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

[myglaren]

Has anyone any advice to offer on inflating a newly fitted mountain bike/downhill racer tyre.
My son was asking about a fire extinguisher conversion.
I bought a 12 volt pump to have in the car but he was sceptical as it has no reservoir and he claims it needs a big blast of air to seal the bead to the rim.
I'm an ignoramus as far as bikes are concerned, along with everything else so can't really help him.
I did ask our fire extinguisher service bloke but he seemed quite sceptical about it.

[CitroJim]

I've had a roadie with disc brakes; I was not a fan to be honest... I found them weak and totally ineffective in the wet! Just like the discs on my old Suzuki GT550 motorbike The discs on my hybrid are quite reasonable though...

The stopping power of the rim brakes on both my roadies is excellent and I have no complaints over their performance at all

I now have the excuse I need to upgrade my wheels anyway I want to go for lighter, tubeless ones and this is a perfect opportunity

It's an ill wind and so on Also, got some advice on the best brake pads to run to avoid this sort of issue...

Has anyone any advice to offer on inflating a newly fitted mountain bike/downhill racer tyre.

Tubeless ones Steve?

If so, he needs a proper reservoir-type track pump... The reason is these need an initial high-volume blast of high-pressure of air (plus sealant) before they will seat on the rim bead and seal...

A fire extinguisher conversion may work as long as it's safe... I have tubeless on my sportive roadie and use my compressor...

You may find a large capacity CO2 inflater (the ones that look like a Sodastream bulb) may do the job too but it depends on the size and volume of the tyre.

You'll never do it with a 12v car inflater... You need a decent reservoir with at least 100psi behind it to kick-off the sealing/seating process.

Once hard and sealed an ordinary pump can then be used to maintain pressure...

That box of bits will be finding its way over to Jim at some point so it can be turned back into a working bike as it deserves.

Bring it over Zel and given a bit of time it'll emerge from my workshop like a new bike

[myglaren]

Thanks Jim. I believe they are tubeless.

[CitroJim]

Just given the car fleet their regular health checks...

Sally the Saxo is perfect She really is such a fine car and it's almost expected she'll be perfect now but I never assume...

Pixie the Pixo needs new rear tyres due to sidewall cracks and general deterioration which is not bad as they're the originals and 9n years old now... Bags of tread left on them but...

And the Jodie the Fun-Ka fired up instantly for her regular SORN warm-up despite standing for a few weeks...

I can't wait to get her back on the road... She's a good 'un at heart...

I'm going to bloody well learn to weld and do as she needs... I'm missing my little Jodie something terribly She's such fun...

As soon as I can afford it welding kit will be procured and I shall get cracking... It would have been this month but root-canal treatment scuppered that plan

Still, I'd rather be pain-free and still have Jodie on SORN rather than drive her is agony... No fun in that at all...

Looking forward to getting the sparks flying

[CitroJim]

I'm now after recommendations for MIG welder recommendations...

I've posed the question here:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=59710

So keen to get the Ka sorted

Silly I know but I love that little car...

[lexi]

Your next mission is to get gas for welder. Don't go gasless, as it will put you off learning to weld. It is pants on budget welders.
Having used them all from Air Products, BOC, throwaway bottles, Pub gas, I have been using the Hobbyweld from SGS for 5 yrs now. It suits me because a bottle does me about 2-3 years. £ 60 approx one off deposit and £35 aprox to fill bottle.
I use the stick to weld anything from 3mm thick, to save the gas.

[CitroJim]

Thanks for that Lexi... The amount of gas I'll use learning makes sense to get a big Hobbyweld one

I have a good stick welder here and I can use that one well but no good for welding Ka tinfoil!!!!

[CitroJim]

I have finally found a job on a Xantia that's more difficult than the 1.9TD clutch clip and a heater matrix....

It may be unique to am LHD V6

[Zelandeth]

I have finally found a job on a Xantia that's more difficult than the 1.9TD clutch clip and a heater matrix....

