is it worth fixing the latest lhm leak ?

[cacaolat]

here is a photo of my lovely Bx 16 Meteor Auto from 1991. I am the second owner from new and the car has never been off the road. In the last 5 years I only did 5000 miles and in total it has 85000. I have always got everything fixed and just last year I had 2 brand new break calipers fitted. The interior is still in a very good and clean condition although on the body it has a few little bumps, 22 years, no accidents, no re sprays, no visible rust. Some people may not like the auto version but I love it.
The car has full service history and the octopus has been changed less than 5 years ago, now it has developed a new lhm leak, The stop lights came on before I went on holiday but it did not seem to drip whilst the car was parked for 2 weeks. Today it drips badly on the front driver side. Is it worth driving to a far away specialist and have this fixed. Mot is due at the end of the month and other that the drip it should be ok.
I think I am now ready for a new car as I hate having to hunt for basic parts all the time.

[Stinkwheel]

I think you have answered your own question.

The problem you have now though is this............

Whats it worth to you? (probably a lot)

Whats it worth to anyone else with short MOT and a fault? (little more than scrap money)

So, is it better the devil you know and repair and persevere with the old Meteor or is it cut your losses and find something you can run more easily on a day to day basis?

Only you can answer that question im afraid.

[Tim Leech]

As Mat says

A petrol auto with no MOT is worthless, but finding one that you know so well and is a "good un" is very hard, BX's are dwindling in numbers and one day you wont be able to find one.

Bearing in mind shes 22 years old shes allowed a little leak here and there, it may something small like a return pipe that has perished and could be a cheap easy fix. I scrapped a 16TRS auto a few years back as it had a slight leak, given my time over again I would keep it and fix it...

keep the faith!

[Thread Bear]

Is there really no reasonable garage in the London area to fix Citroens?

[cacaolat]

thanks for the kind replies. as soon as I wrote this I was still thinking of having it fixed and mot ed. Then I can take my time looking for a new car. I wanted a pre 1984 Mercedes 230E (the last ones with chrome metal bumpers) my wife tells me No lets get a new or nearly new car...

[cacaolat]

Hi thread bear
when I wanted to have the octopus replaced 5 years ago I asked at least 6-7 garages. I got it done by a Citroen specialist but they are now specialised in 2CVs only. Another place in Lewisham seems ok but the Father (who knows about the old cars) is on holiday until the end of the month. I consider driving to Medway but lets see what they say.
Any London Citroen Garage recommendations welcome. I am usually worried that main dealers would charge me a lot.

[Tim Leech]

Theres plenty of Citroen specilaists around London, Chevronics is hitchin so a bit of a trek, and Phil uses a Edwards of Billericay. If you look in a copy of the Citroenian there are plenty listed.

[Tinkley]

Sounds like a good car. That leak is more than likely something simple like a front suspension return pipe. It might be a hard pipe but the noises from the pump/accumulator are so loud you can't miss them!.
Andys Autos if still going in St Johns Woking or maybe from home in Ripley. PTS Developments just south of Wokingham are good guys too. There used to be a Citroen dealer in Upper St, Islington who many moons ago did the clutch cable on my old 14RE. OK but London prices and the workshop is not on Upper St. I believe Lovekyns in Kingston is still going. Sorry only tend to know stuff in SW London and out into Surrey.
BTW the front return pipe is not hard to do yourself with pretty basic tools. If it is this check under the wheel arches and if covered in LHM that is the problem. Note it is worth seeking out the genuine part as the GSF ones currently sold are crap (I agree with Kitch on this), lasting less than half the originals. The originals are good for approx 80k miles which I note is close to your mileage although old age and rubber do not go well together!.

Good luck, please keep this beauty on the road.

[cacaolat]

Thank you Tinkley... some good information here
I will follow up

[Mothman]

Put her in 'high', then in 'low' and have a look underneath with a good torch [dont put yourself under her though, do it from the side] and hopefully you will see there the leak is coming from.
I suspect its from a low pressure return pipe, very similar to that from my 16TGS earlier in the year, not a difficult fix, dont need to go to a garage to have it done. Once i realised where and how to do it, took 20 minutes.
Good luck.

Andy

[MULLEY]

I'd echo checking the rubber strut return pipe, they fracture/crack with age which should be easy to see, you don't even need to take the wheel off, just put it on full lock so you can see it. Make sure suspension is in high so it gives you a better view, it will be moist & you should be able to see visually where it bends that its knackered. If its not that, then it might possibly be the rubber pipe that connects to it, may have just slipped off or just split. If it has split, cut it back just after the split & re-attach, or better still just get some pipe joiners & get a fresh new piece of pipe & just plumb it all back together again. Its a sharp bend on that part of the octopus, but i wouldn't have expected a 5 year old one to have perished already? Keep the faith

[Mothman]

There was green blood everywhere when my TGSs pipe went, with the wheel turned hard to the left i could see the split close to the subframe. Worked out how to do it and sorted it. Now the bloody TZD has a problem, got to sort that next, help Malcolm!!

Andy

[electrokid]

Andys Autos if still going in St Johns Woking or maybe from home in Ripley.

Andy is excellent - does all the work on my TGD He's in Woking now (I live in St Johns) and he's slowing down a bit and only does a 4 day week. He loves the BX too - at least half the time I call in to see him it's purely social

There's another good guy with a lot of BX experience in Weybridge - let me know if you need more details or introductions.

[rutter123]

also worth checking the brake valve return pipe, just by the bulkhead as these split and leak a little fluid on the driver side, an easy fix. there is also citroen classics in staines.

[cacaolat]

I had another short drive yesterday, hoping that it just leaks a little bit. After a 1 mile drive I put it in the high position the lhm was pouring rather than dripping, I could not see exactly from where but front driver side. I topped it up to be able to return home again. Ones the car is parked the leak stops.
Thanks for all the good recommendations I will try to choose the closest and hope that with 3 spare bottles of lhm I can do the journey. In the worst case I have to phone the breakdown service (can't remember which one is included in the insurance).