Confessions of a Citroholic

[RichardW]

Sometimes you can't make it up!! Having messed with the broken end of the spring the other day it was now rattling plus plus, so I wrestled it out during the week - actually not too hard once I had fed it up a bit inside the spring to a thinner part of the strut - which had shut it up. However, this morning, Mrs set off in it then comes back and says it's making a new rattling noise, sounds like the driver's side. Hmm. Went out (snowing...) and she drove it back and fore a bit and it was making a horrible scraping sound.... look underneath and see something hanging down behind the RH front wheel. Get something to kneel on and lookin under a but better and something has hooked itself into a hole in the plastic undertray and is dragging on the road - after persuading it out (not as easy as it might have been) turns out to be a bucket handle!! WTF did that come from, and how in a million years did it hook itself into the undertray??? Couldn't do that if you tried.

I've heard that NOx Sensors can be the very devil to remove. Any reason why? Or is it just normal exhaust corrosion that does for it?

Don't know why they are difficult to get out, Jim, I guess they just run cold then sometimes hot (being at the outlet of the DPF), and maybe the threads just stick into the pipe. Anyway, decided I wasn't for crawling under it this week, so it's off to the garage to Mon and they can see what they can do with it on the ramp. Steeling myself for a new sensor, so will be a pleasant surprise if we get away without one!

[Rp0thejester]

Please tell me you you sung 'theres a bucket handle in my Citroen, Delia Delia'

[CitroJim]

Gosh Richard, that's one to add to the bucket list

If I ever have to do my sensors, it sounds like a job for the hot spanner!

[mickthemaverick]

Sounds very tricky but at least you got a handle on it

[Armidillo]

Please tell me you you sung 'theres a bucket handle in my Citroen, Delia Delia'

It's "Dear Liza, dear Liza" . I think we can be confident that this was not one of Tom Jones' greatest hits

[myglaren]

Please tell me you you sung 'theres a bucket handle in my Citroen, Delia Delia'

It's "Dear Liza, dear Liza" . I think we can be confident that this was not one of Tom Jones' greatest hits

Always liked that, partly as my paternal grandmother was an Eliza.
But only by Harry Belafonte.
As with this:-


But avoid Tom Jones like the plague.

[RichardW]

Another chunk fell off the spring on the 3008, so I've fitted a new one today.

Had a light show on the Picasso yesterday, all speed sensor related, need to plug it in and see what's up, but it cleared after a key cycle and we've had a lot of rain, so I'm expecting a rear sensor fault and a corroded cable...

[RichardW]

Picasso light show....so I'm expecting a rear sensor fault and a corroded cable...

And so it was. Computer pointed to the LH rear sensor, and with the wire popped out the conduit, I spotted this

Seemed like it was just rubbed through and touching so I taped it up and put it back together....to be greeted with a permanent fault. Stripped it back out, and put a connector in, wire just fell apart, I think I had scraped out all the copper! Trip out this afternoon and no warnings needs new rear pads though....

[CitroJim]

Love that Richard! Well found

[RichardW]

Took the rear pads out the 3008 today, as an occasional squeal was pointing to them being stuck - which indeed they were, needing a little percussive persuasion to free them! All cleaned up and sliding nicely now, and plenty of meat left for a good while yet. Whilst it was jacked up, looked at the drivers side front spring, which it turns out is also broken... only lost a small piece off the end, but broken nonetheless, so that will have to be done - it's the original AFAIK, so not too bad, will need a top bearing whilst it is apart!

Then went on to look at the C4 - OSR tyre has had a slow leak since it was fitted last year, checked the outside bead, but no leak evident, then tried to take it off to have a look at the inner bead / check for a foreign object, but the locking bolt is not having it was on my list to replace them anyway, but a bit more urgent now, since I need to get in and do the rear pads! Will get a set ordered up and change the other 3 before I go at that one and mangle the key! The air box is also rattlng, so will need new mounts when it gets serviced later in the year.

Followed up with a 30 mile ride - spring like, first outing in shorts and fingerless gloves since about October

[CitroJim]

Followed up with a 30 mile ride - spring like, first outing in shorts and fingerless gloves since about October

Ditto my ride on Saturday Richard, such a joy not to be wrapped up like the Michelin Man

[RichardW]

It's OK, normal service has been resumed, 5°C, grey and raining today...I'm staying in!

New spring, top mount, wheel bolts and pads on order, Getting out the recalcitrant doesn't seem too hard, it should come out with a reverse flute socket if you are careful not to hammer in / break off the drive ring first - and even if it does break off, then you can tack the two bits together with the MIG to get them out. We shall see....!

[RichardW]

Parts have arrived... I've managed to persuade the damaged bolt out with the key. So can get on with the brakes now.

[CitroJim]

Excellent!

[RichardW]

More excitement than needed this morning.... Set off to replace the rear pads on the Picasso, plug in the computer and put the calipers in service mode, whirring noise as expected, going on for a bit, now really going on! OS motor is whining away, but NS has stopped. Back out the service option and still going; try the first application option - still going. Somewhat in desperation, try the service mode again and it stops. Jack up and check OS is released, and after I took the caliper off can press it back so it has wound it back. Proceed to change the pads, plug the computer back in and try the first application of the handbrake option to which it just says 'Error'. Hmm. Check faults and there is a permanent fault on caliper coherence, which won't clear. More in desperation than hope I just pressed the button to apply it - short, normal, whirr, all the lights go out and it says parking brake applied?? On and off a couple of times, and it seems normal, jack up the OS with it on, and yes, it's applied. Back into the faults, and it has now gone intermittent and let me delete it, and all seems to be working normally. WTF happened there!?! I'm a little but suspicious that the motor may be on its way out, but who's to know whilst it is apparently working. I tried to disconnect the motor, but I couldn't figure out how to release the connector, if anyone knows let me know! There is a little grey tab that pulls back, then it looks like there is a tab to lift up, but I can't get any movement out of the connector?