GT mediated Awesomeness

Tell us about life with your BX, or indeed life in general!
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Caffiend
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Caffiend »

I'm shocked that you haven't even considered protection. Not sure if there is anything you can do to stop mudflaps getting scraped or stone damaged - would tyre stuff work?
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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

Wehey Sandra's in the game! Nah, boo to protection, if you're faithful to your BX and in it for the long haul, then you really need'nt worry about protection in my opinion. Just get new flaps, as you'll likely do it further down the line anyway.

But as an initial precautionary measure until new flaps are sourced, then I agree.
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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

What a fantastic afternoon, went to see HCH (her citroeny heighness) in all the glorious sun and heat. put 2 cans of fuel in, first time i've seen the petrol light off! Did some citroebics (do like the way the car rises and falls as one, not one end first followed by the other) and decided to take a small trip up the dead end lane the garages are at the end of, exhaust manifold is blowing increasingly more every time I start her, sound awesome, although very slow!

I decided to have a poke about in the boot and see what she came with.

Used bits;
  • Starter motor
    Speedo cable (not sure what it is, think it's speedo cable)
    Rear wiper motor and trim
    Part worn tyres that look almost unused (avon summat) x 4
New bIts;
  • Inlet manifold
    Track rod (pair of)
    Exhaust manifold heat shield
    Oil Filters x 3
    Dizzy cap
    Timing belt
    Windscreen wipers (front x2)
    Spheres x 6
    Tailored floor mats (Woden motors stitched on?)
    Rear quarter lights x 2 (with invoice £136.11 for the pair!)
    Valeo headlamp units x 2
    Headgasket set
    Rotor arm
    Rear mudflaps and fitting brackets x 2
    Rear light cluster
    Brake discs x 2
    Wait for it... Headlamp protectors!! (new and boxed)
That's what it came with, quite chuffed really! There's not much more I need to get to sort her out.
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

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Tim Leech
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Tim Leech »

Ace! plenty to keep you busy, worth checking how old the spheres are though...
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

I made a deal with my Steve, he would drive me to the GT if I cleaned his car. So went and started her up, got her out of the garage and uncovered her. I had to fight a small army of spiders and other assorted bugs to get into the garage, a bit icky but i'm not that much of a wuss!

Plan for today was to change the dizzy cap and rotor arm, I can't really buy any more bits for her until we have a tenant sorted for our house or until I have a reliable income.

So, old and new rotor arms;

Image

Old and new dizzy caps. Wait somethings not right here, oh, the new one has male rather than the required female connectors. Oh well. Anyone need an Xu fitting dizzy cap with male connectors?

Image

All safe and covered up again.

Image

Even just changing the rotor arm for the new one has made a very noticable difference in responsiveness. so when all the parts are replaced with nice, new bits she will run like a dream! Not sure when i'll be able to do stuff next, or buy new parts but given the house/money/job situation I may not be able to bring her to Simply French, but I really really want her to come to the ICCCR so hopefully that is realisable.

That's all for now folks :D Now where'd I put that beer...
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

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mat_fenwick
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by mat_fenwick »

Do your male bits simply unscrew? Hopefully it would be that simple...
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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

Howdy y'all. Went to see the ol' gal last night. Steve and I were watching Stargate and I got bored so... I bought some goodies yesterday morning, nice new air filter and correct dizzy cap. There were much less spiders this time, or perhaps I just didn't see them! Eek!

Yucky old air filter, disintegrating as you look at it.
Image

Gunna need some cleanin in there at some point - later in time. Interestingly all the plastic pipe and stuff around here just pulled off, all the jubilee clips were very loose so on refitting I had a good tightening sesh.
Image

Carby looks all nice and dandy
Image

Got the correct dizzy cap, apparently given the engine no. and reg no. there is still a choice of two dizzy caps. I'll see if I can be a total pikey and try to get a refund for the incorrect dizzy cap from halfords :D I can do dumb-blonde remarkably well, and it works!
Image

Dunno if you can see, but the old dizzy cap was mingin inside, all worn and stuff.
Image

Equally minging HT leads. These and the sparks will be next in the parts to buy list me thinks.
Image

Then it got dark and I fancied checking if all the lights work n that, and they did! For some reason at this point I got all excited cos it aint far off of being OTR. Yea, there are fiddly bits to do, and stuff like LHM change and system bleeding that I will discover how to do soon and cambelt etc. But theoretically I could just service it (inc. LHM change/cambelt/other belts/oil/oil filter) put the good tyres on the wheels, sort out the exhaust manifold and MOT it :D But i'm going to want to do pretty things whilst in the process, like paint the steelies and wheel trims in a matching colour (so the lip you can see of the steely isn't ugly and obvious) and get the bonnet resprayed etc...

Everything seems to work other than the sidelights, when you slide the switch to sidelights, the dipped full lights come on, but when you put full beam on when on the sidelight setting, they go off and there is no light. So i'll try replacing the side lights and see what happens. Other than that the only bulbs not working are one or two behind the speedo and rev counter (more light s work on this lovely GT than on my astra lol)

Image

Image

Looove the dashboard, it's even more funky at night! Ignition on
Image

Engine on
Image

Image

Changing the dizzy cap and air filter has made things even more responsive and quieter (well, as quiet as a blowing-much exhaust manifold will allow!).

