The new news 24 thread

[Kringle]

I'm traipsing around Bath city centre today, not seen one person smiling today, including myself. Why do we need to buy all this shit, OMFG Yankee Candle sale! Blow it out your arse.

 

Xantia has also just commenced it's MOT, fingers are crossed.

[richardmorris]

If you give that a gentle tidy up with some fine grade wet 'n dry as much as possible and the a dose of rattle can lacquer it should improve things a lot. It certainly did on some scuffed paint and peeled lacquer on my Saab. Be very careful not to take off too much paint though - I did on one wing mirror and went through to the primer underneath and it now looks worse.

Found an Aldi paint repair kit in the cleaning box. Tried some of the paper like wet and dry wet on the worst bit ( what could go wrong!) then there’s a two stage polish. The first is quite rough and supposedly breaks down into smaller beads as it works. Then a second tube of polish compound. I then finished it all off with a couple of coats of autoglym dark. Improved things a lot, but it was in full sun and my finger got burned!

 

It’s hard to photo but is a big improvement. The paint is sound, it’s the lacquer that’s damaged ( car is parked in south facing full sun). You can see in the first pic that the top layer has been removed and the second pic where I’ve polished to. Top corner was the worst before.

[pshome]

504 got new tyres, now my steering wheel no longer starts wobbling at 100 km/h. Do i have to be concerned?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Due to the idiosyncrasies of Citroën battery positioning, I have been out spending on tools that are apparently necessary to extract a battery from a CX.... and which, naturally, I didn't have to hand. Let's see...

 

£10 on a Halfrauds socket extension bar

£13 on a set of 10 Amtech stubby spanners, only three of which I actually used

 

and £7 on a multimeter.

 

So that's twenty-three quid just to get a battery out. It's now in the shed, being recharged on an ancient Halfrauds 11amp trickle charger. Should be at full power by some time next week....

 

To actually get the feckin' thing out, it is necessary to unbolt the air horns and the compressor, so I took the opportunity to dismantle these and give 'em a bit of an oul clean.

 

Photos to follow....

[richardmorris]

Well Rick has admitted defeat. He thinks the master cylinder has stuck. One more thing to order, although with that done he’s also going to fit the new oil pressure sensor I bought from Mercedes this morning and new anti roll bar bushes too. Just have to wait a fortnight until he’s free- he’s off to donnington now to mechanic for the 2cv racing tomorrow.

 

The oil pressure sensor is a £95 thing you can touch ( if you’re double jointed) but not see.

[ruffgeezer]

Buddy of mine is having a clear out...

 

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-and-Decker-Valvemaster-Refacer-valve-grinder/132713032487?_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1

 

[Simonsays]

Off out later on this afternoon to pick up a second hand toolchest and some random tools that I spotted on Bumtree.

 

No pic in advert but 'only used once m8'

 

Still, smoll outlay of cash only and seller sounded okay. WCPGW?

Turned out to be a thoroughly decent seller. I got a 4 drawer 'no brand' tool chest and a more or less intact set of tools for £25. Most of the tools are junk, i managed to break a ratchet just by spinning it round. Still..... Spares.

[meshking]

Is this rick, Mr Pembro?

Well Rick has admitted defeat. He thinks the master cylinder has stuck. One more thing to order, although with that done he’s also going to fit the new oil pressure sensor I bought from Mercedes this morning and new anti roll bar bushes too. Just have to wait a fortnight until he’s free- he’s off to donnington now to mechanic for the 2cv racing tomorrow.

 

The oil pressure sensor is a £95 thing you can touch ( if you’re double jointed) but not see.

Sent from my SGP621 using Tapatalk

[Tadhg Tiogar]

With the CX battery being flat, it would have to be extracted from under this lot:

 

 

Realise that you're not going to have access with the basic socket set, so mitch off to spend a tenner on an extension long enough to clear the battery, and splash out on a set of ten stubby spanners (only three of which you'll actually use, but your friendly* motor factors assure you it's cheaper (£13) to buy the set than the three individual spanners at six quid each):

 

 

Then realise, on getting back from the factors, that nothing's coming out unless you first unbolt and remove the air horns and compressor. This turns out to be the only easy bit of the job:

 

 

Note that the whole horn thing's looking a bit fucked after thirty years, but we'll deal with that later. The extended socket proves only just long enough to clear the battery and undo the two bolts on the retaining plate.....which looks well past its best:

 

 

Fish out the 13mm stubby spanner to undo the negative terminal clamp next to the wing. Scrape your skin getting your hand in there to lift clamp away. Then fish out 11mm spanner to undo positive terminal clamp and lift away. Somehow lever out battery from underneath Citroen comedy cabling:

 

 

'tis a battery, Jim, but not as we know it.

