jgra1 blog

[jgra1]

the rate of turn, could be the sensor on the pinion Adam, I know the higher spec coupes had suspension control, maybe the part is fitted for that? Yes there is a black box, now you mention in, above passenger side footwell (I have replaced this twice because the speedo was failing at lower speeds/ and so was the 2 pressure steering) - i.e. steering was always on car park mode.. actually, this box is the speed sensor box, and it's output must go into the steering control box.. ?

[addo]

I had a brief look on Serve Iceblocks and there was no decent description of the control mechanism; it only showed the pipes and an oversize relay thing.

Traditionally ( ) the steering angle sensor has been used for the rate of change. Perhaps the bit on the pinion is an electrovalve?

[jgra1]

didn't get near the coupe this weekend.. foul weather yesterday ;( but..

Huge thanks to Dickie G, who'm I met on Friday evening, and also to Jim on sat lunchtime
DG and I got a spare key (and barrel) to work in the xant.. so now I have central locking again, after about 4 years! it's a small thing but missed it loads.. as my hands are often full when i arrive at car..
Jim and I (mainly Jim as I was a little tired from the night before ) managed to convert a gas bottle into a very useful compressor second reservoir.. (I have a small paint job I must try and do in March, if the good weather returns)
Jim also relinquished an engine part I need on the coupe (Jim I will keep an eye out for another one to go back on your engine ) - by the way did the engineer chap finally turn up?

a very successful little drive and many thanks again !

J

[CitroJim]

John, it was great to see you on Saturday

Heating is working nicely now (after a very cold and chilly weekend). The plumber had a family emergency. Worked like a demon to get me up and running. These new combi boilers are great. My rads are scalding now..

The finger is healing nicely. Got a lovely blister though....

Sorry I had no suitable spheres for you in my stash

[jgra1]

glading all sorted there Jim

406 spare pump fitted last night.. working outside with only a table lamp thing! was cold to...
anyway, aux belt tensioner was siezed solid, some time on the bench grinder and a trace of grease and it's perfect now..
2 hours to fit pump.. the spare is slightly different with regard the Low pressure feed, but all fine..
will hopefully fire her up Sunday and see what's what.. running very short of time to get an MOT..
Xant:
Looks like Chris570 can help with spheres, he has 2 @25psi..
terrible knocking so ordered drop links just now.. but think I am due a lower arm rebush.. as well..
will try and keep her going for as long as i can..

[Chris570]

25bar lol not psi

hopefully they'll do the job

[CitroJim]

glading all sorted there Jim

Yep, this new boiler is bloody ace and do you know, the best thing is I can't hear it, no longer wakes me up!!!

The finger is almost completely healed now too

25 psi

I've got some of those. They're what's known as flat

[jgra1]

great about boiler.. I am giving mine up to go back to immersion when I move.. not looking forward to it really ;( I like hot water on demand.. gonna be strange, and expensive maybe.. quick question, if an immersion heater is in same room as shower etc, how is there enough pressure to come out of tap, slightly higher than immersion i.e. shower head? or to put it a different way, does every immersion system have a pump as well? I thought water always settled at the same level, no matter how much volume..

Xantia..
mild panic setting in..
It's become a pig to start again, and the chug at idle has returned... (this may just be down to the neat WVO, although the car has not done this until now, despite 100% WVO for a month) - and is running a little tiny bit rough .. I doubt these are related as it goes..

I have previously wired the gp's with seperate tails that meet somewhere more accessible, to enable easier checking ...
so, checked GP resistance, all plugs the same, then fed 12V to each and looked at voltage drop on battery.. all the same although one is quicker to drop.. (I didn't have time to remove the plugs)

But, bad starting, grey unburnt fuel, and it is starting to feel down on power (not much, just a bit) turbo @18-19 psi as normal..

for the starting - I guess an air leak into fuel is a possible.. will check later...

but just wondering if the engine is starting to get quite worn now.. it seems a bit rougher in the last month.. just a feint roughness under acceleration, that is never had before..

[RichardW]

John

Re Hot water: If it's an immersion system, then the pressure comes from the cold water tank in the loft above the tank - ie not a lot unless the HW tank is downstairs and the ceilings are high! Hopefully there are dual immersions, one of which will run on off-peak / economy 7 electricity - otherwise it's can be dear to run! You need to have the 2 immersions set so that the tempertuer of the economy 7 one is higher than the day one (the E7 one should be at the bottom of the tank, the day one nearer the top) - in this way, the E7 heats the whole tank on cheap(er) electricity overnight and then the day one only comes in later in the day when you have used the tank up. Shower in the morning!

Re starting: Time to check the valve clearances? Although didn't you re-build this head not that long ago?

[jgra1]

Richard many thanks! now I get the 'header tank' finally! of course always wondered what those were in the loft, as a kid, when we had mains cold water .. dooh!

interesting about the 2 thermo's as well..

Head.. hmm about 50,000 miles ago... I could do a cold compression check, will not take long.. would ease my mind too.. ?

[KP]

If its unburnt fuel have you checked the coolant?

how many miles on this engine?

Have you removed the EGR valve and checked its not sticking or anything gungey in it?

[jgra1]

hi Will,

170K, yes egr long gone.. coolant - there is some

I dont know. felt ok tonight, started well and didn't chug.. maybe it's just me being oversensitive! I can see why people say moving is stressful, I dont need car issues in March, i cant leave her here

personal record by miles!!..
I fitted the droplink tonight, 3 minutes! I took the advice of someone on here and undid it with car on high, full lock, and no jack.. then once loose I put jack under ARB, added some pressure, and off the nuts came.. and that was that!! the one that was on there was new.. still black.. bottom joint was seriously toasted.. definite Top Tip!

Hopefully the car is getting me to Brugge in 12 hours, for a coffee if it fails, I may be frantically messaging FCF Northern France!

[KP]

Do you do the Jim suggested method of injecting extra grease into the new ones to make them last a bit longer?

I may have been someone else that suggested it and not Jim though.....

[addo]

Coffee? Yeah, right.

[jgra1]

yes tried injecting grease.. on a few occasions ..not sure really if it helps.. although the failed one certainlky didnt have loads in.

'coffee' it's true going on a wine tobacco run with the ex, as a favour for an old friend
will take a pic of the xant there, all being well