Simon's new Xantia V6 and Leaf blog

[CitroJim]

Speaking of that, did you get the file for the Activa bits you wanted printed Jim?

No, I never did James, I must look into that again... Thanks for reminding me

[Mandrake]

I'm tempted to perform the modification that fits the Misubishi I-MiEV gear shifter plate to the Ion - it unlocks the two extra modes including increased single pedal regen, but the plate itself is about £70 for a piece of plastic (!) and I'm reluctant to make such a visible modification when it still has two more yearly dealer services for the extended battery warranty to go...

Can't you just fit it, then 'un-fit' it for the service, and re-fit it afterwards?

I was thinking that myself just yesterday. DUH! I can swap it back to the original one for the two remaining "services".... The cost of the part still puts me off though, (it's actually £96!!) and I wonder who the Mitsubishi dealer is in Glasgow for ordering a part.

Here's how the modification is done, looks very easy!

http://kiwiev.com/modifications/

[RichardW]

£96 for a 4" bit of plastic - even PSA would struggle to get that one past the accountants!! Does that include the bit below? I'd be tempted just to remove the top plate and mod the bit underneath, then run without the top plate. Others may have higher OCD thresholds for the interior of cars however.....!

[Mandrake]

£96 for a 4" bit of plastic - even PSA would struggle to get that one past the accountants!! Does that include the bit below? I'd be tempted just to remove the top plate and mod the bit underneath, then run without the top plate. Others may have higher OCD thresholds for the interior of cars however.....!

Yep it is a bit steep! The actual guide plate underneath needs modifying too but it can be drilled or filed, as shown in the article I linked. Somehow I don't think I'd get a missing top plate past the boss! I've already been warned not to tinker too much with this car.

I will try it with the plate off one day to see if the effect of the different modes is worth the hassle though before contemplating it.

[elma]

The plate will be a nightmare to print, better off buying one in this case.

[harryp]

CitroJim's piece on reversing polarity rang a bell....
Apparently much research was done on the effects of pos/neg earth wrt corrosion in car bodies and it was found that pos earth was quite a bit better (ok lower ). So the UK motor industry changed; then as the rest of the world continued with neg earth, we changed back. Sometimes we get it right, but standardisation wins out, not always for the best in this case . Looking back, the length of time (some) car bodies last nowadays was unthinkable back in the 60/70's. I remeber Volvo headed the rankings at 9 years compared with 7 - 9 for the rest; and some (Fiat?) 3 or 4.

[CitroJim]

Ahh yes, but they still rusted like mad though Harry

It might have helped a bit but it was marginal as I recall!

Another minor reason was to do with spark plug and contact breaker points wear... Positive earth systems tended to erode the bigger contact surface first - in the case of a spark plug, the centre electrode - and thus they lived longer and were easier to re-gap when worn...

A spark eroded pit in the spark plug earth electrode made the plug very hard to re-gap properly whereas the centre electrode would wear evenly under spark erosion and not form a pit...

Contact breaker points had one large and one small contact for the same reason...

It is alleged and so I believe...

[harryp]

Hadn't heard regarding the spark plugs, but I do recall reading a very obscure article regarding contact wear, albeit negative earth. The spike and pit are a result of the condenser value being incorrect . As these were a take it or leave it, one size fits all, I am unsure as to how it was corrected .
Come to think of it, the article may have been in one of the "pukka" Renault workshop manuals I had for the 16TS and 20TL. These also included instructions for complete gearbox overhaul which I used to the full

[lexi]

Somehow I don't think I'd get a missing top plate past the boss! I've already been warned not to tinker too much with this car.

I'll wager you haven't used the V6. Mmm...........£500 a year before a wheel turns for that ICE. Then a nasty visit to a fuel station and get your pants pulled down for £75. You'll be...............Shell Shocked

[CitroJim]

Somehow I don't think I'd get a missing top plate past the boss! I've already been warned not to tinker too much with this car.

I'll wager you haven't used the V6. Mmm...........£500 a year before a wheel turns for that ICE. Then a nasty visit to a fuel station and get your pants pulled down for £75. You'll be...............Shell Shocked

Love it!!!

[Skull]

I've also had a woman nearly walk right into me with her shopping trolley in a lidl car park. I was turning into a park beside her car (fortunately in the wider parent and child parks) and she grabbed her trolley and started pushing it in my direction whilst looking in the other direction just as I was swinging into the park then suddenly stopped with a start when she realised that a car had silently ghosted into the previously unoccupied space beside her car that she was pushing her trolley towards!

That happened on only my second day of ownership so it has made me acutely aware that I need to be REALLY super careful manoeuvring in car parks, because pedestrians (who treat the road as if it is a pavement to begin with) CANNOT hear you coming when you are moving around slowly in a park. Apart from maybe a reversing light there is NO indication that you are about to move. No smoke or vapour from an exhaust and no noise...

Eventually when there are a lot more EV's on the road through attrition people will learn to look where they are walking, but until then I need to be careful...!

Mandrake I'm just catching up on your blog and remembered seeing these before .....

REVERSING BULBS

Might be handy for your stealth mobil .... if the BOSS agrees obviously

[CitroJim]

REVERSING BULBS

Might be handy for your stealth mobil .... if the BOSS agrees obviously

Now there's a good idea...

Just beware you may then get mistaken for a lorry!

[Zelandeth]

I have exactly the same problem in car parks with the Skoda - engine's in the back so the front is silent, people are totally oblivious to it 90% of the time. Despite it being violently orange.

[Mandrake]

REVERSING BULBS

Might be handy for your stealth mobil .... if the BOSS agrees obviously

Now there's a good idea...

Just beware you may then get mistaken for a lorry!

I don't think there's any danger of that Jim! I might get mistaken for a Tonka Toy though...

[CitroJim]

I might get mistaken for a Tonka Toy though...