.
andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

Shane's right - Don't think I even know what a petrol turbo's head gasket looks like... :wink:

Andrew
DoubleChevron
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Post by DoubleChevron »

Hi Peter

This is what they look like :mrgreen:

Image

Image

Only you want it to look a lot shinier and nicer ... A bit like CGAT.

seeya,
Shane L.
'96 Big BX 2.1TD exclusive slugomatic (aka XM)
'85 CX2500 GTi Turbo Series II (whoo hooo)
'96 Xantia VSX slugomatic (sold !!)
and of course, lots of old Citroens, slowly rusting away in pieces ;)
Stinkwheel
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Post by Stinkwheel »

yours looks pretty shiny to me Shane,

And CGATS is only so shiny cos' he doesnt drive it anywhere anymore :-P
"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
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fastandfurryous
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Post by fastandfurryous »

I can see why the petrol turbo engine often has it's valve clearances neglected.... Just look at all that "stuff" that has to come off just to get access to the rocker cover!

I agree that petrol engines have become obscenely complicated, and I keep my distance from them. Mind you, modern Diesel engines are going (actually, have gone) the same way.

You have to wonder though, if the clamed benefits of this complexity are true. Yes, modern engines pollute less than older ones, but what of the massive increase in the number of parts that have to be manufactured and shipped, and then the reduced lifespan of the engine (and hence car) when it becomes uneconomical to repair.

Doesn't seem quite so environmentally friendly now!

Carburettors & Points, and mechanical injection. More environmentally friendly than electronics.

Anyway.. back to the subject at hand..
Does anyone know just why DIRAVI wasn't extended to other cars, or continued in any way? The BX would have been amazing with it. And can you imagine a Xantia Activa with DIRAVI...
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andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

fastandfurryous wrote:Anyway.. back to the subject at hand..
Does anyone know just why DIRAVI wasn't extended to other cars, or continued in any way? The BX would have been amazing with it. And can you imagine a Xantia Activa with DIRAVI...
The press hated it - they drive hundreds of different cars but for them DIRAVI "didn't have enough 'feel' " - and they just didn't take to time and make the effort to tune into it's undoubted abilities. Some rare exceptions raved about it - LJK Setright is a CX DEVOTEE!

Now an Activa with DIRAVI has crossed my mind!! I'll wait to see what my mate's XM 24v V6 with mutated RHD CX DIRAVI goes like, AND MAY GIVE IT A GO MYSELF ON MINE :twisted:

Andrew
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