Project HaeThere! (Coupé restoration)

[STALLED]

The Xantia's just a D8 with ludicrously soft and unresponsive suspension

Yes, Xantias are sh*t.

BTW - I'm thinking of purchasing a 406 Koupe. New job = Yes

[mjb]

ICV cleaned. Once I had it out I realised it was pretty much seized solid with muck - it didn't even move when twisted vigorously. No wonder it had issues at idle

Good blast with half a can of carb cleaner and it rattles nicely now. The motion's a bit 'gritty' still, but the internals have no problem opening it now. Even backed the car out of the garage round to the front of the house without pressing the gas. Nice.

Pictures taken, added to the ever-growing "HOWTO TODO" list

Need to buy more jubilee clips now

[Doggy]

Nice one Matt - it really makes a difference doesn't it?
I think biggish engines tolerate a lot more of these things without dying on you. Remember doing the same with my 24V Carlton, seemed like a new car afterwards

[mjb]

Bought nearly all the bits for the clutch change. PANIC!!!!

Still got to get the ball joint separator and the hooge socket

Dealers say the cold air pipe is on back order, so looks like I'm going to have to improvise...

Did I mention PANIC!!!?

Tonight I'll put the new aux belt tensioner on and if I've got time I'll take the n/s/f wheel off and attack the wheelarch liner. If it's accessible I'll remove the cruise control pump+valve while I'm down there so I can have a look at what's up with it and free up some engine bay space. Also if I can get to it, I'll look at chopping up the cold air pipe, see if I can move the point of ingress somewhere where it won't have air blowing directly across it.

[Welly]

I dunno how you can change an aux belt in this heat man

[mjb]

I dunno how you can change an aux belt in this heat man

It's cool and p*ssing down here at the moment

I think 30c still isn't that hot and for the most part it hasn't been too humid. It was knocking 40c in Belgium last year, and THAT was hot. I guess I'm a bit spoiled going to mainland Europe for a week every year, but 30c just seems "warm" now (until I open the car/blast furnace door...)

[Captain Jack]

30c is nothing really. Pretty much everywhere else that's not UK/Ireland "enjoys" these temperatures on a regular basis and is considered normal.

Becomes serious when it gets to 40+C in the shade as that IS hot...

[Welly]

I guess your typing from an air conditioned space there as from where I'm sitting it's bloody uncomfortable.

Still when I get home I've got 5000 watts of Daikin's finest waiting for me

[Captain Jack]

Actually I was sitting at a home in a south facing room with no air con whatsoever.

Daikin - one of our customers

[Doggy]

I dunno how you can change an aux belt in this heat man

Me neither - just changed the bulbs in my MFD & had sweat running in my eyes - 20:15 / 29 degrees

[teamster1975]

It was 41 degrees down here in the sun earlier, 34 in the shade
It's been a nightmare getting the kids off to bed tonight, even with fans everywhere. You lucky bugg3r Welly with your Daikins!

[mjb]

i need to figure out a way of running my portable aircon in the bedroom of this new house without letting the cats get out :/

Anyhow, back to the car...

The dealers messed up my parts order, giving me 20 tiny washers and 20 huge T30 torx bolts (like the ones that hold the V6 engine cover on) instead of the large washers and T20 self-tappers I needed for my wheelarches Going to have to go back tomorrow and slap 'em about a bit. Ended up improvising wheelarch liner fasteners using bits of wire with knots at either end

New aux belt tensioner went in easily and tensioned up easily enough after I put a small bit of copper slip on the ends of the spring where they face the bolts and other surfaces. The old one put up a huge fight though, mainly because I'd just driven the car home and it was far too hot to touch The belt's nice and tight now, done entirely by the spring

Had the n/s/f wheelarch liner off and shocked myself by how little's under there just one wire, a foglamp and the tattered remains of my air intake, with the inlet pushed up against the bumper Ripped most of the inlet pipe off so there's just the plastic bit at the top doing the job of anchoring the airbox pipe.

Took the car for a spin, and my little air host fix has SEVERELY reduced my economy. I just couldn't stop thrashing it! It shifts (and sounds!) soooo much better!

Had a look at the cruise control bag too. just can't see how the heck to remove it. I think the screws holding it on must be inside the bag, which you don't appear to be able to open without taking it off! ARGH! Guess I'll have plenty of room with the gearbox out eh?

Gave the liner a bit of a clean too. Alloy wheel brush (the type that's like a scouring pad) and a bucket of soapy water, and it's not looking too bad

[mjb]

oh, and for the record, 1999 D9 V6 has a 35mm wheel hub nut according to my tape measure

[steve_earwig]

The ones on my BX were 36...

Poke the hose out a window and block the rest up with something?

Cruise control bag?

Sounds like you've found a way to make a 406 less easy to drown... Pat on the back for all that anyway

...34 in the shade...

Crikey! They must be dropping like flies there! We've had a week of sunshine and thunderstorms and it's not got much above 30. Humid though, 5 minutes work and you're dripping.

[mjb]

Cruise control bag?

Aye. The vacuum pump and valve are apparently mounted on a plate, which is in a zipped bag, and the zip is zip-tied shut