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red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 30 May 2009, 19:30

Could just be the light of course but it does look a touch high at the rear, the front looks spot on.
Probably worth giving the rear height corrector linkage a proper good clean before playing with the anti roll bar clamp.

Shiny red paintwork does suit the Xantia very much so!
Would one of the mods be a re-routing of the throttle cable

Mine goes in a different route

Are you coming up to the DSM Rally Mike?

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 05 Jun 2009, 19:27

Sorry for being so slow with this car but I've been kept busy servicing the Vauxhall Ashtray (my daily driver) among other things. Damn thing failed the MOT yesterday so it'll be taking up even more of my time - just when I got the mechanics all sorted too.

If I may also share with you a fantastic experience I had last weekend which was given to me as a Christmas present last year. I think you'll enjoy the photo's. It was a Flying Experience I will never forget. While it is my dream to take to the skies (though not while out motorcycling!) this is flying of a different sort, held at a local Raptor rescue center.

I got the opportunity to learn about managing raptors from a well experienced (but alarmingly young!) falconer. By the end of the afternoon, I had flown no less than four owls, one vulture, a hawk and an eagle.

This (IIRC) is Archie perched on my gauntlet. (Click to enlarge)

Once I'd shown confidence I was given Wispa to handle

followed by Shrek

All three had to be flown indoors where I was assessed for handling the larger owl outdoors, bisto.

Next up, Sly

Yes he is a vulture but all my prejudices melted on that day
Unfortunately, the hawk didn't want to fly for me.

This is my tutor falconer, Jason. He's only 19!

But the grand finale came to me in the form of a South American Eagle called Askari.

He was a truly fearsome bird and I wasn't prepared for his landing - he hit my outstretched arm like a train! I had to wear an extra thick gauntlet for this one and even then he nearly took my arm with him when I launched him away from me.

What a day! 8)

Post by **myglaren** » 05 Jun 2009, 19:55

That looks absolutely fascinating Mike. Very much a day to remember!

Post by **CitroJim** » 05 Jun 2009, 20:12

Wow 8)

That really is something else Mike. Brilliant

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 26 Aug 2009, 20:46

I suppose there's nothing to report to top that flying experience except maybe the fabulous Bournemouth Airshow last weekend - absolutely brilliant along with the Roar On the Shore fireworks and record attempt. And I didn't get to see 90% of all that was on!

But that has nothing to do with my Xantia which hasn't had much attention lately except from a local "bomber squadron" the Seagulls

I do run it up occasionally to keep the suspension and brakes etc from binding. However, I hope to be finishing it all off and prepping it for the road in the coming months, depending on cashflow ultimately.

Now, the last time I ran the engine, after turning it off I gave the engine a once-over and noticed a wetting in an injector recess - number three I think. From memory of the head rebuild, I let my nephew tighten the injectors up and as I didn't have the right socket a torque wrench couldn't be used so I'm currently hoping it just wasn't tightened enough. Having said that, there was evidence of the injectors leaking before I bought it.

Anyhow, one of the finishing jobs/obstructions is to get a manual boost controller and gauge properly working. The MBC was acting like I'd installed it backwards, taking the gauge off the scale while the gauge itself likes to buzz and resonate way too much at idle. Yet, off the car, using a battery operated air pump, they both behave perfectly.

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 26 Aug 2009, 22:48

Getting there Mike

I agree with you on the air show front. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get to Bournemouth but my weekend was made when I saw the Vulcan fly over my house a few times. Could hear it for 10mins after it had disappeared and headed for home

Anytime you need a hand, give us a shout. As long as I'm not working am always happy to do what I can to help. Albeit if it is limited

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 07 Sep 2009, 16:44

red_dwarfers wrote:Could just be the light of course but it does look a touch high at the rear, the front looks spot on.
Probably worth giving the rear height corrector linkage a proper good clean before playing with the anti roll bar clamp.

Shiny red paintwork does suit the Xantia very much so!
Would one of the mods be a re-routing of the throttle cable Mine goes in a different route
Are you coming up to the DSM Rally Mike?

So sorry Kev, I didn't intentionally ignore this, I don't know how I missed it, what must you think of me!

I think the front looks too high myself, with the rear not so bad

but either way, it's not far off. Yes, the rear will get a good cleaning and re-lubing one day - front also.

I think any car or bike looks great in red - preferably fire red but this darker shade being metallic works well. Shame about the dints and scratches of which new ones seem appear almost weekly despite it not being driven and me parking my Ashtray next to it as often as possible

No, I haven't re-routed the throttle cable as when I've inadvertandly left it pushed out of the way for other engine work, it cause the revs to hang high. It's the same as how my other TD cable was routed so maybe yours has been altered?

As for the mods, sorry to say I'm keeping some detail close to my chest until I can test they're working as expected. But here's another teaser...The next job is to make a voltage switch circuit that will work off the throttle position sensor at a preset level and combine that with a pressure switch that senses the boost.

After that, I'll be looking to fabricate a facia to house the gauges and switches etc. Once that's done I can finish the wiring and start tuning her which will require MOT, TAX and insurance - a costly exercise for sure!

