No not incontinence, this was planned.
It’s been a few months since the “2012 Expedition Across Australia” finished and I think I have procrastinated enough, so out with the engine. Of course that is easier said than done. On the rally with able help from the riding mechanic and various hapless individuals the job was done in 90 minutes flat. At home in a comfortable garage with no deadline and only myself will take a little longer.
On Monday I mentioned that I put the SM on the hoist and drained the oil. Well on Tuesday night while trying to get to sleep at about 12:30 I suddenly had a foreboding that leaving a car with hydro pneumatic suspension for a prolonged time draining the oil was going to be a bit messy. The problem is that I use an old bit of chipboard to straddle the hoists ramps then sit the oil drain pan on it, the SM holds 7 liters of oil, the pan only just fitted under the car so what happens when the SM goes flat. Laying in bed I envisioned how far 7 liters would spread on my nice unsealed concrete floor. Needless to say sleep was not happening so a nocturnal visit to the shed was required.
In my addled state I was trying to figure my way around the catch 22 of how to raise the car when it needs the engine running to do that, but it has no oil in it and no way to put the sump plug back in. On arrival the car was flat as a tack, the chipboard was very bowed but not broken so all was well. Looking at the hoist I realized it has hydraulic jacking pads mid way along each ramp so by pressing the right buttons the car was lifted off it’s wheels and more importantly off the oil drain pan.
The question is why didn’t I think of this while I was draining the oil instead of after midnight 2 days later?
Found exhaust manifold flange joints loose could explain the rattling.
Today I attempted to balance the brakes firstly by using a chunk of wood that I jam between the brake pedal and the seat moving the pedal by about an inch. Then I jacked the car up, the RF wheel was hard to move so I adjusted the LF to match and then did the same with the rears but not quite so. Drove the car up and down in front of the garage in the gravel jamming the brakes on….the LR Wheel locks so I back it off and try again, this goes on for a while until I finally go out on the road do an emergency stop and again the LR wheel locks, with smoke this time. I think it’s back to the drawing board for this one.
Also today I took the Citroen SM out for a run and it’s developed a rattle somewhere, which is worrying as I just had the engine rebuilt so that’s up on the hoist getting an oil change while I think of what the hell that noise is.