Confessions of a Citroholic

Tell us your ongoing tales and experiences with your French car here. Post pictures of your car here as well.
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CitroJim
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

Unread post by CitroJim »

DHallworth wrote:I'd love a small one that you can hold in your hand so you can flare pipes on the car easily to add a joining piece too.
Pleiades used to do just such a flaring tool. They are like rocking horse poo now and sadly because they are such a precision item it would cost a lot to have a batch made up.

I once borrowed one from Peiades when I needed to do a bit of re-piping on my Activa... It worked excellently.

But yes, all the ones available now are big and not amenable to in-situ work...
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
RichardW
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

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Yes David, Pipe was a good un thanks - fitting it took only about 10 minutes, about the same time it took for the rear suspension to decide to come up! Sorting out the spare wheel and clearing the mess up took longer....

My colleague's got a CNC machine in his garage (don't ask...!) if we could get a pattern, he might be amenable to having a go at making a die. How do the small formers work? I seem to remember 2 halves that bolt together with the appropriate former inside, and then a bolt that goes in the end to push the pipe back into the former to make the swage on the pipe?
Richard W
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Mandrake
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

Unread post by Mandrake »

Good luck with the MOT Richard, mine is not until August, but I feel quite anxious already. [-o<

Last MOT it passed with only advisories on handbrake adjustment (I'd fitted new cables the week before so they hadn't had time to finish stretching) minor exhaust leak (at the joint we bodged behind the cat :) ) and front brake flexi's. However that was before all of the engine/gearbox/exhaust problems...

So far I know that apart from the flexi's I'm going to at least have to replace the steel feed pipe from the ABS to the front right flexi due to rust, I'm also not sure if the rear brakes will pass - the callipers are way out of true and it needs new discs/pads, although the brakes still seem to work perfectly well.

My main concern though is emissions, and the fact that the engine power is still way down and I still don't know for sure what the problem is, for example if its misfiring it won't pass the emissions test.

I'm pretty sure that given all the other things I've fixed and eliminated I do have a blocked exhaust but whether its a melted/crumbled cat (perhaps caused by misfiring) or something further downstream I don't know. So I don't know whether I'm going to have to fork out to replace the cat before I can get an MOT... :(

The oxygen sensor is also faulty but I should have a new one tomorrow. Now all I need to do is to figure out how to adapt a connection from the oxygen sensor port to my pressure gauge so I can do some back pressure testing. I'd really like to settle the question of "is the exhaust blocked, and where" once and for all...

The exhaust stream from the tailpipe during idle definitely feels very weak a lot of the time, but occasionally feels much stronger. I'm hoping like crazy that the problem is a collapsed silencer that has allowed wadding to be sucked down the exhaust and wedged in the back box... its really only either that or a dead cat... :?
Simon

2016 Nissan Leaf Tekna 30kWh in White

1997 Xantia S1 3.0 V6 Auto Exclusive in Silex Grey
2011 Peugeot Ion Full Electric in Silver
1998 Xantia S2 3.0 V6 Auto Exclusive
1997 Xantia S1 2.0i Auto VSX
1978 CX 2400
1977 G Special 1129cc LHD
RichardW
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

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C4 wobble this week, threw limp mode during an overtake. Lighty suggested the fuel filter, so I've put a new one in - that's a fun job, er, not! Seems to have cured it, but it still beeps at you after start up and says Depollution fault, and the EML is on. Hopefully meeting up with Mandrake in a couple of weeks to put it on the Lexia, have a look at his V6 exhaust troubles, and probably work on some of the inevitable Xantia MOT repairs!

Oh, and the NSF sidelight that I fitted only a few months ago has gone again, so this time I have ordered some LED ones from e-bay - at about the same price as the normal short lived ones from Halfords!
Richard W
lexi
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

Unread post by lexi »

Tougher Mot this year. some other things have come into test. Relevant to more recent cars.
Citroen C5 1.6 HDI 110bhp Estate 06 plate

French Mistresses gone.
Citroen C5 HDI Mk 1 hatchback
Vel Satis 3.5 v6
ZX 1.9D Est.
ZX 1.9DHatch
Xantia 1.9td est.
Xantia 2.0 hdi Est.
Xantia V6 MK1
Xantia V6 MK 2
RichardW
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

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Mucho car work this weekend (and ongoing!).

Friday my Xantia passed it's MOT with no work required 8-) But, see below :cry:

Mandrake came round and we put the Lexia on the C4 - Fuel pressure faults as expected (hoped!), cleared them, and the light has gone one, and so far stayed out :P

Then we set to on his V6 - changed the O2 sensor, checking for exhaust back pressure on the way, then a new cat back exhaust (which is a bit tight on the cat tail and needs to be refitted :roll: ). Then took the HP pump out and put new seals in it.

