Listening for pinging! Your current '4' might actually already be a '6' or so if the marks on the pulley or gauge are a bit out.
D Special rehabilitation
- Thread starter Greenpeace
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Greenpeace
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Greenpeace
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Bumped the timing up another 2 degrees which coincided with the slot on the dissy base reaching the end of its travel. Now set at 8 degrees BTDC on the cam pulley scale.
Still no pinging, ran well, temp gauge sat on 85C.
Lucky for me the local servo still sells "Super" for 45 cents a gallon
Still no pinging, ran well, temp gauge sat on 85C.
Lucky for me the local servo still sells "Super" for 45 cents a gallon
bleudanube
Active member
That’s a great photo in black and white. Where is it?
Roger Wilkinson
BVH
Keep up the good work. You are doing just fine without a timing light.
Roger
Roger
Greenpeace
Active member
Thanks bleudanube. The Barn and Scotty's Garage. It is about 10 minutes out of Toowoomba down Flagstone Creek Road. If you visit from the Brisbane side be careful as your GPS will probably take you out Woop Woop way.
Cheers Rob.
Greenpeace
Active member
Thanks Roger.
I am using a timing light on the scale to note the changes I am making. However the great unknown is whether the timing scale is accurate relative to the crank's true position.
Regards Rob.
Greenpeace
Active member
End of speed limit, what every D likes too see lol.
Well I've racked up a few hundred Kms and all seems to be well (for a 50 year old). I made some bushes for the long bar that runs from the steering column down to the gearbox as the rubber in there resembled some sort of black goo. This got rid of the majority of freeplay.
The bracket on the chassis that the selector bar pivots/ slides in also has freeplay. Without taking it off to look, can anyone tell me if there is a replaceable bush in this bracket?
Did anyone see the 2 DSs that popped up up on Thursday night on Brisbane Marketplace? I was just starting work and the listings were gone an hour later. Both 1972 models, one white, one yellow, $2500 each. Projects stored indoors and they didn't look too bad at all in the photos.
Rob.
Well I've racked up a few hundred Kms and all seems to be well (for a 50 year old). I made some bushes for the long bar that runs from the steering column down to the gearbox as the rubber in there resembled some sort of black goo. This got rid of the majority of freeplay.
The bracket on the chassis that the selector bar pivots/ slides in also has freeplay. Without taking it off to look, can anyone tell me if there is a replaceable bush in this bracket?
Did anyone see the 2 DSs that popped up up on Thursday night on Brisbane Marketplace? I was just starting work and the listings were gone an hour later. Both 1972 models, one white, one yellow, $2500 each. Projects stored indoors and they didn't look too bad at all in the photos.
Rob.
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Greenpeace
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Went for a drive to the local State Forest, long continual gradient all the way up. Car got up to 90C, engine pulled well, it's one of those climbs that you don't really notice until you come back down the other way! Lot of sandstone quarries in my area, you can see the end of a quarry's sandstone block wall at the left of the picture and the State Forest sign just over the bonnet. Industry and preservation living in harmony.
Rob.
Rob.
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Greenpeace
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Went for another decent drive around the Toowoomba foothills. Great time of year, recent rain, so everywhere has greened up and the trees are in autumn mode. Weather is just right, perfect for arm out the window driving.The old battleaxe seems to be running nicer every time I drive it, or is it just my imagination?
It has a real sweet spot at 55 mph, tacho says 2400 rpm at this speed, rev reading seems a bit low? It's pulling better and better over the hills, places I was going back to 3rd gear for, it now pulls over in top (this is since I finished making any adjustments).
Car was stored for an unknown (but not inconsiderate) length of time, so whether it is still " limbering up" after it's Rip Van Winkle, who knows?
A box of bits that were in the boot have a Port Adelaide delivery address on them so it would seem the vehicle was laid up in SA at some stage?
I bought it in Brisbane and the guy I got it off couldn't remember how long he'd had it for!
Rob.
It has a real sweet spot at 55 mph, tacho says 2400 rpm at this speed, rev reading seems a bit low? It's pulling better and better over the hills, places I was going back to 3rd gear for, it now pulls over in top (this is since I finished making any adjustments).
Car was stored for an unknown (but not inconsiderate) length of time, so whether it is still " limbering up" after it's Rip Van Winkle, who knows?
