Tayne Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Have you polished that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacquer Peel Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 That 'chrome' trim is utter shit, looks much better now. Supernaut 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 Have you polished that? I think my phone's camera is very flattering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted April 1, 2017 Author Share Posted April 1, 2017 Changed the oil, oil filter, air filter and the LHM fluid today. Also greased the bearings in the heater blower and it's now much quieter. Lacquer Peel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted April 1, 2017 Author Share Posted April 1, 2017 Who wants an engine oil and LHM cocktail? The black trim is growing on me, the rain... not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Lacquer peel would likely run summert on that;) Lacquer Peel and 320touring 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted April 1, 2017 Author Share Posted April 1, 2017 Oh yeah, with the new LHM after running the flush fluid through it, the ride is even smoother. It's just getting ridiculous now. Skizzer and 320touring 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 Wind deflectors now fitted. Now I leave the car alone (apart from maybe going to the jet wash for a once over at some point in the near* future). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted April 29, 2017 Author Share Posted April 29, 2017 AUDIO SUCCESS! The right rear speaker was sounding a bit flatulent. I took it out to discover it was properly gubbed. Luckily, Brothernaut handed me a pair of JBL 5" speakers that fitted perfectly. He said he wasn't using them and had them sitting about a while (judging by the amount of dust on them, I'd agree with that). When I removed the left rear speaker, the magnet fell off the back of it, so that definitely needed done too. Then I moved onto the front, because I had some speakers from the front of a Peugeot 306 estate sitting about, which were in much better condition than the ones in the Xantia, and were the exact same model of speaker, with the same plug on the back too. Easy swap, and the front left was discovered to be one mounting screw short. I have plenty of spares though, so that was sorted and got rid of the buzzing from that corner. I then managed to bodge my aerial connector on the back of the stereo by squeezing it back into shape with pliers. I now have radio too! I celebrated by listening to some Classic FM on my now silky smooth, non-flatulent sound system. Lovely. Dave_Q, The Moog, Skizzer and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted May 1, 2017 Author Share Posted May 1, 2017 I could do with a replacement heater blower motor to put the icing on the cake, really. The one in there, even though I greased the bearings as best I could (they don't look serviceable, really) is squeaking a little bit again. Just now and then. Today, I learned something: Hurr. Who'd have thunk it? The Moog 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted June 25, 2017 Author Share Posted June 25, 2017 I'm not sure how to put this. This car is sort of for sale, I guess. I'll listen to offers for it. I've no idea how much it's worth though, as every time I've tried to sell it, it's been met by a huge cold front. Basically, it's a mechanically solid and low-mileage Xantia, but cosmetically it's utter shit. Anybody want it? It's really nice to drive, but it doesn't set the road on fire. I feel like I want something utterly stupid again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rantingYoof Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 Obviously you invited slappage earlier in this thread if you ever considered selling it, but as I'd rather an excuse to browse Autotrader, prepare for a BOMBARDMENT... Supernaut 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted June 25, 2017 Author Share Posted June 25, 2017 Well, if I still have this in September I'll be doing a mega-cheap roffle. I plan to buy my brother's Civic Aerodeck off him once he's finished with it, and he says he'll probably sell it in September. It's absolutely mint, and I have no need for two cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 After over a year of trouble-free motoring, I fired it up earlier this evening to be greeted by this: Hmmm... I then decided to open the bonnet. Oh, shit! On closer inspection, there seems to be a pinhole in the thermostat housing. I think it's been leaking very very slowly for the past couple of weeks. When the engine is up to temperature, a fine spray comes out of the left edge of that indented circle. I've currently got a big bottle of water in the boot, and it seems happy enough once topped up. Obviously not a long-term solution though. Liquid metal time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayne Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Is the thermostat housing part of the head? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 Is the thermostat housing part of the head? I don't think so. It looks removable. I know where you're going with this. Do it properly and replace the housing. I'm thinking short-term to get it going again, liquid metal, if it would help, while in the meantime trying to source a thermostat housing. The fine spray of coolant has made a lovely mess though. It's hit the top hose and then completely covered the engine bay side of the radiator in brown sticky goo as well. Beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayne Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Why not just buy another one rather trying to bodge up a bit of your cooling system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Why not just buy another one rather trying to bodge up a bit of your cooling system?It's a bit excessive buying a whole new car because the thermostat is leaking. The Moog, Dave_Q and They_all_do_that_sir 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayne Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 It's a bit excessive buying a whole new car because the thermostat is leaking. Do you think he should just buy another thermostat housing? SiC, rml2345 and The Moog 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 Hmm, thermostat housing just seems to be the top part. