Giselle the GSA is awake! Instantly broken... FAIL!
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- Опубликовано: 9 сен 2024
- Citroen GSA comes out of winter hibernation and I break it almost immediately. Yay! So very HubNut... #BecauseFrench #Citroen #fail
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Hey Ian, please do NOT rush into a decision you may later regret. I have been in a similar situation a few times with my classic car, and that defeated feeling soon goes away.
Exactly.. couldn’t believe my ears when he said the GSA would have to go 🥲
Oh yes. I've given too many away during 'hard times' due to, er,domestic pressure.
A small work accident that happens to even the best mechanics. Sounds like the voltage regulator has blown.
Don't give up Ian, you too deserve a nice car in the fleet.
I'd say so too. Shouldn't be a difficult fix for a workshop that rebuilds alternators. It'd be a real shame to let something as simple as this be the push to let the GSA go.
Nice backhander pmsl!
Poor ol' Giselle. Give her another chance. She's sooo lovely.
i think you should not make eny rush dicisions slow down and think about it so sort the cars you need and come back 2 it when its better wether and sort 1 at a time
A battery and a voltage regulator after sitting for 4 months doesn't seem like too much to sort, hopefully that cures the issue. (Edit - not wishing to downplay any difficulties - I know how easy it is to feel defeated when you've got one too many cars not working right!)
Not usually one to comment fleet decisions, I totally understood why the Fox, the Camry, the Oltcits had to go. But I simply *must* protest at the thought of Giselle leaving! I seem to remember she was swallowing miles as a daily(ish) driver for a period pre-Berlingo - I feel she has earned her place and a bit of fettling time, for now at least?
Yep, it's bloody difficult keeping a "fleet" going on a "shoestring" (ie. doing nearly all the work yourself) - my hodge podge fleet of 5 are now down to zero usable daily runners (awaiting a part ordered online to hopefully get my most modern/daily back in action), and am now borrowing my dad's or at a pinch sister's car, to tide me over. Cheers!
God, I love Giselle so much I started to consider getting a GSA myself. She's brilliant
She may be up for sale soon and usually Ian's decisions do tend to be final.
Yet he put too much effort into the Daihatsu, 2CV and got rid of the two best cars he had the Nissan Primera and the Camry
@@unclejoe6811 I honestly think the Camry made little sense, what with it being completely broken and Betty being around, and I think the Citroen C5 was a lot better than the Primera. But to each his own, I say
@@comcarclub Ian was seduced by the rear wipers on the Camry,
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why you disconnect the battery when you're spannering under the bonnet.
Yep! I second that. I mean how long does it take to disconnect a battery terminal. And how much potential grief can it save!
It's like watching a baby working on the car
There’s a lovely pale blue GSA round the corner from me, parked up next to a red and white 2CV, and a little further down the road is a blue C6 in immaculate condition with a beige interior. Pure Citroen heaven. My next irresponsible purchase will be a Citroen. Love them but never owned one.
Having a garage that is waterproof I only use a heavy cotton cover when my car is laid up. It keeps the worst of the dust off, but it breathes and allows air to circulate, and it's kinder to the paint. Any sort of plastic or nylon cover just encourages condensation and they can be quite scratchy too if they move around.
Knitted or Crochet'd woolen rug is also a great way to go, and very light on the pocket if ya mum is as handy at crafts as mine is. Cheers!
That has to be the coolest 80 style futuristic dash i've seen in a car. I'd buy one of these just for the dash and the controls. Thats so cool
I know right? I remember seeing a CX dashboard as a kid and thinking how cool and futuristic it looked.
Ah..the ride quality.. the interior.. all the GSA goodness 😊
Regulators are available from the Citroen place in Hitchin. I always put old blankets on the before leaving the car for an extended period undercover because of the marking issue
We were all horrified when Dad surprised us all with the new car he had acquired on a whim when he took pity on it sitting as far back in the back lot of our local garage. Turns out it was a Citroen GS estate in the brightest colour of yellow you could imagine. I.... being a teenage lad looking forward to getting the L plates on was particularly mortified. As it turned out the old man was correct and said it was the best car he ever had !! I learned to drive in it in the end and it was a perfect vehicle for lugging amps and drum kits before we recruited the road crew (never happened) ....I'd have one tomorrow although maybe a more subtle colour.
man these interesting times are so long gone.. today people learn in some shitty crossover or generic hatchback.
in drivin school we had these modern minis, most soulless driving experience you can imagine
My Dad replaced his venerable Austin Maxi in the mid 80s with a Citroën GS in eye watering yellow paintwork.
