Problems with my 2CV, (it is an Airhead)

[BillN]

Having starting problems with my 2CV....looks great but will not start:

Just stopped starting, like day and night....one day OK the next buggered
It will start and splutter for about 5 secs, but that is all

I know that it is cold and the car has a choke
the Battery good
We have petrol
Spark OK...but have put a new coil and HT leads on the thing
had a look at the carb...no noticeable problems
The above were the easy bits

NOW I have to freeze my b*lls off tomorrow, why

to check and replace the points I have to take all the front fan housing and fan off,

to check the tappets.....both front wings have to come off

should be a great day depending on how many bolts I loose

any sympathy out there?

 

[Voyager]

Having starting problems with my 2CV....looks great but will not start:

any sympathy out there?

I sympathise.

I have just finished crawling under my wife's 133,500 mile, 2001 Ford Focus TDDi Hatch (its on ramps) draining and flushing the rad and replacing the thermostat. We have a freezing North wind today.

That was easy - its the spire nuts that hold the hugh plastic undertray that drive me mad.

I'm now frozen to the bone so put the heating on early.

To work . . . .

You didn't mention your fuel pump - is that behaving ?

Is there a sock filter on the tank pickup that might be blocked ?

Air getting into the suction side of the fuel line ?

Compression OK ?

Throttle linkage OK ?


Best of luck.

Bob.

 

[MMC]

Check the cold starter on the side of the carb - mine managed to work loose and cause the same symptoms.

Mind you, I'm still jealous that you've got a Deuche and I still haven't!

 

[(RIP) Proff]

You might have a good spark outside the cylinder BUT check the points gap and also change condensor [pattern ones only last around 12 months]

I used to go by the name of the "2 PotShop" in the 70's
We [ me 'n Barb] have personally owned 22 variants of 2 cv's
inc Bijous and Meharis








I tried to buy this lot whilst on our Hols but the bugger wouldn't deliver to the UK

 

[Paul Rochdale]

Bill

They are great cars, aren't they? I've owned five and my kids learned to drive in one. My first was a 2CV4, a mid-50s one without the rear quarterlights and with a mere 425cc engine. I drove it back from my camp in Germany 35 years ago to get married in Somerset, then loaded it with all we owned and returned to Germany. I think everyone ended up getting scrapped. We couldn't afford replacement galvanised chassis in those days.

Make sure your cardboard heater tubes are held up with cable ties as these had a habit of drooping onto the front brake discs with firey results. Wires regularly fell off the coil terminals too.

 

[MMC]

I tried to buy this lot whilst on our Hols but the bugger wouldn't deliver to the UK

Ooooohhhhhhhhh - that Charleston's just like my first one!! That's about the one vehicle I REALLY regret selling. £600 and it went like a fecking bomb - quickest Duck I ever owned.

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

You might have a good spark outside the cylinder BUT check the points gap and also change condensor [pattern ones only last around 12 months]

I used to go by the name of the "2 PotShop" in the 70's
We [ me 'n Barb] have personally owned 22 variants of 2 cv's
inc Bijous and Meharis








I tried to buy this lot whilst on our Hols but the bugger wouldn't deliver to the UK

Kinell 18 hp all in one go!!
I too fell in love with these birds and had a few of them, great cars

 

[Flipfly]

Kinell 18 hp all in one go!!
I too fell in love with these birds and had a few of them, great cars

Unrollable my arse

We know someone who managed to flip his over twice don't we old man

 

[BillN]

Thanks guys,

as i said one day it was OK the next nothing, nada, buggered, turns over OK, fires a little but just will not run

Hopefully will do the following tomorrow morning:

Fan etc., off
Replace points and condenser
use simple light to set them
check timing and bang some new plus in
Clean all the crap and oil off the fan housing before I put in back together
Pray that this solves the problem and it starts

I reckon that will take most of the morning

MMC - Cold start on side of carb.........will have to look that up
I am getting the usual, (I think), petrol spillage onto the block through a small hole in the manifold which presumably stops the thing from flooding

Fuel pump seem to be working fine...whip the tube off, turn the thing over and it spews out

looking at the carb.......accelerator pump........is there a diaghram that goes.......didn't really want to take the carb to bits

If I have any will left, in the afternoon, I will take the wings off and adjust the tappets..........my compression gauge seems to be buggered so I may just buy another..........but it is better to test the compression after the engine has run, (no?).

Only had the thing a few weeks but it is great fun to drive, these things are supposed to be simple and run on one cylinder but it is beginning to get on my tits, (excuse the French).

