This is why my GSA had electrical woes!
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- A more positive (ahem) day in the workshop with my Citroen GSA as I finally discover why she had been having starting issues. TWC the Invacar (see previous video) took me to @CambrianClassicsLtd so Tim could make me a new cable. Thanks Tim!
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I get very bad depression and you wouldn't know how much your adventures cheers me up mate, cheers Ian.
Liking that you like Ians videos, not that you have depression, from a fellow sufferer.
@@macpablo1169 It comes and goes mate. cheers, watching Ian battle with the GSA makes me laugh! xx
Fellow depression sufferer here, know how you feel.
I suffer from depression - however, what has helped me immensely (apart from cycling) is just repeating to myself ‘this isn’t forever, it will pass - it always passes’ - somehow reminding myself that my depression is just a passing event helps it to dissipate. Hope this doesn’t sound patronising - but I recommend it - write down ‘this is temporary - I will be happy again’ and leave it where you can see it everyday!
Me too mate. Black Dog a plenty. Not talking 'bout the GSA. ;p
A cup of tea and a sleep works wonders. Best of luck. Dont sell it. you will regret it as it is a delightful car.
I can totally relate to your frustration on the last GSA video. I once drove my 96 Saab 900 to a local scrapyard because of a persistent gearbox output shaft leak. Luckily the guy wasn't there and I drove home and ordered a new seal, for the 4th time. 4 years later I'm still driving it. Sometimes it's better to walk away for a day or two.
Like I've learned in life. There's a problem you just can't seem to fix, sleep on it and a fresh head will probably find the solution.
0:23 My 1973 VW 412 says.......Hold my earth strap.
Even as a time served mechanic i have those moments. Please dont change and stay honest.
The suspension rising never gets old.
Don’t be too down hearted Ian,I’ve been in this game for 40 years and there is alway’s a head scratcher in the pipeline
I just saw a GSA in the flesh. I forgot how small the car is. My uncle had one back in the 1970's. It was a normal sized family car. Now it looks so tiny.
Especially against those bloody 2.5 tonne SUVs.
@@stephenholland5930 True. I was in Frankfurt years ago in an E Class taxi. I noticed that I had to look up at a Mini Clubman.
It is a normal sized family car. It can easily carry 4 people and a generous amount of luggage. It's just that modern cars have gotten bizarrely big.
@@mfbfreak I agree. My uncle had the original non-hatchback version. It was smooth and for the time quiet.
@@stephenholland5930especially against a new mini clubman…
Very glad Giselle getting back into your good books. And on a serious note, I like that you allow your real moods and frustrations to show in your videos. I hope you continue to feel able to do that.
This really shows how sometimes a problem that makes a car seem like a basket case can be quite simple and cheap to fix if (and only if) you know where to look. Good video
Like Matt Furious and his fix for the Hippo.
When I met you here in The Netherlands, you said you were always acting like an idiot. You are far from one. Idiots don't reflect on their actions while on camera, in fact it takes courage to be so vulnerable. It is only so human when you have run out of options and get desperate, and what you did was the best to come back to your senses: get a night's sleep, listen to others and reflect. And I am sure there has been some tea and Miss HubNut involved as well. And it worked. ❤
This is one of the many reasons why I love this channel. It's very easy with social media to be selective and only show people part of the story - portray it in a certain way - but you choose to show the whole picture. This not only helps to remind people that things wont always go right and that, when they don't for them they aren't the only ones, but it stops this being just a car channel and becomes equally about the host. I'm very much here for that.
Mr Furious and Steph are great at this too.
Well done Ian nice to see you've cracked it. take care. 👍👍
Well done. Everyone needs to have a “Tim” to call on.
You can now remember what made you love GSA in the first place. Glad you hung in there, best wishes from Oz.
Sometimes when you're having a bad day fixing cars,It's best to just simply walk away and tackle it the next day.Its easy for the red mist to take control and you end up not looking at the problem logically.Walk away reset and all is good in the world again 👍
So glad you resolved the problem
another great video has always Ian and miss hubnut and hublets and Diego 👍
I love the honesty of your videos. I also think it’s incredibly brave to show the truth of the emotional roller coaster that is living with and working on old cars. So much social media is based on glossy lies. If only more people were as genuine as you and Miss Hubnut. Keep going.
Hubnut.
Sometimes successful.
Sometimes unsuccessful.
Always entertaining 👍
‘Because HubNut’ could be a great t-shirt/hoodie
Awww glad you got her up and running again thank goodness it was not as serious as first thought.
