Le bus oignon - Xantia of many Autoshiters - GYPSY CURSE

[vulgalour]

A drone is indeed the noise it makes and the word I couldn't think of when trying to describe it on the way home!  I have been tasked with today's update in picture form as he's been busy getting even more cleaning done on the car.

 

Behind the side trims there was bound to be dirt lurking and they're a lot easier to clean when they're not on the car too.  Pretty average condition back here.

 

Part way through, you can see where he's been and where he hasn't.

 

All the plastics have done that usual thing of going a bit faded.

 

With some brake fluid action they're back as good as new again.

 

Don't half show up the door handles though.

 

Grille, headlights and indicators all removed to be cleaned before refitting.  Bumper has had a partial clean but it too will be removed to be thoroughly cleaned and then refitted once everything behind is inspected for any remedial work that might be needed, though to be honest nothing is expected to be lurking given the condition of the rest of the car.

 

Doors, rear quarter and front wing on this side all sorted.  Trim to sort and bumpers to thoroughly de-grime.  Progress appears to be swifter now the worst of it is sorted.

 

Certainly, chompy_snake has been more productive than me this bank holiday weekend, I've been lolling around feeling sorry for myself because I'm infected with germs and plague.  Not that I'm making a fuss about it*.

[Shep Shepherd]

Wow! What I've been doing to The Wentworth pales in comparison.

[MrDuke]

If there's intermittent knocking from the footwell, it's likely that the drop-link needs changing as well. It's an easy job (about 20 mins) but don't be tempted to get the cheaper links, they won't last. Decent ones are only around £20 anyhow.

[ruffgeezer]

Constant drone would be a wheel bearing, and you'd need to dump the pressure to check the balljoint properly.

 

As for taking the bumper off to clean it, well I admire you but fuck that noise, it's a pain in the arse to remove the bumper when you have to, don't even consider it if you don't.

 

There is a 13mm bolt on each side that is about 7 foot long and goes incredibly rusty, which in turns breaks the captive nut enough that the whole lot just spins around. DO NOT TAKE IT OFF UNTIL YOU CANNOT AVOID IT.

[The Moog]

I got as far as noting the noise, noticing it happened over about 25 mph and was road noise related which led me to wheel bearing. Could be totally wrong, normally am

 

Always use axle stands. Jack it up, axle stands under then set to lowest setting and then the wheels rise.

 

Remember it is a front wheel handbrake so chock rear wheels.

 

Fair play on the paint work looks so much better

[KruJoe]

You can have a tankful at 50p/l if you bring it up here Graham! We're not much further on than t'Moog.

 

I'd guess front sub-frame for propping it up.

 

Keep polishing it chap - you've more patience than me! Your old red Rover is still shiny, by the way (to my eyes)!

[The Moog]

Yep front sub frame, although it might be slightly lower with those alloys and they have smaller tyres than the big winter ones i had on.

 

I did get a garage quote for wheel bearing and it was £80-100 depending on how easy it was to get off.

[The Moog]

This is in no way a criticism of any of the previous owners as overall, mechanically, this car is damn solid and a credit to the levels of maintenance people have obviously given it (we will ignore the cleaning aspect as that can be excused )

 

 

its good to see it is getting the care it deserves

[KruJoe]

Is this tankful a legal one ?

 

Yes.

[KruJoe]

I make that 200 litres, Should be no problem. I'll give by brother Will a shout, it's his enterprise really. (He's "explosive_cabbage" if he shows up here.)

 

It's processed WVO. I'll make sure he has it all well filtered and settled.

It's in holding tanks here, do you have containers for it? (If not, he may be able to find you something.)

[ruffgeezer]

Hmm, this is a problem for me remembering now as I've had at least 5 Xantia estates, but does one of the old mots mention a rough feeling wheel bearing? It might have been this one, or one of the other mk1 estates I had, which were all of a similar vintage.

[explosive-cabbage]

Boom!

Im here!

I have been meaning to set up an WVO shiters thread for a bit. I have approx 400 litres for sale at 50p/litre.

 

It has been gravity upflow settled, passed through a 1 micron filter then left to stand again and can be filtered through 5 micron into your containers/tank. It has practically zero moisture content, as the pub I work at and source from has fryers working 12 hours a day at 180 degrees, so it boils off any water content.