All this is preventing me removing the gearbox on my R100RS so that an expert can have a look at it.........all this at my age is just not on.......son and daughter after tonight's Halloween parties will not surface until after I have finished

This is only my second.....I had a new Dyane 6 in 1970 ? which I swopped for a 1965 MGB......I was skint and needed to drive about 16,000 miles a year for the next two years.........only oil changes ......went like a rocket, (over the Pennines every weekend)

Save a 2CV before they all rot away - after all it is an Airhead

 

[(RIP) Proff]

They WILL NOT RUN ON ONE POT unless it's only got a blown valve .

anything electrical stops both bangs

Remember they spark EVERY revolution
known as the lost spark effect
The double ended coil benefits from a vaseline enema and a placcy bag condom effect in the winter.
check for cracks around coil terminals
easy way >> dark night, open bonnet whilst engines running, use a mister spray to gently [very gently] wet coil and look for the pretty tracks

 

[(RIP) Proff]

OK you 2 cv Nutters.
As you may or may not know, you couldn't get a Right hand drive 2cv Van
{ Corrugated Shed type thing }
According to Citroen, Not available and not made [gallic shrug ]

I actually had 3 genuine from factory RHD 2CV [602cc] vans

HOW ???????

 

[BillN]

They WILL NOT RUN ON ONE POT unless it's only got a blown valve .

anything electrical stops both bangs

Remember they spark EVERY revolution
known as the lost spark effect
The double ended coil benefits from a vaseline enema and a placcy bag condom effect in the winter.
check for cracks around coil terminals
easy way >> dark night, open bonnet whilst engines running, use a mister spray to gently [very gently] wet coil and look for the pretty tracks

wasted spark effect - same as our beloved

Done the Coil thing, just changed it today for a "Super Coil" - a US Bike Coil with nice yellow HT leads and red ends

Neil Young calls

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

There used to be a great advert for the 2cv. It started out with a long list of extras?luxuries like reclining seats interior lights etc with tick boxes alongside. there was atick in all the no boxes and none in the yes boxes. It then went on to descibe the good points.... It has four ROUND wheels for a smoother ride, CLEAR glass windows for better visibility, Central locking( you can reach all four doors from the drivers seat and lots more in this vein,, really great.

 

[Rob Farmer]

Having starting problems with my 2CV....looks great but will not start:

Just stopped starting, like day and night....one day OK the next buggered
It will start and splutter for about 5 secs, but that is all

I had one years ago that did a similar thing. Turned out to be the thread for the screw holding the contact breaker pulling out. I think the previous owner must have over tightened the screw. Mine was fine for a couple of weeks but then just refused to start until it was helicoiled.

I must admit I preferred the Renault 4's to the 2cv's

I went in a strange ex French post office corrugated 2cv van. 450cc I think with a peculiar self applying hand brake. It may even have been a semi auto - though it's so long ago I can't remember properly.

 

[Old Man]

Unrollable my arse

We know someone who managed to flip his over twice don't we old man

Steady on...I didn't roll mine but I did get it onto 2 wheels in Norway once

 

[MMC]

OK you 2 cv Nutters.
As you may or may not know, you couldn't get a Right hand drive 2cv Van
{ Corrugated Shed type thing }
According to Citroen, Not available and not made [gallic shrug ]

I actually had 3 genuine from factory RHD 2CV [602cc] vans

HOW ???????

Presumably, you bought them from the Slough factory??

 

[(RIP) Proff]

Presumably, you bought them from the Slough factory??

Nope, they only made the Pick Up 2cv's for the Royal navy [carrier deck hacks 435 cc with Traffic clutch's]
no Vans,.
BUT I would give a left Bollock for a genuine Slough Built 2cv pick up or Light 15

 

[Voyager]

Save a 2CV before they all rot away - after all it is an Airhead

Some people turn them into something else . . . .


Spotted at "The 34th Scottish Transport Extravaganza" at Glamis Castle on 12th July 2008 . .

Sorry Proff - its not a 'Photoshop' job

Its a Lomax three-wheeler kit car.

Looks like fun and the owner certainly enjoys it

This one has been to the Continent a few times and was apparantly great fun. The three gallon fuel tank is a bit restrictive though.

I like the registration, but then my initials are RJKM


Bob.

 

[(RIP) Proff]

Some people turn them into something else . . . .


Spotted at "The 34th Scottish Transport Extravaganza" at Glamis Castle on 12th July 2008 . .

Sorry Proff - its not a 'Photoshop' job

Its a Lomax three-wheeler kit car.

Looks like fun and the owner certainly enjoys it :thum


This one has been to the Continent a few times and was apparantly great fun. The three gallon fuel tank is a bit restrictive though.

I like the registration, but then my initials are RJKM


Bob.

Drove a Lomax years ago with an AMI 8 engine and g/box in it.
Ami 8's had twin choke carb and 9 to 1 compression years before the 2 cv got them.
Higher ratio top gear meant over 90 mph on 3 x 4 inch wide tyres Mich ZX's tho

Love the Acadiane as well next to it

Heres a nice site for you other Deux Chevaux nuts >>>
A pint of the finest apple juice to the first to post a completed 2cv pick up
http://www.brusino.com/ecology/builda2cv_special.html

More than 1 pint could result in something like this

 

[Rob Farmer]