Don't go changing the output, Ian. The bad days are just as important as the good days for inclusion in videos. It's the down-to-earth, grounded style that appeals far more than glossy precision. You're doing fine, mate.
All the distress he has had surrounding electrical connection issues and you go and call him "down-to-earth" and "grounded" :)
@@markwright3161 Arf!
Hubnut, welcome back to sanity and good sense. It is amazing what a new cable can achieve! The GSA is a keeper as it is a classic Citroen.
Excellent update. On older cars I have come to the conclusion that power feed and main ground wires are something that should just be replaced no matter what.
Great that it’s fixed and we’ll worth the £10 outlay. Long live the GSA
Ian, we have all been there. Your honest presentation is what makes you videos great. Please don't change. I'm sure we all feel for you but also have huge respect for you too.
A new battery cable Tim to the rescue and a happy result and all the lights are working a successful day
What a difference a day makes, eh? Well done to you and Tim for fixing Giselle's electrics.👍
I understand your frustration in your last video, my late Dad always said if you have an issue like this.
Walk away and have a cup of tea and go back the next time and go through possible reasons causing the problem, mostly it works out.
Don't give up on that GS.
Bad days are always followed by good days - eventually ! So just hang in there. For those critics I would just say that as a long term viewer of the channel it is the ups and downs that makes most of us who have similar in our lives feel right at home on the channel. We know some of you are wise and proficient but we the rest just muddle and bumble along. Ian's eventual triumphs keep us motivated.
Just keep doing what you do, as you don't realise the positive impact your videos make to me, and a lot of others.
The last episode reminded me of why I never liked helping my dad fix things! I felt for Miss H. Glad normal service has resumed.
The First time I told my Dad I was Strugggling with life and Everything.
He took me to a Pub, and Said....
"We Live in Hope but often Die in Dispair..!"
Promptly Sunk his Pint and Told me to Hurry up and that it was my Round.
You may think Booze isn't the Answer and your Right.
My Dad didn't drink very often and only ever 2 pints.
But spending an Hour with a Royal Marine who made it through WW2. When many of his Mates didn't, was worthwwhile.
His Pearls of (often confussing) Wisdom are Sadly Missed.
He could always make me Laugh even in the worst of times.
Tinkering over our Cars to save a Few Quid was often our Best Moments together..!
And Ian's Motoring Woes always Cheer me up too..!
Thanks Ian..! 😎
Glad to see she’s back up and running, love this GSA and would love one of my own some day. That interior is just woww!
Hi Ian - Glad you are feeling much better today. I would replace the battery earth cable as well as that can also cause too much voltage drop for the system particulalrly when starting... Don't forget to clean as many earths around the car as well.
Salty Ian was by far the funniest thing I have seen on RUclips in a LONG while. Please Ian more ranty videos like that.
Tim made that battery cable creation look far too easy 😂. P.S. That was a lovely (teal?) blue MGB GT in the background 👍
Because French…made the most amazing cars! I battle with my 1972 DS on a regular basis…there’s always something dripping or overheating, I’m constantly on the verge of getting rid, but then I drive her again and I know I couldn’t do it, I know regret would haunt me. Keep going with Giselle…because she’s worth it! 😃
It happens to the best of us Mr Hubnut. Theres no need to apologise for anything. Sometimes you need to just walk away, have a nice cup of tea. although I'd rather have a mechanical problem, than electrical.
I only came into this whole RUclips world 4 years ago to the point where I started sub'ing to channels and this is still by far my favourite one where I watch everything that's put out there. As you say, warts and all but it's a life that we as HubNutters all share and can empathise with.
Brilliant news. That run out in TWK also, seemed like the perfect tonic, the effect it had on you was heart warming. I hope the MOT goes well for you.
This is like confessions.....lol
Love the show!!!
I must add that I've had classic car rage with one Volvo before after trying to fix the heater fan in a 740....I love the honesty of this show.
When is the innuendo bingo coming back!?
No need for excuses - I especially like your videos because of their authenticity... they show the daily struggeling of those who try to keep their beloved car running on a limited budget and no showroom restauration whatever it may cost... keep on tinkering... and cursing if necessary, too! 😉👍
Hahaha, I loved your previous video. If you haven't had a melt down at a cantankerous old car, you're not a true enthusiast. I say thankyou for being real. And thankyou Miss Hubnut for standing by your side and making light of it through your ordeal.
Your only human. Embrace it. No shame, your passion, I am sure is the reason so many of us watch.
