2CV Technical Tips

These are a few useful technical tips relating to the 2CV.

General Tips

The wheelnut brace is the same size as the nuts holding on the wings.
If you do not have the correct star screwdriver to adjust the door lock closing plates use an allen key which fits snugly inside.
Muffs on at 10 degrees C (50 degrees F), off at 15 degrees C (60 degrees F) Do not leave the muff on in hot weather.
Bad hot starting is often the coil. In very hot weather especially, carry a spare coil to quickly change over to re-start. Do not rely on plugs over 3000 miles old, even if clean. Replace. The 2CV is very easily affected by weak sparks as the plug gaps open with mileage. Used plugs tend to open quickly. Use only Equem plugs.
The handling of the 2CV is very affected by tyre pressures. For a 2CV 602 saloon these should be 20 psi. front, 26 psi.rear.
Do not sit on Dyane front wings. They will dent.
Use diesel oil injected into the chassis at all points after about every two years to prevent internal corossion of the chassis. The volatile part of the diesel will quickly disperse. Most chassis failures are caused by corossion from the inside.
The front and rear bumpers, although not expensive to replace, benefit from a very liberal coating of wax prior to winter. The paint is not too good on the bumpers and wheels.

Safety Tips

Make sure the heater tubes are well clear of the exhaust pipes. If necessary replace them or tie them up securely with wire.
Replace the old tail pipe with the short pipe from an AK400 Van. It has no drain so will not rust through. Fit with side-sway clip, or tie wraps.
If you have the metal clip securing the wiring loom under the air filter, remove it and fit a tie wrap. It will chafe the live wires.
When working on the front of the car using a trolley jack, only place it under the front swinging arm hinges (knife-edge pads) If you intend to go under the car, use axle stands.
Ensure the pipe to the carb from the petrol pump is not chafing against the wiring loom.

Popular Projects

Project No.1 - adjusting the handbrake on disc-brake 2CV models (after 1980)
First the eccentrics have to be adjusted. Raise vehicle at front on one side in turn. Remove the flexible heater ducts. Loosen the eccentrics securing screws, and loosen the cable adjuster locks and adjuster nuts. Set the eccentrics with notches so that the notches are at the top. If there are no notches ensure pads have maximum clearance from the disc. Check the levers are contacting the stop lugs on the casings. Rotate the eccentrics in opposite directions (left clockwise, right anticlockwise) until pads just contact the discs. Re-tighten the eccentric securing screws but ensure the eccentrics do not rotate when tightening. A 24mm box spanner may be needed. Check cable adjustment. Turn adjuster nuts on the cable end of each caliper so that the brakes start to operate on the third notch and the brakes are fully applied on the fifth. Replace the ducts and lower the vehicle. Before adjusting the handbrakes make sure you have a box spanner or similar to fit the eccentrics, which vary, and another box spanner to fit inside to fit the adjuster nuts (or Citroen tool 2115-T).
Project No.2 - Fitting a CB Radio (12v negative earth vehicles)
Locate a fuse outlet, if necessary using a meter, which is live when the ignition is off. Immediately at that point locate a 2 Amp inline fuse and then run the red live line to the CB. Run the negative black line to a suitable local earth point. Alternatively run two lines direct from the battery, with a fuse next to the live positive terminal. Connect the coax connector to the CB. The CB has an unusual gutter section which will not suit most gutter-mounts. Take a piece of aluminium and drill for a standard antenna body mount. This plate will be about 70cm by 150cm. Form bends so the plate runs under the hood edge, over the lip and back down vertically. From inside secure the latter vertical section by drilling and fitting self tapping screws. Fit the standard body mount and the antenna end coaxial connector. Seal from weather with self-amagamating tape. Use a wingnut and 3/8 inch ferrule, then a standard CB antenna. This gives fold and remove capability. Use an SWR meter to adjust the transmitting SWR to the minimum curve centred on the central frequency. Items required: CB Radio with leads and fuse, Coaxial with fitted connectors, one end suitable for a body mount. Aluminium plate as above, wingnut and ferrule assembly, antenna and SWR Meter, self amalgamating tape, drill and bits, self tapping screws.
Project No 3. Fitting a reversing light (life is fun reversing in the night without one). 12v negative earth vehicles.
You require a fuse outlet which is not live when the ignition is off. Locate a low value fuse to suit the reversing light bulb rating immediately at this point. Run a cable from here through the car to the dashboard. You then need a switch with a red indicator bulb. Connect the cable to one side. Run a further cable through the car to the boot. On later saloons it can pass through a grommet in a similar manner to the fog light, but the other side. If you are using a reversing light similar in size and shape to the fog light, It may bolt through the equivalent hole in the rear chassis arm but may foul the exhaust pipe if you have the standard tailpipe. If this is so make up a spacer plate to move the mounting point to one side to avoid the problem. Fit the reversing light and connect the installed cable onto the live internal connection. Run another cable from the negative connection. Connect this to the adjacent chassis bolt. Installation is then complete. Make sure all connections outside the car are waterproof.
Project No 4. Fitting GS seats to a 2CV. (To give headrests and recline)
Sometimes one can obtain ready made converter boxes to fit GS seats in a 2CV. If not, obtain GS seats preferably from a GS Super. Carefully go over the seats, particularly checking the drivers seat cushion part. The construction is similar to the 2CV - a sackcloth square turned and trapping edge metal rods, connectors and rubber bands. Overhaul these and all parts if necessary and replace covers. Store your own 2CV seats. Obtain redundant 2CV seat frames and cut partway up from the base sections. Similarly, cut the GS base sections. Weld the 2CV cut sections to the cut GS base sections, retaining the same approximate seat dimensions as with the originals. The GS seats will now fit the 2CV. CX seats, along with their associated electro-mechanical gizmos, will (just) fit, but be aware that in a saloon they will seriously intrude into rear leg room due to the very thick backs. As you have retained your original 2CV seats, these can be put back should Top Gear decide the 2CV is a Classic!

