Tales of a C3, a Goddess and some BMW's.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 28 Feb 2010, 15:05

Just had a break in the weather so I took the opportunity to investigate the ABS issue further, I started by cleaning the ABS ring and sensor but that didn't make any difference, I tried measuring the air-gap between the sensor and ring but that's rather difficult without first removing the hub. Whilst sitting there looking at the hub I realised that the heat shield between the sensor and brake disc was fitted incorrectly by way of the heat shield being between the sensor and hub rather than on top of the sensor. A quick re-arrangement of the heat shield has sorted it out, strange why with the additional gap the sensor can read the speed above 10 kph but not below

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 28 Feb 2010, 17:45

Excellent news Richard

Yes, that heat shield being in the wrong place would have increased the air-gap and reduced the amplitude of the signal generated.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 14 Mar 2010, 00:31

I brought the Goddess out of her winter hibernation today and took her for a ride to the local shops, when I returned to her there were several people peering through the windows, one lady commented "How cool is that car" following a Q+A session I took her for a longer spin to ensure that the engine was thoroughly warmed up and rediscovered the delights of wafting through the countryside in DS

.

Earlier in the day I fitted two new front seatbelts as I discovered that with the previous ones, the belt clip had been attached to the seat frame

its amazing what you discover when you have a poke around an old car.

vince · Unread post by **vince** » 14 Mar 2010, 01:08

Fantastic Richard

Id love to have DS to break out

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 21 Mar 2010, 22:32

I had big plans for sorting out a few jobs on my cars this weekend but most of those went out the window when I got home from work on Friday and came down with a stinking cold that meant I spent most of Saturday feeling pretty miserable. This afternoon Jim popped over to return my sphere tester and collected a few bits and bobs on the great spares merry-go-round.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that my V6 had been suffering from a noisy wheel bearing on the offside front which I resolved by fitting a spare hub I had in stock, well yesterday I took the V6 out for a quick spin as she hadn't been driven for a week or so and discovered much to my annoyance that the front end rumble had returned so this afternoon I replaced the nearside hub and following a quick test drive I'm pleased to say that peace has returned to my V6.

The strange thing about these front wheel bearings is that the car has only done 59,000 miles and has had a very gentle life (the previous owner was in his 80's) Dawn and I don't thrash around in it yet when I removed each hub and spun each bearing they are definitely noisy and past their best. I know some people say that if one bearing goes then the other will soon follow but at such a low mileage? I've previously replaced single wheel bearings and not had the other one fail ever, I'm left wondering whether these two bearings were part of a dodgy batch or is it due to the additional weight/power of the V6 engine which has knocked them out?

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 21 Mar 2010, 23:08

This site may be of use http://www.manflu.info/
Don't let people not take you seriously! Manflu is a killer!

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 22 Mar 2010, 07:18

DickieG wrote: I know some people say that if one bearing goes then the other will soon follow but at such a low mileage? I've previously replaced single wheel bearings and not had the other one fail ever, I'm left wondering whether these two bearings were part of a dodgy batch or is it due to the additional weight/power of the V6 engine which has knocked them out?

I don't think it is a generic V6 problem, my mk1 has reached 160,000 miles, some of them driven quite enthusiastically with no front bearing problems. I did have a rear bearing go, and my impression is that they are under-lubricated at the factory. Maybe they were a bit mean with the grease when yours was built?

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 22 Mar 2010, 07:25

You're right Richard, manflu is a killer.

I nearly died laughing at that website

Pleased swapping the hub fixed the bad bearing. The otehr possible after a bad batch of bearings is if the car ever ran through floods on a regular basis?

I did some 106 wheelbearings a while ago and they were rusty inside. There had been floods a few weeks previously and the car had spent time in them.

Something may show up when the old bearings are pressed out. Although pressing damages them beyond use, it does not damage then to the extent you can't see why they failed.

Maybe Citroen simply forgot to grease them.... Their bearing greaser was sick the day they made yours...

Unread post by **RichardW** » 22 Mar 2010, 13:13

We've had both the FWB replaced on our Picasso recently, at about 60k. I didn't do it, so no diagnosis, but it was a tad annoying! Even more annoying is that it has been back this week to have the OS one done again - but at least the garage did it FOC. There must be something that kills them early! Xantia on 100k near enough with no trouble so far.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 22 Mar 2010, 20:47

CitroJim wrote:You're right Richard, manflu is a killer.

