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

[CitroJim]

to be fair, the trip down under has done wonders for it suggest an FCF field trip, incorporating the Ashes for those that need to rest their limbs

Now, that is one very good idea John Only if I can go back to Darwin and bring Robyn with me to show here where she was born!!!

I've got to admit that I'm waiting with baited breath to see what the next project is.

I can't go into any further details at the moment except to say what I hope to do a deal on is indeed a Xantia, it's an automatic and is not actually a project. I shall of course come clean once the deal is finalised

I have no time or the necessary resources to take on a major project at the moment.

Dean and Andrew, no, I shall reveal all here first and Andrew, sorry, I was very naughty there. Nothing will appear in the Xantia Files that has not appeared here first. It's just in the magazine I can expand on certain things that are perhaps rather briefly covered in these pages. This blog is like a book as it is

I must admit to feeling a bit devilish last evening, not quite so this evening. It would be most unfair of me to keep stuff just for the CCC and not write about it here. Sorry.

I really don't know on the knee front Andrew. Doesn't feel like circulation but I did do something I should not have done. I read a Wikipedia article on knees and all the fates that can befall them As the saying goes, one should never read a medical book. You get all paranoid, a bit like reading about strut tops and looking at yours and worrying if they're about to tent the bonnet.

Xac called round a while back with a nice 20L drum of 10W/40 oil for me from Costco. Thanks Xac! That'll see four changes and at £35 represents jolly fine value...

[CitroJim]

I never imagined it would be anything other than Jim's Xantia tales.
Brackets and an Xm or Cx or Sm doesn't have the same ring really.

Absolutely Andrew Xantia all the way for me but of course that does not stop me appreciating and enjoying all the other vehicles that sport the double chevron

[Citroenmad]

Im thinking an extremely tidy V6, S1 of course, to match your minty Activa. Though your blue one looks very good to me.

[CitroJim]

You're getting very warm Chris sadly, not an S1 though...

Though your blue one looks very good to me.

Ahh yes, it may look but in truth it has a stratospheric mileage under it's belt (nearly 172K) and under a thin veneer of gloss it is really quite dog-eared in places.

Whilst the engine is healthy, 172K on an ES9 is pretty unknown territory really and how much longer will it go on for without major work? I do have a spare engine but it's a heck of a job to fit it and that engine has continence issues.

Then there's the gearbox. It was my first foray into them, it's rebuilt from all second-hand bits and was my learning curve. It's not quite 100% right due to me not knowing my spares donor 'box was from a 2.2HDi rather than a V6 and it has a few incompatible parts inside it...

She also has bad scratches on every window, goodness knows how they all got there...

I say all that but my S1 V6 is a very special car to me and despite all, it's a keeper simply because never have I invested quite so much blood, sweat and tears into a project and come out of the other end smiling I really do love my old V6 even if she is a bit ragged around the edges... Bit like me really...

[Citroenmad]

You're getting very warm Chris sadly, not an S1 though...

Though your blue one looks very good to me.

Ahh yes, it may look but in truth it has a stratospheric mileage under it's belt (nearly 172K) and under a thin veneer of gloss it is really quite dog-eared in places.

Whilst the engine is healthy, 172K on an ES9 is pretty unknown territory really and how much longer will it go on for without major work? I do have a spare engine but it's a heck of a job to fit it and that engine has continence issues.

Then there's the gearbox. It was my first foray into them, it's rebuilt from all second-hand bits and was my learning curve. It's not quite 100% right due to me not knowing my spares donor 'box was from a 2.2HDi rather than a V6 and it has a few incompatible parts inside it...

She also has bad scratches on every window, goodness knows how they all got there...

I say all that but my S1 V6 is a very special car to me and despite all, it's a keeper simply because never have I invested quite so much blood, sweat and tears into a project and come out of the other end smiling I really do love my old V6 even if she is a bit ragged around the edges... Bit like me really...

Ah, a minty S2 with a large engine and auto box, sounds good

Im glad to hear you will be keeping your V6 too, as i did like th elook of that car and its mileage is astonishing. So you say its not perfect but in no way does it look to have that kind of mileage. Its certainly wearing well

[andmcit]

And I thought you didn't get on with s2's Jim?