How to get your 2CV through the MOT Test
The MOT is the UK annual roadworthiness test which is mandatory after the vehicle is three years old. MOT stands for Ministry of Transport. Strangely, there is no Ministry of Transport. In the UK, before the introduction of testing, and since, only a very small proportion of accidents were caused by vehicle defects. The very great majority are caused by driver error.
Note: The following only give an overview of the requirements of the MOT, and are not definatitive. For more detail obtain the Vehicle Inspectorate Handbook. (Notes are for 2CV6 UK specification - others may vary due equipment levels)
Electrics
Check that the following work: horn, wipers and that wiper blades are good, headlights main and dipped lights, dim-dipped if fitted, sidelights including taillights, fog light and warning light, brake lights, indicators including repeaters, and hazards and warning light. Check headlight full and dipped are not too high (adjuster under dash) and central, and adjusted for load.
Brakes
Check that foot and handbrakes work. Check handbrakes adjustment (start to bite at 3 notches, full on at 5 notches).
Steering
Check for excessive play in steering rack (watch wheel movement turning steering wheel). Check for kingpin excessive play (jacked up vertical play - grease first - normally is some). Check for excessive play in track rod ends (jacked up horizontal play). Last will give dangerous shimmy at about 50 mph on adverse cambers if very worn.
Suspension, tyres and dampers.
Check dampers each corner, that car returns to rest after one and a half bounces. Check tyres have tread depth across entire width of at least 1.6 mm, that there are no cut or bulges on tread or sidewalls. Check that wheels are true, balanced if necessary (otherwise will shimmy at one speed). Check also that there are no noises from wheel bearings and no wheel bearing play.
Other equipment
Check glass, lights and mirrors internal and external are clean. Check speedo works and is accurate within limits. Check seatbelts are sound, no frays to belt fabric, that retracts work, that rear belts if fitted work and fabric is sound. Check windscreen has no cracks more than 10 mm. immediately in front of driver (everyone knows that 12mm. cracks cause many accidents, but 10mm. cracks cause none!). Check door locks are sound, boot and bonnet locks are sound. Check as well as you can there is no excessive exhaust emmisions, if so adjust carburation. Check exhaust condition - no leaks, firmly attached. Check drive shaft couplings, that boots are sound, no grease leaks, and that Ligrex straps are tight. Check that washers work. Check rubber grommet to petrol filler pipe is sound.
Body and chassis structure.
Check all the following for serious corrosion or perforation: chassis legs, outriggers, lower panel, especially check for any signs of chassis callapse, shown often by ripples at the rear and underneath of the front chassis legs next to gearbox. Rack and steering wheel will rise and bonnet will not close. Check all floors, especially front of footwells. Check entire bulkhead and for cracks next to battery carrier (plates should have all been fitted by now). Check inner rear wheel arches, sills both inner and outer, base of A post in front of doors, base of B post behind front doors, Check vent panel and bonnet hinge area for perforation. Check swinging arms for serious corossion. Check all brake pipes for corossion.
Most common reasons for failure.
Handbrake not adjusted. Adjust. Splits to ends of wiper blades. Replace. Kingpin wear. Replace. Track rod ends wear. Replace. Corossion or perforation on chassis. Weld in local plates. Not part of test are: engine condition apart from effect on emmisions. Hood condition. Cleanliness of vehicle apart from all lenses, glass, and mirrors, gearbox condition provided it works. Signs of failure of the chassis as above will require new chassis.

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