Jump to content

320Touring's Citroen GSA. Boom, back in the room (unit) 11/07/2021


320touring

Recommended Posts

Well after 400 miles up and down to the North East meet last Sunday, the shortcomings of the tired spheres were all too evident..

 

Today we sought to resolve it. 40 year old Citroen suspension, what could possibly go wrong?

The answer?

Not too much bar one of the rear spheres not being seated properly, causing an LHM leak.

The fronts were a doddle - literally 

Tool on

Crack it

Then off by hand

Pela pump to draw the fluid out the strut

IMG_20190803_110735.thumb.jpg.b105235151b9ea6eb3f29165a799a2a2.jpg

New one on

IMG_20190803_110820.thumb.jpg.fcd544f86fcd6a48a2e6682cd1a55014.jpg

Then we broke for breakfast.

LHM TANK emptied via the Pela

The rears are somewhat more complicated -

They are pretty much like the front struts with the spheres at one end, except they are laid horizontal in a subframe.

The correct thing to do is undo the high pressure 3.5mm line (8mm union). This is ok when new but after 40years, the 8mm unions were somewhat recalcitrant.

 

Step forward the 'cheats method'.

Compress the strut down using a screwdriver to lever the sphere towards the front of the car. Careful not to snap the 3.5mm pipe.

Undo the 11mm retaining clip bolt next to where the 8mm union goes in.

Jack up the rear arm until it's above the shelf the strut is on.

Angle the strut out, and attach the tool to the sphere.

Crack the sphere and wind it off by hand.

IMG_20190803_200937.thumb.jpg.621be6422657ed8141b15851335f4f86.jpg

With the old sphere out, fit the new seal and sphere.

IMG_20190803_201031.thumb.jpg.371d6f4d3b6e50de05f62e52cfb1883a.jpg

Double check it's tight. It's what caused the LHM leak.

Re mount the retaining clip, making sure that the sphere is located in the subframe correctly.

Put it all back together - wheels on and put it on the ground.

 

Top up the LHM TANK.

Start the car

Open the 12mm bolt on the accumulator sphere housing.

Crack the 11mm nut on the return line to the LHM TANK.

Watch for bubbles - essentially like bleeding a coolant system.

Tighten the nut and bolt back up.

Marvel as the car rises

:)

total cost for new suspension and brake fluid?

£215.

£180 for spheres

£20 LHM 5l

£15 sphere removal tool

 

"Magic carpet ride" £PRICELESS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's the one job I really wanted to do on the xantia, fit new comfort spheres all round! Even had them sat in a basket waiting... 

Having had them all off and pressure tested on the xm it's such a lovely job though! Very satisfying when half a foot of mud comes out the rear lines when bleeding them through

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In a fit of stupidity, I decided that as the GSA was now my daily (commuting and business use!), It would benefit from a decent clean.

But first, a chat with a friend..

IMG_20190824_130453.thumb.jpg.b9aa5a759e244f537bb6f3b9047577c9.jpg

 

Home again after getting provisions, and tools assembled.

IMG_20190824_140016.thumb.jpg.5a49b706fc5e8032fc20c091260cbabf.jpg

Auto Glyn super resin Polish, followed Extra Gloss Protection to seal the paint after.

This was the starting point - a chalky, draggy surface. I had washed the car prior to starting, so this is as good as it ever looked.

IMG_20190824_140020.thumb.jpg.6fb3a4dd2fe8f21647b188e1815fae81.jpg

Thon polisher my bro got me for Xmas has really earned its crust..

IMG_20190824_140515.thumb.jpg.390382b67b2709bd0717fe7d31458b22.jpg

IMG_20190824_140847.thumb.jpg.e67ec52974273d6a63c3710dd05e9829.jpg

 

A bit more effort, plus putting the extra gloss thingy on left me with this:

IMG_20190824_163815.thumb.jpg.188a7b115a31a07d8c8f12e9ee1e8d84.jpg

IMG_20190824_161726.thumb.jpg.f2fb8dc99396a820c29fedb11ef25021.jpg

 

It's so bloody shiny, I had to put on tyre shine..

IMG_20190824_163833.thumb.jpg.0d7982c119acb08c4a74bf6943acfe2e.jpg

 

What the fuck have I become?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is excellent. Great to see another shiter doing it the "right" way - i.e. just drive the damn thing and work on it as you go! I really do need to get me a GSA - they just look like nothing else.

Anyone know of any GSA's for sale? Plenty on Leboncoin but that has it's downsides.....mainly having to deal with the French with minimal French language skills! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is just back from circa 600 miles to Cannock and back - a brilliant weekend as per!

Seemed to average 33mpg - not bad when cruising at the limit.

