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

[CitroJim]

I've just enjoyed a lovely 5 Km run in the early morning mist

I'm jolly lucky I could enjoy it as last evening I got struck by a car in Willen village whilst cycling, ironically, to Willen Hospice to attend a meeting about my upcoming MK - Amsterdam charity bike ride...

Luckily, and only because I spotted a car that had clearly not seen me, I could take evasive action and the impact was therefore light and neither bike nor I was injured; It just got the old adrenaline going!

I was bloody lucky and I think the elderly driver of the car was more shaken up than I... Poor lady was beside herself...

The car came off worse than my bike did... I could see quite a scratch on her bumper where she hit the bike... My old hybrid is a tough one; had it been one of my carbon bikes it would have been smashed...

[xantia_v6]

Well you were very lucky there Jim.

I borrowed a bike recently to see how I got on with cycling after a gap of many years, but not everyone one in the household was thrilled, due to the perceived likelihood of falling off (one way or another).

Don't forget to book your return ticket!

[CitroJim]

Don't forget to book your return ticket!

I will, as soon as I can get my head around it; I'm having great difficulty doing so at present... I'm very likely to need a lot of help with this...

[CitroJim]

The day has got markedly better after a very poor start...

After parkrun, which I was in severe doubt about managing to get to today, I set about doing a bit to Jodie the Ka.

I've fixed her airbag clockspring so she no longer has an airbag warning light on... The repair was quite delicate and how long it will last remains to be seen but as log as it's good for the MoT...

If it does go again then I'ts not too much bother to fix it again...

Naturally, the clockspring is not supposed to be disassembled but with care it can be... I found the ribbon neatly snapped..

This was it after the initial repair...

Own Work

One thing i was suprised about was that even after the repair i coudl not get full continuity right to the airbag connector... I then discovered a capacitor in series with the airbag... I reckon the airbag must therefore be triggered by, and tested with, an AC signal... Hence it's very unlikely am plain old resistor can be used to bodge the airbag light off as is often believed - and suggested.

I also fixed her slightly intermittent main-beam problem by dismantling the lighting stalk assembly, very much like a PSA COM2000, and cleaning the switch contacts... That was tricky as the lighting and wiper/washer stalks share the same casing and the assembly again is not really supposed to be disassembled for repair... It's full of potential 'pingfuckits' and you need three pairs of hands to reassemble it

It was successful and all functions now work solidly...

Finally I gave her a full pre-MOT and I reckon she just needs a pair of front brake flexi-hoses and she should be good... I'm please to find, especially rust-wise, she's in overall very good condition.. Definitely too good to scrap...

In other news, I'm delighted to report a replacement throttle body for Sally the Saxo is on its way and hopefully I'll be able to do the necessary next weekend and solve Sally's funny little issue... Fingers crossed anyway

[lexi]

Are you going on a plane Jim?

[CitroJim]

Are you going on a plane Jim?

Not a snowball's chance in hell Lexi

No, it'll be by train and boat...

[CitroJim]

With most grateful thanks and appreciation to Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur I am now in possession of a replacement Throttle Body for my Saxo

Most excellent service and once again this very fine forum has come up trumps

I now just wait for both my health and the weather to improve sufficiently to allow me to fit it!

[CitroJim]

You will all be relieved to know this post is all about a Citroen and does not mention any adventures with a certain Dagenham Dustbin...

Had a look at the Saxo throttle body today, particularly with regard to the throttle pot... I plan to try swapping the pots initially as swapping the whole body is quite a task... Whereas the swap of the pot itself should be easy (ier)...

This is the device in question:

Own Work

Sharp eyes may note it's attached to the body with Security (tamper-proof) Torx screws...

I wondered why and I also wondered why the BoL is so insistent that the pot is not touched...

Now I know! The pot is adjustable and under each securing screw are slots to allow for rotational adjustment...

Also, one screw was incredibly tight... So much so it sheared it in my carelessness I'm hoping it was corrosion rather than loctite...

Once off, this is what the inside looks like:

Own Work

Quite a piece of work! This one had some contamination visible so I'm hoping I can pop the one on Sally apart, clean it up, reassemble and all will be good...

Before I do so - and as I've done with the spare - is to draw a mark on the body so the pot can go back exactly where it was originally...

Also, I'll use the ELIT to make a note of the throttle butterfly angle at idle so that I can check and reset if necessary...

It's now clear why Bosch don't want you in there and why the BoL is so strident in its warning!

And finally, no way I could not mention the Dagenham Dustbin I now have a set of new front brake flexi hoses and those, with any luck now, should be all she needs for an MoT...

Unless the MoT tester feels she needs to have a close encounter with a MiG... If she does she will as I love her too much to scrap her and as said, the rest of her is in too good a condition...

[Hell Razor5543]

If you need a MiG welder it could be worth taking a look at Lidl, They had (in amongst the other bits) a MiG welder (I saw one in Lidl today, but I forget what the price is).

[CitroJim]

If you need a MiG welder it could be worth taking a look at Lidl, They had (in amongst the other bits) a MiG welder (I saw one in Lidl today, but I forget what the price is).

Thanks James, that's much appreciated I shall take a look as I'll be needing to do some shopping tomorrow...

As I intend to keep the Ka and welding is a fact of life with them I guess I ought to learn the art

[Hell Razor5543]

Erm, it looks like I may be wrong. I just checked, and it is a Flux Cored wire welder. I don't know if it is suitable, but here is the link;

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/Non-Food-Offe ... cleId=9615

[CitroJim]

Erm, it looks like I may be wrong. I just checked, and it is a Flux Cored wire welder. I don't know if it is suitable, but here is the link;

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/Non-Food-Offe ... cleId=9615

That's a gasless one... They don't do such a neat job as I understand James but they're good for outdoor work as there's no gas shield to get blown away and no need to buy gas cylinders... That's big advantages for me...

price is good too

If our local Lidl have one tomorrow morning I'll be very tempted to pop one in my trolley...

[Hell Razor5543]

OK, so still worth knowing about. I saw one in the Newbury Lidl.

[bobins]

I use gasless wire for my welding - it does a great job and it's just not worth me getting a cylinder for the occasional welding I do. The main thing is to buy very good quality gasless wire.

[Zelandeth]

You're always more than welcome to try out the welder I've got here. I'll be having to get a lot more familiar with it shortly with the floor to sort on the incoming project. Sure there's potential for some mutual learning with regards to metalwork there.

If you do pick a welder up though, for fluff sake, also get an auto-dimming facemask. £30 odd from Toolstation, and I seriously don't know why it took me 10+ years to get one...Without a doubt the single thing (aside from having the welder set up right!) that makes it easier.