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 23 Sep 2009, 11:19

Me and my Xantia have managed to spend some quality time together this week but all I've really acheived is finalising and terminating the wiring I've added. The main outstanding work left is to add a few switches and gauges and I'm undecided on how/where to do this. The area between gearshift and front ashtray seem the most ideal but I'm also looking for some switches that would fit (and match) among the factory fitted dash switches - next to hazard and A/C for instance.

As for the boost gauge, I relocated it's feed from the compressor to the fuel pump sense pipe which seems to have calmed the gauge down a little but not enough IMO. So I fabricated a restrictor which seems to have cured all except the buzzing at idle.

I've also removed the manual boost controller for now, leaving just the extended pipework intact which should act as a sort of anti-wastegate creep device on it's own.

But the biggest hurdle I'm facing is the cost of getting it back on the road. With MOT and TAX alone costing just under £200 (assuming it will pass!), I daren't ask for insurance quotes to cover the mods yet. Thank BOSCH for keeping the fuel costs down is all I can say!

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 07 Apr 2010, 15:14

Time to resurrect this thread/blog.

I thought I'd take advantage of Citroen's kind offer to give away MOT tests of which mine took place today and I'm pleased to say, despite being laid up for over a year, she passed with advisories.

Funny thing as I drove out of the testers car park, the right indicator went double time for a brief while before righting itself.

Just for a laugh, I asked they priced up the advisory work for me which has been quoted at £501.85 This includes;

Both number plates £37.35
NSF Droplink £81.81
2 x Lower Arm Bushes £194.58
2 x Front Brake Flexi Hose £171.31

ADVISORIES
Steering column top bearing slightly worn
NSF Anti-Roll Bar linkage has slight play in ball joint
NSF Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated
OSF Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated
NSF Brake Hose slightly deteriorated
OSF Brake Hose slightly deteriorated
NSR Brake Disc slightly pitted
OSR Brake Disc slightly pitted
Rear Number Plate faded
Front Suspension Component Damp
Suspension Joint NS upper dust cover split/missing

I'm not sure what work all this entails but I'm not enthusiastic to do it myself. One thing I will do is replace the accumulator sphere as the regulator is clearly overworked almost ticking constantly but other than that, I just want to make it go a bit quicker

Post by **CitroJim** » 07 Apr 2010, 15:48

Excellent Mike

Delighted she passed!!!

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 07 Apr 2010, 15:54

MikeT wrote:Time to resurrect this thread/blog.

I thought I'd take advantage of Citroen's kind offer to give away MOT tests of which mine took place today and I'm pleased to say, despite being laid up for over a year, she passed with advisories.

Funny thing as I drove out of the testers car park, the right indicator went double time for a brief while before righting itself.

Just for a laugh, I asked they priced up the advisory work for me which has been quoted at £501.85 This includes;

Both number plates £37.35
NSF Droplink £81.81
2 x Lower Arm Bushes £194.58
2 x Front Brake Flexi Hose £171.31

ADVISORIES
Steering column top bearing slightly worn
NSF Anit-Roll Bar linkage has slight play in ball joint
NSF Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated
OSF Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated
NSF Brake Hose slightly deteriorated
OSF Brake Hose slightly deteriorated
NSR Brake Disc slightly pitted
OSR Brake Disc slightly pitted
Rear Number Plate faded
Front Suspension Component Damp
Suspension Joint NS upper dust cover split/missing

I had these or similar on taking the Xantia for the Citroen free MoT offer. As far as I could tell my NS upper dust cover was completely there in perfect condition. Who knows what they meant!

Post by **CitroJim** » 07 Apr 2010, 21:46

MikeT wrote: NSF Droplink £81.81
2 x Lower Arm Bushes £194.58
2 x Front Brake Flexi Hose £171.31

Bloody hell! Those items must be made of solid gold at that price...

£81 for a droplink

Hand crafted from finest platinum are they?
£171 for two flexis

What are they made of?

Reckon they either had banana fingers all over their calculator or are having trouble with decimal point positioning....

Those "P" bushes are pretty pricey too...

One thing for sure, they're taking the "P"......

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 08 Apr 2010, 09:20

That's including just over 6 hours labour, Jim.

The suspension advisories are a surprise to me as the car effortlessly rides potholes I've learnt to swerve around in the Vauxhawful Ashtray.

Post by **CitroJim** » 08 Apr 2010, 21:21

MikeT wrote:That's including just over 6 hours labour, Jim.

Ahh, that makes sense now Mike

MikeT wrote: The suspension advisories are a surprise to me as the car effortlessly rides potholes I've learnt to swerve around in the Vauxhawful Ashtray.

I find that after driving an ordinary car with tin springs for a while, bouncing along the rough, rutted tracks that pass for roads these days, getting back into a Xantia is a revelation. Even an Activa seems soft and comfy

How people drive cars without decent suspension in the UK day in, day out is completely beyond my understanding...

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 08 Apr 2010, 22:45

I went for a cycle ride today with a friend along a country road. I would have been glad of even Vauxhall Astray suspension

I think I would look a bit silly with a hydraulic self levelling bicycle