Elmas Xantia V6 and Musical Stuff

[CitroJim]

Thats another one I like, the mg metro turbo.

Had one of those brand new in 1986. Sold it after two years because it was starting to rust

One of the two cars, along with my old Pug 205 GTi, I wish I never got rid of...

The MG Metro Turbo was a hoot...

[elma]

Hi all, does anyone know if these unions have the little pipe seal like the rear brakes?
I'm about to order my last last parts for the mot.

[CitroJim]

Hi all, does anyone know if these unions have the little pipe seal like the rear brakes?
I'm about to order my last last parts for the mot.

They do Elma, they all use the same 3.5mm seal...

[elma]

Thanks Jim., I'm just trying to remember what else I need then I'll get my order in. So far I can remember the seals, track rod ends and 2 tyres. I'm sure there's more.

Gasket set, centre sphere and brillo exhaust washer for a start.

[xantia_v6]

I wonder if you broken engine mount was caused by the car previously running with flat front spheres, causing the engine to be bounced up and down as unsprung weight as the car went over bumps?

[bxzx16v]

Nice looking volcane and the best colour too, but I maybe biased on that .

Mark

[elma]

It's an exciting day for the Xantia today. My parents have lent me the use of their garage so I've got 240v, wind breaker and light all day. I'm just getting everything together to go down there now, main aim for today is to get the accumulator sphere, control arm bushes and balljoints replaced. I've also got the Lhm tank seal, front brake hose and rear calipers which I'd like to swap over and should really have time to do plus a few tidying up jobs. The back of the car is jumping randomly and the brakes are pulsing so the sphere and a bleed should sort things out until my little 3.5mm seals arrive. Track rods ends aren't here yet but I'm happy enough swapping them on the drive and my friend will do the tracking for me. Driving on the snow is showing how badly out it is, the drivers side wheel is constantly slipping outwards so I suppose is toed in too much. Likewise the other bits I've ordered so I'll book the garage again for when they've arrived to fix the leaks, put in Hydraflush and try to sort out this idle problem. I'm losing heart with that last one a little now, if I can't get to the bottom of it soon I may need to start thinking replace diesel pump. I'm armed with a blow torch, mig welder and impact wrench as well as my normal tools so can't see any problems other than impatience getting in the way, should be able to control that one.

On the way there I'm dropping in at the farm, it's picking up now. We have completed the incubation room in addition to the boiler room so I can start incubating spawn to fill up the fruiting room which we build next. It's kind of a race to have it ready by the time we need it.

[CitroJim]

Having a garage to work in will be a boon Elma... It'll be like working in paradise..

I'm sure we can sort the idle issues...

Looking forward to hearing more mushroom news... And tasting the results

[elma]

Working in a garage is definitely amazing, I must get one when I move. I've made good progress this morning on the front suspension, the wishbones are removed as are the balljoints and the p bushes. When I rang my friend with a press he was at a funeral so the front mini bushes will be changed tomorrow. The clarke 240v impact wrench proved to be quite useful for the ball joints, heat from the blowtorch was still necessary though. First attempt the socket dug the holes in the balljoint to double size, didn't get a pic will hopefully remember tomorrow. Second attempt I heated the hub up and it rattled out in no time. You can see theres still a fair bit of corrosion left in the hub even after all the rattling. I got the bushes off without damage to the arm as well, I've marked where they line up but not put the new bushes on yet in case they get in the way of the press.


I didn't get to the brake hose, the rear brakes or the sphere yet. With any luck the 3.5mm seals arrive before I take the callipers off, I won't wait though in case a bolt snaps so I can be ready to go as they arrive.

I did find an alarming problem with the engine today as well. See the pictures of what my coolant looks like.



It wasn't like this 48hrs ago and the engine started to smell different on the way to my parents this morning so I think it's very new. This coolant was very clean before today as I flushed the system when I changed the water pump within the last 2.5k or so. I shall put the 306 oil cooler onto the Xantia and flush the coolant to see if I'm in trouble or not. Has anyone ever seen the lithium grease like gunk I have in my coolant before? I've seen stuff like toothpaste stuff and pussy stuff in coolant but never grease like stuff. Also is it copper grease or thread lock to fit a lower balljoint with?