 

Notice the now-empty battery tray is almost in as bad a state as the retaining clamp. The rust needs hoovering:

 

 

...so you sweep it onto the ground instead:

 

 

Move battery to shed and connect trickle charger. Should be ready in about a week, so. Make mental note of capacity in case this battery is kaput and you need to spend more money on a new one:

 

 

Later on, the air horns....

[richardmorris]

Is this rick, Mr Pembro?

 

Sent from my SGP621 using Tapatalk

 

Not Rick Pembro. Although I understand they will be together tomorrow at the 2cv racing.

 

Rick meyers who I’ve known for nearly 25 years now. He used to be full time at PTS in isleworth then went his own way, most recently at the N Randell rolls Royce specialist I mentioned to xtriple. Now he’s bus driving in London, part time at PTS and mobile too. He does work hard I’ll give him that! His daughter is now in second year at university studying mathematics- I remember her being born!

 

Anyway, he’s basically looked after all my cars for twenty years.

 

He’s pretty booked up. But if you need things doing on the 2cv I’ll ask if he’s interested - he lives in Hampton.

 

Oh, and the GSAMI rally is coming up if you want somewhere to go to - rural life centre in Farnham.

http://rural-life.org.uk/html/Events/Citroen-rally.html

[richardmorris]

With the CX battery being flat, it would have to be extracted from under this lot:IMG_20180331_160904.jpgRealise that you're not going to have access with the basic socket set, so mitch off to spend a tenner on an extension long enough to clear the battery, and splash out on a set of ten stubby spanners (only three of which you'll actually use, but your friendly* motor factors assure you it's cheaper (£13) to buy the set than the three individual spanners at six quid each):IMG_20180721_172328.jpgThen realise, on getting back from the factors, that nothing's coming out unless you first unbolt and remove the air horns and compressor. This turns out to be the only easy bit of the job:IMG_20180721_171855.jpgNote that the whole horn thing's looking a bit fucked after thirty years, but we'll deal with that later. The extended socket proves only just long enough to clear the battery and undo the two bolts on the retaining plate.....which looks well past its best:IMG_20180721_170517.jpgFish out the 13mm stubby spanner to undo the negative terminal clamp next to the wing. Scrape your skin getting your hand in there to lift clamp away. Then fish out 11mm spanner to undo positive terminal clamp and lift away. Somehow lever out battery from underneath Citroen comedy cabling:IMG_20180721_172051.jpg'tis a battery, Jim, but not as we know it.Notice the now-empty battery tray is almost in as bad a state as the retaining clamp. The rust needs hoovering:IMG_20180721_171328.jpg...so you sweep it onto the ground instead:IMG_20180721_172111.jpgMove battery to shed and connect trickle charger. Should be ready in about a week, so. Make mental note of capacity in case this battery is kaput and you need to spend more money on a new one:IMG_20180721_172044.jpgLater on, the air horns....

All this is making me realise I never moved the battery on mine in 6years! It was a lifetime guaranteed one the first owner bought in 1996. I bought the car in 2001 and sold it in 2006 without taking it out.

[320touring]

CX battery Joys*

That's bringing back nightmares of my S1 Prestige!

[Stanky]

Found an Aldi paint repair kit in the cleaning box. Tried some of the paper like wet and dry wet on the worst bit ( what could go wrong!) then there’s a two stage polish. The first is quite rough and supposedly breaks down into smaller beads as it works. Then a second tube of polish compound. I then finished it all off with a couple of coats of autoglym dark. Improved things a lot, but it was in full sun and my finger got burned!

 

It’s hard to photo but is a big improvement. The paint is sound, it’s the lacquer that’s damaged ( car is parked in south facing full sun). You can see in the first pic that the top layer has been removed and the second pic where I’ve polished to. Top corner was the worst before.

 

Excellent work, thats made a big difference hasn't it?

 

is the 'Autoglym Dark' a lacquer, or some kind of ointment?

 

Aldi paint repair kit sounds interesting, was it a recent purchase?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

 

All this is making me realise I never moved the battery on mine in 6years! It was a lifetime guaranteed one the first owner bought in 1996. I bought the car in 2001 and sold it in 2006 without taking it out.

