Dan's 1.6 repairs

[Grapes]

I printed the wiring diagram you sent me last year and I'll have a look at this with someone who has more experience with these when the weather gets better. So far most other things at least seem to work except for both the front fog lights which I'll look at after I sorted the windows someday.

[Grapes]

Managed to get the passenger window working again by switching all the window switches for second hand BX switches. Minor victory
Also put some WD40 in the motor and friction parts while I was at it since I read elsewhere on this forum that people had success with that and so far it seems indeed to smoothen things up a bit.

New problem arose though. There seems to be no power on the switch on the passenger side now. A bit mysterious because there definitely was power on that a few days ago when I disassembled it to find the problem. Any hints where I should look?
The passenger side window switch on the driver side works the way it should by the way.

[roy4matra]

Managed to get the passenger window working again by switching all the window switches for second hand BX switches. Minor victory
Also put some WD40 in the motor and friction parts while I was at it since I read elsewhere on this forum that people had success with that and so far it seems indeed to smoothen things up a bit.

New problem arose though. There seems to be no power on the switch on the passenger side now. A bit mysterious because there definitely was power on that a few days ago when I disassembled it to find the problem. Any hints where I should look?
The passenger side window switch on the driver side works the way it should by the way.

If you check out my FAQ (where it is fully described) and the wiring diagram, as I've said many times, BOTH window switches for the passenger door window have to work fully for the passenger window to work as they are linked.  So first step is always to make sure ALL window switches function correctly.

So for instance there is no earth to the passenger door - the earth is via the drivers door switch.  Also you will see that the power for the drivers door window switch is 3B whilst that for the passenger door is 3A.  Trace those back to the circuit board and you will see they come from different terminals.  This is why you always need to refer to a wiring diagram.

The switches themselves are quite common and easy to get, but not all switches are internally wired the same so you need to be careful.  However the Citroën switches are probably the same as PSA would be using the same supplier.

Roy

[Grapes]

Ah I haven't tracked them to the cirquit board. I did double check all the switches. I will start there. Thanks!

[Grapes]

At first glance I didn't notice but the fuse was corroded and a bit loose so I put a new one in and made sure it fit and that solved it!

[Grapes]

Question time again.
I've had the car in the driveway for the last week since it's not starting.

What works: The starter works and the coil sends power to the distributor and the rotor rotates.

That's unfortunately where it ends. I fitted a new rotor, dizzy cap, HT leads (conveniently sold as a package at Simon in Germany) and plugs.
I checked for sparks between the HT lead and the plug and couldn't see any so somewhere after the power goes into the dizzy cap something's not working.

What to check next (or which parts to replace)?
Manual is referring to a Hall Effect Ignition Tester for more or less that entire chapter. I don't have that however.

[suffolkpete]

Check for sparks between the coil and the distributor.  If all the connections are good,then there's really only three things it can be if there's no spark.  The coil, the ignition amplifier and the Hall Effect sensor in the dostributor.  If you don'thave the means to test them,then the only means to find the culprit is by substitution.  A spare coil and ignition amplifier are useful spares to have, carrying a spare distributor round with you is perhaps a bit OTT, though I wished I'd had one when my Hall Effect sensor failed the week before last.

[Grapes]

Ah wonderful, that should get me further 👍 thanks!
Will look into the amp and sensor then.
P.s. I'm also checking this http://www.matraclub.org.uk/faqg.html 😉
So I'll make sure to follow the advice thereon.

[Grapes]

Small update:
Fitted yet another coil and a 123 Ignition dizzy from Politecnic and it's running again! Albeit with tons of plops and bangs (more than I had before she stopped working) but it's one step ahead

Next: smooth running engine 

Side question: if I would remove the antenna, how would I best close off the hole that it would create? Just treat it with a fibreglass repair kit or are there other easy solutions?

[suffolkpete]

Sounds like a timing problem, should be 10-12 deg. BTDC.  Is the firing order coreect, should be 1-3-4-2 and the distributor rotates clockwise.

[GP]

Sounds like a timing problem, should be 10-12 deg. BTDC.  Is the firing order correct, should be 1-3-4-2 and the distributor rotates clockwise.

As Pete rightly says and everything is checked out O.K. and the firing order is correct. I suggest the HT Leads in the right positions on the distributor cap to the correct Spark Plug are marked somehow for future simple reference......

NB: I use tiny coloured ty-wraps on the leads near the distributor cap and mark the cap outlets with a small felt tip pen with the corresponding number of ty-wraps and their correct piston position.

Or something like this:-

https://www.gsparkplug.com/1-pack-8mm-cable-ht-plug-lead-numbers-markers-1-to-8-yellow.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwv-GUBhAzEiwASUMm4nhITlL8ez6jT5pDKvI_vdRJ8ziZkf41XYCL3JQb6jg1-rqjIzvESBoCnD4QAvD_BwE

Hope it gets sorted soon.....

[Grapes]

Just got new HT leads so I'll go with tie wraps, that's a very good tip.

It's currently running a bit smoother. Basically it's back to "normal" so I assume the month without operation might have done something to make it behave like that. I was advised by another owner to have a look at tuning the carb so I'll look into that next when I have the time.

[GP]

Just got new HT leads so I'll go with tie wraps, that's a very good tip.

It's currently running a bit smoother. Basically it's back to "normal" so I assume the month without operation might have done something to make it behave like that. I was advised by another owner to have a look at tuning the carb so I'll look into that next when I have the time.

Do you have fresh petrol in the tank?

[suffolkpete]

Tuning the carb is the last stage of any tuning.  Get the ignition timing and the valve clearances correct first.  Make sure the air cleaner is clear. Then clean the jets in the carb and finally tune it.

[roy4matra]

Just got new HT leads so I'll go with tie wraps, that's a very good tip.

It's currently running a bit smoother. Basically it's back to "normal" so I assume the month without operation might have done something to make it behave like that. I was advised by another owner to have a look at tuning the carb so I'll look into that next when I have the time.

There is another unusual problem with some Bosch distributors that can be missed, so it would be good to visually check the hall electronics out carefully, particularly the reluctor and sensor.  The 1.6 has a different design to the 2.2 but you need to make sure the reluctor ring and fingers are not touching as they go through the gap in the sensor, and getting worn away.  Check for any free play in the rotor shaft owing to worn bushes, as that allows the shaft to rotate off centre and that is when the fingers will touch and wear away or even break off.

For those with 2.2 and Bosch distributors, the reluctor ring fingers can get out of phase after slipping around, and the rotor arm is no longer aligned with the contacts in the distributor cap at the firing point.  I have only recently done a repair on one like this, and that would have had a firing/timing problem, which can't be rectified by simply slackening and turning the distributor.

I am planning another technical article with photos about this as it is difficult to understand unless you have experience.

Roy