Zel's Fleet Blog - BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D & 230TE, AC Model 70.

[Hell Razor5543]

I wonder if the series 2 rear wipers are different, and if it is possible to swap over an arm for a series 2?

[xantia_v6]

I wonder if the series 2 rear wipers are different, and if it is possible to swap over an arm for a series 2?

The Xantia S1 and S2 rear wiper arms are different. On the S1 the screen wash jet is on the wiper arm, and if you fit a conventional blade it obstructs the stream of water. On the S2 the washer jet is at the top of the window.

[Zelandeth]

I wonder if the series 2 rear wipers are different, and if it is possible to swap over an arm for a series 2?

The Xantia S1 and S2 rear wiper arms are different. On the S1 the screen wash jet is on the wiper arm, and if you fit a conventional blade it obstructs the stream of water. On the S2 the washer jet is at the top of the window.

...Which reminds me, that's also on my to do list. The pipe has snapped off the spray bar on the washer on mine. Need to sort that...

[van ordinaire]

The rear wipers I saw didn't appear to be model specific but, if I can remember where I saw them, I'll have closer look next time. However that pin (not dissimilar to the wipers on the Eldorado) is the fastening on that particular car, many use more common (conventional?) means of attachment to the arm. Still don't understand what makes a wiper peculiarly rear - AND I'd never seen, or heard of, such a thing until, maybe, a month ago.

The problems of wipers in hot climates was interesting, might explain why a lot of Majorcan cars didn't have them.

Never heard of trimming blades but a trick I learnt long ago was to cut the ends off at 45* which stops them splitting.

[Zelandeth]

Activa has been back in front line use today again.

You'd think after five trips I'd have made a dent in the garden waste mountain...not a bit of it!

Also filled her up...£85 worth of petrol. Reminds me why I don't usually let it get too low, the tank is flipping vast!

[CitroJim]

Excellent! Good to see the trailer in good use

PM sent on a closely related subject

[myglaren]

Just spotted on the Beeb Zel:
Invacar history.

[CitroJim]

Just spotted on the Beeb Zel:
Invacar history.

That's quite a good one by BEEB standards

[Zelandeth]

I really need to find time to watch that news segment...I must have been linked to it by about 20 people today...many of whom I don't even know... hadn't realised my having the Invacar was so well known!

I do have to admit to being hugely curious as to whether their being road legal again now will lead to their getting something of a cult following of enthusiasts or whether they will become popular with the mainstream microcar crowd. Being totally honest, compared to a lot of the quite popular ones the Invacar (by which I always mean the Model 70 unless I say otherwise) is really quite well engineered - for all it looks somewhat comical and within some limitations simply because it is so small and light. I've yet to drive mine on the road, but it seems like a vehicle which can work as a real - if very small - car. Engine is still near musical to my ears. Power isn't all that much short of that a 2CV has to work with, and it's a good 200kg lighter...so usable performance shouldn't be a problem.

Speaking of performance...the difference that changing the air filter has made to the enthusiasm that the Activa bounds forward with under boost is astonishing...had the first opportunity to really give it some beans today (when showing an Impreza WRX driver that he was in fact *not* getting away with undertaking me around that roundabout), it's definitely made a tangible difference. Wasn't sure if it was all in my head before, but no...under full throttle that's definitely breathing better.

Given the next big job she will likely see will be a new exhaust system, will be interesting to see if having that we'll matched to the car will make any difference...only comparison I really have is to the system the Saab 900 turbo used, and it was quite a bit larger bore...so I do wonder if it's a bit restrictive.

The tip however absolutely has to remain looking right, irrespective of any re-engineering that may take place!

[CitroJim]

I do have to admit to being hugely curious as to whether their being road legal again now will lead to their getting something of a cult following of enthusiasts or whether they will become popular with the mainstream microcar crowd.

I don't think there is any doubt about that Zel... I'm sure they will attract a big cult following...

[Zelandeth]

Been business as usual last few days. Given I was stuck twiddling my thumbs for a fair chunk of the day while waiting for a package to arrive (eventually turned up after 1600), I decided a couple of small jobs needed done.

Lada has always had an issue with the windscreen washers being capable of being used approximately twice between having to dismantle the system and unclogging the jets.

This was due to some horrible slime that was growing in the washer bottle. It was also visibly gross.

Oh, the cap the pump was attached to was split as well (they all do that) leaving the pump dangling by the hoses.

So today I took it out, subjected it to a thorough deep clean, reinforced the cracked cap (stuck a cable tie around the outside clamping it to the rim on the tank) and bolted the pump back in place.

Aaaaaand back in place...

Much better. Hopefully won't clog up every two seconds now. At the very least it now looks clean and won't annoy my OCD so much.

Though looking at that photo there's a new question raised: where has a significant chunk of my coolant gone?

[white exec]

Have seen that some commercial screenwash mixes do seem to allow bacterial growth in the reservoir (and pipework/jets), or at least don't inhibit it completely.
Try switching to another brand, and a readymix one that doesn't involve tapwater. Might be worth purging the system with a bleach solution, to kill off what's there. Last resort: steritabs!

[Zelandeth]

To be fair it came pre-equipped with the slime when I got it (just had plain water in the tank), it's not got any worse since I've had the car.

If I keep having issues I'll look into it in more depth... hopefully this will at least improve matters.

[CitroJim]

Good work Zel

Slimy screenwash is perhaps the most horrid thing on this planet

I once recovered the headlight washing bits from a scrap Xantia and the stench made me sick - I couldn't go near any of the components for weeks until i managed to build up enough nerve to wash them...

[van ordinaire]

Something, I'm pleased to say, I've never encountered - but it sounds gross!

Zel, not sure about your choice of additive - in a red car!

B-t-w, at the start of my last little jaunt sur le continent, I discovered the C15's washers were empty (no, it'd never occurred to be to check) AND thar French/Belgian garages don't seem to have any water. Driving into the sun was teejous but when I got there (Malmedy Expo) armed with a 1.25l Pepsi bottle found beside the seat I got some water from the toilets (no! not literally!) added one of the free samples of additive languishing on the parcel shelf since Essen(?) & voila, thanks to the wiper blade that was an MoT advisory 2 years ago, one crystal clear wiper arc! Only then did I realise that in 3 1/2 yrs & 30,000(?) miles - I've never had to top-up the washers before.