Scarecrow's 19RD Estate

[scarecrow]

I must have had this car for around six weeks now, which has been just enough time to discover all of its little (and large) foibles. What's causing them may be another process of discovery (and possibly penury).

Today the car went for its first repairs. New octopus, CV joint and hopefully a couple of non-critical, but hyper-annoying rattles, will be cured.

The car still has its original hydraulic pipework! Just. I have been advised to get some under-seal on it pronto. The underneath appears pleasingly un-rusty however.

I had been hoping to get the lumpy starting sorted (relay, possibly as glo-plugs are new) - but that can wait till the really cold mornings now.

Merci to Medway Citroen for advice and repairs. I'll post an update when I get the car back.

[Tourist]

I had been hoping to get the lumpy starting sorted (relay, possibly as glo-plugs are new) - but that can wait till the really cold mornings now.

Try waiting for 10 seconds after the pre-heating light goes out. It's worked for me in the past.

[mat_fenwick]

Also try priming the fuel pump before starting - if that improves things then that would suggest an air leak. Is there any smoke? I have discovered that problem on mine, thing is I can't find where yet!

[scarecrow]

Thanks for the tips - I'll have a look, but waiting for the 10 second click makes no difference really. There is some smoke until the engine's warmed up (by the time the suspension's pressurized and I've rolled a fag). When the engine's completely warm I haven't noticed any smoke, but I try not to push the fuel pedal much beyond half-way, ever). I still suspect it's something to do with the power to the glo-plugs as they were supposedly replaced recently and they do look new.

The octopus has been replaced (and with some difficulty, not least due to Citroen sending out two already split ones before third time lucky). The C.V. boot has been renewed and the judder and occasional knock seem to have gone now. The oil leak was just the filter needing a tweak. I will be needing new brakes soon though, so I can feel a bout of 'defensive' driving coming on. Then I guess I'll shell-out for all new copper pipes next year sometime, and maybe comfort spheres too. I feel dizzy at the thought of it.

It's a funny thing, but paying to get a Focus or such like fixed, would just annoy me, paying for the repairs to the bx was however a strange pleasure!

As an aside, I was given a St Tropez as a courtesy-car by the garage for a few days, and I quite enjoyed driving a petrol again- but I still prefer the diesel.

[scarecrow]

I'm going to get the MOT done this week. It's not due 'till January but I've just had the brakes done so I might as well bite the bullet whilst the car's going well.

Finger's crossed the smoky starting doesn't effect the emissions test. I'm a week into kicking my own 4 oz a week tobacco habit, but I don't think that will sway the mot tester, more's the shame.

I remember throwing a strop when my first bx failed on corroded pipes and I felt the examiner had been too strict with his pipe-scraping. I got it passed eventually only for the whole lot to burst on the M6. You certainly live and learn with a bx.

[MULLEY]

If its a bit smokey, try an italian tune up That should clear the crap out of the exhaust system.

[scarecrow]

Hi Mulley - dare I ask what an Italian tune-up is? A damn good thrashing, perhaps?

The smokeyness was eye-watering this cold morning, and it smelt like neat diesel. I'm suspecting something to do with the injection system now, but my only real experience of 'fixing' diesel engines is adding sand to the fuel tank of the cement mixer when I was a young, unwilling hod carrier.

[RxBX]

Thanks for the tips -
I still suspect it's something to do with the power to the glow-plugs as they were supposedly replaced recently and they do look new.

Don't get fooled by thinking there new or nearly new and's all's OKAY

As I found out one occasion, I was having starting problems so I went off to HALFORDS for a new set of Glow-plugs I replaced them and everything was great for approx. two weeks then after the third week starting the car up got more difficult and the after approx. 4-5 weeks the car would NOT start up at all, I just ended up flatting a good fully charged battery.
So I decided to remove all the glow-plugs and three out of the four were completely dead

So I took them back and got a free replacement set, put them in and all was well so there you have it, its a bit of hassle taking them out but it worth it so that you definitely can eliminate any doubt.

Prior to glow-plug removal/test, as you mentioned a possible power feed problem to them, do a pre-check the same as if you were just warming up the glow-plugs prior to the starting position on the ignition key.
This can be done with a test lamp or meter from the positive feed wire which comes from the Blue relay box (That's the one connected to one of the glow-plugs, the the other three glow-plugs are fed with the four 'Rail-connector' fly-lead wire from that one) the other end of the test lamp or meter (Negative) should be connected to a good earth point on the engine/block (If using a meter you should get a good 12 volts supply if you've got decent battery prior to the click of the relay) if using a 12volt test-lamp the light will go out after the click of the relay.

Also it may be worth reading THIS thread which should help you in how to test for a good/duff glow-plug's.
I hope this may be be of help

[scarecrow]

Thanks RxBx

I'll try the test. What you say about the glo-plugs is very sensible - I think I might try fitting a new set during the week. I hope it's a bit easier on the 1.9 than it was with the 1.7 where I could only replace three of them. Where there's a will there is a way.

One advantage of the smoky starting is that the neighbours don't park so close any more.

Thanks again, your advice is very kind and much appreciated.

[demag]

Just out of interest, does it fire up and run lumpy, or does it actually struggle to start at all?

[scarecrow]

Hi demag - sorry, I did reply before but I think it must have got lost in a server outage.

It's very smoky when starting from cold and very lumpy but it does start first time and just needs some gentle persuasion with the throttle to get going properly. Once it's going it's fine.

I now believe it's just a matter of replacing the glow-plugs which can wait in line till after Christmas (along with my broken tooth). A few issues have manifested which make me wonder about the psychology of the last owner who mentioned that new plugs, new engine mountings, a new exhaust and clutch had been fitted (I think I have the receipts). One engine mounting is definitely shagged (the bolt actually fell out), the exhaust baffles are loose and there is some judder from the clutch. I'm nothing if not belligerent, so I'll get these issues fixed as I've become quite fond of this particular car.

At least I have a shiny new MOT