As you say, very uncool to a teenage lad hoping to get behind the wheel. But what I wouldn't give to take that Citroën for a spin now.
Hah, loved the way the microphone made the car cover coming off sounded like a crisp packet being crunched up in a very quiet cinema!.🤔🤭😉
Absolutely loving the corduroy trousers 👌
Proper attire for a classic car owner 👍
Nooooo. Only if your fleet consists entirely of pre 1960's models. Given the "vintage" of Ian's fleet, I'm picturing, skin tight stove pipe jeans and a muscle shirt, hahaha. Cheers!
@@phillipevans9414 hahaha you do know Ian described himself as a 'hippy'
Cords are a perfect choice 😂😂
Hi.
You can get a battery clamp with a power cut off. As l have .
No need to keep pulling of terminals.
It was lovely to see Giselle again, I have missed her, hope she is in better health very soon ❤.
Mild case of Overvoltitis, cure - day surgery, doner regulator plus replacement fluids (acidic), or multi cell (Battery) replacement if found to be deseased. She'll be fine.😏
Keep it, it's only a voltage reg and a battery and then a quick Tcut and polish, I can't find any for sale so I'd say well worth hanging on to.
Keep Gisele. If she gives you that emotive draw that makes you happy, keep her. Apart from anything else, this was a classic Hubnut vid, which while a shame that it caused you a headache, was super entertaining. And with your knowledge and contacts, you'll get her running well again. All the best Ian. Keep healthy. 👍
My parents bought a 1979 facelift GS Club saloon - CJP 299T - when it was six months old and kept it for years so Giselle is by far my favourite of the HubNut fleet. Ours was initially known as 'the atheist' because it would start perfectly six days a week and then refuse to play ball on the Sunday. They nearly got rid of it until our local Citroën dealer apparently noticed that it had French-spec spark plugs that created a huge carbon build-up over the week when driven by we gentle-footed Brits. The French way of 'driving it like you nicked it' allegedly burnt it all off! Don't know if that's an apocryphal story but it still makes me smile today… 😄
With my electronic engineer hat on, I say... "not a biggie, easily remedied." I am reminded however of the time the alternator failed in my friend's Renault 11 Turbo (I think my 16's did too, judging by its appetite for headlight bulbs) and he drove it from London to Nottingham, all the windows open and being half-choked by the sulphurous pong. When he got there, he noticed some copper coins in a tray near the air vents were now shiny - they weren't when he set off...
I have had two GSA's and one of the nicest cars to drive. I loved the suspension and the ride was just like floating along. The spheres were so easy to change. Typically quirky French car, marmite cars, you either love them or hate them. I loved them.
they are great till you have to fix something.. sadly the case with most exceptional cars,
making a car exceptional also makes it more complicated. now add because french and there will be pain
Me too, had two GS’s and a GSA, frustrating and lovely machines- sound great too! 😊
I must say, of all your broken cars, the GSA is my favourite
I agree, Ian, with something like the GSA it needs it own garage, polishing once a week, only brought out on warm, sunny days. I can see your frustration with it.
I can imagine owning a fleet of cars is particularly hard work to maintain.
If it was the only car in the fleet I can well imagine you’d have all the time to devote to her, but, sadly, that’s just not possible for you.
Ps your channel is one of my favourites on RUclips. 👍
@@Taz6688 Except they're lumps of old crap without a conscience 🤦 I worry about some people on here at times
@@stepheng8779 Poor old Hubnut .
But it makes bloody brilliant viewing , Ian is one of life's good guys .
Thats what its all about , keeping older cars on the road , i love it .
@@crispindry2815 yeah but not dickheads
I probably buck the trend, but I won't shed a tear if she goes. My Father had a metallic blue CX when I was about 5 years old, all I remember of that car is that it was constantly breaking down. It even did so on Prince's Street Edinburgh at 5pm on a Friday evening.....my sisters and I had to push it to the side of the road, in the rain, whilst everyone around was suitable aggravated. Ah the memories.....
Ian, the GSA needs to be pulled out and started at least once month for 15 mins to keep it in shape. As you know, cars need to be run and Giselle is no exception. Happier motoring and hope that you get the voltage / battery issue sorted.