 

PM me. Or you can email me at explosive-cabbage@ hotmail dot com for an even quicker reply.

 

At some point I will start a thread about it, keep your eyes out.

[KruJoe]

[KruJoe]

I wouldn't worry about the noise, it's the driving distance at speed on a failing wheel bearing with five hundredweight of liquid in the back. How could it not end badly?

 

Would popping a fresh hub on that corner be easier than changing the bearing?

[Lankytim]

I've got a xantia front bearing I never used if you want it. Tenner delivered...

[oman5]

Boom!

Im here!

I have been meaning to set up an WVO shiters thread for a bit. I have approx 400 litres for sale at 50p/litre.

 

It has been gravity upflow settled, passed through a 1 micron filter then left to stand again and can be filtered through 5 micron into your containers/tank. It has practically zero moisture content, as the pub I work at and source from has fryers working 12 hours a day at 180 degrees, so it boils off any water content.

 

PM me. Or you can email me at explosive-cabbage@ hotmail dot com for an even quicker reply.

 

At some point I will start a thread about it, keep your eyes out.

interesting. shame I'm so bloody far away.

[KruJoe]

Did you see this, Chompy?

 

I've got a xantia front bearing I never used if you want it. Tenner delivered...

 

Bargainous.

Though you'll likely need to pay someone to fit it.

Remember if you do fit a 2nd hand hub, you're fitting an unknown bearing.

[explosive-cabbage]

Containers can be found

 

Containers certainly can be found.

I can pick up from work the clean cubies we get the fresh oil delivered in. 20L each

[Richard]

The equivalent part on the Escort is just as flimsy, even more stupid and much more difficult to replace.

[twosmoke300]

Disagree . Escort clutch ratchets are a walk in the park compared to a xantia pedal clip.

 

Both unpleasant in their own right I admit.

[The Moog]

Looks like a right pig. Adjustment is at gearbox end so i didn't have to mess around with the pedals.

[Richard]

It was a while ago now, but I remember the Escort's clutch pawl as being a complete bastard. I seem to remember the pedals were mounted on a shaft that couldn't move to the right so it had to come all the way out to the left, I think there were springs involved too. This was a late Escort, the one the journalists loved, so it wasn't self-adjusting but it still had the same pawl.

 

I would ask chompy_snake to try doing the job on an Escort to compare, but he's never done me any harm.

[twosmoke300]

Totally agree , jobs you wouldnt wish on an enemy. I hate footwell jobs . Just think of all the shit etc people have walked into the car and your rolling around in it. Also when you guys meet me at shitefest you will see im not the correct build for those jobs either.

[Bobthebeard]

Totally agree , jobs you wouldnt wish on an enemy. I hate footwell jobs . Just think of all the shit etc people have walked into the car and your rolling around in it. Also when you guys meet me at shitefest you will see im not the correct build for those jobs either.

+1 on this!

I have just spent a pleasant* half hour wedged upside down in the MGF footwell adjusting the (self adjusting) brake light switch as the brake lights were constantly on. Footwell was clean, so no rolling around in shit though.

I too am incorrectly built for these type of jobs!

[dollywobbler]

On the wheelbearing, pull the hub off then nip to a handy old-school garage. They should fit a new bearing to it for a contribution to their tea fund. Needs brutality to remove the old bearing, and a hydraulic press to fit the new one. Not hard to remove the hub.

[twosmoke300]

And usually a grinder or a knife edge bearing puller to get the inner race off the hub.

[dollywobbler]

My friendly garage seemed to achieve good things using a chisel and hammer power. Think he used to lay a bit of weld around things too. He was quite good at that sort of thing. I upped my payment to a couple of drinks.

[KruJoe]

Oh!

[Lacquer Peel]

chompy, it sounds like you need to look into financing a new Chevrolet Spark or something, minor problems on old cars seem to send you loopy.

[vulgalour]

What do you think of that, Dashboard Horse?

 

That's what I thought.  Since I've been on the lookout for a car with a small engine that's easy to park and cheap to insure, the sensible course of action is to take on a 1.9 turbo diesel Citroen Xantia estate.  Autoshite logic, can't fault it.