mrcitroen

London Transport used black & white plates into the '80's. something that always intreagued me. Anyone know why?

Yesterday was good fun. I enjoyed it.
 
 
Yes, we gapped the points to the recommended .35mm set the timing to 10 deg btdc using my fancy snap on strobe and fitted new correctly gapped plugs.
 
It did run much better after that. The points had closed up considerably. The SEV Marchal cassette points are a nightmare. To adjust them the dizzy needs to come out, but I showed Neil that you can drill a hole in the dizzy body and insert an Allen key and adjust in situ. A dwell gauge is used if going that route.
 
Incidentally, I have the factory manual and it recommends setting the points by dwell rather than gap.
 
I definatley think the carby needs a service kit thrown at it. I done that on my more complicated Solex and it made the world of a difference. Luckily Neil has the much nicer Webber.
 
All good fun. The car is a wee cracker really. Most importantly it's solid in all the right bits.

Good good.
 
Once a G is on song, it's unbeatable. Lovely smooth turbine like engines. Gave it some beans when we went across the dukes pass last night. One if my fav roads.

Is it possible the previous owner tweaked ignition and carb settings for the best results?
 
Wind the mixture screw in until the revs just begin to fall then tweak around that point for best economy/performance (apols if this like teaching fish to swim). Your ear should tell you, both at idle and while pulling.
 
If the balance pipe wasn't heating the under-carb area much previously then it's possible more heat is altering the running. Exhaust back pressure without all the leaks will be a little different, too. I always blanked them off if they caused bother, no ill effects.

Running on could be an issue with the stop solenoid in the carb. While the engine is running at idle, pull the lead from the solenoid. The car should stop dead, if it continues to run as normal the solenoid is not working. Purpose of the stop solenoid is to block carb idle pathway when ignition is cut to prevent run on at shutdown. AKA Dieseling.
 
I know I keep going on about it like a broken record, but I was not that keen on the HT leads on your car. They were a very poor fit onto the plugs. Possible there could be a small gap between the lead terminal and plug.
 
I did think the car was running quite rich. The exhaust had that smell.
 
Don't get too hung up,on those marks on the dizzy. I know you are trying to get your head round what is going on. They would have been scribed on dizzy by some previous owner or mechanic. We have no evidence that they would have ever had any accuracy. Only accurate way to set timing is how we done it on Saturday. As it is, it's set to the book 10 dead BTDC, but the car may benefit from a little advance. I know on my G that if a go much above 12 or 13 deg BTDC it can start to pink.
 
Sometimes tuning cars is not all about book figures, but how it drives on the road and a small tweak may be needed.
 
It's all good fun and you can learn loads from just trying things. Getting an old car with un known history, to run like a Swiss watch can take ages! The rough running on mine was the carb. It was just so clogged up I'm surprised it ran. Best move ever though was fitting the electronic ignition.

Running on could be an issue with the stop solenoid in the carb. While the engine is running at idle, pull the lead from the solenoid. The car should stop dead, if it continues to run as normal the solenoid is not working. Purpose of the stop solenoid is to block carb idle pathway when ignition is cut to prevent run on at shutdown. AKA Dieseling.
 
I know I keep going on about it like a broken record, but I was not that keen on the HT leads on your car. They were a very poor fit onto the plugs. Possible there could be a small gap between the lead terminal and plug.
 
I did think the car was running quite rich. The exhaust had that smell.
 
Don't get too hung up,on those marks on the dizzy. I know you are trying to get your head round what is going on. They would have been scribed on dizzy by some previous owner or mechanic. We have no evidence that they would have ever had any accuracy. Only accurate way to set timing is how we done it on Saturday. As it is, it's set to the book 10 dead BTDC, but the car may benefit from a little advance. I know on my G that if a go much above 12 or 13 deg BTDC it can start to pink.
 
Sometimes tuning cars is not all about book figures, but how it drives on the road and a small tweak may be needed.
 
It's all good fun and you can learn loads from just trying things. Getting an old car with un known history, to run like a Swiss watch can take ages! The rough running on mine was the carb. It was just so clogged up I'm surprised it ran. Best move ever though was fitting the electronic ignition.

I shortened an Allen key so that the inner wing did not get in the way. To adjust, I flicked the clip, inserted the key, re attached clip then measured the dwell.
 
The above is all a bit academic now as I run electronic these days. What a difference!

Yesterday was good fun. I enjoyed it.
 
 
Yes, we gapped the points to the recommended .35mm set the timing to 10 deg btdc using my fancy snap on strobe and fitted new correctly gapped plugs.
 
It did run much better after that. The points had closed up considerably. The SEV Marchal cassette points are a nightmare. To adjust them the dizzy needs to come out, but I showed Neil that you can drill a hole in the dizzy body and insert an Allen key and adjust in situ. A dwell gauge is used if going that route.
 
