Xantiaman's Blog

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
A very naughty boy
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Post by CitroJim »

Wonderful stuff Gareth :D I can well imagine Kev was sorry to see it go but at least she's gone to a good home :D

A Lexia check will be no worries at all. I just need to find a good excuse for a trip over your way, not that I need much of an excuse!!! Bit concerned the suspension drops so soon after stopping. How far does it drop? Right down or just a tad? Just a tad is normal enough?

How long does it take for the stop light to go out on the first start of the day? 7-8 seconds after 30mins is very good...

I (and Xac) will be most interested in the manifold gasket replacement.That's about the method I thought might work but it'll be good to know for sure that it does...

I did wonder about removing the manifold studs from the head and then you could just slip new gaskets in a relatively small gap. Trouble is, there's very little opportunity to clean off any accumulated carbon if it's done this way.

I can see this car will be looking showroom fresh in a very short time :D
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CitroJim
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Post by CitroJim »

Gareth,

I've just noticed it's on an S plate. Very late for a MK1. Can't be many on an S. What is its RP Number? We can date it properly then...
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XantiaMan
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Post by XantiaMan »

CitroJim wrote:Gareth,

I've just noticed it's on an S plate. Very late for a MK1. Can't be many on an S. What is its RP Number? We can date it properly then...
Let you know shortly.
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Deanxm
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Post by Deanxm »

She looks Good Gareth, nice colour too!
Im currently looking for new brakes as mine are fairly on the edge, might go for These although yellow may be better for a tweeked Activa but i cant find any, Also These cought my eye, they are cheap but at that price its got to be worth a try.

D
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XantiaMan
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Post by XantiaMan »

7385 for RP number sound right? Written on the bulkhead, not the a pillar like the S2. 27th Jan 1997.
Last edited by XantiaMan on 07 Nov 2010, 19:12, edited 3 times in total.
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XantiaMan
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Post by XantiaMan »

Pretty certain the Activa has 288's? My S2 did, need to check first before i order some. Was gonna get Mintex or Brembo.
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CitroJim
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Post by CitroJim »

Quite a while between build and registration then. Likely a showroom model for the first months of its life...

Be careful with the brakes Gareth.

MK2s had the big (HDi, 2.1TD, V6) brakes but early MK1s didn't, they have 1.9TD brakes..

Have a check as a late MK1s may have the big ones. The 13mm bolt on the lower part of the caliper holding the two halves together is the clincher.

If the two halves are held together with a pin, then you have the early brakes.

1.9TD brakes work well enough though, for me at least :roll:
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XantiaMan
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Post by XantiaMan »

Thats good news really, always found my td brakes excellent plus they are cheaper...
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Deanxm
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Post by Deanxm »

not sure then, in the dark with a tape measure mine come out at 290mm which i guess is the 288's then? my measuring must be amis though as the callipers are the exact same ones that are on the XM with the pin and 'R' clip holding the caliper halves together...............

D
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XantiaMan
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Post by XantiaMan »

Done a few things this morning.

Firstly, the time taken for the stop light to go out is 20 seconds. Thats less than half the time my S2 took.

It also sits a little uneven. I have taken side profile pictures and measured the arch height.

If you leave the suspension in sport mode, the front sinks very quickly, within a few mins. With it in normal, doesnt sink as quick.

Please note it was taken with engine running. The front should sit a bit higher and the rear more level, and a bit lower too.

Image


Image



There is some knocking from front and rear, think the rear ram will need a bush, possibly a balljoint at the front gone too.

Ive refitted the 4030 head unit so i can run my ipod, to my ears thev sound is superior to the Sony that as fitted.

Matrix has a weep, time for some forte.

The cat is tatty and blowing a bit, this may be the first job (decat)

Then a 2.5 inch system will be made, with a single box, and oval exit like the old one, except this one will be straight not angled.

Manifold gasket does tick, no worse than my old one did before it went finally, when it does, that will be time, cambelt will be done then too.
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XantiaMan
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Post by XantiaMan »

Forgot to mention it has had citrobics 5-6 times, i've also lubed up the roll control linkages.


After leaving the car for 30 minutes of so, the passenger side does sit lower than the drivers.

From the pictures you can make out the drivers side does sit a bit higher than the passenger when running. It may just be a case of adjusting the linkage on one side, and then the normal levelling to get the front up a bit to match the back. I know a man who can :wink:

It did have a Bosch re-circ, removed this and fitted an ATMO type, it doesnt run much boost and the vacuum off the MAP sensor line is not very strong so its a quiet refined whoosh for now. Want to correct the MAP line, may replace it as i dont like anything interfering with it, and maybe tap into the manifold instead.
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KP
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Post by KP »

Gareth,

Is it me or is the rear drivers side allow from a VSX???
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XantiaMan
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Post by XantiaMan »

KP wrote:Gareth,

Is it me or is the rear drivers side allow from a VSX???
You are right, the spare needs swopping over. Friend of mine is going to put the tyre from the VSX wheel onto the spare Activa wheel, and another tyre needs putting on the front so it has a matched pair.

They all have good tread, seems a shame to junk them in favour of the correct V rated ones so i'll knock them out first :D
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KP
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Post by KP »

Only takes a few months to knock a set of front tyres on their head when fitted to an activa from my experience :D

Harder to do in the wet weather mind but still fun no doubt :)
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XantiaMan
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Post by XantiaMan »

There is already some scrubbage on the NSF.

Went out for lunch earlier, was about an hour, and upon restarting the light went out in a second. Either its very healthy or a sphere somewhere is flat, the main accumulator is recent, as are all 4 corner spheres which are the last of the GSF Activa ones. I have not yet the Activa or Hydractive sphere but for the cost, i may get re-gassed ones.

Which may be sooner rather than later! Got the car parked up in front of the garage, ready for some work. Front bumper will be coming off, front wheels off, air-con and intercooler out, deciding what type i should get to fit at the front without looking too in your face. Brakes will be replaced. Front bushes may be the cause of the knocking, they had advisories.

Will be doing the manifold gasket, and making a decat at the same time, the front pipe is blowing quite bad now, as well as the gasket ticking. As long as i can swing the engine forward enough for access to get the turbo/manifold off the studs, i shouldn't have a problem with the gasket.

Will also do the cambelt and general service, once that aspect of the mechanicals is done, i am hoping our resident expert can go over the suspension for me...
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