A box of bits that were in the boot have a Port Adelaide delivery address on them so it would seem the vehicle was laid up in SA at some stage?
I bought it in Brisbane and the guy I got it off couldn't remember how long he'd had it for!
Rob.
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DoubleChevron
Real cars have hydraulics
Drive it a bit more. they are long legged. Sweet spot for a short stroke seems to be anything over 110km/h ....... where you have plenty of revs on board to tackle the hills with
.... actually, 70mph is a great speed in the long strokes too.90degrees wouldn't concern me. It'll probaby hover around that in 30+ degree weather without climbing hills!
Greenpeace
Active member
I've had it up to 80mph a couple of times (on a private roadDrive it a bit more. they are long legged. Sweet spot for a short stroke seems to be anything over 110km/h ....... where you have plenty of revs on board to tackle the hills with
90degrees wouldn't concern me. It'll probaby hover around that in 30+ degree weather without climbing hills!
) and as you said it is pretty effortless. Without paying to much attention to the speedo and just settling where the car feels good, I am invariably doing 55mph when I glance down. Mine is the single barrel Solex, single outlet exhaust manifold 2ltr engine, lowest hp, but has an interesting power/torque graph when compared to the other short stroke engines. It actually builds up speed quite nicely shifting at around 3K. Problem with getting a run up at the hills around here is that most are preceded by and/or are full of pretty sharp corners.The scarce hills that don't have sharp corners usually have a speed camera on them instead.
Greenpeace
Active member
"Made it Ma, top of the world"!
Went for a run over Silver Pinch this morning, if anything will test old machinery, this will. Beautiful views over the valley from the top. Photo doesn't do the downhill hairpin justice. It is a 1st gear corner going up, whatever you are driving/riding. Coming down on a bike it feels like you are going to fall down into a hole as the road hairpins left into a dip.
Funnily enough the Citroen's brake material smells more like clutch material than it does brake material?? Radiator temp stayed just over 80C, coolish day though.
Rob.
Went for a run over Silver Pinch this morning, if anything will test old machinery, this will. Beautiful views over the valley from the top. Photo doesn't do the downhill hairpin justice. It is a 1st gear corner going up, whatever you are driving/riding. Coming down on a bike it feels like you are going to fall down into a hole as the road hairpins left into a dip.
Funnily enough the Citroen's brake material smells more like clutch material than it does brake material?? Radiator temp stayed just over 80C, coolish day though.
Rob.
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Greenpeace
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I thought I better check the gearbox oil as I handn't done so and the gearbox does "sing" a little in top. Given the car's unknown history I decided an oil change was probably in order. I didn't measure what came out (as I dropped it into a container that already had some old engine oil in it). However it was a goodly amount of what looked and smelt like pretty clean gear oil. There was a bit of swarf on the magnetic drain plug but nothing too alarming. The factory manual I have states; 2 liters of SAE 80 gear oil for the 4 speed box.
I ended up purchasing Nulon "Smooth Shift" SAE 80, which is suitable for gearboxes and transaxles with both bevel and hypoid final drives. I also bought a tube of Nulon G70 oil treatment (which I'm pretty sure I read on here somewhere) that a forum member swears by it.
End result is quite a noticeable drop in transaxle noise, as to the "Smooth Shift" the car shifted smoothly anyway, so
.
My car doesn't have any under bonnet insulation and one fresh air inlet is missing the lower hose, so there are a couple of avenues for noise to become more apparent in the cabin than it should be. Anyway the noise that is present is a pleasant mechanical sound, not a death scream.
Rob.
I ended up purchasing Nulon "Smooth Shift" SAE 80, which is suitable for gearboxes and transaxles with both bevel and hypoid final drives. I also bought a tube of Nulon G70 oil treatment (which I'm pretty sure I read on here somewhere) that a forum member swears by it.
End result is quite a noticeable drop in transaxle noise, as to the "Smooth Shift" the car shifted smoothly anyway, so
.My car doesn't have any under bonnet insulation and one fresh air inlet is missing the lower hose, so there are a couple of avenues for noise to become more apparent in the cabin than it should be. Anyway the noise that is present is a pleasant mechanical sound, not a death scream.
Rob.