Incidentally, I have the factory manual and it recommends setting the points by dwell rather than gap.
 
I definatley think the carby needs a service kit thrown at it. I done that on my more complicated Solex and it made the world of a difference. Luckily Neil has the much nicer Webber.
 
All good fun. The car is a wee cracker really. Most importantly it's solid in all the right bits.

Yes, they are a nightmare. Don't bother drilling a hole though. 
Because, a) the cap clip gets in the way and b ) then the inner wing gets in the way. If the first two things don't deter you then I got all of 1700 miles out of a set before the fuckers jammed-up.
 
Take it off and throw it down the deepest mine and get a Ducellier. A billion times less annoying!
 
See my GS dizzy notes (and others) on Flickr.
 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/19864651@N00/sets/72157624328682798/
 
ETA: then they are rotor arms with 3 or 4mm lugs. Arrrrghhh!

Yesterday was good fun. I enjoyed it.
 
 
Yes, we gapped the points to the recommended .35mm set the timing to 10 deg btdc using my fancy snap on strobe and fitted new correctly gapped plugs.
 
It did run much better after that. The points had closed up considerably. The SEV Marchal cassette points are a nightmare. To adjust them the dizzy needs to come out, but I showed Neil that you can drill a hole in the dizzy body and insert an Allen key and adjust in situ. A dwell gauge is used if going that route.
 
Incidentally, I have the factory manual and it recommends setting the points by dwell rather than gap.
 
I definatley think the carby needs a service kit thrown at it. I done that on my more complicated Solex and it made the world of a difference. Luckily Neil has the much nicer Webber.
 
All good fun. The car is a wee cracker really. Most importantly it's solid in all the right bits.

These engines are quite something, they look a dog's breakfast on the outside compared with German boxers but are far better engineered where it matters. Few production engines are good for 8000rpm+, let alone the ten thou they were originally designed for... someone realised your average Frenchman, even were he used to 2cvs, wouldn't be happy revving so high.
 
The pre-production engines were deemed not sufficiently quiet at idle given the quality of the cars, so economy was sacrificed for a little less noise by adjusting the shape of the combustion chamber.
 
I've had one (1015) with a documented 300k+ miles with nothing more than sealing of the common oil drip from the O-rings on the return pipes for the heads. It ran smoother than any Porsche boxer unit I've driven and like any really good air-cooled Cit, power delivery took off over about 5500rpm with no apparent ceiling - I limited it to 9, given the miles.
 
I always struggled with fuel mileage, perhaps because English roads often don't suit the cars well, they're too congested and small. 90 always seemed the natural cruising speed, 1015 or 1222. So I used CXs in part for their towing ability - but always missed the utterly amazing flat four. If only it had been engineered for 1300-1800cc, which would have made more sense for the German and UK markets.

Good good.
 
Once a G is on song, it's unbeatable. Lovely smooth turbine like engines. Gave it some beans when we went across the dukes pass last night. One if my fav roads.

Yesterday was good fun. I enjoyed it.
 
 
Yes, we gapped the points to the recommended .35mm set the timing to 10 deg btdc using my fancy snap on strobe and fitted new correctly gapped plugs.
 
It did run much better after that. The points had closed up considerably. The SEV Marchal cassette points are a nightmare. To adjust them the dizzy needs to come out, but I showed Neil that you can drill a hole in the dizzy body and insert an Allen key and adjust in situ. A dwell gauge is used if going that route.
 
Incidentally, I have the factory manual and it recommends setting the points by dwell rather than gap.
 
I definatley think the carby needs a service kit thrown at it. I done that on my more complicated Solex and it made the world of a difference. Luckily Neil has the much nicer Webber.
 
All good fun. The car is a wee cracker really. Most importantly it's solid in all the right bits.

Yes, that was good fun last night. Quite a good meeting all in. Paul followed me to old inns in his C15 so it was a wee bit of a mini convoy.
 
Your GSA is fundamentally a really good car. It just really needs the few wee bits and bobs done as we discussed. All fairly easy stuff. It's mechanically sound and drives well.

Yes, that was good fun last night. Quite a good meeting all in. Paul followed me to old inns in his C15 so it was a wee bit of a mini convoy.
 
Your GSA is fundamentally a really good car. It just really needs the few wee bits and bobs done as we discussed. All fairly easy stuff. It's mechanically sound and drives well.

Tonight, this got a short bimble along to the Citroen car club monthly meet..
 
Upon arrival, I got the chance to park next to MrCitroen of this parish.
 

 
His is an absolutely stunning GS Pallas with the 1222cc lump.
 
It's clean enough to eat your dinner off.

 
He was good enough to take my GSA out for a drive, and to give it a quick perusal.
 