[CitroJim]

Great work on the suspension Elma.. What technique did you use to undo the swivel joints (lower balljoints) as I see you did not remove the hubs?

That gunk in the coolant is odd. It won't be the oil cooler as the gunk is too clean.. It looks like wax and may be from a rupture in ether the waxstat that controls cold idle or the thermostat as both contain a waxy substance...

Oil, if it was the oil cooler, would be black and horrible...

You should use a bit of Loctite on the threads of the swivel joints and peen the edges into the cutouts on the hub. The last thing you want is them coming loose in service!!!

Aren't garages to work in lovely

[elma]

Great work on the suspension Elma.. What technique did you use to undo the swivel joints (lower balljoints) as I see you did not remove the hubs?

That gunk in the coolant is odd. It won't be the oil cooler as the gunk is too clean.. It looks like wax and may be from a rupture in ether the waxstat that controls cold idle or the thermostat as both contain a waxy substance...

Oil, if it was the oil cooler, would be black and horrible...

You should use a bit of Loctite on the threads of the swivel joints and peen the edges into the cutouts on the hub. The last thing you want ios them coming loose in service!!!

Aren't garages to work in lovely

In reverse order,
Yes garages are very lovely.

Thank you, thread lock it shall be.

Jim thats the best news anyone could have given me, the thermostat has done 5k so probably it is the wax stat which makes me really happy. I don't think the 306 has the same one for its Lucas pump so I'll pull them both apart and examine. Do you think the rainbow colours are just from the wax maybe? They were the main indication of oil to me.

Lower balljoints I used the Clarke CEW1000 240v impact wrench and heated the hub with a blow torch because the impact gun was destroying the balljoint but not moving it. I have a Peugeot balljoint socket which was screwed up tight to the balljoint with its own nut and a 35mm impact socket between that and the wrench. The wrench is impressive only let down compared to an air one is the bulk and weight of it.

[CitroJim]

Ahh, another victory to the electric rattle gun then!!! Excellent

I really must get one...

I reckon the wax, when it melts in hot coolant, will certainly be oily enough to make rainbows...

I'll be interested to know the outcome but I've seen cooling systems where the oil cooler has ruptured and it really is nasty in the extreme...

Imagine what the sea looks like after a bad crude oil spill and you get the idea...

[elma]

Ahh, another victory to the electric rattle gun then!!! Excellent

I really must get one...

Unless you've a compressor it's a must have tool. No point if you've got air at all though because no variable power and limited access.

You're spot on with the oil cooler, when I've seen them go they've spat out the coolant in a dirty foaming fountain.

I meant to say earlier I drove home in Mums Scenic. It's a really cool car, I had one of the old shape (Mum handed it down to me). This ones got the keyless entry, auto handbrake and starter button and it's a really nice system to use in a really comfy car. Only problem I have with it is I forget to use the handbrake in normal cars when I give it back.

[elma]

Good progress made yesterday, Accumulator sphere is changed.

My Nightmare of a brake hose is also changed. It wouldn't come out with just the Bahco grips, I had to heat it.

One of my P-Bushes had to large an inner flange and rotated when fitted. See how the arm rotates but the bush doesn't. Eurocarparts have a fresh one waiting for me.

Heres my leaky sump.

Heres what the impact gun did to the first balljoint before I heated it and also to the impact socket.


I'm off to get the front end finished now, theres track rod ends and 1 drop link to go as well as that DOA bush to replace. I've then got the rear callipers to change and the gasket set for the engine has arrived so I'll get the rocker and inlet done asap. No 3.5mm seals yet so callipers and Lhm leaks have to wait until tomorrow. I think tomorrow will be the last day of work then it's book MOT, tyre fitting and tracking. I've overspent on parts so may be off the road for a week while I make back the MOT cash.

The pipe seals literally just arrived as I was going out of the front door. I'm still going to save the rear brakes for tomorrow but I will get those little leaks sorted today. No sign of the brillo exhaust washer yet but thats easy to change so not a problem.

[RichardW]

Heres what the impact gun did to the first balljoint before I heated it and also to the impact socket.

I'm willing to bet getting them out without a rattle gun would have been, er, trying