Citroën shenanigans - ZX FTP...

[lesapandre]

That looks like a research centre for biological warfare.............

Yes this is what the corporates feel they can blot the English landscape with. Certainly could look better. Re: my earlier post Citroen Hammersmith are long gone - site slated for redevelopment. Old Citroën works survives as offices.

[lesapandre]

Citroën Works

[lesapandre]

Hammersmith

[lesapandre]

 

As a non-Citroeniste, I hesitate to say anything because you people speak a different language( I don't mean French) and later cars probably piss a different colour fluid or something , but....

Surely the Mk1 C5, the C6 and the current C5 still use what you call Oleomatic suspension and we normal people refer to as hydraulic or hydrapneumatic or oleopneumatic or simply Funny Citroen Suspension.

I stole this off the Citroen website ;

Hydractive III+

Citroën C5 Saloon - Hydractive 3+ suspension

The Hydractive III+ suspension is designed with comfort as top priority and keeps the car at a constant height, regardless of load. Features include:

automatic adaptation to road conditions

two stiffness settings: soft and firm

sport mode for a more dynamic ride

Metal suspension

Citroën C5 Saloon - metal suspension

For those who prefer a sportier driving experience, the metal suspension option provides a stonger feeling of connection with the road.

The Xantia was the last Citroën to use a common hydraulic circuit for suspension, brakes and steering like the pioneering Citroën DS.

[M'coli]

^^^This post from Krujoe's auction thread proved rather prophetic - I slept in it last night!

Well, this has been collectioned by one very happy camper...

Can you tell who it is yet?

I left for the South-west fairly late, and decided at half-past midnight that I couldn't be arsed driving another half-hour to drive back the same distance in the morning, so parked up in a chosen spot, put one of the back seats down, unrolled the sleeping bag and crawled in for 6 hours kip - it was bloody lovely!

 

The views from my bed this morning:

 

A visit to Wickes tonight and a piece of MDF duct taped to a bit of pine has sorted the load cover out.

 

I found out on the way down that the interior lights work, but then it started getting cold, and I could feel a draft on my side at the driver's door...this lunchtime whilst measuring up for the load cover I found out that I'd opened the electric sunroof in tilt mode when I was playing with the lights, so it's no wonder it got cold!

 

Here it is behind a car park companion this evening.

[KruJoe]

Fantastic!

I thought for a mo that you'd got stuck with it in the middle of nowhere, but no It was all planned.

Good job you're no lanky streak, eh?

[KruJoe]

Did you top it up with dino after the 20 litres of cabbage juice Cameron?

How's it going on that mix?

[M'coli]

Yes, it seems to be coping ok, although on the motorway it sometimes seems to have a surge of power. I'll definitely have to look at the thermostat, I think, as it rarely gets above 75-ish on the gauge.

[Bucketeer]

Looks nice and comfy(ish) in the back there.

Back when I was less well off similarly well off to now, my bedroom was the front seat of a ZX hatch for a month or two. I learned that Volcane seats do not make for the comfiest bed for a 6'5" idiot. I also learned which rural car parks Huddersfield doggers frequented.

[Cleon-Fonte]

Citroën C5 Saloon - metal suspension

For those who prefer a sportier driving experience, the metal suspension option provides a stonger feeling of connection with the road.

Is that marketing speak for 'rides badly'?

[M'coli]

Right, this was meant to be triumphant post about how I'd managed to successfully get all my gear bar my frying pan which I forgot about into the ZX - and the bike - with room to spare, drove through trafficthis morning without overheating to my work in Brizzle with all this rammel and rocked up at my new digs in Bristol this evening with no dramas, ok?  They even have a concreted space out the front to park it on!

 

Then I decided to go out to the supermarket.  I get in, turn on the ignition, key in the code, wait for the glowplug light to go out, turn the key to start it...nothing.  Try again - nothing.  Ah, bollocks - it's the Pug 205 TD all over again!

http://autoshite.com/topic/14675-shitefest-cymru-16th-18th-may-2014/?p=572688

 

 

Just push started M'coli at Chester services...

 

The starter motor refused to turn it over - even refused to make any semblance of drawing current!  Luckily, I was able to heave and rock it off the parking spot, and the new digs are on a decent hill, so the bump start was successful.

 

More bumping determined that the car doesn't need a great deal of speed to bump the engine into life,  Further investigations reveal that the starter motor's not in the same effing place as the 205!!!  Bastards!!!  I thought it would be a doddle to run a wire to the starter, but it's friggin' not at the front of the engine any more despite there being pleanty of space for it - what cocksmoker thought that one up???

It steadfastly refused to crank even after warming it up, bumping it several times, and finally I remebered to try turning the key while the engine was running - graunching occured, the engine was switched off, and the starter now brought the engine to life.

 

Anyone got any ideas on the cause?  Solenoid or starter?

 

 

PS, it's still an awesome fucking car, by the way!

[KruJoe]

Ah shit!

We never had bother with it.

 

It could even be the switch on the barrel could it? I don't know if that's a thing that fails on these.

 

Oh, and I'm quite sure the starter will still be on the front of the block, half way down. Three allen bolts from the gearbox side. It's certainly there on the 306 with the same engine and everything!

[nacho man]

My 306 often did that and it was the ignition switch. I found this out after replacing the starter, I was 10000% sure it was the solenoid, it wasn't.

 

 

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[nacho man]

I don't know how interchangeable they are but I have a 306 ignition switch and key if it's any use, the bloke of eBay sent me two.

 

 

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[M'coli]

Ah shit!

We never had bother with it.

 

It could even be the switch on the barrel could it? I don't know if that's a thing that fails on these.

 

Oh, and I'm quite sure the starter will still be on the front of the block, half way down. Three allen bolts from the gearbox side. It's certainly there on the 306 with the same engine and everything!

Fotoze if youse get the chance - there's the space for it, but it's just not "it"!

[KruJoe]

 

Looking from the top.

 

 

Starter unbolted and hanging from its wires. Will's locking tool (threaded bar) poking through into the flywheel.

 

[M'coli]

Thanks Joe, I'll have a swatch tonight when I get back from work.  Maybe I just couldn't see it for looking at it?

[castros_bro]

Here's one I repaired earlier.   A  gift as would only turn over occasionally but most of the time would just produce a "click" from the starter.  The heavy duty contacts at the end of the starter solenoid arc and had worn over the years. New starter was 40 euro but I think the solenoid is available separately.

 

[M'coli]

Thanks Joe, I'll have a swatch tonight when I get back from work. Maybe I just couldn't see it for looking at it?

What. A. Feckin'. Eeeeejit. I'd forgotten how high up the block the starter sits on these engies, so I was looking directly below it and just didn't twig. It turns over nicely with a wire direct from the battery!

 

[KruJoe]

Does that mean the barrel switch is prime suspect? Or is there a relay to check somewhere?