Dean's Activa/XM/V6 and now Talbot blog

[Deanxm]

Remove;
pressure regulator, Boost pipes+air filter box, tuck sphere and braket mounted on n/s inner wing to one side (just undo bracket)
Battery + tray, earth strap from gearbox to inner wing
abs block, oil filler bottle lhm res, starter motor,driveshafts, n/s wheel arch liner, front activa ram flex pipe bracket, clutch slave cylinder
fully loosen but do not remove all 3 o/s subframe bolts, remove all 3 n/s subframe bolts and lever down 2"
remove lhm pipe from pres reg mounted near gearbox end cover, gearbox engine mount and braket from chassis inc mounting post from top of gearbox

I will update this list later Jim as there are some bits ive missed that i cant remember without looking at the car.

D

[addo]

Interesting. Talk of "dropping" a subframe made me assume it was completely removed off the car - but I was aware how many pipes are clipped onto it.

[Deanxm]

god no Adam, looking at the activa subframe i bet it would take longer to take the subframe off than peel the car off the subframe peice by peice

D

[Chris570]

Glad its coming along nicely

didnt think of only seperating the box, on my HDi we dropped the box down, didnt move the subframe though, we rotated the diff upwards and found that with enough swearing there was *just* enough clearence to bring it down, this is with the engine tilted downwards.

Might be different on the s1 subframe though

[addo]

I know with the XM/605 subframes (virtually identical) that many of the smaller pipe clips are simply pushed onto small studs and prise off readily. Larger tubes are on risers or clamps and 10mm bolts or nuts release them. Have never pulled the Xantia down that far, so not sure how similar it may be.

[CitroJim]

Thanks Dean

Saying you were in mid-feed with Ellie reminded me of doing the same long ago now when ours were just babes in arms

What you'll find is how skilled you'll get doing things with just one arm and hand free - You'll find yourself doing all sorts of things just one-handed

[Deanxm]

Chris it looks like it might have gone out the bottom, there should be no difference on the activa i wouldnt have thought but i was cheating and didnt want to take the ignition coil, gear selector cables or any of the pipework over ther back of the box out, i dont think i could of rotated then lifted the box out on my own either.

Jim i can already make tea with one hand

D

[Deanxm]

The Activa is pretty much done now, i had to go looking for non functioning horns today as they have never worked, looking in front of the n/s wheel arch liner i was greated by air horns with lots of wire wrapped in insulating tape, i didnt even get the tester out, this vipers nest needs attention even if it isnt the cause, the engine bay is back together and by little activa is sporting a rattiva steering column now, it will also be wearing rattiva's n/s driveshaft too if parcel farce pull their finger out.
Got a new fuel filter on too as the old one could barely be blown through and looked very old, new stat and a oil/filter too, ive just got to give her a good clean, fit the driveshaft chuck some new oil in the box and then its off for her second MOT in my ownership, how time fly's!!!

D

[Deanxm]

Copy of Activa clutch1 by Deanxm, on Flickr


And the clutch works a treat, bite point isnt as low as expected, its probably 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up the pedal travel but then it feels great and doesnt appear to slip either.
The mot is booked for monday now, all ive got to do is sort out a leaky exhaust joint, horns and the slop in the arc linkages and she will be ready to roll for another year trouble free activa'ing again, will probably be for sale at this years CXM if anyone is interested.

D

[CitroJim]

That’s all looking very concours in there Dean Excellent work!

You can't sell it after all you've done to that car...

[Deanxm]

Scrubs up ok doesnt she, does anyone know where the cover goes thats on top of the battery in the picture, i didnt pay any attention at all when i pulled it off, i think it goes on top of the abs block but cant see where it clips on.

Jim ive thought long and hard over it and it comes down to one simple thing, time. I love the Activa, i know people slate them but this one has enough go to be fun and looks great and has proved very reliable, all the faults im sorting now were there last year when i bought the car except for a worn inner CV joint. ( arrived today Robert and is now fitted so thanks a lot for that) The trouble is now with Ellie time is short and although the xm is nowhere near as quick as the xant or as good in the bends i do prefer it for many reasons but mainly because its a long standing companion thats in great condition, if i keep the activa i will want to start getting realy anal with it and i cant afford to be like that with two cars especialy now i have a company car.
I have spent a lot of time on the Activa i know but i bought it purely for the challenge to turn around a chunk of scrap and as fun project to get my teeth into, i also wanted to know if they were crap or awesome and now i do.

Im going to have a very nice summer with the car now and enjoy her, cxm will be my first port of call for a sale and if not i will be floating her on fleabay when i get home, just so you know im not going to let her fly for £500 i will be looking for around £1000 which i think is attainable for the right car and this is about as mechanicaly sound as an Activa can be.

Anybody who is serious about her can pm me but it wont be for at least a few months yet, i want to make sure she is going to be reliable for her next owner and like i say get some further use out of her first ..................now i can use more than 50% throttle for the first time!

D

[Citroenmad]

I bet it drives like a different car with its new clutch Dean.

Good luck with its sale, that sounds like a very reasonable price to me

[CitroJim]

I know where that cover goes Dean! It goes on the side of the fuse box facing the battery....

No, I fully understand. I've been there and I know how much time Ellie consumes. When ours were little the cars were all horribly neglected as was everything else. You wait until you have two or more - time consumed then follows a square-law

I'm delighted you've found the Activa to be a bit good and yours definitely is! Trouble is, there's not many really good ones about and when they are not tip-top they can be awful and that I think is where their bad reputation stems from.

I think what you plan to ask for her is a very reasonable sum indeed Dean. I'd not take a penny less.

And you have the whole summer to enjoy her Can I have a last drive of her before she goes please.

[Deanxm]

you certainly can jim, maybe have her for a convoy run out if you want, may drive a little better this year with a clutch too.

D

[robert_e_smart]

( arrived today Robert and is now fitted so thanks a lot for that)

Excellent!

Enjoy her before she goes. It was nice to have a blast in Scraptiva before she went, but hoping back into my 2.5 Exclusive again afterwards; I knew I was back home where I belong!

Body roll is great guys! Don't resist it!