The cat's almost out of the bag already and you're just teasing now!
If it doesn't come off we won't all wag fingers etc! Is it one we already
know about on the forum per chance? Can't be many...

Andrew

[Citroenmad]

I can only think of a few S2 V6s around this forum, its not a green one is it?

No, anyway, don't answer if you want to keep it a secret

No doubt we will be the first to know when it arrives

[citroenxm]

Im glad to hear you will be keeping your V6 too, as i did like th elook of that car and its mileage is astonishing. So you say its not perfect but in no way does it look to have that kind of mileage. Its certainly wearing well

And mine will be at the Opposite end of the miles... mines, Blue, on a P plate, and has around 86k on her at a guess ... I say guess as theres history to around 60k ... but the clocks read around 28k - so theres been replacment at some point... but the tidyness indicates lowmiles due to lack of wear on items...

Paul

[andmcit]

Jim.

Why not consider something a bit different and try one of these:

http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/131662418.htm?ca=7_s
http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/120501904.htm?ca=7_s
http://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/124809209.htm?ca=7_s

CERTAINLY MESSED MY HEAD UP THINKING ABOUT THEM!
May as well share the disorientation!

Andrew

[robert_e_smart]

Not 1 but 2 Bi-Rotors!! Wow.

[CitroJim]

Not 1 but 2 Bi-Rotors!! Wow.

I'd take those and make them good again... Shame they've been allowed to deteriorate so badly

Until today there was little to report really. Life has been very, very busy but not in an automotive sense.

It all changed a bit today. I took my Activa out for a spin to Tesco and on opening the boot I found it was trying to do an impression of a swimming pool. It had ruined two Tesco shopping bags and soaked an old blanket very thoroughly.

Seems it only happened since transferring my private plate to it from Rattiva who suffered from the same problem. rattiva is now 100% dry, I checked yesterday.

In fact, after removing the rear seats and boot mat, the cause was different. The sunroof drains were fine but there was no doubt the water was getting in at roof level and running down the C pillar but where was it getting in?

A look at the door gutters showed something odd as the photo below shows:



These are the tapped holes where a roofrack bracket may be fitted. They were wide open.

Compare to the arrangement on the V6:



These are sealed with screws and plates.

I reckon that the water was getting in these holes in the Activa and the situation was made worse because the weatherstrip/door gutter was a little away from the bodyshell as shown here:



This would allow rain to run between the guttering and body and thus permit a flow into the open roofrack holes.

Given the heavy rain that has fallen recently and the fact the Activa naturally leans a tad to that side when parked, it all kind of makes sense.

All holes are now sealed with a spot of RTV Silicone...



Meanwhile, the boot carpet and sound deadening are drying out over the bannister. The Tesco bags were a write-off but the blanket has dried a treat in the breeze this afternoon.

I hope I can find time to get the interior back in before CXM next weekend, otherwise a two-seater Activa will be going there!!!

In any case, the interior does not go back in until I'm 100% certain the leak is fixed... I want some more heavy rain now...

I also received a visit from a fellow Xantia owner this afternoon with an interesting problem. I shall leave him to no doubt relate the tale in his blog...

[Xaccers]

I opened those holes on Syb my first Xantia to fit roof bars.
They were resin/plastic blocks/plugs with tapped holes in them, but the holes didn't go all the way through, so no chance of leaks.
Could be someone overloaded or damaged them in previous ownership.
After a downpour yesterday, I noticed a little bit of water on Cassy's driver's mat, it's getting in at the bottom of the door seal

[DickieG]

Originally the roof bar holes were covered with tape prior to being painted, to fit roof bars the tape needs to be broken so any Xantia which has had roof bars fitted needs to be checked to ensure the holes are blocked one way or another.

[myglaren]

Bloody silicone plumbers

The Tesco bags were a write-off

Them's 'r bags for life. they should replace them if they are u/s. Not your fault they're not rainproof

Hope it's cured now though Jim. Can you test it with synthetic rain, from a hosepipe

[CitroJim]

Them's 'r bags for life. they should replace them if they are u/s. Not your fault they're not rainproof

That's a good point Steve I might just try that one next time I go there!

I've tried some synthetic rain from a watering can and touching wood....