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

[Zelandeth]

Visually the bike looks pretty much like any larger commuter bike I think, which seems to be kinda the idea of the manufacturer rather than trying to make it look like a space-bike. The water bottle contains naught but boring old H2O.

Had another non-start in the cold this evening, so think tomorrow afternoon if time permits I'll look at changing the glow plugs, battery is currently on the charger. I've got three spare Beru plugs at the moment (thanks Jim), but reckon that the two accessible ones will have been done more recently, one was dodgy when I got the car, but I now reckon the second old one has recently (in the last week) given up...so I'll start at the fuel pump end and see how it goes. ...Or I'll be sensible and pop down to GSF and just get a fourth plug and do the lot! Depends how much energy I can summon in the morning...

[CitroJim]

The hidden ones aren't too bad Zel, use a 12mm cranked ring to undo them and then tie a bit of wire to them to retrieve them and stop them escaping... I've found many hiding down behind the pump in the past...

Also, Blu-Tak is your friend

[Zelandeth]

Didn't have time today, but have had a peer at it and it doesn't look the end of the world, awkward but doable - just hoping they come out of the head without protest (did blast them with Plusgas today). Have got a 4th plug on order from GSF so will pick that up tomorrow and see if time (and weather) permit me to finish this in the afternoon.

[CitroJim]

Zel, do the glowplugs with the engine a little warm to take advantage of differential expansion

[RichardW]

Xantia glow plug change: http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=20675 Still makes me shudder.....!!

Go very carefully when cracking the plugs off - I broke a big lump off the head casting on my Sisters N/A ZX taking one of the plugs out - fortunately there was enough thread left to get hold of it, and I covered it with chemical metal which made it stay in!

[Zelandeth]

Have had that happen on a bus engine, was a right pig to fix as I recall...that's why they have been getting daily doses of Plusgas. Hoping the "liberal coating" of oil will have helped too...mine does rather look like a 200K mile engine!

Didn't get to it today thanks mainly to the weather. She did go and make a liar out of me though, figured I would see if she would go when I went to get the plug (remembered to pick up some Osram Nightbreaker headlight bulbs too so hopefully I can see again). Went and fired up immediately didn't she...despite being several degrees colder than yesterday...go figure.

...Today however, the heater fan is only running at about 10% speed. Still stops on the off position, but won't go any higher irrespective of the setting (including auto). Likely the control pot, issues in the speed controller on the motor or a dodgy connection somewhere you think?

[CitroJim]

This thread will help with the blower issue Zel. You can check the control signals going to the regulator but also check the supply voltage is good a little high resistance may be causing this...

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 19&t=24786

If the motor is duff I have a spare you can have

[Zelandeth]

Haven't had a chance to really investigate the blower today, but will look into it shortly. Today is sprang to life again for about ten minutes at the set speed, then dropped back to 10%, and did this a couple of times while I was out. Stinks of a dodgy contact somewhere to me. Supply is possibly suspect as well as if memory serves the power supply to the blower is one of the many things which goes through the infamous loom under the radiator, which courtesy of my cooling fan issues I know most likely has issues...Hmm...

Today was mostly spent working on the Sinclair C5 though. Adjusted the brakes, discovered that one of the wheel bearings was in dire need of adjustment so sorted that, but mainly...





...Fitted indicators. Will try to get a better photo tomorrow in daylight.

Given that 90% of drivers (and a significant number of cyclists judging from those who have nearly cycled into me while I was signalling) don't seem to understand hand signals and it's actually kinda awkward doing them while riding the C5 due to the position you're sitting in these will be useful I think. They currently don't flash as I couldn't find the old 2-pin thermal flasher unit that I'm sure I have rattling around somewhere, but have ordered a new one for all of two quid so will sort that when it arrives. They're usually adjustable to some extent so should be able to deal with the relatively low load - will throw the duty cycle off a bit but not really worried about that...not as though it needs to pass an MOT! Also need to actually attach the switch as you might be able to see, but as people were getting back from work I was given other tasks to work on...

[Hell Razor5543]

James May was doing a cars program on BBC2 yesterday (third of 3 episodes), and the Sinclair C5 was in there with other cars (such as a turbine powered Chrysler, property of Jay Leno, and with an rpm in the 10s of thousands (when James was driving it, he had 33,000RPM shown)). Do you know why it is called the C5? It is named after Sir Clive Sinclair; C as the first letter of his name, and 5 because there are 5 letters in Clive.

[Zelandeth]

So *that's* what he was up to when he was spotted in a C5 around here a few months ago! Will be grabbing that off iPlayer later then.

The Chrysler Turbine Car really is quite something, remember seeing it on Jay's Youtube channel a couple of years ago.

[myglaren]

[Hell Razor5543]

Jools Holland has a replica of one of those;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... c-car.html

[myglaren]

Jools Holland has a replica of one of those;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar ... c-car.html

No gas turbine in it though.

[HansNOR]

Chop Shop ... that was something else. Will never forget the look on this one actors face when they had totally destroyed a Saab to make his "dream" car .

[Zelandeth]

Glow plugs done. Well...three of them are. I have no idea how to get at no 4, but I knew two were working okay and the first two that came out were soaking wet with diesel which lead me to believe that 3 and 4 were working. No 3 had previously been somewhat cross threaded so was tight both coming out and the new one going in - but it did tighten up okay. Was unnerving though!

Starting after this was done was absolutely instant, literally the first turn she fired straight up. No stumbling, near no smoke. Score. Theory that no 4 was okay seems to be proven then.

Will have another shot at 4 at some point in the future...but looking at it I simply have no idea how people manage to get at it!

That has to be one of the most awkward annoying jobs I have ever done. Everything in the way of everything else and my hands always being where the tools needed to be.