As an owner of a Renault Scenic 2, I find watching your work so much more fun than working on my own French marvel
I noticed when you had your little sparky sparky moment, there was also a spark from the positive lead on the battery. This probably means the crimp connection between the wire and the clamp is bad, it could be cause of all the previous electrical/ starter motor problems.
I also saw the mileometer bulb go to heaven!
Because French!!
Yeah, that was some blip. Amazed the bulbs tolerated it.
@@HubNut Your battery may have just boiled over 🤔, get the Alternator voltage regulator fixed top up the battery and all should be good to go. Good Luck 👍 🤞🤞
@@stephenjones9153 Can you still top up modern batteries? I thought they were now all maintenance free!
I have 3 of the 12v compressors/tyre inflators from Lidl/Aldi. They are really very good. Only reason I have 3 is that I bought one for myself, one for the missus. Forgot I bought one for the missus, and bought her another one. But they are really very good.
There's nothing wrong with the battery clamps, it's just you, being HubNut and refusing to tighten them up properly.
If they're loose, in any way, you get constant sparking across the gap, too small to see and this creates erosion and a build-up of deposits which make the connection even worse.
And then you shorted out the alternator; it's probably only a fuse/diode but I wouldn't try to fix it yourself, because HubNut???😁😁😁
Yes, the loose battery terminal clamps were irritating me a lot. It's a very bad habit. I understand having to take them off an on regularly, that's what terminal cut off switches are for. They're not expensive or difficult to put on. Saves this messing.
I don't think the battery is fried after such a short run. It's leaked because the overcharge has caused the increased chemical reaction rate to force some electrolyte out of the vents. Flooded lead acid batteries can take a lot of abuse. As long as it didn't eject too much acid it should be fine. Clean it thoroughly with baking soda and water and top it up with distilled water. See how it goes.
The best suspension in the world! Watching Giselle from Brazil!!
The patience of a Saint required Mr Hubnut... and I love ❤️ Citroën.
I sometimes wonder if the Citroën engine designers ever talk to the the Citroën body designers............ #BecauseFrench
i guess in isolation both of their ideas work perfectly ^^
Citroen had a tendency to design fabulous engines for their new cars and then run out of money. So you just had to find some old engines lying around in the warehouse and install it while they waited for more money so that the new engine could be developed and maybe even finished. Something that rarely happened before the model it was intended for went out of production. Like the Citroen CX, a futuristic and fantastic car, with an engine most manufacturers would be ashamed of in the 50s. Sad.
@@rudolphbondefangerer5513 The "big" CX motor may have been pushrod and only 4 cylinders (there was also the state of the art OHC aluminium "Douvrin" 2.0/2.2), but was immensely strong and capable of racking up huge mileages and being turbocharged. I agree that a more refined 6 cylinder would have suited the car, but the CX motors were nothing to be ashamed about, especially compared to some contemporaries (looking at you, Lancia Gamma!).
@@hughrobinson9978 There isn't enough room in the CX engine bay for a 6 cyl and a gearbox - not with that massive subframe. That's why CX engine conversions aren't a thing.
The GSA is by far my favourite in the HubNut fleet. The sheer ridiculousness of it is utterly charming. It has to stay!
Halfords do a car cover for around £40-70 depending on size. I had it on my black car over winter didn't remove it for 3 months took it off and not one mark on the paint. It has a very soft inner lining. I recommend one of those rather than using a tarpaulin based cover with no soft under protection as they rub horrifically.
One less Citroen on the fleet is not a bad thing Ian.
It will give you the opportunity to get something different but "normal" on the fleet. I was starting to call you Mr Citroen.
Variety is the spice of life.
🇬🇧👍😎👍🇬🇧
That GSA is a lovely car! It's Quirky! - On the grand scheme of things, I don't think changing the Alternator / Battery is too much of an issue on a classic. Yeah you gotta sort the suspension too.Least there are people out there with expertise who can supply Parts and fix etc. She's a nice looking Car. I ride an American Victory, trust me, keeping that thing running can be a nightmare at times depending what's broke on it. I love it though. Re Car Covers: Bad News! I discovered that fact when I once owned a Triumph Vitesse. All that dust and Grit that gets on the Paintwork, well the car cover bellowing in the wind acts like Sandpaper on all the leading edges. Not good. Ditch the cover and leave it to breath. Any dust and muck is soon washed off at a later date. I have "Love-hearts" in my eyes looking at that Citroen for some reason...lol
Poor Giselle should have attention every day... she's that cute...
