HELP! it just stopped - Solved

KevMayer · Post by **KevMayer** » 27 Aug 2006, 23:52

ACTIVE8,

I've looked at the link you posted. It all looks like a bit of black magic to me. I believe that it works because I trust what you say. But, I can't quite understand how it works. Can you give us a little more information.

It may be just me, but, somehow , I suspect lots of us wander how the block tester works.

Thanks,

Kev

f00lzz · Post by **f00lzz** » 28 Aug 2006, 08:37

I've seen one of these kits working... something to do with combustion gases in the water turn the test fluid a different colour.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 28 Aug 2006, 10:30

f00lzz wrote:I've seen one of these kits working... something to do with combustion gases in the water turn the test fluid a different colour.

That's correct - I've seen a testing kit being used too. The water in the expansion tank is vetted for the usual kind of emission gases that would normally be measured out of the exhaust. There wont be any present in the water normally so if there are consistent high enough levels found it's a safe bet to suspect the cylinder head.

My 12v V6 Xm had oil mixing with the water and was quite spectacular with it's larva lamp styley trail of oil in the expansion tank. After diagnosing both the heads were Ok attention was directed towards the water oil heat exchanger on the front crankcase beneath the oil filter. Turned out the ropey all aluminium heat exchanger was a far inferior version of the proper all stainless steel version fitted on older Citroens and after fixing a damned fine car was spared from being scrapped.

This is why I've said earlier on this thread to do ALL the homework before making rash decisions on what could be half the information needed!

Incidentally the oil trapped in the water pipework was a right git rotting all the cooling hoses out from the inside at the high points on the hose bends and it took ages to thoroughly flush everything out and a good few replacements.

Andrew

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 29 Aug 2006, 19:05

Hi KevMayer

The posts by f00lzz & andmcit are indeed correct, that is how the tool works, it checks for the presence of combustion gases in the cooling system.

Post by **Harlequin** » 29 Aug 2006, 19:28

i am now going to join the `i am stupid` club - the fuel guage lies and in fact the tank was empty |:(

cars don`t run on air.

dip stick popping out? maybe just coincidence - but with £5 of unleaded , and a bit of turning over she fired up

damn do i feel stupid now

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 29 Aug 2006, 20:17

Harlequin wrote:i am now going to join the `i am stupid` club - the fuel guage lies and in fact the tank was empty |:(

cars don`t run on air.

dip stick popping out? maybe just coincidence - but with £5 of unleaded , and a bit of turning over she fired up

damn do i feel stupid now

NEVER MIND! - Unfortunately you're the one giving yourself heart failure!

The rest of us [OK, I speak for myself maybe!

] were sharing your pain and anguish at the prospect of yet another Activa meeting a grisly finish!

No harm done though; don't browbeat yourself!

I've done it myself; my 24v V6 Xm seems totally random on it's fuel gauge and lulls me into a false sense of complacency on my believed and the ACTUAL true fuel consumption...

A big shiny "I'm stupid" badge is on it's way to you through cyberspace!!

Andrew

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 29 Aug 2006, 20:24

Nobody will think less of you for it - you've had the balls to tell everyone! As I said, rule out the bleeding obvious before taking the cylinder head off...

It's a bit like the old gag about a Haynes manual.

"To change the engine timing belt, first jack the car onto stable axle stands or equivalnet and remove back axle, tail lamps and wiper blade..."

Andrew

lighteninguk · Post by **lighteninguk** » 29 Aug 2006, 20:40

my fuel guage is more fun though.... it always shows quater of a tank less than what it actually has you i often find myself playing russian roulett if i am going to make it to work or not!!

Post by **Harlequin** » 29 Aug 2006, 23:33

well thank you - i only actually thought about filling the fuel can after reading your post - i just jumped to conclusions - yeah , the activa is still running

- now to change the LHM and all the spheres

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 30 Aug 2006, 00:19

Harlequin wrote:now to change the LHM and all the spheres

A 'nicer' job to do than taking the head off, although I guess it will cost you about the same to sort out in the end, there's a few of them!

I'm in the same boat with my Activa, it seems well out of whack and a bit schizophrenic on it's height left to right, front to back etc BUT I volunteered myself for this as I bought it a while ago for no money to 'save it' from a nasty fate. Actually, this is the reason for my Don Quixote mad crusade tilting at windmills when the 'Activa' word is mentioned. I've driven a sorted one and know it's worth all the anguish.

Mine just needs some proper spannering time to work out what's up with it but I've not given it more than a few minutes attention thus far with other projects needing finishing. Whilst I'm dreading finding issues with the Activa ACRS rams and model specific height correctors and know how easy it is to find all sorts of BIG problems to worry about, I need to methodically work through it, flushing the system, freeing linkages and diagnosing things properly.

I'm jealous, least yours works [AGAIN!

] even with it's firm spheres!

Andrew