My S1 Activa

[Deanxm]

Can only imagine what they must go like with a chip

There is a little more poke when chipped, certainly enough to get things moving but if you are up in the 20psi terratory you really need an adjustable fuel pressure regulator and a bigger intercooler and it MUST be run on high octane, they do not like tthat old 95 ron dishwater when you run decent power thats for sure.
tyre wise, well there is pro's and cons, wider tyres do offer a little more grip in the dry, not much that you would notice but they dont squeel and leave you with the feeling you are pushing too much, they also make the car feel a lot sharper and dont scrub the sidewalls off at the drop of a hat.
I do have another TCT chip here actualy, and a spare ecu to put it into although this chip states that "Ignition timing dramaticaly altered and the 1bar boost ceiling is removed (must use min 97ron petrol)"

I was supposed to be selling it but its been no trouble at all since ive got it (granted ive only done 2500 miles in it) so ive decided its staying for another summer

D

[Citroenmad]

Actually Mike I very much agree, the only way to drive a 2cv us with your foot hard down, use every last rev and keep momentum up. The car enjoys this and driving it like a normal car is much harder work, it needs to be driven hard or it'll go no where fast or easily.

My dad used to do rallies with his 2cvs and other A-series back in the day. Once he assured me they would not fall over I soon got the hang of the driving style needed

I can't think of another car which would rival an Activa either. I've not thought about it before, but actually there are some similarities in the driving style needed to get the best from a 2cv and an Activa. I really enjoy driving both and that is what both are about, the driving experinces, which are obviously very different!

[Citroenmad]

That is interesting Dean, though I'm on for originality and so mine with only a manual boost controller suits me fine

Good to hear your keeping yours a bit longer

[Northern_Mike]

Actually Mike I very much agree, the only way to drive a 2cv us with your foot hard down, use every last rev and keep momentum up. The car enjoys this and driving it like a normal car is much harder work, it needs to be driven hard or it'll go no where fast or easily.

My dad used to do rallies with his 2cvs and other A-series back in the day. Once he assured me they would not fall over I soon got the hang of the driving style needed

I can't think of another car which would rival an Activa either. I've not thought about it before, but actually there are some similarities in the driving style needed to get the best from a 2cv and an Activa. I really enjoy driving both and that is what both are about, the driving experinces, which are obviously very different!

in a 2CV, I find changing gear a little past the red marks on the speedo often helps with a 2CV. Rev it until it gets so high pitched a human can't hear it. Have visions of pushrods flailing and the crank whirling like spaghetti . I stripped the engine in the 88,000 mile on that had been treated like this since it was 20k miles old, and there was nothing wrong with it at all. A slight overheating mark on the right hand piston was all that was visible.

I wonder how a 2cv would react to having Activa suspension? My brother has dreams of putting GSA struts on his 2cv/Ami Super/GSA hybrid monster, but not sure how legal it would be, if it would need a VOSA check, or even if the struts would fit or work mounted horizontally..

[Chris570]

Just a quick update really.

After 2 months of being parked up the Activa failed to start (only just mind) a big set of jump leads soon remedied that and took her for a run. The activa is a wonderful car to leave parked up for a bit then take out for a run, the driving experience is just amazing when you compare it to other cars. The last time the car went out was to show a 106 owner friend of mine that these "grandad cars" can shift. His face was a picture when I opened up the taps and was downright amusing when i took the (open) corners at considerable speed. The 106 handling is good, Activa excellent. I've said it before and i'll say it again, a properly sorted Activa is a world apart from any other hydraulic Citroen and more than warrants the extra complications of the ARCS system.

Unfortunately on that run the clutch started to slip badly so I need to keep a really close eye on that but it has a very heavy clutch (in comparison to the HDi) so I suspect it's the usual issue of the diaphragm getting stiff and not clamping the friction plate properly anymore.

I'm seriously considering getting the LPG kit I have for it fitted and using the car more (as it will be cheaper to run then than the HDi). My only point against doing that is will the novelty wear off using it every day.....

