Citroenmads Citroen blog.

[Citroenmad]

Good for you taking on the Xantia files, Chris. It will help Jim out and I am sure he will repay the favour.

Rob

Im quite looking forward to it and have been working on my first piece.

Good luck with the column Chris , it was nice to meet you again , and that V6 is a belter

Mark

Thanks Mark, good to meet you again too, I'll no doubt bump into you at another meet. Im glad you liked the V6, Im really enjoying it, its an excellent car to go anywhere in, it really makes a journey.


I went on the hunt for the engine mount I need for the V6 today, I thought I would try the dealer, just in case. I new from Citroen service that it was not available but I thought I might as well check. The first dealer I went to confirmed, so I asked if they could check the rest of the dealers in the UK to see if any were shwoing one in stock. Apparently he could only get access to the dealers within the same network/name. So I went to another dealer, a good 50 mile round trip (always better to visit than phone I think) who I have found very helpful in the past. They also said it is not available but they did their best to find one, they searched around the other dealers which didn't turn anything up. They then checked around to see if a another model had anything similar, nope. They then measured up the rubber bush in the mount to see if they could find a bush on their system of the same size. I left my details and they were going to do a bit more digging, though Im doubtful. So I can fully recommend TCC in Sunderland.

My next plan will be to see if I can get a poly bush, usually for suspension, to fit and have it pressed into the mount. Very luckily Jim had saved the worn out engine mount from his previous V6 so I can set about replacing the bush on that one while the car stays mobile. The mount is the one which acts as a steady, linking into the main engine mount on the OS.

I have also done a bit of a tidy to the tow ball, I thought about remvoing it but it can be quite handy to have a towbar for the bike rack and odd towing duty. So I stripped it down and painted it black, new towball and electric covers are on order. I have also left off the ugly bumper protector plate from the towbar, so it does look better.

The front mudflaps I got from Jim are also on, as is the one OS rear one, I just need to find a NS rear mudflap ...

[myglaren]

TCC parts department are excellent but from what I have heard the other departments lag a long way behind.

[CitroJim]

Good for you taking on the Xantia files, Chris. It will help Jim out and I am sure he will repay the favour.

I really appreciate you doing this Chris and indeed I shall give all the help I can. Whenever I have a contribution to add I'll certainly pass it on. I don't know how much folks enjoyed my 'Fleet Notes' section including the antics of my girl's cars. If it was popular then I'd be happy to carry it on..

Any joy with the bush yet Chris?

[Citroenmad]

TCC parts department are excellent but from what I have heard the other departments lag a long way behind.

I did go to buy a C4 Coupe 1.6HDi from them about two years ago. The service was ok, though it was initially difficult to find someone to help. I had the idea of trading in my previous C5, the 2004 one, so they whisked that off for a test drive while I was looking at the C4. In the end I thought better of the deal.

[
I really appreciate you doing this Chris and indeed I shall give all the help I can. Whenever I have a contribution to add I'll certainly pass it on. I don't know how much folks enjoyed my 'Fleet Notes' section including the antics of my girl's cars. If it was popular then I'd be happy to carry it on..

Any joy with the bush yet Chris?

That is no problem Jim, I would not have offered had it not of appealed. Of course I will be grateful of any contributions of yours to the column, we might need your technical inputs at times to keep the readers interested

The Bush, one of the dealers I visited suggested I email Citroen UK and ask if they have any suggestions. Which I thought is a real long shot but I have given it a go.
I have also contacted some poly bush specialists to see if I can get something suitable to push in the mount, as you suggested, so hopefully they will get back to me. At the moment I cant find anyone local who supplies them, there must be some, as I would rather call by and explain, rather than try and find one over the phone or through emails.

Failing that, Im wondering if something can be whipped up on a lathe which would be suitable. After all, this links to the main engine mount ... ?

[Citroenmad]

In other news:
A week today Im driving down to Paris to visit the Citroen Conservatoire. The tour is being organised by the French BX and XM club, who very kindly kept some spaces back for some UK enthusiasts who would like to go. I have been wanting to visit for years and I can't wait to see what is in there. It is a bit of a shame that time inside is limited to about an hour or an hour and a half, even so, it will be well worth the trip over.

