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

[CitroJim]

Its brands like Linglong, Hero and Triangle I worry about

Not to mention the pair of 'Fate' tyres that once graced the front of my V6 Xantia.

Most worrying is a budget one called 'Goodride' Just too easy to mix that one up with a premium make isn't it...

[Hell Razor5543]

I just compared BF Goodrich and Kleber, and there was only a couple of pounds difference between them. About £50 for 185/65R15 88T.

[Citroenmad]

Its brands like Linglong, Hero and Triangle I worry about

Not to mention the pair of 'Fate' tyres that once graced the front of my V6 Xantia.

Most worrying is a budget one called 'Goodride' Just too easy to mix that one up with a premium make isn't it...

Oh yes, Fate, how appropriately named. Our white XM had those on the front when we got it, they disintegrated

Not all budget brands are poor, some are fairly decent, it just takes some research into the brands to see how good/bad they are. That said, many budget brands do come a lot lower in the tyre tests from premium brands. I always shop around for my tyres and I'm often suprised by how small the price gap between a budget and a medium or premium brand can be.

I've never used BF Goodrich but I have had Klebers on a car, which were very reasonable.

[CitroJim]

Chris, give BFGs a go next time. I honestly don't think you'll be disappointed...

My XM has been in our local garage these past couple of days receiving attention to the exhaust. It cost £81 but now I have a lovely quiet exhaust - so quiet I can barely hear the engine... Worth every penny

That and the new tyres has made one heck of a difference to the car. It's truly lovely... So utterly, utterly refined. Like driving oiled silk and I'm sure with new spheres it'll be even better

It's a world away from a V6 Xantia and that surprises me...

There is one huge fault with the XM though and it really annoys me. It so badly needs a proper footrest for the left foot...

[Citroenmad]

There is one huge fault with the XM though and it really annoys me. It so badly needs a proper footrest for the left foot...

You could always fit one, but the parking brake would no longer work ...

[CitroJim]

There is one huge fault with the XM though and it really annoys me. It so badly needs a proper footrest for the left foot...

You could always fit one, but the parking brake would no longer work ...

That's a good point Chris Ahh well, a nice thought whilst it lasted...

[addo]

Does the centre hump in the floor have an outline pressed for a 605 style handbrake?

[CitroJim]

Good and busy day today...

First up, there is room for a footrest without upsetting the parking brake

James (Hellrazor) came up to see me today as both he and I needed to adjust ride heights, he on his Xantia and me on the XM. We discovered it is possible with care to drive either car up a pair of Halfrauds ramps. Ride heights were successfully adjusted in both cases and both of us noted what a difference having correct ride height makes to the ride...

We then freed off the disc retaining screws on the rear of James's car so he can replace the badly worn discs. These screws had previously defeated him but a touch of heat did the job.

Chris570 and Liam (RX-8 owner) made an appearance clutching a massive impact gun to make an attack on the previously unmovable crank bolt on the RX-8 engine.

It did nothing. The bolt remained unmovable. We tried heating it with propane until smoke issued from the crankcase. Still no go. then I cracked out the oxy-acetylene gear and did as we had seen advised in some forum posts on this very problem - heat the bolt cherry-red.

This we did and it came off without a fight Then we attacked the flywheel and it saw sense and gave up easily enough.

Twenty minutes later the engine was entirely in bits.

Here it is:



The news is not good. The engine is basically scrap. One of the main bearings on the e-shaft (crankshaft analogue) failed catastrophically. You can see the scores on the journal quite plainly and this allowed the shaft and rotors to flail around. Apex seals broke and worst of all the front rotor crashed into the side plate and has ruined it. In fact all side plates are badly worn.

This is the worst one:



In fact the only serviceable items are the things we thought would be wrecked - the rotor housings. Although not perfect they might just do another tour of duty but there's no way anything else in the engine will..

We're not sure what caused the failure. Possibly it ran out of oil..

Parts to rebuild would be more than a new engine... Liam is now wondering what best to do. Tomorrow we're going tom emasure up an ES9 engine as a possible transplant candidate...

To round off the day I investigated why the cruise control on the XM is not working. Good news is the bellows and vacuum system is fine as I've had the vacuum pump working. All supplies are present and correct so why it's not playing remains open to speculation. The ECU may be dead or the speed signal may be missing...

Which may account for why the gearbox is apparently unhappy...

More to follow...

[Citroenmad]

I've suddenly remembered why I have not taken advantage of the RX-8s bargain prices

[CitroJim]

I've suddenly remembered why I have not taken advantage of the RX-8s bargain prices

That's the thing Chris. They're not really bargains... Lovely cars but you have to remember that the engines exist in a binary world: They're either expired or about to expire - there is no other state of existence for an RX-8 engine

Even a tired one would cost getting on for a grand to restore...

To be fair though, I doubt very much all go as emphatically as Liam's has and I expect most would escape with just a new set of apex and side seals...

Trouble is, even that is difficult and skilled work. Even just removing the engine is unbelievably hard.

It is a shame because the RX-8 is basically a gorgeous little thing...

[Citroenmad]

Has anyone had any success with fitting a proper engine?

[CitroJim]

Has anyone had any success with fitting a proper engine?

Yes, either a Mazda piston engine or the most popular seems to be the Nissan CA20DET out of the 200SX. I know that engine and it is quite a character...

Trouble is, as James said, the Wankel is a tiny engine about the size of a keg of beer so to fit a four or six in-line engine needs quite a lot of structural alteration at the front and a swap of steering racks is almost mandatory, The RX-8 uses a giant electric rack that fouls everything so the first choice is an RX-7 rack..

We think the ES9, being a very small V6, may just fit but mating it to a Mazda 'box and making what is very much a transverse engine work longitudinally will be an engineering challenge as so much is the 'wrong way round' such as the inlet manifold and the cooling arrangements...

If it can be got to work it will be a thing of beauty as the ES9 is a lovely engine...

[CitroJim]

Another possibility might be the FTO engine. Another small V6 that sounds heavenly

[Xaccers]

I've got an XUD they can use

[Citroenmad]

I thought you were joking about fitting an ES9!

Yes, the FTO might be a good fit, 2.0 V6 isnt it?