Next sesh is Sunday morning, plan is to put it up on axle stands and remove the two front wheels and all wheel trims for painting, then get the two front wheels re-shod. Also i'll have a gander at the exhaust manifold and a good recky underneath (bit anxious about that, no rust thanks very much!). Does anyone know the stud and nut size used on this engine (159A engine)?? I seem to remember Tim getting his done recently...

Thats all for know folks :D
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

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Tim Leech
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Tim Leech »

Me? I didnt change the manifold, it seems to have gone quiet again!
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by mat_fenwick »

Is it blowing from the exhaust to manifold joint? That needs a 10mm socket, ideally 6 sided to prevent rounding. Can't remember for sure what the manifold to head studs are though, but I seem to remember either 13mm or something non standard like 15mm.
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Dollywobbler »

Is it just me or is there a number plate bulb out?

I haven't fully got my head around the headlamp switch on the Mk1 yet. On mine, the sidelight position is either normal headlamps or, when you clock to 'main beam' position, sidelights. It's sort of like the 2CV headlamp switch where again, you can have the headlights on in two entirely different positions, moving the lever to flick between sidelights or main beam. Odd lot the French.
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by mds141 »

Tom looking good. Love the fuel computer. Re ignition components IIRC you need to tell the parts guy you have a Ducellier set up. I kept getting the wrong stuff from Halfrauds. Their parts numbering isn't the best IMHO. Bought a rotor arm for the valver and it turned out to be for a MK1 golf despite having the correct part number. Lovely car. :)
Mark Smith

Is it just me or is everything shit?

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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

Thanks all! Yea the LH number plate bulb is out and fron Ian's light switch breakdown the sidelights are blown too! As when you put it on sidelight setting and select main beam you get darkness (where sidelights should be on).

From the sound of the blow ( :D ) it sounds like manifold to head blowage, but i'll have a reccy tomorrow when it's on axle stands on one side. I have a question about axle standing a BX, do I need to do the whole car or can I just stand one end (or one side) without damaging underneath bits when the low side/back sinks?

Hmm interesting Mark, when I was in the motor factors they asked bosch or ducellier and I initially said bosch because the dizzy cap was orange, but then the bloke brought out the two different dizzy caps (both orange) and I don't remember what make the one i needed was... I'll check.

Helped our lodger move out yesterday, he hired a van for me to drive (VW Crafter), nice comfy van and very stable in all the gale force winds etc - but absolutely gutless! No oomph whatsoever. Result is i'm completely knackered today, while we had the van we took all our stuff 'to be sorted' to our rented garage so we are slowly emptying the house... Off to work now, which is poo cos it's all sunny and lovely - perfect GT fettling weather *hopes weather tomorrow is just as clement*
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

Roverman wrote:Me? I didnt change the manifold, it seems to have gone quiet again!
Hooray! Mine has gone from unnoticable when I first got it, to dragster/boy racer roaring style!
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

Mes voitures:
1985 Citroen BX19 GT
1988 Volvo 740 2.0 GL Hearse
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mat_fenwick
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by mat_fenwick »

Best to only put one end of the car on axle stands, potentially with the whole car in the air there's nothing to stop the car from moving and being knocked off. If just one side the angle where the stand supports it may be too steep. Remember handbrake is on front wheels.
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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

She's up on stands, and bugger I just remembered I left her in high suspension setting... Oh well I will have to go and see her tomorrow! Forgot the camera today, so no piccies chaps and chapesses...

On removal of the trims (that on closer inspection are very much in need of painting) the wheels are incredibly clean and rust free, there is a wee bit on some of the surfaces and lots on the rim that protrudes from the trim. So they'll be getting repainted anyway - in the same colour as the trims so it all looks flush and tidy. Not sure what colour it'll be done in, a brighter, shinier silver than they are atm, perhaps something with a subtle sparkle (like vauxhall's star silver that I repainted my astra's grille in).

Had a quick look underneath, there is a few rusty pipes (still solid though) and a few bits of surface rust but it's mostly waxoil, waxoil everywhere in fact! I only had the front wheels off, but the front brakes will need new discs (supplied in the boot :D ) and pads, and I suspect i'll do the rear ones for shits and giggles anyway.

I forgot to check the dates of the spheres but I did check to see what was included in the gasket pack, the full whammy is there (all except sump gasket I think) so I won't have to worry when I do the manifold - which I didn't look at today as it was really really wet and the garage is very dirty, I really need to have the car out and sweep the thing cos even just removing the two front wheels and having a little reccy underneath made me absolutely filthy!

Next on the job list is get the wheels de-rusted, primered and painted, then the new tyres fitted - it'll have to be done in pairs as getting the car on 4 axle stands in the little garage would be a nightmare - and i'd be worrying about stability etc. After wheels and tyres, whilst they're off i'll do the brakes and if i'm in a painting mood then the trims need doing, after that it's all the servicing bits and jobs (cambelt first then oil cos it's too high followed by exhaust manifold and the rest). I'll get some pictures of the wheels, trims and brakes tomorrow when I go and check all is good with the axle stands.

:mrgreen:
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

Mes voitures:
1985 Citroen BX19 GT
1988 Volvo 740 2.0 GL Hearse
2006 Lexus RX 400h SE hybrid
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