Six Cylinders Motoring Notes - The last week.

[hairnet]

https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/1448281160.htm/

[hairnet]

https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/1448281160.htm/

 

Worth 2k?

[hairnet]

Chris this is all your fault

[Six-cylinder]

The central locking on our ZX has stopped working so while it was in at my favourite garage today having a suspension rattle removed (anti roll bar link) I asked them to take a look at it. They say all the other door motors work so it is the driver's door at fault There are two items in the door, a central locking control unit and a micro switch on the latch mechanism, which is most likely to have packed up?

[beko1987]

Dunno, I never locked either of mine. Nor the xantia, nor the current Laguna. The blue one only got locked because it locked itself. I feel I am distrustful of French central locking...

 

 

Point proven!

[D Spares & Tyres]

It's usually a broken wire that passes through the A pillar.

 

Naturally it will only be broken inside so as not to be too obvious

[Mrs6C]

The Ex Hairnet Visa sits in the field and I have been looking for an 1124cc engine for it. I asked the guys on the 104/Samba.LNA FB group if maybe a 13600cc will go in, but there is a lot of mucking around converting it to 5 speed or changing the timing cover to a 4 speed one which are rare so that idea hit the buffers.

 

I have been offered a 954cc engine at a cheap price and the opinion is that it will fit.

 

These at are the sellers words:

 

The engine is complete except for the starter motor. It was running a few years back but I haven't had it running recently. Oil and water were fine with no contamination when I drained the water and checked the oil on the dipstick.

 

The 10E Visa is not my favourite because it lacks pulling power and character, but it would get the car back on the road.

 

The question bearing in mind I will be asking for volunteers to fit it, is it worth the all the effort to fit the 954cc engine that has not been run for several years or should I hold out for a rare and difficult to find 1124cc one, at the risk of the car never making it back on the road? 

 

Better to rebuild the engine it already has, as there isn't anything wrong with it that a set of new liner seals and a fresh head gasket wouldn't put right... a full engine rebuild gasket kit appears to be available:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Engine-Rebuild-Gasket-Set-CITROEN-VISA-11-1-1-57-109-5-9-1978-11-1985-/232592574411?hash=item36279907cb

 

It would be a nice winter project to do in the warm garage at home.

[Six-cylinder]

Better to rebuild the engine it already has, as there isn't anything wrong with it that a set of new liner seals and a fresh head gasket wouldn't put right... a full engine rebuild gasket kit appears to be available:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Engine-Rebuild-Gasket-Set-CITROEN-VISA-11-1-1-57-109-5-9-1978-11-1985-/232592574411?hash=item36279907cb

 

It would be a nice winter project to do in the warm garage at home.

 

I think it would be better to pass the car on to someone who can focus on it, we have far too many project and the Visa GT is the one I want to work on. 

[SiC]

I love the fact that you're having a conversation with each other on AS!

[Six-cylinder]

I love the fact that you're having a conversation with each other on AS!

 

The blame for that lies with the moderators who gave her typing rights!

[M'coli]

ZX central locking - my Avantage always centrally unlocks but sometimes doesn't centrally lock - it could be the microswitch as locking the rear driver's side door first reactivates it, sometimes just opening and closing the driver's door does it.

[Six-cylinder]

ZX central locking - my Avantage always centrally unlocks but sometimes doesn't centrally lock - it could be the microswitch as locking the rear driver's side door first reactivates it, sometimes just opening and closing the driver's door does it.

 

Ours became slow and 15 secs after you unlocked the drivers door the others go, but now it is dead.

[dozeydustman]

With the suitcase 1100's, I'm pretty sure the 1.1 also came with a 5-speeder in certain variants of 205 (1.1XR 1.1GR), so you would need a 104, Visa, Samba or LNA unit.

 

I always found these engines quite easy to work on despite the lack of room in the engine bay checking valve clearances - I think some spares are getting a bit thin on the ground now but not totally unobtanium. I'd price up rebuilding it if searching for a replacement proves fruitless.

 

I always wanted to know if you could convert a 1360 to 1587cc using TU5 liners & pistons. Probably not is the answer

 

Give us a PM if you need a help spannering, Bucks isn't mega-miles

[M'coli]

With the TU5 block being iron I suspect that there are no liners to speak of, so I don't think the TU3 thing would be feasible.

[dozeydustman]

Never worked on nor dismantled a TU5. Been a few years since I worked on any PSA engine. Mainly rattly Simca units, suitcases and the occasional carbed TU.

 

I saw an early 205 while delivering some work type stuff to Bosham near Chichester this morning. Looked as rough as dog's arse but it had 'that' whine and ran nicely. Probably not long for this world bodywise so I can always keep an eye out in the local scrappers see if it ends up in one.