DoubleChevron
Real cars have hydraulics
I thought I better check the gearbox oil as I handn't done so and the gearbox does "sing" a little in top. Given the car's unknown history I decided an oil change was probably in order. I didn't measure what came out (as I dropped it into a container that already had some old engine oil in it). However it was a goodly amount of what looked and smelt like pretty clean gear oil. There was a bit of swarf on the magnetic drain plug but nothing too alarming. The factory manual I have states; 2 liters of SAE 80 gear oil for the 4 speed box.
I ended up purchasing Nulon "Smooth Shift" SAE 80, which is suitable for gearboxes and transaxles with both bevel and hypoid final drives. I also bought a tube of Nulon G70 oil treatment (which I'm pretty sure I read on here somewhere) that a forum member swears by it.
End result is quite a noticeable drop in transaxle noise, as to the "Smooth Shift" the car shifted smoothly anyway, so
My car doesn't have any under bonnet insulation and one fresh air inlet is missing the lower hose, so there are a couple of avenues for noise to become more apparent in the cabin than it should be. Anyway the noise that is present is a pleasant mechanical sound, not a death scream.
Rob.
The nulon g70 stuff can work magic in old gearboxes. don't worry about how much drained. Just fill until it overflows the level hole.
Greenpeace
Active member
Forgot to mention the Smooth Shift 80 is also a GL4 spec, I'm assuming given its age that the Citroen has brass/bronze synchros?Greenpeace
Active member
Just clocked 1000 kms since getting the car registered last month.
Went for another run out to Scotty's garage on Friday. My car's no oil painting but it has survived the ravages of time a bit better than the poor old Willys in the background.
Went to a Cars and Coffee down Chuwar way today, the car's first "big" trip since I got it (150 kms). Got the usual "haven't seen one of these for years" from a few people. One guy started a conversation with me about my "Renault".
My wife was confident, asking me if I had a tow truck on standby as we drove out our gate!
It went over the Minden ranges a lot better than I was expecting, held top gear without fuss.
Ran well, temp gauge sat on 80C and I still haven't had to top up the engine oil as yet.
Went for another run out to Scotty's garage on Friday. My car's no oil painting but it has survived the ravages of time a bit better than the poor old Willys in the background.
Went to a Cars and Coffee down Chuwar way today, the car's first "big" trip since I got it (150 kms). Got the usual "haven't seen one of these for years" from a few people. One guy started a conversation with me about my "Renault".
My wife was confident, asking me if I had a tow truck on standby as we drove out our gate!
It went over the Minden ranges a lot better than I was expecting, held top gear without fuss.
Ran well, temp gauge sat on 80C and I still haven't had to top up the engine oil as yet.
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Greenpeace
Active member
Went for another spin today around the local hills (and coffee shop
). The old girl is running well, little slow to start after a few days, but that's just waiting for the fuel to pump up to the carby.
Bit off-topic, but I can't help noticing the scallops that run along the tops of the doors on the inside, and the way they flow out into the door handles, very organic.
The realist in me knows they're there to add strength because the metal it so thin.
But whoever was handed that design task all those years ago must have thought thought well I can add strength no problem but it's going to look good doing it.
It's almost a shame they started covering them with padding.
). The old girl is running well, little slow to start after a few days, but that's just waiting for the fuel to pump up to the carby.Bit off-topic, but I can't help noticing the scallops that run along the tops of the doors on the inside, and the way they flow out into the door handles, very organic.
The realist in me knows they're there to add strength because the metal it so thin.
But whoever was handed that design task all those years ago must have thought thought well I can add strength no problem but it's going to look good doing it.
It's almost a shame they started covering them with padding.
Buttercup
Well-known member
There's several similar unique DS shapes to be found around the car.
The boot lid. I love the roll of the rear edge specially at the centre.
The C pillar shape, outside it's a statement of strength, inside is plush comfort.
Of course with 3rd front cars you have lost my favourite bit..... the blend of the front wings from bumper to headlights, including the shape of the indicators.
From any angle it is superb.
Also, a style that very few Dee owners get to experience, the swoop and swoosh of the first DS19 dash.
The boot lid. I love the roll of the rear edge specially at the centre.
The C pillar shape, outside it's a statement of strength, inside is plush comfort.
Of course with 3rd front cars you have lost my favourite bit..... the blend of the front wings from bumper to headlights, including the shape of the indicators.
From any angle it is superb.
Also, a style that very few Dee owners get to experience, the swoop and swoosh of the first DS19 dash.