Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Tell us your ongoing tales and experiences with your French car here. Post pictures of your car here as well.
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Zelandeth
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by Zelandeth »

*carefully notes that lot down for future reference...*

Managed to dump a fair amount of water contaminated oil on the drive last week, yet more things I need to clean up! I was expecting three to four litres of oil out the sump...not three and a half litres of coolant before I found any oil...
Current fleet:
07 Volvo V70 SE D5, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
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van ordinaire
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by van ordinaire »

Actually, removing that trackbar bracket shouldn't be too bad, the bolts must be 15, 16 mm, so will take however much welly it takes to free them. Taking the bar off the bracket (which, clearly should be done 1st) could be interesting though - I've never come across a taper in a pressing before.

The ATF is as clean as any that's been poured into a trans, thrashed about while discovering still no drive, left for several months & drained out. Could not believe/understand the amount that slopped out as I removed the last bolt, considering I drained it last weekend!

Still got a couple of litres of washing-up liquid (NOT the cheapest, which I've found to be a false economy) &, probably, 8 kg of biological powder, so, if the rain's stopped might try that tomorrow, at least on the stuff that's escaped from under the Cherokee.

Must get some more cat litter though [most of that went when the temporary fix to the PAS pipe let go & sprayed fluid all over the (mercifully, mechanical fan-free) engine & inner wings, so over a period of time dripped over a considerable area] - any suggestions as to what's best for this use? AND, any ideas for removing cat litter stains form tarmac?

Nearly forgot Saturday's moment of excitement. Coming back over the moor, pull off the road to (of all things) fight with the drop down overhead bin to extract sunglasses, in a wide arc, without braking (all classic tread gently stuff) only to find on wet grass Mud Terrains are no better than slicks & slide, not so gracefully, into one of those granite outcrops for which Dartmoor is famous. At least it wasn't a lamb - or a pony, flashes through my mind as I, just as quickly, stick it in 4WD & reverse to extricate myself from this unfortunately placed piece of natural hard landscaping. Parking up, get out & peer under the front, thanks to the 2" lift & removal of the valence, the point of impact appears to be on the antiroll bar, which it seems has enough spring in it not to have suffered any damage. Back in the dry & warm, don sunglasses & very gently ease out onto the road. Now, it drives OK, nothing feels amiss but don't actually know what symptoms of a slightly deformed - as opposed to visibly bent - ARB would be. Might take the one off the spares car (already missing one drop link) then when time comes to do the bushes, change the ARB as a matter of course.
Citroens:-
'81 2CV Club :cry:
'05 C15 :!:
'97 Xantia Exclusive estate [-o<
others:-
Jeep XJ Cherokees x 3 :?
'96 Cadillac Eldorado
'99 Cadillac STS :|
& the numerous "abandoned projects" #-o
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van ordinaire
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by van ordinaire »

Spent an hour or so under the front of the parts car on Sunday morning, to further investigate/prepare for removing the track bar or at least its mounting bracket, which I now favour - but discovered won't be so easy.

Doused all the mounting bolts & looked more closely at disconnecting the bar from its bracket. The mounting is not easy to get a line of sight on & not much room to swing a spanner. Managed to get the splitpin out - an achievement in itself, but, so far the nut on ball joint has refused to budge. Intention was really only to soak everything for a week but knowing what I know now, at next week's autojumble, will be looking for a shallow, wall drive, 3/4/19mm socket, an even longer breaker bar & a yellow gas cartridge.; can't remember which gas that is (I hadn't realised they were colour coded) but informed that is the hottest burning one.

Not so sure now about swapping anti-roll bars, simply because it is so rusty - but treated the mountings just in case.
Citroens:-
'81 2CV Club :cry:
'05 C15 :!:
'97 Xantia Exclusive estate [-o<
others:-
Jeep XJ Cherokees x 3 :?
'96 Cadillac Eldorado
'99 Cadillac STS :|
& the numerous "abandoned projects" #-o
ekjdm14
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by ekjdm14 »

I think it's unlikely you'd have deformed the ARB enough to make a difference, only symptoms I can think of aside from developing an appetite for bushes would be to set the vehicle on a slight lean. For it to be far enough out to make a worthwhile difference though I'd imagine you'd be able to see the bend quite easily. For my money I'd leave it even if there were a small bend. I'd take a little deformity over a rust-weakened one any time.
'95 Xantia LX 1.9D-auto, Black, 118k
'97 306 XS 1.6i, Blaze Yellow, 24k
'96 ZX SX 1.9TD, White, 87k
'09 407SW 2.0HDi, Black, 120k
elma
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by elma »

I'd agree with Dan, ARB is springy steel. If you've deformed it it'll just be tighter and roll less. I doubt you will have if you hit the end anyway.
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CitroJim
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by CitroJim »

I've tried to bend an ARB in the past - deliberately...

It would be easier to herd cats or nail jelly to a tree....
Jim

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Hell Razor5543
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by Hell Razor5543 »

CitroJim wrote: 18 Jun 2017, 17:27 I've tried to bend an ARB in the past - deliberately...

It would be easier to herd cats or nail jelly to a tree....

It is easy to herd cats, if you are properly prepared. Just find out what they like to eat, buy a load, and they will follow you for ages! Chicken usually works well.
James
ex BX 1.9
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ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
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CitroJim
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by CitroJim »

Cats NEVER do as you want them to do James, however hard you try :twisted:
Jim

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bobins
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by bobins »

Apparently the German take on that phrase is "Like trying to herd mosquitoes" :)
Hell Razor5543
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by Hell Razor5543 »

CitroJim wrote: 18 Jun 2017, 18:53 Cats NEVER do as you want them to do James, however hard you try :twisted:

Well, it depends on how hard you try, and what you want them to do. My Mum has (where bringing in little presents are concerned) managed to train every cat she has owned. If the present is small, furry and squeaking the cat gets shouted at. If the present is small, furry and dead then the cat gets a fuss made of it (and on the occasion when Waah-Li brought in a rabbit she had it for supper). However, if the present is small and feathered the cat gets blanked. They quickly get the message.
James
ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
ex C5 2.2HDi VTX+

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Out amongst the stars, looking for a world of my own!
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CitroJim
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by CitroJim »

Siamese cats by any chance James?

They can be trained to a degree in my experience...

Moggy cats are just contrary little buggers and that's one reason I don't have any time for them :twisted:
Jim

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RichardW
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by RichardW »

My take on that is trying to get 2 small boys to do what you want. I rate that as like trying to herd wild goats. On speed!!
Richard W
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CitroJim
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by CitroJim »

RichardW wrote: 19 Jun 2017, 12:19 My take on that is trying to get 2 small boys to do what you want. I rate that as like trying to herd wild goats. On speed!!


Same applies to two small girls too Richard :lol:
Jim

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daviemck2006
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by daviemck2006 »

And as for two girls then a boy,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Skoda Karoq 1.6tdi 2018
Citroen dispatch 2014
In the family
Seat Leon 1.5tsi tourer 2019 daughter 1
C1 vtr+ 2010 daughter 2
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myglaren
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Re: Travels & travails with a C15 (& other vehicles)

Unread post by myglaren »

And three girls and two boys!