As for owning French cars... the secret is to modify everything...
Cutting holes, making brackets etc... all good fun...
Get a reg' on her- fix the leak... and enjoy her...
I don't think you can blame the car for that one- it's just one of those things that happens and I have done similar myself (more than once) 😊
yeah, i managed to fry half the electrical system on my shitbox while fitting a new stereo.. not my proudest moment
Yep, car gets blamed for short cut work standards
At 9:32 I was a little worried that the compressor was going to slowly find its way into the door 😳
I thought it was going to be a classic hubnut moment. Just destroyed the alternator instead.
Ah la belle france. Having owned 8 french cars I have only ever had ONE which was easy to work on, and that was the Scenic - otherwise renamed the Sea-sick on account of the effect of the combination of upright ride and long travel suspension... Anyway the scenic - with it's relatively roomy high bonnet was easy-peasy. So different from the Meganne with which I replaced it! I think you need a new regulator... from what I recall of those 1970's french designs the alternators had a separate regulator box, which when it dies cause that over charge effect.
Ahh yes I remember the relaxing time (almost a whole day) I had removing a failed glowplug from a Peugeot 205 diesel. Conveniently placed under the high pressure fuel lines so you couldn't get a socket on it, and there was about 30 degrees of movement on the spanner. It helped that someone before me had cross threaded the thing too.
So glad to see a garage like mine full of **items** so u can't get car in or out..
No rubbish just valuable stuff...
I had a ZX 1.4 Elegance..a very nice car normal suspension but still a superb ride..
I had a ZX 1.9 Turbo Diesel estate. Good car overall but somewhat dated engine , nice ride but did suffer French electric problems, on one occasion the alarm went of whilst driving , couldn't stop it, I had to permanently disable it in the end. You say normal suspension but I think it had rear wheel stearing assist ??😏
That is a beautiful car and don't give up on her so quickly. Look at the bright side, at least you found the problem and the car didn't catch on fire.
Lovely to hear the GSA spring into life - an outstanding car
You are obviously in your element
Know spring isn't in the air just yet but it's time to think air cooled
Thanks for sharing the joys of motoring - may the force be with you & ' happy motoring ' 👍
Reminds me of that time in my Beetle when I stopped for some roadworks, and the charging/cooling idiot light came on. After some very basic checking of the connections on the dynamo, I lifted the rear seat and gave the voltage regulator a good whack with what I had handy, which was the handle of a screw driver. Lo and behold, the charging light stopped glaring at me. However, I noticed afterwards that my indicators would indicate at a rather quicker pace than before, and the wipers would at times be very energetic indeed. Yup, definitely needed a new voltage regulator. Somehow, the battery survived just fine, though.
So good luck with Giselle. I really rather like her, so it will be lovely to see you back out on the road with her.
wow utter and total incompetence even by Hubnut standards.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing ! (always disconnect the battery whilst working and always lay soft rugs over the car paint before tarping). One day I will follow the rules and save myself a lot of grief and expense. At least you are still young enough to learn .
Thanks Ian, now I don't miss my 1979 GS Break ,at all. All that not being able to get to things.
The DS is a lot larger, so more space for everything and also the more conventional inline engine. Hitting the windscreen with a metal ratchet handle when loosening spark plug number 4 is not at all fun though..
Hopefully a concerted effort on all the issues will see you feeling positive about her again. I go through it all too regularly with my old Ford F150 truck with plans for selling, then a few fixes work and I’m all happy again. Until the next time - as you say, the joys of old vehicle ownership. The paint marks should buff out again but that is a problem with car covers where there’s wind blowing around them. I avoid them for that reason but a friend uses one and puts an old soft flannel bed sheet over the car first and tied it in place before the car cover goes on. Seems to work for him as no marks on the paint. Those clip on door edge ‘protectors’ are even worse - dirt and grit gets behind them and they move around and scratch the paint worse than if you didn’t have them. I used to put electrical tape on the door first before fitting those to stop that happening. Good luck with whatever you do with Giselle next. 👍🏻
Car covers can be bad news. Giselle just needs a new battery, alternator and some love.
