Citroen Xantia Double Madness! - Mojo Lost!

[Broadsword]

To be fair, there has been much sensibleness recently with cars only being sold off from the fleet. Now however is time for the first collection caper of 2019. This is part of ongoing fleet rationalization efforts so it will be one in, evaluate the options and MOT time, then one out. All the clues you need are in the photo.

[320touring]

Did gon be gud!

[martc]

All the clues you need are in the photo.

Shouldn't you have a breathalyser?

[JimH]

Won't need one if he is going to join in the protests. I suspect the battery is for throwing through the window of a police station.

[Jazoli]

Bottle of LHM, so what could it be?

[JimH]

UK media outlets have tended to focus on the yellow vest aspect of the protests fearing that specialist hydraulic fluid would mean little to the average Brit, however, in France these protests are known as the Huile Verte Drôle Protests. LHM has become a beacon of what France was once and what it can be once more. Protestors wave their little bottle of fluid before tipping them on the floor of government offices. The yellow vest thing happened quite by accident when it became difficult to buy bottle of LHM.

[chrisjvm]

Bottle of LHM, so what could it be?

 

 

Rolls Royce of course!

[binhoker668]

I like the sleek, wheeled 'Gentleman's Overnight Case'.  Will you be wearing a sharp suit and Fedora also? 

Incognito shiter at work.

[Junkman]

Rolls Royce of course!

 

Or a 450SEL 6.9

[Guest Conan]

I'm going to be left field and say Peugeot 405 Mi16x4.

[Broadsword]

Normally I like to wear tweed and a sharp pair of brogues, and that is indeed normally my overnight bag for work travels, but there is no paid work at the moment. Not sure if the bag will survive lugging a battery around. I’m mourning the selling off of Jags, so no snappy dressing today. This thread should be renamed to Broadsword’s unemployment thread.

[MorrisItalSLX]

I think the bottle of LHM is a red herring, it’s just the refreshments for the journey.

[Supernaut]

I think the bottle of LHM is a red herring, it’s just the refreshments for the journey.

I agree.

He even mentions Fred Dibnah in the thread title. It must Shirley be a Land Rover series IIA.

[Supernaut]

...or a traction engine.

[MorrisItalSLX]

...Or a chimney stack

[Squire_Dawson]

Yes I hope this is some Fred Dibnah approved shite.

[Broadsword]

Good, good. I have you all nicely confused. Stage one complete, now departed York station on a train. Next stop Sheffield. I must say York is an ideal starting point for most rail trips around the UK what with it being roughly in the middle of the country.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

I wonder if it might be a BX / Xantia / XM given recent other threads.....?

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

Battery, jump leads, hivis and WD40. It's a well used transit. The lhm is to move the bogged out Citroen blocking it in.

 

I'm right yeah?

[Broadsword]

Second train achieved. Best keep the thread honest to its title, so I will add this.

[Justin Case]

I am disappointed. From the heading I was expecting your emergency* pack to include at least a sack of coal and a can of Brasso.

[binhoker668]

What a thoroughly decent chap!

Chodspeed back to The East Riding good Sir!

My apologies for the lack of correct biscuits....

 

Going...

 

 

Going...

 

 

Gone!!

 

[chrisjvm]

Or a 450SEL 6.9

 

That trump's the Roller ....

[DodgeRover]

Second train achieved. Best keep the thread honest to its title, so I will add this.

Did u like that?

[Broadsword]

Got home safe and sound. Very nice to meet you Mr. Binhoker. All in all a well executed collection. Everything ran on time and the trip back was effortless enough. Car performed very well, very keen on the big roads. The only scary moment was that big roundabout going from A1 to M18. I was in the lane for joining the M18, then about 10 metres short of the slip road someone cut right across from the outside lane, forcing me back on the roundabout. No idea where the vehicle came from but it cut across at mighty speed. It was one of those Hynday i10 things and looked like it was going to tip over.

 

So I have two Xantias now. If all goes to plan I will keep the Lucifer Red one, sell the excellent white car and keep the difference in monies. Fettling and MOTs will dictate the final outcome. Watch this space.

[Broadsword]

After the success of the XJR6 double madness thread, and my knack for buying pairs of cars, this thread is now known as "Citroen Xantia Double Madness!"