New cables, thick cables, good connectors. FINALLY.
I owned a GSA some years ago, when they were not that old. Drove from Portsmouth to Manchester and in the morning there was a large pool of LHM under the back. Garage couldn't find a leak, so topped it up and it never did it again. Another trip, the same but reverse, got to Winchester and the CV joint was knocking so badly I had to stop and let it cool down. Once again it never did it again. Because French indeed ! Persevere with her Ian, they are lovely when they don't throw a wobbly.
Well done Ian for not giving up on Giselle. I always find that when a job is not going well, there comes a point where you have to walk away and come back to it later or another day.
I can assure you Ian, We professionals have days like that and often! You should hear some of the cursing and swearing that takes place in our workshop from myself and all of my colleagues at some point during the day. It's a good job we are a main dealer so customers can't just walk in to the workshop otherwise we'd be in some bother! 😂
Well done Ian we’re constantly reminded of our humanity when looking after old cars the ups and the downs 😁
I love the green illuminated image of the car on the dash.
Good one Ian, solid solution. Another heads up to prevent you getting frustrated with poor Giselle.. I had a GS 1220 CluB her in South Africa and it was super reliable on long distance runs, fully loaded and in 35 C Temps in mountain passes. That is why I want you to save and keep her! Replace your main earth cable and clean and secure all your smaller earth connections. Then the French electrical system will be a lot happier. 😅
Good to see a difference a day makes and Giselle working again, so glad you preserved with Her and nice to see Tim again at Cambrian Classics.
Hopefully the Faulty Alternator will be a easy fix.
I love the fact that you decided to perservere, or at least for now. We love Giselle. She was your only car during lockdown, and since we couldn't really travel then, she was our only car as well. Giselle ftw ❤
There ya go mate simple fix. The alternator may quieten down after a few miles under its belt. Don't tighten the alternator belt too much as it puts to much strain on the bearing. Happy days ahead Ian. Aussie Graham. 😊
A good day. My (and your adopted) country scraped past Fiji PLUS we rejoiced in Giselle’s brightly flashing indicators! Great work.
Your general attitude, sense of humour and Love of very ordinary cars are all the reasons I enjoy your shows. Even now, you remind me of an important point: If you Do decide to have a horrible day, you probably will. Now: on with the show....
The fact you show the frustration, which is an integral part of amateur spannering, is excellent! How can you have the satisfaction of success without bumps in the road?
Keep up the great work please! 👍👍
I was having similar frustrations with a a Renault Scenic. A car that's rarely used. All sorts of problems caused, flat battery, warning lights, electric windows not working properly and more.
After the car started to fail on the motorway, I called out the local roadside service. He diagnosed a loose battery clamp and gave it mega tightening. He pronounced it cured. It was, for a few days.
But the terminal went loose again. Tye bolt had stretched and would never fully tighten again.
A new terminal clamp and the car is a champ.
The bloke who made the new cable showed me a diagnostic trick.
Start the car or attempt to do so. If the cable gets hot then it's the battery connection at fault.
Suffice it to say, the cable no longer gets hot.
Well done , it takes a braver man to admit his faults and learn from them , you must feel better now you got straight back on that bad luck horse and rode it home .
Very nice that the problem was found :) With that new cable electrical problems seem to have gone away. Hopefully the GSA will pass mot and you'll get to enjoy driving it after all this hard work.
So this is peak Hubnut! Fixing problems! Glad you haven’t given up yet!!
We all get like that Ian, especially with irritating intermittent faults that drive you up the wall, glad you left it for a day and came back to it.
Things always seem better the day after, we've all been there Ian.
We love that you show warts & all Ian, that's real life. Keep up the good work!
So glad the problem has been identified and fixed. We all felt your pain and have been willing you to push through . You have a very very rare car in right hand drive Almost none in the UK have survived the tin worm. Giselle is a class act and deserves lots of care and affection. GSAs are part of that special breed of car that just puts a smile on your face every drive. If you want her to last she will have to become a dry day (in Wales !!!) only car.
Changing the instrument cluster bulb can wait. Unclipping the speedo cable is the tricky bit and requires lying in the foot well with a hand up in behind the dash. It will make a great 'mutter mutter' video. Two screws point upwards into the cluster from under the front edge of the dash. The speedo cable is a friction fit so it will pull off but as always try to use the minimum force necessary. There is just enough slack on the wiring harness to be able to unclip the electrical connectors as the cluster comes out tipping forward towards the steering wheel without having to go up into the dash as you do for the speedo cable.