 

That's bringing back nightmares of my S1 Prestige!

 

The charger in the shed claims that the battery is back up to 90% capacity now. I've had the individual cells uncapped since charging started, and the water in each cell doesn't appear to be bubbling....

 

The replacement near-equivalent battery I have in mind is this one

[richardmorris]

Excellent work, thats made a big difference hasn't it?

 

is the 'Autoglym Dark' a lacquer, or some kind of ointment?

 

Aldi paint repair kit sounds interesting, was it a recent purchase?

Hell, now you’re making me be exact!

 

Let me put the wine glass down and go and look.........

 

 

 

......

 

 

.........

[richardmorris]

I think the scratch kit is a few years old. I remember not being impressed by it originally and putting it in the back of the cupboard. Seems to have done well This time though. More work needed around the aerial hole still.

 

Autoglym is not Dark, but ultra deep shine for darker colours.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

The horns. They looked fucked, so I took them apart and cleaned off the corrosion:

 

 

The compressor, on the other hand, looked like it had led a hard life:

 

 

After a brief struggle with corroded screw heads, it broke down into this:

 

 

It's just a big multipole electric motor. Actually, the armature and commutators didn't look that bad, and only needed a wipe with a kitchen towel:

 

 

The motor brushes looked like they hadn't seen much action either:

 

 

Hopefully this should all work again once the motor has been tested*

[bramz7]

Got a real big desire to drive a Reliant three wheeler of some kind. Don't want to own one...just try one.

[bub2006]

Where do you live bramz? Welcome to try mine. Admittedly it has handlebars and no bodywork but the principal is the same!

[bramz7]

I live in Basingstoke, sadly not local to you!

[bub2006]

Not a million miles. Maybe something can be arranged!

[meshking]

Not Rick Pembro. Although I understand they will be together tomorrow at the 2cv racing.

 

Rick meyers who I’ve known for nearly 25 years now. He used to be full time at PTS in isleworth then went his own way, most recently at the N Randell rolls Royce specialist I mentioned to xtriple. Now he’s bus driving in London, part time at PTS and mobile too. He does work hard I’ll give him that! His daughter is now in second year at university studying mathematics- I remember her being born!

 

Anyway, he’s basically looked after all my cars for twenty years.

 

He’s pretty booked up. But if you need things doing on the 2cv I’ll ask if he’s interested - he lives in Hampton.

 

Oh, and the GSAMI rally is coming up if you want somewhere to go to - rural life centre in Farnham.

http://rural-life.org.uk/html/Events/Citroen-rally.html

Ah - of course, I think now you have mentioned this before (and probably I've asked the same, sorry!)

 

It looks like I might be free on that day - would be a good run for my 2cv.

 

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[Tadhg Tiogar]

The CX battery has been on charge overnight, and the individual cells are now bubbling gently. No sign of the green light showing "Fully charged" coming on yet.

[brickwall]

Brake servo hissing through diaphragm so it's kaput and I'm also leaking from a rear stub seal on the Rangie. Will investigate when I can be bothered.

[Roverageous]

Need to collect a car from near Nottingham - trying to work out public transport from Aylesbury to Nottingham. NOPE. Nothing connects, and it's fucking expensive!

 

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[holbeck]

Need to collect a car from near Nottingham - trying to work out public transport from Aylesbury to Nottingham. NOPE. Nothing connects, and it's fucking expensive!

 

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Time machine, go back 50 years take direct train via Great Central main line. Cost will only be 5 shillings as well!

 

[bub2006]

Need to collect a car from near Nottingham - trying to work out public transport from Aylesbury to Nottingham. NOPE. Nothing connects, and it's fucking expensive!

 

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I'm near Nottingham. Open top cabs available

[richardmorris]

In preparation for rick coming back to be my house mechanic for a day ( neighbours have their eye on him too now!) ive ordered the clutch master cylinder (£33) and taken the driver’s seat out of the x1/9 and removed the bottom of the steering column cover.

Now you can actually see the cylinder without dislocating a shoulder!

 

What would be really useful for this is a short raise ratchet Allen key. Does such a thing exist? The seat base extends over the Allen bolt so you can’t use a socket wrench on it.

[Richard]

Allen bit in ratchet spanner, with a bit of paper wedged in to keep the bit in place?

[richardmorris]

Allen bit in ratchet spanner, with a bit of paper wedged in to keep the bit in place?

I tried that - the smallest I have is 8mm and it really had too much play to stop me loosing my temper with it.