 

Thoughts on the drive home: clutch bite point a little on the high side but it works fine and doesn't slip. I think it can be managed just fine. It's a hydraulic clutch so no fiddly plastic clip of doom to worry about. I was convinced at first that the front brake discs were warped by the pedal feel, but they got much better on the drive north. Other than that it is more flexible in it's power delivery than the white car (which is a HDi 90 chipped to 120 bhp). In outright speed they are quite closely matched at the moment. Worth bearing in mind though that the stage 1 remap (just a ECU flash, nothing else needed) for the HDi 110 bumps you up to 145 bhp and 320 Nm, as well as a boost in economy. That would be tremendous. Also the ride is slightly softer in the red car, but it runs different size tyres (205/50/15 red vs 185/65/15 white).

 

I was very encouraged by flicking through the service history, realizing this car has clearly been cared for. The cam belt has been done too! This morning I set about doing a more in depth inspection.

 

First thing first was to swap in the new windscreen washer jets kindly supplied by the vendor of this fine motor-vehicle. It took a bit of additional forcing air through the system, but the screen can now be washed adequately. Second was to replace the battery clamp. Third was to investigate the droning noise from the engine bay. My trusty mechanic's stethoscope confirmed without doubt that the alternator needs replacing. After that I found the book pack in a secret holder on the fuse-box door. Nice!

 

With things going swimmingly I set about jacking up each wheel, wiggling things around and removing each wheel to see the state of the brakes. Along the way I disposed of the locking wheel nuts, as they are the work of Lucifer in my mind, and applied copper slip to the bone dry wheel bolts. All the brakes actually have ample amounts of friction material. There is a lip on the front discs and the rear side of the discs are a little rusty. Interestingly the front brakes aren't quite the same as on the white car, there are pins holding the pads in on the white car. There is a little side to side movement in the rack I think, but I think we will get away with it.

 

The discs were basically ok and the rear hubs tight as a drum. Not much else to say, crustiness on N/S rear sill a bit marginal. Anyway I booked it in for an MOT this Friday afternoon. It's crying out for a service, but that is no chore. I already have oil.

[binhoker668]

Very pleased to hear that I was right with all diagnoses!

I'll have to hoke out that wee notebook from the previous owner, and also must remember to forward you the spare number plate - when I see my friend who has it....

[Broadsword]

Today's MOT was not entirely successful. Fails on rust and brakes. Rust is the usual rear sill dirt and moisture traps. Brakes are a little more complicated. The senior member of the MOT test shop said the brakes work but there is not enough residual pressure in the hydraulics to press the pedal the necessary four times with the engine off and have the brakes still do something. He was of the opinion that it was the accumulator spheres at fault. That seems logical.

 

Now the welding looks like it would cost a bit. I'm thinking it might be an opportunity to buy welding gear and attempt it myself. That way I would come out of it with a welder spare for the future. Outer sills should be ok for DIY and the inner sill is in the wheel arch so plenty of access. Haven't done MIG welding for many years though so would need to practice. Anyone know how much that lot of welding might cost? Is it really worth a DIY attempt?

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Combination-Smooth-Welder-Accessory-Wheels/dp/B00CLPOTV8/ref=sr_1_8?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1550849766&sr=1-8&keywords=mig+welder

 

Was thinking that might be a good investment if the welding is expensive at a garage.

 

On the brakes front I will probably strip down the fronts and start again with new discs and pads. I've never done spheres before. I guess the sphere removal tool is essential for the centre rear sphere. The main question with the accumulator spheres (I guess they are same front and rear) is which one to buy. A look on eBay tells me there are too many brands to choose from.

[myglaren]

AEP are usually a good source of spheres, they appear to be quite knowledgable about them and if you phone them will make sure you get the correct ones for the car.

 

I haven't used them (never had to replace any) but several FCF members have had excellent service from them.

 

 

ED:  I should perhaps clarify that in the past I have had a GS, a BX, a Xantia and two C5s - one I have currently.

A fair amount of tinkering with them, especially the GS but never had to replace a sphere although the Xantia had had them all replaced weeks before I bought it.

[Broadsword]

I've ordered an accumulator sphere. I'm hoping with it living in the engine bay, it won't be difficult to remove.

 

Moving on to rust. I bought a 1 mm mild steel sheet to practice shaping repair panels into shape. Also I started cutting back the rot on the N/S rear sill, which is where the worst of the rust is. I must confess it doesn't look great, but I think I will invest in the welding kit, and just set about fixing it methodically. Must be doable. Any welding tips?

 

You can see in the photos the rubber bung that belonged in the inception hole on the inner sill. It had been pushed in, along with years of mud.