Gerry's CX Restoration--restored pics

[gerrypro]

Like most first time start ups there are still a few things to sort out.
1 A leaking header to flexible pipe joint. Fixed yesterday with CRC MufflerSeal ceramic paste that expands when heated.
2 Leaking T piece on front height corrector. A small clamp took care of that one but I should order a new one from CX Basis and while I am at it get the elbow for the rear as well.
3 The invariable hose clamp leaks in the cooling system! Funny how they only show up when the engine is hot and the system is under pressure! Needed a change of clamp to solve the one to the thermostat housing. The heater hose ones just needed an extra turn or two.
4 Guess who for got to tighten a. the drain plug of the fuel tank and b. the bleeders for the brake calipers. Easy fix but the garage still stinks of fuel and will I ever get the greenstuff off the concrete?
Apart from these set backs the results are very encouraging. I could engage all four gears. A little notchy at the moment but given that I have not been able to fill the trans to the correct level until the torque converter has had a chance to bleed properly ( through use of the gears ) I feel that it will get smoother when the levels are correct!

 

[John P]

"Very well done" seems so lame after your epic effort, Gerry. You should have gathered from all the responses to this thread, that you have become the yardstick for home restorations. (perhaps not solely; there is some excellent work out there, but by very few). I hope you are comfortable with that title. You have certainly earned it.

 

[gerrypro]

The car is now on all four wheels. Hydraulics all operational and bled. All that remains is to fit the under-tray, give it a wheel alignment and re-gas the aircon!
I can't get it out of the garage yet because it is stuck firmly behind my 11BL----the next project on the to do list! It will take a day of pushing and shoving and wheel barrowing to get it out of the way. Yes it has no front suspension. To move it one picks it up by the long tubes and lifts it like a wheel barrow. Some pics to follow as soon as I get it out onto the driveway!

 

[DoubleChevron]

I know someone that can regass the A/C cheaply The best part is .... It'll be about as effective gas'd as it is now ..... Oh well at least it'll help demist the screen on cold days

seeya,
Shane L.

 

[gerrypro]

Thanks Shane ---Yes I know the aircon is always suspect on this model year. But if the door trims are susceptible to the Aussie heat maybe it will only get driven in 'Énglish' type weather! The other option is to put the darkest tint on the windows that is allowable. It really made a difference to the Calais!

 

[gerrypro]

Well Folks It has moved at last.
I drove it out of the garage this afternoon! Only far enough to do a U turn in the crossover of my drive way and to put it back into the garage nose first. Went to put it into reverse!!!!!!!! I hope it is only the switch box out of adjustment, because it refused to go backwards. I suspect the the revers points are not opening which causes the Electro valve to remain activated. This in turn prevents the clutch in the torque converter from engaging! I'll look at it tomorrow! All forward gears are selectable, and drive!
Also you may notice I still have to paint and fit the front number plate support!

 

[GreenBlood]

Well Folks It has moved at last.
I drove it out of the garage this afternoon! Only far enough to do a U turn in the crossover of my drive way and to put it back into the garage nose first. Went to put it into reverse!!!!!!!! I hope it is only the switch box out of adjustment, because it refused to go backwards. I suspect the the revers points are not opening which causes the Electro valve to remain activated. This in turn prevents the clutch in the torque converter from engaging! I'll look at it tomorrow! All forward gears are selectable, and drive!
Also you may notice I still have to paint and fit the front number plate support!

Couple of milestones Gerry, that was your 1000th post, how fitting

What a huge achievement with the car, it looks pristine. After all the work that has gone into it there are bound to be minor tweaks, I'm sure you'll have it running backwards and forwards in no time. Congratulations

Cheers
Chris

 

[gerrypro]

Couple of milestones Gerry, that was your 1000th post, how fitting

What a huge achievement with the car, it looks pristine. After all the work that has gone into it there are bound to be minor tweaks, I'm sure you'll have it running backwards and forwards in no time. Congratulations

Cheers
Chris

Problem with reverse all sorted! As I suspected the reverse contact did not open at all! Took all afternoon to get an Allen key in to access the switch box. My son kindly lost the extra long 3mm ball headed Allen key from my set so I had to resort to the short standard variety----what a pain!
Drove it backwards out of the driveway today and went for a short excursion down the road and back to test the changes and the steering. Will definitely need alignment!

 

[Fingers]

Nearly rego time.

 

[gerrypro]

It is always a complicated procedure commissioning a new restoration.
The car is now suffering from LBL symptoms. Incontinence around the Doseur area.
At first I thought the T piece on the height corrector area was the culprit. No! I secured that and it remained dry. Looking further up the front leakage pipe connector was an ill fit and dripping slowly----I reversed it and that took care of that! Still the puddles appeared on the floor.
I had pushed and pulled the other Rilsan pipes while investigating the problem particularly the one on the lower back portion of the Doseur valve. The rate of flow went from a few overnight drips to a constant dripping off the bottom of the doseur. Strange because the return tube looked perfect. I removed it and discovered fine cracks as soon as I flexed the tube. These were invisible with the tube installed but of course were the culprit. A replacement section of tube and all is fixed.

