Cheap TZD?

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:22 pm

This seems cheap.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... %3AIT&rd=1

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:45 pm

And nice looking to boot, bit of a bargain for someone I reckon.

meep · Post by **meep** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 4:06 pm

Hi,

I've just bought it, winning a fight against four other eBayers in the last two minutes

I drove it to my mother's house last night to abandon it there while I get a parking permit sorted out (I live in central London).

I paid £202.02 for it (there's an eBay tip for you - put in odd numbers for your bids, i would've lost out to the £200 bid 15s earlier otherwise

)

It hadn't been used much by the last owner, but it fired up happily and settled down quickly.

I'm planning on using to commute to Oxford a couple of days a week.

Drives very well, you'd never know it was a diesel by the lack of noise, moves briskly.

Things I've noticed so far (advice please??)

Suspension was a bit creaky going from lowest to highest - I'd guess this is due to it havin been sitting for a while?

Speedo, rev counter, and rev counter backlight don't work. Speedo cable or wiring?

Slight grinding noise in 3rd gear coming off throttle.

Slight movement felt through gear lever coming off throttle. Engine mounts?

Heater temp control knob has departed from it's shaft.

Other than that it seems like a very neat and tidy car, and 144k isn't bad for 14yrs.

I'm quite happy doing my own mechanics (obviously or I wouldn't buy a 14yr old car

)

When I get it up here, I'm planning on changing engine oil, filter, air filter, LHM, coolant. Any tips for a Citroen newbie?

I've done my own mechanics on cars & bikes for about 20 years...

Cheers

Iain

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 5:09 pm

Welcome along Ian, looks like you got a nice car at a good price. There`s plenty of helpful advice from the good people on this forum and I`m sure you`ll get to the bottom of your problems in no time.
The creaky suspension may be easily remedied by a clever trick some of the people on here use involving some LHM fluid. If you check around this website I bet there`s a solution already posted for everyone of the problems you have.
If you get the chance post some pic`s up of the car in all it`s glory and keep us informed as to how your repairs go.
Billy.

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 6:15 pm

Suspension was a bit creaky going from lowest to highest - I'd guess this is due to it havin been sitting for a while?

Try some Citaerobics, with suspension lever move it up to the top, leave it for a minute, back down to the bottom, leave it for a minute. Do this 5 ish times, take it for a drive and do it again. This can often resolve the problem when its been sat for a while. The 'Sucking up' and remoistening methods are also usefull and as mentioned can be found else where!

Speedo, rev counter, and rev counter backlight don't work. Speedo cable or wiring?

The speedo is purely mechanical. Look toward the back of the engine just next to the gearbox (past the battery, to the side and below the HP pump) and you should find a cable coming up and into the bulk head (just behind the battery nearly always a grey cable), there will be a funny looking screw up union just before it vanishes into the firewall! Make sure its connected here in the engine bay then at the back of the console. To remve the console, remove the tray that has the digital clock in it (two screws) then reach into the dash toward the back corner of the console, there will be a plastic butterfly nut on what appears to be a bolt, undo it (you'll need to fumble around and get a good half of your forearm in to find it!), there is another one on the opposite side. Take out the panel next to your right knee when driveing (just pull, you can get quite brutal on it), then shove your arm into the hole and look for the second butterfly nut. Then take the steering wheel off (22mm?) to get at the bolt, pull the middle of the steering wheel cover off. Undo the two little screws found under where the steering wheel was and the main shroud will then fall down 15-20mm, took to the bottom of the console and two more screws will have appeared as if from no where, undo these and the console is yours! If the speedo IS connected here then you might want to swap the lot in ONE go (they usually only fail in one half, but the other half will be right behind!), to disconnect there is a coller in white plastic round the connector, pull it back then pull on the cable!

As for the rev counter this is electric and pretty much issolated form the rest of the electrics on the console, check both ends and report on what you find!

The bulbs should just be a case of swapping ou thte blown ones, easy onc eyou can get to the back of the console!

Slight grinding noise in 3rd gear coming off throttle.

Change the gearbox oil (regardless of how much is in there), i'll leave someone else to recommend an oil, i use what ever is in at the shop

If that doesn't cause it then get used to it, theres no point in doing ouwt with it, the synchros seem to always fail between 2nd and third so probably somthing to do with that!

Slight movement felt through gear lever coming off throttle. Engine mounts?

sound perfectly normal to me. As a precautionary test, make sure that there are plenty of interior rattles when driving around, let us know where they appear to come from and i'll advise which as correct and which need removing

Heater temp control knob has departed from it's shaft.

push it back on? Unless its broken, in which case advise whihc colour and i'm sure someone will have a spare! It IS common for them to snap so you might want to find a spare!

When I get it up here, I'm planning on changing engine oil, filter, air filter, LHM, coolant. Any tips for a Citroen newbie?

You've probably just found a dream car, get used to them and they are so easy to work on, you'll realise eventually that its a very well engineered car and even the backwards bits will make sence!

Before you change the LHM go and get some Hydraflush (GSF sell it), and swap a load of LHM for the hydraflush, drive it around for a while then swap the lot out for fresh LHM, you'll instantly notice the difference! Might want to check the HP pump belt and the accessorie pump belt and unless you deffinately know when the cambelt was last change dyou might as well do that if your hapy doing it yourself![/quote]

meep · Post by **meep** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 6:40 pm

Thanks for the advice!

Yes forgot to mention gearbox oil as well - I'm sure I can find the grade needed somewhere.

Yes the heater control is off as in broken, not just push back! It's black I think (you'll see it in the photos on eBay)

Ok, so for the LHM that'll be 1) on the LHM changing page with the hydraflush, then follow up with the full 2) after a while?

What's involved with the cam belt? Usual timing stuff as per petrol engines? I had a great success with a Volvo 240 that was waaay out (can't remember how far, but it was horrible: 15 degrees or something?

) on cam timing due to an old belt. Went a lot better afterwards

The alternator drive belt and something else belt (LHS of car, looks like it's attached to the camshaft) looked healthy, but this was in the dark, and not being familiar with BXs yet...

Cheers

Iain

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 6:52 pm

Heater knob splitting is probably because the water valve has stuck. Its up by the steering column on the side of the matrix - and certainly mine has responded well to silicon spray for the last 6 years. Feels like a rubber gland in it that grips the operating shaft but I've never had it out.

Belt in centre of the car drived the hydraulic pump! - must be good and very tight.

Jeremy