19 Years of Tin Snail - Back to normality

[Pillock]

Yeah, Li-ion is great for phones and toys but they're just too volatile.

Can't imagine the mess if you were in an accident and a bit of metal punctured the cells. Lead acid just leaks, Li-ion gets very spectacular very quickly. I was once in a crash at only 20-25mph where the car who hit us smashed the battery to bits.

[richardthestag]

not me

 

[dollywobbler]

Yeah, I'm glad that didn't happen! Battery did finally cool down, but I'm not bringing it into the house. 2CV is back on a good old lead acid battery, held in with cable ties until I can remember what I did with the original clamp...

[richardthestag]

shorting an icke one out!

 

https://youtu.be/FfmrqWdm-mw?t=2m54s

 

this is progress donchno

[richardmorris]

Lithium ion batteries seem very sensitive to correct charging and voltage protection. Perhaps the 2cvs old style voltage regulator was providing too variable a charge? A poor earth or connection and you can probably spike it over 15volts.

[Felly Magic]

Big Clive had a lithium cell go foom on his workbench after he investigated why it had failed, not good really. No doubt the manufacturer will blame Elly

[Inspector Morose]

I certainly wouldn't be happy using lithium batteries on a car a ordinary charging system. There's just not fine enough regulation of voltage or current for it to survive. Unless they've put some fancy electronics inside to cater for this but then it really does become a solution looking for a problem that doesn't really exist. Definitely not a £400 problem anyway.

[Felly Magic]

Even tiny devices need charge protection circuitry, which proves to me really that they aren't much cop, especially as even with said circuitry, they can still fail in a dramatic way. I've a nadty feeling this is what happened in a recent Tesla accident, a rapid flash fire when a cell or cells under the front seat ruptured. The burn pattern in photos looks that way, the fumes alone would be enough to kill. Food for thought re the electric car

[dollywobbler]

Lithium ion batteries seem very sensitive to correct charging and voltage protection. Perhaps the 2cvs old style voltage regulator was providing too variable a charge? A poor earth or connection and you can probably spike it over 15volts.

 

Elly's on a new-fangled solid state regulator, but as you say, earth problems can still cause spikes. That's what killed a lead acid battery on Elly a good few years back. Was a sod to find the fault! I've not seen the voltage go above 14.5v even with high revs, but accept I can't easily measure it on the move. Well, I could if I fitted the voltmeter that's been sitting in the garage for a while...

[Asimo]

Charging lithium ion batteries is difficult.

Ideally every single (3.6ish volt) cell should be charged independantly, monitoring voltage across and current into the cell together with it's temperature.

 

Discharge current also has to be kept within limits, limits which change with charge state and temperature.

 

In rechargeable cars the cells are grouped and these modules are separately monitored to reduce the quantity of expensive electronics. The complexity of the charging electronics is a big part of the battery cost in EVs, and in laptop batteries and the like.

[dollywobbler]

Yes, I think that's my conclusion. Yes, it's impressive that you can replace a hefty lead-acid battery with one that weighs just 1.7kg, but sometimes the old ways are the best ways. 

 

Mind you, I'm pretty sure steam buffs were horrified when someone suggested it was better to drive around with tanks full of hideously flammable petrol instead. 

[Noel Tidybeard]

as oppposed to an steam train with a tank of oil AND a naked flame fire to wibble twixt wobbler and abewristwatch

[dollywobbler]

Today, I used the 2CV for a 160-mile work trip. Well, why wouldn't I? It's arguably the most reliable car on the fleet now it actually starts properly.

 

Lunch saw a meet up with another aircooled vehicle that is far younger than its design. (A 2014 Royal Enfield).

 

Sadly, on the final run home, things got VERY wet. So wet the wipers jammed up several times.

 

This happens because the spindles wear, allowing the arms to move too far, which eventually locks up the linkage. So, I need to rebuild the mechanism with new spindles. Which will result in wipers with far less travel. Which means I may have to abandon my sexy LHD-spec cranked wiper arms for straight ones. #FirstWorldProblems

 

Now my 2CV looks odd.

 

Interestingly*, that's actually where they are meant to park, according to Citroen. But, most people prefer being able to see, so Elly has always had left-hand parking. I fitted the cranked LHD wiper arms in 2003, just because I like the look and found a pair. Citroen fitted straight arms to RHD 2CVs. The LHD arms don't clear the windscreen as well for RHD, unless your spindles are horribly worn (which they usually are), in which case it's fine. The worn spindles also allow water to lubricate your feet as you drive.

[Six-cylinder]

Now that is wonky wiper parking, mine are more parallel but still not perfect! 

[dollywobbler]

Yours are also correct UK parking. Currently, I have no parking at all...

 

Wiper motor out. Had a dig around in the garage for spare. Found a bare linkage with barely any play at all! Result! I've swapped the motor over, greased everything up and applied some paint to the carrier that holds it all. After a brew, I'll refit and hopefully that's job jobbed.

 

If you'd rather the wipers parked the other side Chris, it's an easy job. Motor out, undo the motor from the linkage, flip the little arm on the linkage that attaches to the motor through 180 degrees, refit. Requires no more than a pozi screwdriver, 8mm and 10mm spanners, a deep 21" socket (or grips will do) and a 10mm socket. Also a good opportunity to regrease the spindles and linkage.

[dollywobbler]

Sorted.

 

[dollywobbler]

More video

[richardmorris]

One of your washer jets is watering the roof!

[dollywobbler]

They've been tweaked. Now they're both useless.