Ian the alternator has a live feed directly from the battery and a mini live feed from the dash light / ignition switch the earth is through the body of the alternator, so to test an alternator disconnect the small wire at the alternator and earth it the light on the dash should come on with the key on, and tick the pass test box. Then connect a side light build (test lamp not led) between the + battery terminal to the small alternator terminal the test light should light, tick the pass box. Now start the engine the light should go out, test the voltage at the battery about 14v, tick the pass box.if the test bulb glows the alternator is faulty. You should not need a meter as the test bulb is looking for current flow not voltage so its a push pull system the current flows either from the battery through the bulb or the other way OR balanced 2 positives pushing against each other at the same force (current) and the light stays off. That test works for dynamos as well its just the regulator is not built into the dynamo.
Now days modern vehicles have smart charge so the ECU controls the dash lamp but it controls the small wire to the alternator so it can turn the alternator on and off as it sees fit for example my wife's C1 has a quoted 100bhp but to get all of that accelerating from the lights the ECU turns off the alternator, Air con pump and heated rear window, they all come back on 20 seconds later when she has got to 98mph and Ive bought her a new set of tyres. (ford do it slightly differently they have a 2 small wire alternator focus, transits its always the 2nd wire rubbing the radiator plastic on the o/s or on a transit the connection on that fuse/jump start point on the n/s. on a ford unplug the small plug it will charge at 14v if the alternator is good.
Hope this helps and not just waffle.
Don't get rid mate, she's worth the fight !!
I know it's Hub Nut, but I was shouting 'No' when you took the cover off, dragged it across a gritty floor, and just threw it across another car.
Just adding to the chorus of people asking you to keep Giselle. I'm living classic citroen ownership vicariously through you. We had a red GS Club estate when I was a child and having a unique car was great. The suspension was fab (though it was rusting up the doors when we traded it in after 7 years)
Good to see Giselle running 😊👍
I was commenting "voltage regulator" at the screen when the gauge lights started playing up, but unfortunately not for lack of trying, my words couldnt penetrate backwards in time. What a pity it turned out that way. Ah well, these things happen sometimes.
I would expect lights to flare when the battery is flat…but the things going on there suggest the voltage regulator is on vacation…it may be integrated into the alternator, which means a new one…or if it’s a separate component it will cost as much as an alternator. Of course
Cut off my own p’choo 😂
It's not the one I'd sell myself Mr HubNut, she should be used as a weekend car, don't ask which to sell instead I couldn't choose, but maybe the Matiz.
Every time I leave a comment I end up complaining. Ho hum it is constructive. Please get yourself a work trolley. Two trays on the top and one on the bottom (and spare trays). Put all screws, bolts, nuts, fasteners in one top tray and all tools in the other. Larger items (alternator etc. on the bottom tray. NEVER use any part of the engine bay, engine, scuttle panel etc for storing anything at all, even for a couple of seconds, EVER. If you do you will lose items, drop things into the engine or lose them onto the floor or internal covers. When you finish a job your tray of parts should be empty and also all the tools should be put away. Keep a kitchen cabinet with doors on one side so if you need to stop a job part way through the tray of parts can be labelled and put away in a closed cupboard. This will leave the work trolley empty as it should be when not working.
Also surfaces are not for storage. You will ruin your camper by putting anything on the top cover as the weight will push down onto the folded plastic windows. Also your parked fleet should never have anything stored on the body work or seats. Everything in the boot. Doing things properly is quicker and potentially much cheaper as you will not lose or ruin anything.
That is easily the most insane speedo and rev counter I've ever seen. It looks like one of those stupidly expensive and impossible to read watches.
Bad luck Ian that was unfortunate. Regarding the cover I suspect that chemicals from the PVC had started to migrate onto the paintwork.
just don't forget how good it is to drive when it works. I hope a happy long HubNut life to Giselle.
If you find the alternator is over charging you can as sort term fix is to turn on heated rear screen, headlights and other high drain items to drag down the voltage.
Among other Citroëns I owned a GS in my younger days. Now a days I drive a Lexus and a Toyota. Contrary to the GS they allways start and drive. It was a nightmare to repair. I also had 2CV's. They weren't better in the matter of reliability, but was so much easy to fix.
It’s the moisture under the cover that causes that, it happens with the change in temperature especially early morning
i covered my Series 3 Land Rover a few years back for winter, it is under a canopy anyway, and the damage to the paint work was awful. Now, I don't bother, and just do a good clean when I put it back on the road.