CXBasis offer a replacement doseur and diravi return but I suspect that it is for the LHD version.

Does any one know if they are interchangeable?
My setup is a concoction of spare tube and a T piece from a washer system! It works but of course it is not original!

 

[Greg C]

Fantastic Gerry. I had to go and get my sunnies to look at the photos, the paint is soo bright and perfect. Makes you appreciate when the car was built that it went together with very few if any faults when you had those few teething troubles. Surely you will get some white on black plates to help tone down the rear view. The contrast would look good too

 

[gerrypro]

The plates are actually red and white permit plates. Not the black and whites that I had on it before!
I'll post a few more pics soon now that it is fully legal!
Over the next few days I am about to disembowel her once more!
It seems that something is untoward in the transmission department. Possibly a foreign object that may have fallen in while the reco'ed box was in storage. I will soon find out. It is a pity that it entails the removal of the complete power train!

 

[gerrypro]

The trans is now sorted. A leaky gasket on the electro valve block has been replaced stopping an annoying TQF Leak.
The the culprit behind the jamming of gears has been located. I really should make sure that I stuuf the speedo and governor drives with rags after I store a reco'ed transmission in future. There is a photo of it! Also some picks of the dismantler trans case. I am so glad that I did not have to remove the entire power plant!
For those wondering it is a ball from a Traction synchro hub!

 

[DoubleChevron]

gee's you lucky that didn't get between any of the meshed gears It could also be the spring loaded balls in the part of the primary shaft that slides between the gears.

seeya,
shane L.
PS: Yes I remember them well.... and that sinking feeling as you lift the unit off and hear the rattle of the spring loaded bearings bouncing off all the walls and roof of the shed

 

[gerrypro]

gee's you lucky that didn't get between any of the meshed gears It could also be the spring loaded balls in the part of the primary shaft that slides between the gears.

seeya,
shane L.
PS: Yes I remember them well.... and that sinking feeling as you lift the unit off and hear the rattle of the spring loaded bearings bouncing off all the walls and roof of the shed

I detected the problem when I took the car for a slow test run down the street........Yes it locked solid. The flexibility of the front suspension cushioned the force. Otherwise I may have broken the gears and the casing etc.
I know the balls that you speak of. They are on the pinion shaft in the sliding section of the synchro hubs. They cannot come out unless one undoes the speedo drive nut and allows the gears to slide forward on their journals. You never separate the inner and outer synchro hub unless you have the appropriate fixture to remount the balls and springs. The Traction synchro is exactly the same principle with the exception that the springs push the balls against the inner hub, and the cones are fixed into the outer ring of the synchro instead of the floating rings as in the DS .CX and GS.
Any how the gears now all select easily and smoothly.

 

[Greg C]

Lucky man. Too many Citroens under restoration at the same time, little bits on the loose. I did the tappets on the Prestige last weekend and when I got the rocker cover off and left the car overnight to really cool off, I put a clean rag over it all to stop any little bits finding their way into places they shouldn't. Still looks good with the gearbox casing off, spotlessly clean inside and out. Hope to see a photo of it with a bug squashed on the bonnet indicating it has been driven. There were some comments at a Pebble Beach concourse blog a while back which suggested bonus points for squashed bugs. More points for a longer streak indicating the bug had been hit at high speed. I await your first.

 

[gerrypro]

Took her for a lap of the block yesterday. Everything working smoothly! However I am a little concerned about the timing chain. It rattles under acceleration and quietens right down when the foot is lifted off the accelerator. I realise that the CX has an issue with timing chains. They are under a heavy load having to drive all that extra ancillary equipment:- Water pump, alternator, HP pump, air con compressor, and air injection pump. I did think that from observation that the chain and back slap guide and tensioner were OK. Maybe I was wrong or maybe I forgot to release the tensioner lock. It may even be possible that the oil pressure to the tensioner is obstructed! I guess I will find out over the next few days!
Thank God that the timing cover is so easy to get at. I would hate to be doing this job on a D!
I wonder if the reverse rotation has anything to do with the chains longevity!

 

[gerrypro]

Guess who forgot to release the tensioner lock!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DoubleChevron]

At least it's an easy fix! I've never heard of a CX wearing out a timing chain though

 

[gerrypro]

According to Bruno at Citro Motors. ( Yes was still the owner when I was last running this car,) they stretch the chains more than the D series cars and the tensioners do not last as long. I replaced the chain when the car was last running and it appears to be in pretty good condition.
The tensioner however has already worn some grooves in its contact surface. You should have seen how bad the one was that I replaced. The one in the motor that I got from you ( Shane) was also cactused. I now have to make a new gasket , and put her back together. Then no doubt I will have to wait for another fine day to road test her. Given the crap weather we are having at the moment I do not like to predict when that will be.