It started off by standing out in a sea of grey, silver and black

IMG_20190906_094038.thumb.jpg.cbef76da3aff903c468dfe646886a069.jpg

Fuelled up, we met up with maister Fowler, and bad Cannock in 4h20mins Inc a piss stop at Tebay. Almost unheard of levels of progress!

A small number of libations were consumed on the Friday evening whilst we dined, and a grand sleep was had.

Saturday morning, Kirton got the chance to pilot brother_touring and I to breakfast - he was keen to drive the GSA as GS/As had been family cars when he were a pup:)

Cannock was Cannock , and I managed not to buy anything!

I even placed top 6 in the Cannock game - and yes, there were more than 6 players!

People seemed to enjoy the bumble round the carpark game at the auctions - everyone coped admirably with piloting the GSA.

Then it was on to the museum, where I took 2 pictures:

 

"little and large"

IMG_20190907_141735.thumb.jpg.0b48a3b1a8cbaaaf3d559274fa1f8f4b.jpg

With 6cyls XM behind

"1988 pt1"

IMG_20190907_142147.thumb.jpg.d2cdaddeb7caa798a9ba63f248eae2c2.jpg

From there we headed north to Grange-over-sands.

Why?

Screenshot_20190908_134639_com_ebay.mobile.thumb.jpg.a052abf1e239cb79f1414492157ee276.jpg

Yup, 99p for a new centre section.

The vendor seemed a good sort - he moved it up from South Yorkshire for me, and even threw is some brake pads - all for 99p!

I took this picture and sent it to him:)

IMG_20190907_195134.thumb.jpg.4a701e43aa12e6fbe47a883f684e0a4a.jpg

 

All in all, a grand weekend!

Back to the daily drive duties tomorrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This continues to be the daily News the hardest worked of all the fleet.

Today, it was hauling all the packaging from the new fridge freezer - the hatchback makes such a difference over the boot of the GS.. hard graft indeed!

IMG_20190920_141912.thumb.jpg.d1f5cc619387965ca85aa67c1783d90e.jpg

 

However, the confusion was the tank filling that occurred after - just about 25mpg.

I still think it is running rich, and the exhaust blow is not helping. I think I'll order new exhaust clamps and try to sort it soon.

In other news re this veeehickle, I'm continuing in my "grab as many spares as you can" approach, ably abetted by Kiltox this time.

Many thanks to Kiltox for taking in the spares I acquired.

First up, a fuel tank and front/rear bumpers and some side strips

IMG-20190919-WA0008.thumb.jpg.e33b6ee326d5d1d90f744e68ee8bd8ec.jpg

And a full set of glass

IMG-20190919-WA0009.thumb.jpg.1e6b3b3c8030b519c3befabdbd4f2c54.jpgIMG-20190919-WA0011.thumb.jpg.ffffe85b33c35ab9f8e3eeb7ced06da5.jpg

IMG-20190919-WA0010.thumb.jpg.c277d1cb1a074471619bc35c8423dbbb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well that was fun*

Decided to patch going to the unit as it's too nice a day.

Callandar for Pie chips and beans is the plan..

Get out of Lennoxtown, and the GSA Comes over all CMS206 Stellar.

Refusing to idle, won't accelerate.

Pull over to side of road and find:

IMG_20190928_132053.thumb.jpg.6ce3a25070d0f8d588e869419a8e700b.jpg

This wee pipe had come off.

Reattached it, and it was running sweet.

Get exactly hauf way to destination and it does it again.

Pulled off the road and gave it the "hand on carb" treatment.

Made Callander, and had Scran - Steak and haggis pie, chips n beans:)

Came back home fine.

 

Will keep an eye on it for a bit..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Up and out early this morning - the mission : collect part of the latest spares haul I had secured.

 

Young Mr Kiltox very helpfully recieved the goods at his unit in Gloucester, and brought part of them up to sunny Maybole for me to collect.

 

Front and rear bumpers, a fuel tank/level sender and door rubbing strips.

IMG_20191020_103718.thumb.jpg.0e13cf22469c7628beecfc6fbce8dabd.jpgIMG_20191020_103710.thumb.jpg.b4ff72732c3d442ed61644300be282e7.jpg

the rest of the stuff needs wrapping in bubble wrap before transportation can occur

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Prior to getting the Toledo MOT'd my brother @jaypee came over on Thursday afternoon so we could try to get the GSA up and running.

It had sat since October 23rd when I got the ML...

Previous attempts had resulted in flooding and the battery becoming flat.

We constructed a bonnet stay

IMG_20200220_134443.thumb.jpg.2a5f9ef2a8d56657fbd0eb844e2f729f.jpg

The plugs were fouled, so we cleaned a couple and away it went.

I got the parts loaded out of it, and then took it over to swap it with the Toledo.

It's not running right, the exhaust leak is bad and needs a service.

That said, I still overtook a couple of cars on the back road:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...