Its going to be a good 1200 mile round trip, if not more, I have chosen my C5 as the cruiser I'll be driving. It is already insured for driving abroad and its by far the most economical. It'll be its second venture back to France with me and it'll be going again next year for a few weeks on my holidays.

We also have a new puppy, Jasper, he is now 12 weeks old, a Cocker cross Jack Russell, an interesting combination! Though it would seem a good one, as he should be smaller than our other two dogs and hopefully a fun and easy dog to take places. He is fitting in very well so far and seems to be quite easy to train

I start back at Uni a week on Monday, not what I want after a weekend in France! It would seem im set to be an eternal student, one day I'll get somewhere with this, if only I could stop changing my mind So its back to commuting lots of miles most days of the week, fitting in uni around working and uni work and trying to have some social life too. Im going to miss the summer, though isn’t everyone!

After passing my advanced driving test I have been asked to go on the committee for the local group. Ill have to give that some consideration as I'm already quite busy with other things.

I could not resist putting this picture Franklin took of my V6 in my blog:

And this one, with Matthew Thomas driving it:

[CitroJim]

Now I wonder if those pictures will appear in a Xantia Files column any time soon

[vince]

Damn im so jealous about the Conservatoire visit....i presume this is the trip Kev is going on also...

How did you guys find out about it? Will there be any more?

[CitroJim]

Damn im so jealous about the Conservatoire visit...

Me too A trip of a lifetime!

Still, I know you'll bring back some great photos won't you lads

[DickieG]

Re the Conservatoire, why don't we arrange our own visit?

[CitroJim]

Re the Conservatoire, why don't we arrange our own visit?

That sounds like a plan Richard

[DickieG]

Re the Conservatoire, why don't we arrange our own visit?

That sounds like a plan Richard

You'll need to get a passport

If we go with this plan I could pop up the road and bang on Citroen UK's HQ to start things off, if I go in the DS it might help things along, last time I went there in it to collect some parts it took me quite some time to make my escape

[Citroenmad]

Now I wonder if those pictures will appear in a Xantia Files column any time soon

Quite possibly

Damn im so jealous about the Conservatoire visit....i presume this is the trip Kev is going on also...

How did you guys find out about it? Will there be any more?

Yes, its the same trip Kev is going on. It has been organised by the French BX and XM club, who have 80 spaces, mostly for French BX/XM club people but a few ere very kindly held back incase some UK people wanted to go. It was advertised on the BX UK club forum ...

Damn im so jealous about the Conservatoire visit...

Me too A trip of a lifetime!

Still, I know you'll bring back some great photos won't you lads

You can be assured that plenty of pictures will be taken and a write up on my return

A FCF trip there would be an excellent idea, however make it quick as there are plans to close and move the venue!

[Citroenmad]

After quite a bit of hunting and running about to try and find a suitable bush to use in the V6's engine mount I have found something which will do. It is a bush from somewhere on the rear end of a Ford Fiestas suspension. It is slightly too small and too deep, however it can be made to fit, I am hoping. I have left it with my uncle and his lathe to trim it down and make up a packing bush. Im confident that it will be more than up to the job once finished.

I have treated the V6 to a new set of number plates, pressed metal ones but in the correct UK font:



I have been pottering about in the 2cv this weekend, after having its new tyres and wheel fitted to the back yesterday. There was a local classic car event on today so me and my dad went along in the Traction and 2cv. I might well have found 3 or 4 spaces in a large lock up which is in talks to be used for car storage for a few people. So that would see my Activa, the C15, 2cv and XM in storage for the winter months. I hope so anyway.

[chopper602]

Where was the classic car event?

I also missed you at the 'Juicy Detailing' open day, if indeed you went !

[Citroenmad]

It was just down at the marina Tim.

I was going to go but spent the day running about trying to find the bush and getting a few other things done. I didn't need anything though. How was it?