It may be unique to am LHD V6

Oh oh...What have you been up to?

Colour me intrigued...

[Hell Razor5543]

Trying to pry it away from Alasdair!

[CitroJim]

I have finally found a job on a Xantia that's more difficult than the 1.9TD clutch clip and a heater matrix....

It may be unique to am LHD V6

Oh oh...What have you been up to?

Colour me intrigued...

All will be revealed in due course

Trying to pry it away from Alasdair!

Some things are just not possible however hard you try James!

[CitroJim]

Been down with Alasdair this weekend Was going to be there until today but the weather sent me home early... Seems a good job too as Alasdair reports 4 inches down there at the moment!

Alasdair and I did a bit of work fitting cruise to his Activa... The car had half the cruise loom installed - the dash/cabin half - but no engine bay.

This enabled Alasdair to locate the vacuum pump into a new an very sensible place next to the ECU box

Own Work

This made an issue to get the wiring for it back to the Cruse ECU socket under the front passenger seat...

Own Work

After trying to get it in the A pillar grommet where the door loom enters we gave up and scratched our heads... We hit on the idea of running the loom along the conduit under the car shared with the fuel lines and fuel pump/gauge wiring.. This worked a treat

Here the loom comes up through the fuel pump/gauge wiring grommet under the back seat...

Own Work

This is an excellent route to bring cables from the engine bay into the cabin

Then the brake and clutch switches... The brake pedal had no cruise contacts but Alasdair found an automatic brake pedal mounted on its side worked a treat and needed no mods to fit to the pendant...

Own Work

We also found the LHD V6 has no spring between the pedal pendant and the dosuer! Just a solid rod. We also discovered Alasdair's dosuer is weeping LHM too Another job but easy on an LHD once the LHM reservoir is removed...

The clutch switch was fitted and wiring added... This loose wire in the picture is to route back to the ECU socket and carries the clutch and brake signals...

Lastly, we did a static test of the pump, bellows and dump valves and all was good. We also checked all the conditions on the ECU socket were present and correct, especially the signals from the brake and clutch switches and the cruise arming switch!

Finally we set about fitting the one-touch electric window ECU to the passenger's side... We determined the wiring modifications and then it was time for me to go before I got snowed in...

Own Work

I enjoyed an exceedingly good parkrun at Shepton Mallet on Saturday morning... It was freezing cold with a howling easterly gale but the after-run coffee, carrot cake and excellent company in the cafe well made up for it Here I am smiling and waving to the camera!

Shepton Mallet parkrun via Flickr

All in all, a most excellent weekend Just a shame it had to be cut short

Many thanks to Alasdair for some most excellent hospitality

And the new most difficult job on a Xantia?














Getting to the brake switch plug and socket on an LHD V6... It is almost inaccessible in the very top of the pedal box and getting to it and pulling it apart makes doing a 1.9TD clutch clip a walk in the park (or a run in a parkrun )

It's another upside down in the footwell type of job and you need to be bloody agile and flexible as well as small!

Once again, my little girly hands and fingers came to the rescue... Those and lots of advanced profanity...

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

...upside down in the footwell job and you need to be bloody agile ....girly hands & fingers and lots of advanced profanity...

I can identify with that and I do like the 'Advanced Profanity' wording, cor makes swearing sound almost posh!

I suspect I've not done anything quite as fiddly or, sadly, do I have 'girly fingers' [resists smutty remark, relating to girls & fingers], but I do recall some mild profanity getting the Clutch Cable into its clip.

[CitroJim]

but I do recall some mild profanity getting the Clutch Cable into its clip.

Only mild! That's five spanners-worth of profanity at least!!!

[Stickyfinger]

"One Touch" window mode works ....good job Jim

Now to run the brake/clutch cut off wire and finish cutting into the cruse loom, put back the carpets/instruments/binnacle/steering wheel/switches and all the other stuff I have ripped out looking for connectors and gaining access!

I stand here shaking at the words that emanated from my footwell yesterday.... shocking in twas !