Confessions of a Citroholic

[CitroJim]

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

Much better!

[RichardW]

I can fix most things, but I have been beaten . By a sewing machine!! SWMBO does a lot of sewing and has quite a sophisticated computer controlled machine. It's not been sewing very well so I said I would have a look. Managed to find a service manual, and get the covers off (that was a challenge in itself!), but I can't see what's up with it. It's a very complex thing inside - there are myriad shafts, cams, levers, springs etc - and none if it is keyed, so all the shafts can be rotated relative to one another . There are at least 5 pinning points to set up the timing of the relevant shafts (and the details of the pins are not given in the manual...), and then there are another 5 or so adjustments that can be made (and require various gauges to set them up - although I'm still trying to figure out how you adjust the needle height so that the top of the hole is 0.2mm below the point on the bobbin hook - it can't be possible to actually measure this!). Took it to the shop today - £90 for a service

[Stickyfinger]

LUCKY you..!
I have for the last three day been out witted by two chickens !, buggered if I see where they are escaping from.

Give me a cabin filter anyday , that said...the Renault one...LOL

[CitroJim]

Even old-school sewing machines are pretty amazing devices... I’ve looked at the one I have here and thought once I had it sussed how it worked but the next time I looked I admitted defeat...

Measuring very small gaps can be done by eye... Back many years ago when I used to service proper mechanical teleprinters once clearance in the mechanical receiver was very tiny and was set by peering at it with bright light behind and adjusting the gap until the light turned blue in the gap...

Often the air did too as it was a very difficult adjustment!

[Xantianut]

Ay up!

I once dismamtled an ancient Singer treadle machine and that had to go in several buckets.

I do not envy you with that electronic effort.....

[RichardW]

Nearly beaten by a flippin' BIKE at the weekend!! Needed a new wheel - the cones and hub were knackered, and it didn't run very true anymore, been straightened out too many times. Also a new mudguard (fell off trying to show off to a 6 year old.... ) No bother thinks I Wheel out, tyre off (which also needed replacing), tube looks OK. Fought the block off (how tight had that got??). Off to the local bike shop but no good. So off to one a bit further away turned up a new wheel, tyre and muguards. Easy! Er, no. offer up the wheel, nuts on the axle to wide to go in the frame, so swap nuts and spacers around from the the old wheel till it fits. Centre the axle after a fight, then adjust up the cones (eventually - but only after I got one side in the vice to counter hold it). Back in the frame, and find that the axle is too long, and the skewer won't tighten up. Swap the axle for the old one. Fight with the cones again. Find that the block is scraping on the back of the cone - which turns out just to be a washer pushed on when I get it free. Adjust the cones again. Getting there now.... fit the tyre and pump it up - pffft tube bursts at the valve! Off to Halfords to get a new tube.... Get the wheel in, new tyre is just too big however, I look at it. Back to the bike shop (1/2 hour drive) to change it for a smaller one. Get that fitted and wheel back in the frame. Start on the mudguard OMG!! the small bolts that hold it in just do not want to stay put, and you need to get all 4 in at the same time. Get there in the end. Now need to adjust the brakes - which needs about 4 hands. Then gears to suit the block which has moved a bit. Took me about 6 hours all in - twice as long as it took to replace the cam belt on a 1.6 HDi!!! Goes much better now as I also rebuilt the bottom bracket which had seized solid when I went to get it out

And now I have to go and de-sump the C4 Picasso again. Ah joy....!!!

[DHallworth]

And now I have to go and de-sump the C4 Picasso again. Ah joy....!!!

Again? Did you not only just do that twice before? Fairly recently as well? Or am I mistaken?

David.

[RichardW]

Yep twice already.... Turbo at 69k in Jan last year. Ran out of oil pressure in Aug last year at 76k, now blocked again at 82k. Unfortunately Lighty only mentioned ripping out the strainer after I'd put the sump back on last time.... Seriously considering trading it in, if it doesn't rattle too much at idle

[DHallworth]

Jesus. That's not good.

Our 207 arrived here with 63k on the clock, it's now on 124,500 miles and hasn't missed a beat. **touches wood** It had full dealer history when we got it and it's only been serviced using genuine filters and total quartz oil supplied by the dealer in Glasgow.

It spent 18 months going to Edinburgh and back every day so it was always getting up to temperature and sitting there for a good while once it was warmed up. At that point I was doing 12k oil changes on it, now it's going to Glasgow and back every day and not getting as good a run I've reduced it to 6k oil changes.

It really does seem that some are better then others though with these engines

David.

[CitroJim]

Gosh Richard, your tale is enough to put anyone off bikes for ever!!!

[RichardW]

I was sorely tempted to give up and buy a new one, Jim! However, I'm rather fond of my 'vintage' machine - it's a mid 80s Claud Butler Super Dalesman touring bike - and anyway, I'm anti-materialist, and like to mend things rather than have the newest shiniest one (which is never any better, just more expensive). Or maybe I'm just tight

[CitroJim]

As I recall, Claude Butler machines are rather high quality ones so definitely worth all the hassle Richard...

To be honest, looking at today's bikes I'm not sure you can better what you have... I was looking at bikes in Halfrauds this afternoon and I wasn't impressed with what they had when compared to my Giant...

[RichardW]

I reckon a decent replacement would be well over £500 Jim, and it wouldn't come from Halfords, that's for sure! My Dad has a Giant hybrid type bike now, and it's a fine machine.

David - the fouling problems seem to strike at random. The C4 has been used - around 11k miles / year on average. It was serviced on time (not at main dealer which may be telling), but went south anyway. The 307 is now nearing 100k, and is fine. I removed the turbo filter after I bought it at about 85k and it was clean as a whistle, no evidence of any fouling on the vac pump inlet filter either - it has been serviced at the dealers mostly though.

[Northern_Mike]

I reckon a decent replacement would be well over £500 Jim, and it wouldn't come from Halfords, that's for sure! .

The higher end Halfords stuff - the Carrera range definitely, get very good reviews in the cycling-nerd forums and magazines, not all of their stuff is poor. I believe the Carreras are made for Halfords by Specialized, in the same factory.

I had to get my bike from Halfords on the C2W scheme, though they did say Halfords were allowed to source anything I wanted from another retailer if necessary. In the end I got a Boardman Cyclo-cross type bike, which is a great machine. I've not ridden for a bit as I'm worried about falling off the thing after the last couple of rides when I did!

[Stickyfinger]

So many C2W bikes are never ridden to work !...LOL