 

In other news, the handbrake has gone to utter shit, despite me adjusting it all of about two months ago. Adjuster bolts didn't seem the tightest, so I've done it again, with more welly. Let's see if it lasts.

 

I've also changed the gearbox oil, as that's not been done for a few years. I remember why. It's a sodding fiasco. I never fail to get horrible, stinking gearbox oil all over the place. Some of it has ended up in the gearbox at least.

[dollywobbler]

I've just updated the first post, because I do now have a photo from 2000 when I bought it!

 

In fact, that's possibly the day I took her for a test drive while visiting my mate Bob. He was straightening out my Impreza after I'd managed to smash it up a few days into ownership. The joy of being a 21-year old...

 

The Impreza replaced my Matiz. Maybe that was part of the problem. Lift-off oversteer not so much of a problem in the Daewoo.

[dollywobbler]

When I went to the National Microcar Rally the other month, I noticed oil drippage - something Elly generally does not do. Finally, I decided to look into it.

 

I suspected front crankshaft seal at first, but clearing at least some of the gunky crap from the front of the engine revealed another source.

 

That was coming out at a fair old lick, so I think I'll stop using the 2CV until I can get this investigated. From that photo, it looks like the oil cooler union, but I think it's actually the pushrod seals. Which is a bit annoying, as I'm pretty sure I replace them with new ones when I put this engine back together a few years ago. Maybe it's rather more years than I thought actually...

 

Pushrod tube seals are a pain in the arse to replace, as you have to pull the head off, which means removing the manifolds and cowling. I do have plans to replace/rebuild this engine with a more powerful one, but was concerned other costs were going to rule it out. I may need to bite the bullet. After all, not sure how much effort it's worth going to for an engine I plan to replace.

[dollywobbler]

The good news is that the pushrod tubes seem ok. The bad news is that the oil cooler unions are where it's coming from, and that looks a right pain (only in so much as a lot has to come off to allow access). Time to consider options.

[richardmorris]

don't overtighten (as I'm sure you know).

[Stinkwheel]

The good news is that the pushrod tubes seem ok. The bad news is that the oil cooler unions are where it's coming from, and that looks a right pain (only in so much as a lot has to come off to allow access). Time to consider options.

 

Be very careful around the oil cooler union mate, as you know dissimilar metal corrosion can be a swine and I've seen many oil cooler nuts tweaked over the years that just twist the whole aluminium pipe of the cooler, which results in really, really big leaks.

[dollywobbler]

Yeah, I think I'm going to file it under 'leave it alone' for now. Which means not using the 2CV until I can sort out a rebuilt engine. Naturally, the weather is bloody lovely now I've immobilised it!

 

The important thing is to have the 2CV back in rude health by next summer, with a Citroen Centenary in France and the 2CV World Meeting in Croatia on my hit list. They actually clash, which might mean a hasty trip from northern France to Croatia. At least we don't have to go via Venice like we did with the Dacia...

[dollywobbler]

Decision made. £400 of engine bits ordered from Burton 2CV in The Netherlands, including their 652cc upgrade kit - barrels and pistons. Easy job. I've also ordered a full engine seal kit (won't use all of it, but the others will be useful to have in stock) so I can stop the oil leaks.

[Rocket88]

Ref wipers.........Rainex?

[LightBulbFun]

Decision made. £400 of engine bits ordered from Burton 2CV in The Netherlands, including their 652cc upgrade kit - barrels and pistons. Easy job. I've also ordered a full engine seal kit (won't use all of it, but the others will be useful to have in stock) so I can stop the oil leaks.

 

ooh im looking forward to the series of youtube videos on this

 

is the 652cc something completely home grown or from a citroen product? checking wikipedia shows everything as maxing out at 602cc so im pretty intrigued (I could of swarn i remember reading about 2CV dervied engines larger then 602cc but i cant find anything on my quick search just now)

[richardthestag]

Yeah, I think I'm going to file it under 'leave it alone' for now. Which means not using the 2CV until I can sort out a rebuilt engine. Naturally, the weather is bloody lovely now I've immobilised it!

 

The important thing is to have the 2CV back in rude health by next summer, with a Citroen Centenary in France and the 2CV World Meeting in Croatia on my hit list. They actually clash, which might mean a hasty trip from northern France to Croatia. At least we don't have to go via Venice like we did with the Dacia...

 

Now that sounds like a roadtrip

[dollywobbler]

Ref wipers.........Rainex?

 

Hate the stuff. Makes horrible streaks. Also, a 2CV windscreen isn't aerodynamic enough, so the water just sort of sits about rather than beading away. Wipers work fine now, bar the lack of parking. I've developed a great sense of timing though.

 

 

ooh im looking forward to the series of youtube videos on this

 

is the 652cc something completely home grown or from a citroen product? checking wikipedia shows everything as maxing out at 602cc so im pretty intrigued (I could of swarn i remember reading about 2CV dervied engines larger then 602cc but i cant find anything on my quick search just now)

 

652cc is what size the Visa engines went up to (in aircooled form). You can fit those barrels and pistons to a 2CV block, but it requires some machining. Burton in The Netherlands has developed its own 652 kit that bolts straight on. Pistons come already in the barrels, so it's just heads off, barrels off, out with the gudgeon pin, ease the pistons down their new barrels so the little end is showing, slot in the new gudgeon pin, heads on, manifolds on, rejet carb (I have some fresh gaskets for the carb too) and get burning rubber (after a running-in period). How hard can it be?