I nearly died laughing at that website

Manflu really got the better of me this afternoon, I'm so glad I didn't cycle to work today as going home with a strong headwind in pouring rain would have killed me off, as it was I spent most of the afternoon feeling pretty nauseous, Manflu is serious stuff

great website Xac

CitroJim wrote:Pleased swapping the hub fixed the bad bearing. The other possible after a bad batch of bearings is if the car ever ran through floods on a regular basis?

Not during my ownership at all though I obviously can't account for what the previous owner may have done, this second bearing is pretty much identical in the way it failed/sounds when spun.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 26 Mar 2010, 22:10

I'm doing well here heath wise, just as I started to get over Manflu I decided on Wednesday to swap the wheels on Dawns' BMW from front to back to even out tyre wear and promptly put my back out in my exertions as I attempted to pull off the wheels only to discover that every one had "welded" itself to the hub due to different metal corrosion. It turned out that every one needed several very stern clouts with a 4LB club hammer, I'm now bent over and giving a painful impression of Quasimodo

Grrr

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 03 Apr 2010, 00:13

I'm now slowly starting to recover from my back problems, the past week has been very difficult, at the start of it just few few minutes standing up would cause all manner of pain and instability but I'm now pleased to say that I'm able to do most of what I normally do (as in walk Barney for an hour at a time

) but reaching down to put on my shoes makes me look like an OAP.

This morning Dawn and I dropped Danielle off at Heathrow for her skiing trip with the school to Banff in Canada (big hugs all round) I sooo wish I was going with her, I used to go skiing every year and thoroughly enjoyed it but the cost of taking a family has got the better of me

.

This afternoon I replaced the rear brake disc's and pads on my V6 as her MOT is due in a months time. The last time she was tested the rear brakes only just passed, whether this was down to a faulty reading on the O/S ABS sensor or the poor quality/smooth/shiny "QH" pads

I found fitted I'm not sure, but I've replaced them with genuine pads and disc's (BTW original disc's are made by Brembo as supplied by GSF) so hopefully those issues have been resolved.

vince · Unread post by **vince** » 03 Apr 2010, 10:33

Glad your on the mend Richard, my back tends tpo go if the weather is cold outside but luckily not as bad as yours it would seem.

When you mentioned someone saying "if one bearing has gone the other will soon follow", thats garbage to be fair but it is what i hear alot of people in parts saying to customers. The only thing that tends to follow that rule are wishbone bushes.

I would also suggest that premature failure of a bearing could be influenced by internal condensation if the vehicle is not regulariliy driven and is exposed to fluctuating temperatures. That and standing water if like Jim says its been subjected to water ingress.

Its like anything i guess regular use keeps everything fresh an dlimber.

I was always shocked to hear of barn finds needing their engines overhauling even though they had done like 20,000 miles or so. Similar issues at work id reckon.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 08 Apr 2010, 22:04

I spent today up at the Rockingham Speedway circuit testing numerous cars to experience how ESP systems vary in their effectiveness according to model, older/newer systems, front/rear/4x4 drive, ESP on/off, play time

To have "fun" you can't beat a rear wheel drive BMW, Audi's Quattro system is dull (read massive understeer) possibly due to having a large lump hanging out in front of the front axle, by comparison a BMW X5 was much more fun, as for a Vectra

I used a brand new Audi A6 Quattro to travel there in, the Sat-nav in it is terrible, at every roundabout it said "turn left" with the display quite rightly showing straight ahead

what is it about built in Sat-nav's? I've yet to find one system that is satisfactory in operation, they cost several hundred if not thousands yet a £100 Tom Tom does a much better job.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 18 Apr 2010, 21:51

Well the V6 flew through the MOT last Sunday without advisories having completed 2048 miles since this time last year

Yesterday I popped up to http://www.dsparts.co.uk/ for the CCC "Spring shakedown" in the Goddess and had an enjoyable afternoon having a look around the collection of DS's there (about 20 in total) including a few very early models plus two Slough built car's although to say that one of them requires a full restoration is somewhat of an understatement, it will take a much braver man than me to take that restoration job on!

Today was spent carrying out oil and filter changes on my HDi and Dawn's BMW followed by being chief cook on the BBQ, a good weekend of chilling