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thermostat-Housing-Citroen-Xantia-Xsara-Evasion-Peugeot-206-306-406-806-2-0-HDi-/301374403699?hash=item462b507473:g:9i4AAOSwF1dUUqEZ The bit that's leaking is below that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 It looks a bit like a core plug. Supernaut 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 It looks a bit like a core plug. Aaaaah! So, how does one replace a core plug? Never done one before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayne Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Aaaaah! So, how does one replace a core plug? Never done one before. I dunno, these seem expensive. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-PEUGEOT-CITROEN-1-4-1-6V-1-6-16V-3-0-V6-2-0-HDi-25mm-CORE-PLUG-023308-/361962652124?hash=item5446a7c1dc:g:jC8AAOSwWiBY~yzo Why not just get some JB Weld instead? On the other hand...https://www.howacarworks.com/cooling-systems/replacing-core-plugs Supernaut 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 Ordered! Might end up borrowing my brother's Civic to go to Glasgow at the weekend. I've already asked and he's ok with it, as I'm a named driver on it. Woo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 9, 2017 Author Share Posted August 9, 2017 Core plug due on Friday or Saturday morning. I need to be in Glasgow on Saturday evening. Train ticket? Naaaah. I've been told on the French Car Forum to put a meaty self-tapping screw into the old core plug then use a claw hammer to pull it out. Then clean up the mating surface and tap the new one in with a block of wood and a hammer. Easy! As mentioned before, I can fall back on brothernaut's Civic, but where's the fun (and waft-factor) in that? The Moog and Dave_Q 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somewhatfoolish Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 Other than smearing the new plug with goo of choice that's the way to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 10, 2017 Author Share Posted August 10, 2017 Lacquer Peel has just left my house, with his intercooler and air filter. He gave me a hand with the job on the Xantia. We got so close, yet so far.... Firstly, we drained the coolant: Fucking grim! Then we removed the old core plug by drilling a pilot hole, driving in a self-tapper and pulling with a claw hammer. Woo! Well, a couple of pilot holes. The first was a bit too loose, so I used a smaller drill bit for the second one. We then found out that the core plug I bought is 25mm, the core plug I need is 30mm. Shit. It seems a fairly common part so surely a local motor factors will have one in stock. Once I source one, bash it in and fill with coolant! Now, LP did suggest I run it with just water for a few days to flush the cooling system. Would I be ok to do this from Aberdeen to Glasgow and back at the weekend? Then I could drain it on Sunday and fill it with proper coolant. Lacquer Peel and somewhatfoolish 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted August 11, 2017 Author Share Posted August 11, 2017 What the fuck has happened to motor factors? Nobody in Aberdeen keeps core plugs in stock! Nobody! I'd have thought it's a fairly universal part, but nope. They have to order them in, apparently. Autosave said they do keep them in stock, but according to the spiel I got on the phone, they order them in a big box of various sizes and try to use up the whole box before ordering more, and the only ones left in the bottom of the box are 32mm and they didn't want to get in a whole box. WTF?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somewhatfoolish Posted August 11, 2017 Share Posted August 11, 2017 Some stupid people run their motors on water all the time; there are two reasons for anti-freeze/coolant, the most obvious being the clue in the name and the other is to inhibit corrosion caused by there being dissimilar metals in close proximity with water. It's the middle of a fairly mediocre scottish summer* but I think the risk of freezing is low even in sub-tropical Aberdeenshire and the amount of corrosion that will happen in a few days can safely be ignored. A dob of soap powder or a dishwasher tab in the water might help shift stubborn lumps of shite in the cooling galleries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted August 11, 2017 Share Posted August 11, 2017 The internet happened. Even Halfords used to keep core plugs and manifold studs and stuff like that. Then people realised they could buy it online for pennies and Halfords decided that the space would be better served by selling pink fluffy steering wheel covers and camping stoves. It all sucks massive, dry, cracked, suppurating elephant scrotum....sure, its nice to be able to buy shit online for cheap, but thats fuck all use when you need something straight away, and while online savings for a stereo or something are probably worthwhile and you can wait for delivery, saving 6.3 pence on a core plug but having to wait 4 days suddenly seems like a farce. Lacquer Peel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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