Replacing the alternator sounds like great content!
Yep, you mentioned it near the end lol. 👍🇬🇧🏴
I saw a bright 'flash on the dash' when you started revving it -- suspect most of the dash bulbs have blown (were the lights on then?). All rather self inflicted, can't really blame the car this time! Easyish fix? I don't know how easy it will be to change the dash bulbs though -- and that's not just a 'because French' thing! It is a lovely car though, I had a couple of GSs back in the 70s.
Good to see her out again! Sounds like the alternator/regulator. Hopefully they’re not one unit…
Such a shame the car cover left those marring marks in the paint, but fingers crossed a once-over with some mild cutting compound should tidy it up
I dont like car covers for just that reason. Better dirt that can easily be washed away than scratches. Also, some of them keep moisture trapped in the car, leading to mold etc.
I remember that the GS/GSA was prone to voltage regulator failure.
@@GoldenCroc I've had that problem with my MX5. I think having a cover on it over this winter has done more harm than good. I'm seeing a few places where moisture has gotten under the paint and started to make the paint bubble, it's not actually rust yet, it's just water trapped under the paint. Owning classics without a good place to store them is really a painful/stressful endeavour.
One reason why I never use a car cover
My car is in a barn , and I use a gazebo over it the legs of the gazebo are waited down . So no covers are on the car . I BBC start the car once every two weeks in the winter and bring her out in the spring for through was and a good run
Ian I would keep with that car should not be too expensive to fix either
@@robertmackenzie5850 If you periodically start up motors in storage you must run them long enough to completely dry out the exhaust if you don't want it to rot from the inside. A lot of people wonder why cars that have been parked up for long periods which are otherwise still mint have holes in their exhausts.
Note to anyone else who sees things suddenly get brighter/faster/whatever.
If you can turn it off and leave it until you can at least get a volt meter on it to check. If not keep the rpm as low as possible - preferably near tickover - and switch everything electrical on to its highest usage setting.
On most classics (not vintage), alternators tend to only be just powerful enough to run everything at low rpm - sometimes not even that - so it can help keep things alive and allow you to limp it back.
6000rpm is going to cook things sooner than later but I think by the time Ian realised what was happening it was probably too late anyway - batteries don't like overvolting and will only take it for a very short time.
Easy mistake and anyone can do it.
On a side note this happened on my mates' van years ago on the services. He had an R6 in the back at the time so we took the regulator off that, fitted it inline and it did the other 180 miles home without issue. He then kept saying he was going to fix it and never did. The van went to the scrap yard with that mod about 30,000 miles later, still working just fine.
The best compressor I've used is the DeWalt xr ones. It's expensive but it runs off the DeWalt xr batteries, it can also be used to pump high volume stuff up like air beds etc. It's set and forget so you set the pressure and walk away. But the best bit about it. When it kicks in sounds like George Jetsons car.......
It also runs off 12V too via an included lead - I've got 2 of them and they're great.
Oh dear. If it's not one thing it's another! Hope you get her sorted soon.
The battery will have 'boiled over' when over-charged, and you don't seem to have an overflow connector and pipe fitted so it just dribbled out onto the battery tray. I don't know how easy it is to replace the regulator (if it's separate) or the alternator (if not), but otherwise it can't be too hard to fix. If you like French car comfort but want to avoid the complexity, try a Mk 1 Renault Laguna. Avoid the automatics (which self-destruct at around 100k miles) or the RXE unless all the 'toys' are working, and don't use the sunroof or it will break, otherwise they are good cars.
Obviously this video is bad news but I do love how you document the bad and the good, what you go through is real and it’s not always perfect, we would all love that!
I know it’s of little comfort but seeing you struggling gives me the will to go on struggling myself…..
I would get some baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in the area where the battery acid leaked to neutralize the acid.
I used a car cover like yours for a while. It marked the paint on my car too
Great video as a long standing subscriber more of this please.
What on earth! When I started watching this I was thinking my two favourite cars were Ellie and Giselle. It's a battery and voltage regulator for goodness sake, stop spitting your dummy out and sort her out. She belongs with you!
It would be a shame if somebody else benefits from all the love ❤️ and work you have put into giselle. 👍
Sorry to see the Giselle woes!
On the car cover thing though, the microscratches and marks are unfortunately to be expected.
You can get extremely soft indoor-use car covers that are much better for the paintwork.