Your thoughts please gents....

[Deanxm]

The short, if slightly vague answer Chris is maybe, ANY car you drive all the time soon becomes a tool, a bit of the automotive background if you like but in the last 2 months ive covered 3000miles in mine and to be honest i think its brilliant, you may pootle about in traffic for two days or be watching the economy and then you will be on that sweet bit of road you like and it will be clear so you can just open it up and have a good thrash, i always park up at home on such a day and walk away from the car thinking just how brilliant it is. In fact its parked up outside the office now as i took the van home last night and as i pulled away i was wondering if i should park the van up, chuck all my tools in the activa and take that home instead.

Im sure it will get wearing eventualy, im sure you could get bored with anything given enough time but in my mind an activa on lpg would be better than almost any other car Citroen have made.

D

[Citroenmad]

The 106 handling is good, Activa excellent. I've said it before and i'll say it again, a properly sorted Activa is a world apart from any other hydraulic Citroën and more than warrants the extra complications of the ARCS system.

I'm seriously considering getting the LPG kit I have for it fitted and using the car more (as it will be cheaper to run then than the HDi). My only point against doing that is will the novelty wear off using it every day.....

Your thoughts please gents....

It really is worth the extra effort. I had mine out yesterday and gave a mate a ride in it who had not experienced it before. He was stunned at the road holding, its chuckability through roundabouts and the grip. He was also impressed with the performance of it and said its quicker than his C2 VTS. Each time I drive it I like it a bit more!

A thought had crossed my mind to take the LPG kit off my XM and put it on the Xantia, though for the miles I do in my Activa its not worth it. Ive done 6000 miles in 16 months, I prefer to keep it as an occasional toy which is a joy to use. Using one daily would be very nice and there is no doubt that I would enjoy it. However it probably would take the edge off the experience, as you would get used to it. I would also go through a pair of front tyres every month I did use mine for a couple of months as my only car at the begining of the year, it was good to live with it daily but I apprciate it more now im using it less agian.

[Chris570]

Well it seems that the activa didnt like the plans afoot to make it do more miles (or perhaps it browses this forum and saw me suggesting it was a good nice car) It has decided in it's infinite wisdom to blow the heater matrix, AGAIN!!!! That's less than 4k since the last one. Genuine Valeo this time i think.

[Citroenmad]

Wow, that didn't last long did it, quite surprising

[Deanxm]

Cheap ones can pop rather quick, same with XM's, trouble is its nothing like as easy to change as an XM one
Good luck Chris.

D

[Chris570]

Bad luck is really all it is. On the plus side everything should come apart fairly easily to redo the job.

now then, anyone know where i can get a valeo matrix?

[Chris570]

Right well due to other commitments etc the Activa won't be seeing the road for a little while now. Now that summer has gone I think it's time to put the Activa to bed for the winter and do the jobs that have been niggling me.

Cambelt (overdue, i'm bad I know)
Rear ram bush, Driving down my road is sooo annoying.
Heater Matrix, read above.
Clutch, although the clutch hasn't completely died yet i'd be a fool to leave it another season.
Have a look at a custom 5th gear.
Change the air con compressor


With that lot done the car will be in A1 condition mechanically, then it's just bodywork (not my strong point).

This of course assumes that the XM behaves long enough to get the Activa in to work on as the XM stole the Activa's turn for this work back in May

[Northern_Mike]

I'm seriously considering getting the LPG kit I have for it fitted and using the car more (as it will be cheaper to run then than the HDi). My only point against doing that is will the novelty wear off using it every day.....

Your thoughts please gents....

Yes. Do that. I like that idea. The novelty never wore off, I used mine as a daily driver for about 9 months before my missus smashed it up. The only bugbear was the economy.

[Chris570]

Well i'm a step closer to the activa completion. I have in my possession a new ram bush. Made it myself earlier at Jim's

[CitroJim]

Made it myself earlier at Jim's

That was good work Chris I have pictures to prove it... See my blog a bit later