Discussion
Thread update, obviously with covid I was limited with places to take the 104 last summer/autumn. It ticked over 200000km with mainly local journeys and has been tucked away in the garage since late October. There's an intermittent fault with the autochoke on the carb somewhere so it either starts first turn of the key or refuses until I hold the choke mechanism open. Fine once the engine is warm, can be a pest when half-warm. Hoping this summer yields more drives and events than last.
And of course now acquired a mini-104!
And of course now acquired a mini-104!
Some nice spring weather the last 2 days so I taxed her and got her back on the road. Intermittent carb fault is still there, it is something in the autochoke mechanism I'm sure as once it's started it normally runs fine. Had the carb off again for a look but the autochoke is one of these heat-expanding metal coils with various springs so all a bit of a nightmare and Solex 32/35 TACIC carbs are like hens teeth. Hmmm might end up exploring fitting a different set up to it.
Well, I now have a growing jobs list for it. Rear brake shoe linings have disintegrated so I’ve got the hellish fiddly job of replacing the shoes when new parts arrive.
Added to that the drivers door has decided to refuse to open again: the door latch plate has a metal lobe that should move fully when the handle is pulled but now isn’t so this evening’s job is to dismantle the door from inside to get it open!
Added to that the drivers door has decided to refuse to open again: the door latch plate has a metal lobe that should move fully when the handle is pulled but now isn’t so this evening’s job is to dismantle the door from inside to get it open!
Many brownie points and kudos for taking the time to maintain your car.
I saw the original road test of the 104 featured on the front page of Motor when sorting/chucking old editions prior to a house move, great to see one up and running. Guys like you whose cars populate the NEC November show (not just the exotica), deserve respect.
I saw the original road test of the 104 featured on the front page of Motor when sorting/chucking old editions prior to a house move, great to see one up and running. Guys like you whose cars populate the NEC November show (not just the exotica), deserve respect.
sjabrown said:
Well, I now have a growing jobs list for it. Rear brake shoe linings have disintegrated so I’ve got the hellish fiddly job of replacing the shoes when new parts arrive.
Added to that the drivers door has decided to refuse to open again: the door latch plate has a metal lobe that should move fully when the handle is pulled but now isn’t so this evening’s job is to dismantle the door from inside to get it open!
Used to work on these when they came out the Talbot version was the samba S. I recall you used to get a lot of torque steer. Tappets are ok to adjust, l presume it has electronic ignition at that age so no points to worry about. Added to that the drivers door has decided to refuse to open again: the door latch plate has a metal lobe that should move fully when the handle is pulled but now isn’t so this evening’s job is to dismantle the door from inside to get it open!
Rear brakes are easy once you Have done a couple, release the retaining bee hive clips with a "u" shaped implement, slacken the handbrake adjustment to allow the cable to come off easily, you can then lever one shoe off from the bottom which will release the lower spring. you can then remove the set up from the car and change the parts over on the bench in a vice. hope that gives you an idea of how .....
Successfully replaced the rear shoes on the buggered side, easier to do than I feared. Springs looked in okay condition.
I know shoes should be replaced both sides so yesterday I went to do the N/S and found the shoes to look nearly new including nice shiny adjuster so have left them be after a quick clean. Photo pre-clean.
Took the car out for a run up Loch Ness and now the alternator bearing has gone noisy. The joys of old cars and chasing jobs around. At least a replacement looks easy to source. Pic taken as I stopped to investigate the noise.
I know shoes should be replaced both sides so yesterday I went to do the N/S and found the shoes to look nearly new including nice shiny adjuster so have left them be after a quick clean. Photo pre-clean.
Took the car out for a run up Loch Ness and now the alternator bearing has gone noisy. The joys of old cars and chasing jobs around. At least a replacement looks easy to source. Pic taken as I stopped to investigate the noise.
Alternator replaced with a ‘new’ one manufactured in Yugoslavia! I was thinking of replacing the noisy bearing and keeping old one as a spare but it’s fairly knackered. Took the opportunity to clean around that area of the engine block whilst I had access. If it wasn’t aluminium I’d be leaving the oily crud on as rust protection...
Schoolfriend's mum had one of these - the rather chopped off looking 2 dr version. ZS? It was a rarity even at the time. I remember the tachometer was smaller than the speedo which seemed super cool back in those pre-internet times;)
It was a quirky little thing and waaaaay more modern than the 1275GT Mini she had before. Props for looking after this one and tks for sharing.
It was a quirky little thing and waaaaay more modern than the 1275GT Mini she had before. Props for looking after this one and tks for sharing.
A small update. I have no acquired this to join the 104S: a Citroen LNA in beige. e bay purchase, probably paid too much for it as the car was advertised as having been off the road for 20 years and not started for 10 years. However it turns out to be hopefully a go-er. One owner from new who put 33000 miles on it over about 16 years until she had to give up driving. It then sat in a garage until now. The car is very solid underneath but does have a few rust scabs on the bonnet, door tops and roof. A battery, jump pack and some petrol sprayed in to the carb and she coughed a bit. Unclogged the fuel line and she ran and idled on the 20 year old fuel in the tank. I'm now draining the tank, and heck 20 year old petrol doesn't half stink.
I think we saw your 104 on the road to Kyle of Lochalsh on Thursday. Quite excited to see it as I had a bright orange ZS from 82-86. Lovely car to drive but it had ongoing CHG problems that were never really solved. Possibly in part due to the fact that the radiator fan, along with several other essential bits of electrics earthed to a rust prone 'rose' on the side of the engine bay.
A friend christened it 'The Bean Can' on account of it's small size and colour. The name stuck.
Like yours the automatic choke was a PITA.
A friend christened it 'The Bean Can' on account of it's small size and colour. The name stuck.
Like yours the automatic choke was a PITA.
Edited by Bromptonaut on Saturday 21st August 17:21
Bromptonaut said:
I think we saw your 104 on the road to Kyle of Lochalsh on Thursday. Quite excited to see it as I had a bright orange ZS from 82-86. Lovely car to drive but it had ongoing CHG problems that were never really solved. Possibly in part due to the fact that the radiator fan, along with several other essential bits of electrics earthed to a rust prone 'rose' on the side of the engine bay.
A friend christened it 'The Bean Can' on account of it's small size and colour. The name stuck.
Like yours the automatic choke was a PITA.
Yep, well spotted. If it was parked I was walking up Moruisg just south of Achnasheen.A friend christened it 'The Bean Can' on account of it's small size and colour. The name stuck.
Like yours the automatic choke was a PITA.
Edited by Bromptonaut on Saturday 21st August 17:21
Funny that this thread appeared in my feed as today I was tidying my office and came across this pic....
Not the greatest of views but this was my mothers 104SL after it got rear ended. It was fixed. I then passed my test and turned it on its side. It was fixed again and eventually became my first car. It went all over the UK taking 3 or 4 lads on camping/mountaineering/kayaking trips before I finally blew the head gasket and scrapped it
Not the greatest of views but this was my mothers 104SL after it got rear ended. It was fixed. I then passed my test and turned it on its side. It was fixed again and eventually became my first car. It went all over the UK taking 3 or 4 lads on camping/mountaineering/kayaking trips before I finally blew the head gasket and scrapped it
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