Get an auto electrician to fix the charge circuit. It has had issues ever since you bought her, it just got worse when you filmed this.
You got this Mr Hubnut! Don't give up on the old girl, she is nearly there!
Don’t get too down about Giselle, it’s all fairly minor stuff to sort out in the scheme of things. I'm sure the paint will polish OK. It’s difficult to keep a fleet like yours going. I've only got two and one of them is off the road. Pending a major dashboard repair. It needs removing and sent off for repairs and a fuel evap issue and needs two tyres. 🤔😬
Same here, 2 relatively modern classics and always one of them off the road and needing repairs. Having one working seems to delay the repairs haha
Love you channel and the way you keep it so very real and how it is. Have been following for years.
Great work and thank you.
With the battery removed mix up some bicarbonate of soda, used in baking so easy to get, in water and pour that all over the area the battery was to neutralise the acid and stop it correding. Half a mug to a bucket of water will be fine but
New black box and brush pack and you'll be away - you've blown the diode (unless you want to just solder in another one).
Some enlightened Saab cars - the 9000 for instance - shut down the dashboard electrics completely if there is overcharging to protect delicate circuitry - hence serving as a problem indication and solution to the driver in one hit.
Always disconnect the battery before working on engine or wiring has to be the moral of the story,
I love french cars wont drive anything else had to change the rollbar linkages on my c3 picasso passenger side no problem driver side well the air was blue !!!!
This is why the best form of car cover is no car cover. If you must, a soft cotton king size bed sheet does well to keep off dust and is of course breathable and washable too, I noted too how when Ian took off the cover it dragged over the concrete floor - not good to be used again on a car. The Alternator should be an easy fix with a new voltage regulator as this happened with my boat and cured it the over charging issue.
A good valeter would be able to help the paint work. I remember forty years ago when I did it over a Summer, we had five different "Strengths" of a TCut polish mix, depending on the state of a cars paintwork. I imagine technology has come on im leaps and bounds since.
I've never been a fan of car covers. From condensation trouble to getting dust underneath and scratching. Isn't there one called a "Carcoon" that puts the car into a filtered air bubble? Probably pricey I imagine. Get well soon Giselle.
A good owner would be even better ;)
Nice thing about your videos is you show the real world - we’ve all had the times when nothing has gone right and you’re glad there isn’t a sledge hammer in sight! But I feel ya - sometimes certain cars feel like they don’t want get better…I had this with a mk3 Granada.
If that is a Velo alternator, you might be able to get a voltage regulator/diode pack for it. I remember one morning, taking my daughter to school in a Kangoo and the battery exploded due to overcharging. Not to be taken lightly.
Such a shame she's giving grief, would have been nice to see her out and about again. With regards to car covers, I learned the same lessons with them, they can cause more problems than they solve. It only takes the slightest bit of dust to get between the cover and the paint for them to start causing damage. Especially if the wind can get anywhere near the car. Another bad thing about them is that they can trap the moisture, leaving the car in it's own damp atmosphere. But, i reckon all of those marks will polish off, but still annoying to say the least. Could you see where the acid was coming from on the battery? You may well find the battery is ok, they are designed to vent in situations like that. Overcharging will get them bubbling a lot, so they design them to let that pressure out - rather than possibly exploding. I would just check the level inside the battery and top up if needed, then stick it on a charger. It may well have survived, seeing that you caught it rather quickly. Just don't put it back in a car until you are sure it's no longer leaking.
Ian, I feel your frustration.
My 103e does the same to me, which is really annoying considering it is such a simple machine, but every job I tackle on it either requires yet another part (that you can't easily source) or creates three other jobs, each of which will create three other jobs...and so on. Having bought a Ledbury Maestro, which is so far as reliable as the C3 it replaced, the little Ford is coming very close to being sold, and yet, when it works and I run it down the road, I love it.
Decisions, decisions.
Years ago a Marina I had started popping bulbs all over. That was charging at 17.5V. It was a Lucas alternator and I managed to get a new regulator for it. Don't give up on Giselle. That's French cars I'm afraid. Certainly of that era, always odd and normally simple jobs a headache.
I see your wearing the period trousers Ian. I had the same colour in the mid 80's.
Just goes to show a car being laid up for long can makes it worse
another great video has always Ian and miss hubnut and hublets and hubmutts 👍
Cars do seem a bit like people in that way