For safety do insulate the 12v positive post since clearance between it and the bonnet is reduced. If in an accident the 12v post and the bonnet were to connect then there is no fuse to save you from a dead short on the battery. Perhaps tape/glue an insulation patch to the underside of the bonnet.
Get past the MOT and you can consider getting the ride back up to factory standards. Most GSAs past their youth used to run around with the ride quality way below what is possible and yet were still miles better than anything else. Spheres , accumulator, system flushed and clean fluid used to be badly neglected. It would still work but not at magic carpet ride standards. The acid test is that the suspension should be so supple that with suspension at normal and engine running light downward hand pressure on any corner and all three other corners will respond. If the car sinks quickly on switch off it is a sign that the accumulator is flat. That is not good as it subjects the suspension system to fluid shock when live.
In my own GSA I glued sound insulation to the underside of the bonnet and the wings. It made a huge difference.
Excellent fix , top stuff..its some motor..get it out , ticketed and ready for next spring ..also Ulez good on a C plate . Best wishes
I once spent the day sorting negative ground issues on a friend's car. After carefully crimping new connectors and crafting a bus bar to bolt to the chassis I left my mate to finish the job. He thoughtfully added his own modification of rubber washers to each bolt. To avoid unwanted vibration noise obviously. 😂
I like the old Batman (Adam West series) shot of Tim and the cable, ~6:45.
That cable almost looks like it was initially replaced with a side post unit, then added a top post adapter.
My ultimate guess is if you go through and clean up enough connections, that running voltage will come up to a more satisfactory level.
And.yes, a good sleep tends to settle one when frustration arises. Good on you, Ian.
Hooray it's sorted. Reminded me of my own french hatchback, one day no starter but lights and ignition. Assumed the starter had failed, spent all morning doing it, still nothing after a few attempts but came to life, thought was sorted. Next day, alternator light (i already put a new one in only 6 months ago) and then it went back to original issue, ignition but no starter. Left the car for a week or two trying to wrap my head around it, Eventually put a jump lead between the negative battery post (with earth cable still attached) to a ground point on the car and worked instantly so it turned out to be all to be linked to a dodgy earth lead.
Good to see it seems to be sorted.
It is not that most owners of old Citroëns cannot recognize your frustrations, but now it is sorted. Great work, learning all the time and us with you. Thanks!
Just done similar on the Transit, a few quids worth of cable was cheaper than a new starter motor (The previous diagnosis on mine) Fingers crossed it has sorted out all your electrical problems now.
Bad connections are very common problem on French cars. I've had four Renaults and three of them had wiring problems with crimped connectors losing contact with the wire.
A night's rest can make all the difference Ian.
Having a car you love, that fights you all the way is one of the most frustrating things.
I'm no mechanic, but had to learn a lot with my then 4? year old Metro Turbo.
I ended up doing all the work on that car during my ownership after catching a mechanic hammering the car around the lake district roads when it was supposed to be in the workshop over the weekend.
I followed him around Windermere through to Keswick and took photos of him and his girlfriend at various carparks one with her lying on the bonnet whilst he took a photograph.
The result? I charged them £80 a day for the 3 days he admitted he'd used it and deducted another £100 for him being a cheeky ......
I only paid for the purchase price of the replacement turbo and oils.
Not a penny for his time.
My wife had taken it in for the work and he didnt realise A who her father was and B who I was!
Front brake pads lasted about 2 months in summer...I drove it hard so most issues where my own doing!
i think replacing the earth lead on the battery with the same size cable as the live would improve things and you may see an improvement in charge voltage, also cleaning up the connection the opposite end of the earth would help. not sure on the noisy alternator i would look at lubricating the bearings a little, Earth issues due to corrosion can drive us insane and it wont hurt to use beefier cables going smaller would of course. glad you are in a better head space now I know the feeling of frustration and anger you had from my days tinkering with old triumphs fords Renaults and fiats
Glad you've got that dodgy battery connection sorted. Nice one!
It reminds me of the time (2004 ) my GS absolutely refused point blank to start ; I called the AA. The problem? Just a dirty corroded positive battery terminal ! Glad to hear Giselle starting to behave again !
You like me do not have to be perfect, so long as we strive for it. My experience has shown that earth problems can cause "funny"symptoms with car lights. eg tail lights where one light can find an earth via another light/filament.
That’s what I like about HubNut - warts and all! At least you didn’t start throwing spanners around!