[Scruffy Bodger]

As D Spares says, check the loom as it goes into the A post. Also check for earth continuity or lack of or wire a temporary earth to rule it out.

[Six-cylinder]

ZX Floundering somewhat as I have to book my Auto sparks 3 weeks in advance. My local garage have now photographed the driver's door solenoid and the thinking is before they put it all back together we would change this is I can find one. 

 

Anybody have a drivers central locking solenoid they can sell me for a 1996 ZX Avantage?

 

[hairnet]

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-Saxo-Xsara-ZX-Central-Locking-System-Door-Lock-Actuator-R-F-R-/112629125244

[beko1987]

Have you tried hitting it with a hammer? Not a relay issue is it? Take them out one by one and clean them up... Fixed my dodgy door open buzzer

[hairnet]

Shoulda bought that ami

 

No such problems

[Six-cylinder]

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-Saxo-Xsara-ZX-Central-Locking-System-Door-Lock-Actuator-R-F-R-/112629125244

 

That one has a different electrical plug on it with two spades , there are five spades on the one I have.

 

I have now found one with five spades and while the operating arm has 3 instead of a holes and I ordered one to give it a try. There is also a control unit under the dash, but the guys from the Citroen Car Club think it is just as likely to be a broken wire so If this does not work we will put it back together and book the Auto sparks.

[Six-cylinder]

Shoulda bought that ami

 

No such problems

 

Mrs6C would enjoy rushing to the station in an Ami with the rush hour traffic,  starting with a right turn onto a busy A road! 

[beko1987]

Fit the zx engine into the ami, hammer the ami engine into the visa and solve several problems!

[Mrs6C]

Mrs6C would enjoy rushing to the station in an Ami with the rush hour traffic,  starting with a right turn onto a busy A road! 

It's hair-raising enough with the ZX... the main road at the top of our lane is really busy now, even in the school holidays. It's often only the well-timed HGVs on it, collecting the cars in a neat row behind, that give us the opportunity to pull out and turn right in a clear space of low-ish speed traffic... while keeping an eye out for the idiot who chances to overtake everyone at that point...

 

The Alfa 156 and Volvo T5 are much better at a fast getaway, but only in the dry...

[hairnet]

Mrs6C would enjoy rushing to the station in an Ami with the rush hour traffic,  starting with a right turn onto a busy A road! 

Shirley she should say this

[Talbot]

That drivers door locking solenoid unit is identical to Xsara, 306, 405 and I dare say numerous other PSA shite of the era.

 

I *must* have one somewhere...

[Noel Tidybeard]

the  zx c/l solenoid strictly speaking isnt cos its a control unit- it has 2 functions

1. lock/unlock drivers door
2. send signal to other doors/boot to lock/unlock when using key lock in drivers door

this is why it has the 5 connectors not 2

[Six-cylinder]

Cars All Day

 

The E30 has had a misfire for a while and has had a new distributor cap and plugs but it persisted. The Auto sparks tested the HT leads today and says two are open circuit so his meter reads nothing but the sparks are managing to jump the gap sometimes! New leads ordered.

 

The central locking had stopped working on the E30, the auto sparks says there is nothing wrong with his electricity and the problem is around the drivers door lock so the door panel will have to come off sometime.

 

At least the ZX has working central locking again, it turned out to be the control module in the drivers door.

 

I took the Visa 652cc for MOT today, I needed to jump it off the drive, it has been parked up all winter, but after 10 miles I had to stop for fuel. It still had a flat battery at the pump, fortunately a very nice lorry driver gave me a push, he said he had pushed along bigger Dinky toys!

 

It is now having a new battery, service and rear exhaust box before it gets its MOT.

[hairnet]

<3

[Six-cylinder]

It is Outrageous!

 

Let me tell you a story, back in 1982 I saw an advert for a project 1966 E-Type for sale in the Thames Valley Trader, I went to see it and bought it. Tonight’s story is about the seller Geoff who had just started running a garage and said if you want some work done on it, come and see me! Within a few weeks I booked a fortnight’s holiday and went into his workshop and he moved my car from his house to his workshop. That was the start of a friendship that has endured all these years.

 

Geoff has always had an E Type of his own, a 1964 3.8 FHC it has been several colours and has had various custom mods over the years. He has been criticized a number of times for vandalizing a beautiful E-Type, but when Noah was building his Ark, Geoff was modifying his E-Type! He bought it in 1973 and by then it was nine years old and only fit for scrap! To my mind he is entitled to have it looking how he likes it as without him it would no longer exist.

 

What a pleasant surprise tonight when he turned up in it unexpectedly.