All Things V6...

[CitroJim]

I would imagine you're getting very excited David. I know I would be...

[DHallworth]

Well the alternator is back from being rebuilt and looks nice and clean now...







I think I've finished stripping the donor car, just need to get the window winders out. I was attempting to get the dashboard out as there's a tiny mark on the dash in my Activa and it annoys me but unfortunately when I gave it a tug it's put a crack in it so it's probably going to stay where it is now.

Here's what's left of the V6:







I've had no interest in any of the panels so here's this years sledge! **Prays we get snow**



David.

[DHallworth]

There's only one mark on the interior of my Activa and it's annoying... very annoying in fact, even though I can't see it, when I clean the car it really bugs me.





So... I decided that whilst I had a car that I was stripping for spares I'd get the dashboard out...





I gave it a tug before I'd got the last bolt out of it so unfortunately there's a small hairline crack in the dashboard but I'll try and plastic weld it or repair it with some araldite and brace it before it goes into the Activa.

As the dashboard will be coming out of my Activa to do the heater matrix it makes sense to change this over at the same time so that the mark is no more

Hopefully the green Xantia will be removed from the ramp tomorrow. As there's now no wheels or anything on it, there's no other option then to lift it with the JCB. Pictures to follow!

David.

[CitroJim]

Wow, excellent stuff David.. New alternator looks good but do you have the heat shield that clips on the back and looks like an air intake?

I believe it's pretty important due to the close proximity of the alternator to the front back exhaust downpipe...

[DHallworth]

Is this the one you mean Jim?



I'd left it in the workshop when I sent the alternator in so they didn't loose it. That picture was taken before the alternator made it's way back to the workshop.

Anyway, the V6 is now stripped and ready for it's final trip...





David.

[CitroJim]

Is this the one you mean Jim?

That's the one David...

[DHallworth]

Well the Mallard Green Xantia V6 is no more. It went to it's new home on Saturday morning.



Pretty much everything was saved. The doors and roof were cut out so that I can send them to Paul as he uses them for metal for repair cills etc. I've still got loads of Xantia bits left to dispose of so if anybody needs things then let me know!

It's been a pretty busy weekend... The Xantia went to the scrap merchant on Saturday morning, Brian popped down for a Lexia session on Saturday at lunch time, Saturday afternoon saw an emergency trip to Euro Car Parts as they'd given us a front caliper instead of a rear for a P38 that we were working on. So, after a wasted hour going to Glasgow we finally got the Range Rover sorted with it's new rear discs and pads and a caliper.

After that, Cheryl's 207 went on the ramp where it had 2 new brake flexi hoses fitted as the others didn't survive being clamped to stop fluid escaping when the calipers were replaced a while back. It also had 2 new tyres fitted and the wheels balanced.

This afternoon I decided that I might as well do the front brakes on the Activa to save a bit of time when the engine change is done so I changed both calipers from the Activa ones and fitted the V6 ones along with the genuine Citroen discs and pads that I'd managed to get. It's amazing how different the car feels with the bigger brakes that the V6 had!

David.

[CitroJim]

It's amazing how different the car feels with the bigger brakes that the V6 had!

The big Xantia brakes are rather excellent David and really show up how bad the Activa brakes are; I'd say they were barely adequate for the TCT. The V6 definitely needs them...

Very late Activas did in fact have the big brakes so you're doing nothing that's non-standard...

[DHallworth]

Well the time is nearly here... It's only 10 more sleeps until my Activa and I begin the journey down south to have the engine transplant done.

I've decided that I don't want to hoof the engine into the back of the Range Rover as it could be really difficult to get out at the other end, also if i had to brake hard or change direction it could do quite a lot of damage in the car. I'm also a bit concerned about running out of space as I've got quite a lot of things to bring down for others.

As a result I've decided to send the engine down on a pallet so that it arrives before I do.

I decided to build a frame around the pallet and box it in...





Unfortunately before I got finished I ran out of plywood and couldn't be bothered going to B&Q to get some more so I'll need to do that tomorrow.

Getting excited now!

David.

[CitroJim]

That's a lovely crate David Excellent

[Mandrake]

Not long now eh David.

How many days are you expecting it to take ? Are you just going to blitz it all in one all out session ?

[DHallworth]

Not long at all now!

Getting nervous now as I've got so much stuff to try and remember to take with me! The list seems endless and I'm sure there's stuff I'll of forgotten.

I've finished making the crate around the engine now, this picture was taken before it was finally screwed together and the engine positioned inside it.



I'll be leaving home about 3 or 4 in the morning on Friday 6th June and aiming to be there by mid morning. I'll probably stop on the way for breakfast and let rush hour die down. Sat nav is suggesting M74, A66, A1(M) all the way down so I'll need to have a look at a map and see what's best as I dread to think what my economy towing a trailer over the A66 with a car on it will be! lol.

When I was down visiting last year I asked how long it takes to do. They said that the last one they did, they drove in on a Friday lunch time and drove out on the Sunday afternoon. As mine needs the heater matrix doing it'll take a bit longer anyway.

I'm booked into a Travelodge for Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights so if there are any problems then hopefully we'll be able to get them sorted.

David.

[KP]

If it were me I'd stick to the m6/40/1 route as it's straight enough and with the weight you'll be taking you won't want to be speeding up or down

Start packing the car and trailer a few days before hand and you'll surely fill it up with stuff

[DHallworth]

Just had a look at the map, I won't be going KP's route as it adds around 50 miles and an hour or so to the journey. It also puts me on the M25 at around 9am which I'm not that fond of entertaining the idea of! It takes me quite a bit further south then I need to be.

The idea of M74 > M6 > M6 Toll > M1 is more appealing however the A66 won't be bad at the time I'm going to be crossing it (between 5 and 6am hopefully!) and then it's a straight run down the A1(M) which again shouldn't be to bad. We'll see.

David.

[daviemck2006]

I tend to always go the A66 if I'm going East and farther south than scotch corner. You just have to be happy at lorry speed!

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