The nut knowldege fact: Skoda Super Estelle has the special 'first warning''indiciator of weak engine/alternator earth, clear for clever owners. :D The needle of... temperature gauge fluctuates oddly when you turn on-off the energy eaters (heated window, headlights).
I knew she would get sorted eventually Ian. We love the warts and all setup of the channel, it's why we subscribe, because as amateur mechanics we experience the same things as you, so don't ever change that format, also sometimes the simplest things don't always appear obvious, although it's not very HubNut, it's better sometimes to seek help from people like Tim. Glad you got Giselle sorted in the end!
Man im so Glad u kept at it and not gave up. Nice to also know the old adage of eliminating smallest possible issues first before thinking its a big ticket items problems. Keep GS on the road my good man
Such a cool car, love Citroens!
I completely understand how you feel because I get the same keep going Ian you can sort it
Told you it was something simple , always the case 90% of the time
Well done
Absaloutly brilliant video Ian ❤👍well done Ian you are brilliant 👏
Lucky Tim to be working with gorgeous MGs. He found 2 defects in the GSA's cable and there were probably heat damaged strands at intervals too. This happened often on Dyanes and beefier British cables usually did the trick. I often wondered why Citroen was so weedy with main cables, especially on the hydraulic lift cars because they obviously put a sizeable load on the electrics straight after cold starts. Gallic shrug anyone?
Re the previous video, it is a classic because Hubnut's strength as a site is unswerving honesty and experts such as Tim would probably attest to the mistakes they made on the way to master craftsman level. That was the background to the term "masterpiece" among the trades and guilds of mediaeval to factory times. We now apply the word to great art but for every great artwork we see, touch and hear today is the grueling apprentice phase.
The Hubnut site combines amateur car rescue with the love of old, original designs when there were true differences and characteristics no longer in the 'samey' cars of today.
EVs are a passing phase and when IC engines using hydrogen replace the milk floats the glories of totally independent motoring will return and there will be Hubnuts into the next century.
Glad she's running properly again mate
I love how you show the reality behind it and not only the good parts.
Cheers from Belgium.
I'm glad you managed to get to the bottom of the electrical issues, peace has been restored! Great video as always.
Yay for Tim 😊
I often used to despair at the electrics on friends cars, I'm an industrial electrician but many of the principles carry over.
Glad it’s sorted out. As others have said, clean up connections especially in the fuse box. That type of fuse box is notorious for crappy connections, replaced a few with the blade type fuse blocks. The old cylindrical fuses tend to corrode and heat the holders, reduce the temper of the steel and weakening the connection. I know it tends to be frowned upon by modern techs but Vaseline on connections helps keep them clean for a long time.
Still could be worse, remember the push fit lamp holders that BL used? They used the tension of the holder to make a ground. Pity they were crap at it. Went through a fair few of BL’s finest in my youth, got to the stage that the first thing I’d do would be to solder a ground cable to the lamp holders and bolt it down.
Now we just chase misbehaving sensors .
Got there in the end Ian, stick with it.👍
Well done! I’m very pleased you found the main source of the trouble. I have even re-subscribed. Please don’t sell that car. You know you would miss her and her irreplaceability.
Nice to see it is all sorted. Apart from the tool box! Always keep it real it would not be Hubnut any other way.
Would recommend earth cable swap, with auxilary connection from alternator to battery to avoid bad body/engine grounds
Good to see you didn't give up! Sometimes a pause is the best solution. Grounds are often the biggest pain with lighting. My parents had an older motor home (motorized campervan? UK) I spent half a day on clearance lights correcting ground faults on the lights.
So glad Giselle is better & I'm glad you feel better now you're sorted. Thanks as always for a good video.
I've never known anyone with hands and fingernails like Tim's who has, at the same time, been as well spoken as him!
And no worries about that stanley knife, it would never get through the leather-ised skin😅
I may have said that I purchased an A6 super cheap that had a selection of fault codes and poor running and even dual mass clutch judder from a dealer who had given up in sheer frustration. Turned out to be one duff cell in an otherwise very strong battery. Battery change and all issues gone! System voltage is ridiculously important even on the older stuff it seems. Top job! I think we all needed a little TWC therapy ❤
Glad you found the issue. Sometimes one just needs to sleep and think it over. Like me and my XM Y3 V6. Some issues I am sleeping and thinking over last half a year. :) But my XM is still running a driving though. Absolutely don't sell your GSA, it's very cool and interesting car, most importantly in a overall decent shape.