Overall he was most complementary - identifying only the need for new spheres/LHM and curing the exhaust blow as priorities.
 
This chimes with my initial impressions, and after a shot of the GS, I am accutely aware of how badly the new spheres are needed.
 
The only thing that confused me re the GS was the very conventional dash
 

Agreed. I have Nankang as spare. When I got my GS it still was on the original tyres. Cracked sidewalls and tread as hard as a Glesga polis. Stopping with them in damp was interesting. I suppose it could be argued that the Nankangs in this case would be safer, but the car would never be right in a way. Plus square shoulder tyres would screw up the centre point geometry.
 
Michelin £100 per corner. Nankang 40 per corner. Money could swing it for a lot if people.

To make servicing a lot easier, you can by an oil filter adaptor from Chevronics. This allows more widely available filters to be used. The standard GS size is hard to get in reputable brands. I think the Mann filter that fits is around 14 squid. Fit this adaptor then buy the Purflux ones that fit the petrol BX & Xantias. Get them from GSF when they do the cheap weekend deals and they are pennies. Purflux is Citroen OE and are VV high quality. I use 10w40 semi synth. Not brand fussy.
 
Timing belts are easy to do. Hard / time consuming part is getting the headlamp panel off (if all the bolts have rusted) and removing the fan & starting handle dog. Deep 42mm socket and windy gun needed.
 
Whole debate about tyres. I fitted Michelin XZX. 145X15 is not an easy size. You can get Nankang in that size, but they have a modern square shoulder, not the rounded shoulder like the Michelins do. Rounded shoulder is more suited to the GS' unique centre point steering. However, in real world terms I don't know how much difference that makes.
 
Front spheres are easy least, rears not. Issue being the cylinders need to come out. Pushrods pin could be seized and pipe union rusted/ seized. These round for fun as the union nuts are made from Brie.

Can't argue with the wheelchairs but as for speed and comfort I'd be quite happy. Not top speed obviously but it was quite happy in the Watford traffic and if they put them on our local route here in Southampton I reckon it would have no trouble keeping to time. And the seats were more comfortable than these modern ones with a bit of fabric stretched over a piece of plastic.
 
If one of these turned up to take me to work every day I'd happily leave the car at home.

New CX parts are mostly monopolised by the profiteers at CX-Basis. Their business model is basically hoover up all the NOS parts, then jack up the price by a factor of 3 or 4.
 
Had a feckin' heart attack when I realised they were charging 80 Euros for a badge. 440 Euros for a headlight is not on, and a grand for a used front S2 bumper moulding is beyond the pale.

It was indeed a bit of a chance meet. I seen you heading towards me & I done a 360.
 
I think some trim parts can be nigh on impossible to get. Always managed to get any mechanical parts OK either from eBay, the German GS place or Chevronics.

I also got details of its economy at 120(ISH)KPH.
 
51.59L for 563.3km
 
30.84mpg, or 9.16L/100km
 
Additionally, as I got out the car to fuel it up, an Alfa 159 hammered to a halt directly behind me.
 
It turned out to be Mrcitroen of this parish, who had spied me as I entered the shopping park:)

^^^^ Epic! If there's one thing about this site it's that somewhere there's somebody who can do chapter and verse on some obscure topic that 99% of people aren't interested in but the same 99% of people actually learn something from.

To make servicing a lot easier, you can by an oil filter adaptor from Chevronics. This allows more widely available filters to be used. The standard GS size is hard to get in reputable brands. I think the Mann filter that fits is around 14 squid. Fit this adaptor then buy the Purflux ones that fit the petrol BX & Xantias. Get them from GSF when they do the cheap weekend deals and they are pennies. Purflux is Citroen OE and are VV high quality. I use 10w40 semi synth. Not brand fussy.
 
Timing belts are easy to do. Hard / time consuming part is getting the headlamp panel off (if all the bolts have rusted) and removing the fan & starting handle dog. Deep 42mm socket and windy gun needed.
 
Whole debate about tyres. I fitted Michelin XZX. 145X15 is not an easy size. You can get Nankang in that size, but they have a modern square shoulder, not the rounded shoulder like the Michelins do. Rounded shoulder is more suited to the GS' unique centre point steering. However, in real world terms I don't know how much difference that makes.
 
Front spheres are easy least, rears not. Issue being the cylinders need to come out. Pushrods pin could be seized and pipe union rusted/ seized. These round for fun as the union nuts are made from Brie.

Talking of oil brands, my GS takes 4l to fill from empty. I usually buy whatever brand is cheapest at the time in 5l containers. It never needs topped up between changes so I have a number of them with a lite review still in them.
I now think I have enough saved up to do a full change with the mixed dregs.
 
I don't think mixing brands will do any harm.
 
I have saved halfords, total & shell. All same grade.
 
Penny pinching at its best!