Then we set to the spheres on my car - these have not been changed since I had the car (er 5.5 years and 95k.... :oops: ), and since it had a cheap MOT, thought it was about time I put some new ones in, so my teeth are safe in my head for a bit longer :lol: They relented pretty easily with Simon's e-bay sphere tool - but the OSR rear leaked as soon as we moved it. Not good.... and indeed once off it was apparent that the neck of the strut was corroded away, put it back together anyway, but it as soon as the pressure came on it blew the seal out #-o I then spent 6 hours on Sunday trying to remove the strut retaining pin - without success. Concluded that arm has to come out to be attacked properly :twisted: 2 hours yesterday has seen all the bolts slacked off, so tomorrow on with trying to get the arm out - am hopeful that I can remove it complete with pushrod, without having to cut the push rod [-o< There are some choice design moments in this - tie wrapping the ABS cable to top of the subframe above the trailing arm is winning though :-D

Remind me again, why do I run a 12 year old car....??????
Richard W
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Mandrake
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

Unread post by Mandrake »

Remind me again why I run a nearly 15 year old car Richard ? :mrgreen: A gas guzzling V6 at that... its because we're gluttons for punishment and we love them when they are running properly... :twisted:
Simon

2016 Nissan Leaf Tekna 30kWh in White

1997 Xantia S1 3.0 V6 Auto Exclusive in Silex Grey
2011 Peugeot Ion Full Electric in Silver
1998 Xantia S2 3.0 V6 Auto Exclusive
1997 Xantia S1 2.0i Auto VSX
1978 CX 2400
1977 G Special 1129cc LHD
RichardW
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

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Xantia operational again - although getting the strut adrift is somewhat of a trial.... :twisted: let's hope the ride is better after all the work - about 12 hours in total, plus my Mate's time to actually fix the ram!!

I wonder if perhaps I should have a 'spare' car for when others go down...I quite like the idea of a C15 - would mean not using mine like a builders van, and I could clean it :lol:
Richard W
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CitroJim
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

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RichardW wrote: I wonder if perhaps I should have a 'spare' car for when others go down...I quite like the idea of a C15 - would mean not using mine like a builders van, and I could clean it :lol:
That's a good idea Richard.. How about making the C15 a bit of a Q-car? Perhaps drop a V6 into it.... :P
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
RichardW
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

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Long time since I have updated this.... it goes something like this:

C4 Picasso:

Jan 14, 69k turbo failure. Rebuilt turbo fitted, plus all the other requried work.
Aug 14 76k loss of oil pressure. Sump off again, clean out the blocked strainer, replace the wrecked vacuum pump.
Somewhere in there it needed both front strut top bearings, so I fitted new springs as well whilst I was there.
Changed the cambelt as well last summer as it was noisy.
Brake light switch changed, but still got regular 'brake faults' coming up - need to fit the replacement underbonnet fuse box I've got here to see if that fixes it.
Now on 80k, seems otherwise OK. Think I will drop the sump again in the summer and rip the strainer out of the oil pickup.
Must change the pollen filter, but that is a right PITA job, so putting it off.... :twisted:

Xantia

Scrapped March 14 at 160k. Needed too much work - not least of which was a repipe. Having stood for a few weeks on the drive, it burst the PAS pipe just after I started it...

Replaced with an 07 307 SW 1.6 HDi 110 - yes ANOTHER 1.6 HDi - this one had done 81k when I got it. Nice amount of history of work. Since then it has needed both front wheel bearings (second one just fitted), NS driveshaft oil seal, new clip on the NS CV joint, the OS CV joint, and both track rod ends. Filter removed from turbo oil feed pipe, although this one seems to be very clean. Needed a new AC condenser when I got it as well - had a stone hole in it. MOT next week - not sure about the rear suspension, might need new trailing arm bushes (well, it does need new bushes, just depends on whether he decides they are needed for the MOT or not!).

Visa

Nothing done....

Now got a Lexia to help diagnose all those spurious faults the C4 throws up :lol:
Richard W
bxzx16v
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

Unread post by bxzx16v »

The pollen filter on the berlingo is the same Richard, mine had never been changed in 5yrs, luckily my mates a Peugeot/Citroen mechanic but even he was cursing it. I've not had much to do on the berlingo other than the handbrake cables, next jobs coming up are the timing belt and waterpump etc .

Mark
2009 Landrover Freelander 2 TD4se (killed an Audi) , sadly now gone .
2012 Landrover Freelander 2 SD4 AUTO Love it . Now gone .
2014 Ford Bmax 1.0 Ecoboost Zetec . Fantastic little machine .Gone now.
2014 Ford Focus 2.0 Tdci Zetec S with the French heart.
RichardW
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

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The pollen filter on the C4 is a victim of the RH drive conversion. On a LH drive it would be a doddle - however on RHD, it is up behind the clutch pedal. Putting a lug on the outside of the blower which points towards the filter and catches in the pleats as you try and pull it out was a work of stunning genius!!! I honestly thought I was going to be beaten by a simple service task :roll:
Richard W
bxzx16v
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

Unread post by bxzx16v »

The French, you really can't beat em :rofl2:.

Mark
2009 Landrover Freelander 2 TD4se (killed an Audi) , sadly now gone .
2012 Landrover Freelander 2 SD4 AUTO Love it . Now gone .
2014 Ford Bmax 1.0 Ecoboost Zetec . Fantastic little machine .Gone now.
2014 Ford Focus 2.0 Tdci Zetec S with the French heart.
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CitroJim
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

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bxzx16v wrote:The French, you really can't beat em :rofl2:.
You really wonder if they do it purposely? They do have a reputation to maintain after all :twisted:
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
RichardW
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Re: Confessions of a Citroholic

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Renault can do better: http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 22&t=44733" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; :rofl2:
Richard W