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

[Zelandeth]

The lamp housing itself is made by Hella, but aside from the type approval markings there is only one number stamped in the lens, which doesn't return any useful results in a web search.

Today my aux belt tensioner finally arrived, so I should be pretty much set for the timing belt change at some point shortly (should I also change the eccentric tensioner down by the alternator or is that one usually reliable?). We've got the belt itself, it's pulleys etc, water pump and the spring loaded aux belt tensioner. Got a new aux belt on the way too, though the current one actually looks perfectly serviceable so it's less urgent at least.

Be nice to get that done so I'm not scared to drive the car! Skoda has been getting most of the day to day use lately as I've been determined not to tempt fate.

[citronut]

try contacting Hella as maybe they make the hole thing,

with the aux belt tensioners i find its usually the auto tensioner arm pivot bearing that fails and cocks the pulley over, yhe best way to test the pulley bearings is with the belt off and spin them

[Zelandeth]

Today I ended up with a spare hour or so, so instead of doing something on the actual to do list, I dug out my cleaning supplies and attacked the interior of the Xantia. It had been full of dead leaves and dog hair for the last month and a half and it was doing my head in.

After about an hour, this is how things looked.





Never really appreciated until sitting in the back working on that area what a ridiculous amount of room there is in the back of the Xantia for a car its size.

Hopefully get this lot fitted soon (having finally managed to find the water pump and timing belt today that I got weeks ago and then tidied!). Will probably give Jim a shout and see when he would be available to be on hand to make sure I don't make a complete meal of it.



Think I'll be moving an LHM change up the list as well as checking it today (did a bit of a Citrobics session while I was cleaning the interior plastics as it was a good opportunity I figured) it looks a lot grimier than it did when I got the car. Plus the big 200K is only a few hundred miles away, so will probably do quite a few random jobs like that then anyway, the old girl deserves some TLC! Likewise, I know the ride height is a bit on the high side, so might try to address that at the same time.

[CitroJim]

You're more than welcome to do the work ere Zel, we just need to find a suitable date and time not too far distant

I'd do that sooner or later if I were you

[Zelandeth]

Today I decided to have a shot at getting the dead fan motor off the Xantia, no dice. Need to pick up a cranked 10mm ring spanner that I can modify to get at the nuts on the bracket. Job for tomorrow then.

I did notice something though when sitting in front of the car looking up at it. A little white sticker hidden in the recess at the back corner of the bonnet for one.



What a stupid place to put it...Only places you can see it from are if you're sitting on the ground in front of the car or standing on your head by the washer bottle.

Hmmm...

[CitroJim]

Well, at least you know the belt has be done relatively recently Zel

As for the fan nuts a cranked ring will not do... I used a small 100 1/4" drive socket with flats ground on so it can be turned with a spanner.. The clearance between the fan nuts and the A/C condenser is so tight that nothing conventional will fit except a modified socket...

[Zelandeth]

Hmm, was using the advice there from the how to guide on the site here.

Sure I've got a couple of "Cheap & Nasty" (TM) socket sets floating around here that can be suitably hacked!

[Zelandeth]

Today I mostly resolved the steering vibration at speed issue.

Took the wheeltrim on the N/S front wheel which has a big chunk missing and stuck it on the rear wheel instead. Vibration vanished, so it is just that knocking the balance off. Really need to get that trim replaced...

[CitroJim]

Gosh, never knew a damaged trim could make such a difference but it's logical when you think about it!

[citronut]

when i worked at H G Havauxs ( Whatlington garage ) on the bleep bleep bleep 21 ( censored specially for Sir Jim )

being out in the sticks we obviously catered for the farming community ( brand new CX safaris were used as cattle wagons )

we found if the inside of the rim had chunks of mud and other farm yard stuff stuck to it, this would cause wheel wobble,

so if/when balancing wheels we automatically brushed the inside of the rims out

[CitroJim]

on the bleep bleep bleep 21 ( censored specially for Sir Jim )

Thanks Malcolm, very appreciated

[Zelandeth]

To be fair there is a fair chunk missing from it! Removing it has definitely helped, but noticed on the motorway today that there is still a bit of vibration from somewhere. Will need to have a look when we get home (on holiday this week at Center Parcs Woburn), see if all wheels are actually round. Given the shape of that wheeltrim (and the state the tracking was in when I got it) the nearside front wheel has a right whack sometime. Not actually sure where that wheel is now as they were all off when the tyres were changed.

Moving the broken trim definitely helped though so that wasn't helping.

Found out today that you can indeed fit a Sinclair C5 in the back of a Xantia hatchback - just. You do need to remove the rear seat bases though to get enough length. Which takes all of about 30 seconds.

[CitroJim]

Gosh That's a long way to go on holiday Zel!

[Zelandeth]

Just typed up a reply to this and my browser crashed and lost it...grrr...

We've quite a long history of going to CP up at Sherwood Forest, and really like that one. Elveden we were very non-plussed by though. Not least because the swimming place was freezing.

The Woburn one had availability and was priced right though, so we thought it was worth a shot. Being only 20 mins down the road meant that taking a few trips to get the C5 and Abby's recumbent trike here was a viable proposition too. It's self contained enough that it still very much feels like you're "away on holiday" though despite the proximity of home.

It's not bad, miles ahead of Elveden, but still think we'll be going back to Sherwood next time.

...need to get a roof rack and bike rack for the Xantia first though!

[CitroJim]

We used to go to CP in the middle of winter Zel and our favourite was always the Lake District one, especially in the snow... Tried them all one - by - one and yes, tend to agree about Elveden...

I'd love to go again but have no kids of a suitable age now