Tales from beyond the grave AKA Dan & Emma's Black Xantia, pug 206HDi, Daniel's 206 Verve 1.4i, GTi180 plus XUD9TE 206!!

[CitroJim]

Dan, I had a look at my diagrams but sadly I only have the diagrams that cover the later airbag arrangement. Sorry

[ekjdm14]

That's OK, thanks for looking anyway Jim. I'm hoping the guy will be at his yard tomorrow and I'll be able to grab all the bits from that car (I believe it had the later system installed as per White's original one, since the instrument cluster I took from it has the airbag light not the steering wheel).

Just re-checked and sitting with no power for a while has made no difference either, still started first turn though Got to be grateful for these small victories lol & depending on the weather I may try and grab the rest of the bits I wanted for Black's sunroof.

Hopeful for a result with the scrapyard bits.

[ekjdm14]

Finally some progress worth reporting on lol, airbag light is out & buoyed by that result I got straight on with removing the AC compressor & refitting the rad/intercooler and pipework. She's now back on all 4 wheels and after a final bit of interior reassembly and tidying up should be ready for the MoT man to have a pick at her and see if there's anything I've missed. (I do have a split in the rack gaiter but if the new one arrives quickly that'll be done first, then I really can be hopeful for a pass).

Knackered now, but pleased...

[CitroJim]

Dan, excellent!

[ekjdm14]

Well happy, although I'm wondering if I needed the whole lot of airbag kit since I also eventually found an intermittent break in the green pretensioner wire on the passenger seat. (after stopping to think a moment and picking out the shorting tabs from the ECU plug) Still worth saving the other bits as spares for now though & they can sit in the garage rather than in the now-leaking scrap Estate.

It's a shame that the AC system I've decided will have to stay inactive, but since there was damage to the alloy pipe that runs up the right chassis leg as well as extensive corrosion to the condenser and the dead compressor that I knew about, it's just a bigger job than I'm prepared to get into just for cold air that can be had from the windows most of the time in this country anyway.
Maybe in the future I could round up the whole lot from a car being broken but it's not a priority right now, only time I'd do such major remedial work is if I have to replace the heater matrix or have the dash out for anything else...

Quite excited now to get her in for a test, might put White on the road for a while and give Black a break when I can do some little jobs that need seeing to for the long term health of the car.

[CitroJim]

Aircon to me is like heated seats... I've had many cars with both but in all cases I've hardly ever used either...

Aircon I found vaguely useful on occasions after a long and warm run where you'd return to the car dripping in perspiration and all the windows would instantly steam up

[ekjdm14]

That's another thing both cars have, their leather has the heated cushion wiring present but not wired in. Both this and AC are luxuries IMO, nice to have if they're working but not worth a big struggle to get.

Just been out and checked, she fired up almost too well after sitting overnight and with a little grey smoke on blipping the throttle so I imagine the pump timing is still a bit advanced (seemed to like it better that way with the bent rod). One more little job to do, no big deal though and hearing it run so smoothly with too much advance makes me feel good about the integrity of the bottom end now.

[CitroJim]

Advanced timing will always help starting Dan... hence why most pumps have a cold advance feature...

Easy to tell by ear if the timing is over-advanced when warm as the diesel knock sound will have a distinctly metallic ring to it...

Just back it off until it sounds right...

[ekjdm14]

That's what I thought with it starting so readily, by rights it should take a fraction longer than the NA due to lower compression but it just takes off after half a crank!

In other news, We've just been to visit the site where I found a 405 Mi16 abandoned and managed to speak to a neighbour who confirmed the property has been derelict for at least the 6 years they've been there. Also they mentioned (and we saw evidence of) that somebody has been there in the last few weeks starting to clear out the houses on the site... I've left a contact number with the gentleman and hoping upon hope that I get a chance to rescue the poor old pug. Even if it has gone rotten it deserves a chance, it's one of 15 remaining according to Howmanyleft and that includes the special editions/4x4. There are actually only 10 of the "standard" Mi16s of that year left, none of which are currently taxed.

Poor car really seemed to be crying out to me, even the driver's seat material seems solid under the moss growth, and the floorpan is at least solid enough to hold a pool of water!

[CitroJim]

That has got to be a very worthy rescue Dan.. Most 405 Mi16s died to provide engines for 205GTis so the ones now left are very precious...

I really, really hope you succeed in rescuing it or at least alerting the owner/custodian to the intrinsic value of it...

Don't let on at first though as it may just be given away to get rid

[ekjdm14]

Oh I know they took a bit hit to 205 modifiers back in the day, looking on ebay just now though it seems they possibly still are since there was a couple of engines for sale. 2 whole cars as well, for quite shocking money but in nice condition. Going to push as far as I can with this one due to the rarity factor, even the good lady is on board which is nice

[CitroJim]

even the good lady is on board which is nice

Excellent That's 99% of the battle won

[Zelandeth]

Have to admit that heated seats are a luxury I didn't think I'd use much - until I had them.

The ones in the Saab you don't have any control over - they're just a background warmth that helps with the first five minutes or so until the heater kicks in when it's freezing.

The ones in the Activa though properly bake you - which my occasionally dodgy back has been very much enjoying from time to time...air conditioning is something I'd always rather have as I do struggle a bit with the heat down here compared to Aberdeen. You didn't tend to get warm and humid at the same time up there, and warm humid days knock me out in short order.

[Michel]

I love heated seats and air-con. I won't have a car without air-con now. "Conditioning" is the word... it's not just cooling and heating, but it dries the air out, filters it , It's brilliant for demisting too!

[ekjdm14]

That is true, but with White at least we retain the filtering part I suppose

The heat in summer kills me pretty fast as well, but I've always found that air con exacerbates the situation (I end up getting nice and cool in the car and then the heat/humidity hits me twice as hard when I venture out of the car.)

Given the choice between working AC in White and owning a 405 Mi16 project I know which I'd choose