forddeliveryboy Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 That'd be pretty awesome. I'd be beating the girls off with a shitty stick. Or perhaps a rag dipped in old LHM? You'd definitely need it to avoid all that unwanted attention. If a CX felt softer than a GS, then chances are the roads were a bit small and wriggly for it. I've always found CXs tauter than Gs, but the smaller cars were very much a big and sophisticated 2cv in their handling and roadholding and could be thrown about with impunity with no loss of composure. I adore BXs, for how un-Peugeot they feel even though every mechanical part is Peugeot bar the LHM bits. Also for the consistent high build quality compared with what had come before and the lightweight corrosion-resistant bodies. They have the magic of old Citroen in the sense that less is perceived as more. You can't say that for any other PSA Citroen which has followed. Rather too many later CXs and GSas came out of the factory wrong, were never sorted and the quality dropped off (for the CX in particular) as the end of the road approached. If a 124 saloon was more comfy than a CX, there was something very defintely wrong with your CX, dw. They were also from a generation of Citroens which were designed for engineering perfection rather than high profits and for high speed motoring in France before the days of ring roads and roundabouts - and never felt as at home as a BX on many modern English roads. But on a drive home from a party in the early hours of a winter's morning, I struggled to keep up with a girlfriend's GSa on a very frosty Northamptonshire road. Time and again through the corners, my BX was twiching away, trying to lose its back end. It's tyres were better than those on the G, the wheels were still vertical and the spheres spot on. There are times when it becomes impossible to conceal the difference between excellent and awesome. As for working on the flat four, yes, they're very different from your average inline lump if you have to dismantle them - yet they would usually go for 200,000 miles and more with nothing more serious than an oil drip from the O rings under the heads. For anyone used to the 602 that was unsurprising - but for someone used to more conventional engines, that must have been a revelation in the 70s. I think the biggest problem was that for the average garage mechanic, an aluminium flat four was way too far removed from what they were used to. At least a BX was basically a 'normal' car. But given the choice of a belt change on an XUD or a GS flat four and I know which I'd choose any day. mat_the_cat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Aye. They are wriggly roads. These are roads I've had both the BX and 2CV airborne. Great fun. But not in an enormous CX estate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I've always fitted the turbo spheres to the front of any CX I've had - damping orifice 1.65 instead of 1.9, from memory, otherwise same size and pressure. Makes a big difference if you use back roads or drive bloody fast. I had a friend who fitted spheres which were 50cc smaller all round, it felt like a rally car on wriggly roads but still rode the motorway like a CX. He often used to yump what felt like feet in the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooters Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 My old man had BXs from new in the 80s and 90s. I learned to drive in them. The gear change was always shit. Citroen gear changes are pretty nasty on the whole. BX is a great car though. The 1.7 TD is my favourite and will give you 50mpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share Posted July 10, 2014 Going from second to third full tilt in a BX is ace fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 2CV is a notable exception to the shit gearchange rule! SM is deliciously wacky too. Traction Avant has a gear lever that flops out of the dashboard like an old man's todger. Certainly, Citroen gearchanges are a mixed bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I couldn't get my bx into reverse if the passenger seat was too far forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrett Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 The gear change on this one is great! Granted I am used to the Allegro and our old chod at work, but I reckon this one is lovely. Nice and direct, never missed a cog. Blip the throttle down into fourth and it's mega smooth. Changing down in any ratio on the Allegro feels like the end of the world. Also it will cruise solid as a rock totally unruffled at highly illegal speeds (so I am told) so I get to play out my boy-racer phase ten years too late.Noting comes close to a 2cv gearhange though. Sometimes I just sit and daydream about slipping through the cogs in an Ami 6. Sheer bliss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrett Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Had a bit of a moment in this today, was easing off after a long sustained 85+ run down a clear motorway and there was a bit of a judder (something akin to a blocked jet on an old carved pez engine to give you an idea), then accelerating away again it felt quite lumpy. I was basically home by that point so nothing else to report but it deffo wasn't 'right'. Is this the sort of problem that will be solved when its all cooled down to orrow morning, or is it about to shit the turbo out in a big way? Any speculation from the BXperts on here would be welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethj Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Had a bit of a moment in this today, was easing off after a long sustained 85+ run I've highlighted the problem for you michael1703 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 If it felt like fuel starvation, then the fuel filter would be my first suspect. I have no specific experience of your er, experience though, so nowt to go on really. Most of my BXs have been sans turbo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 Yep, I'd be onto the fuel filter there. It could be a bit of crap just making it's way through, so well worth a change and I seem to recall they're quite cheap, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minimad5 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 No idea how many miles this has done now, but i recall changing the fuel filter twice in my ownership.But it won't cost too much, nor is it hard - So get it changed lad.Also forgot to send you the fugging Headlight.Promise to do it tomorrow ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Morose Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 What type of filter was it? I've had the filter rattle loose on mine so much so it wouldn't start due to air. Possibly another thing could be air in the pump (Lucas wasn't it?). If Lucas pumps get hot (and they would after a prolonged high speed run) they do have a tendency to cavitate on the rotors producing bubbles of air in the system. Solution is to let it cool down a bit or, if in a rush, chuck some cold water on the pump. It was a trick I used to use on Lucas pumped Leyland Atlanteans. Many times they'd come in off service and fail to start on the pumps. Cue me lifting the bonnet, chucking the rather handily placed bucket of water over the pump and away they went! Surprised a few people with that trick. scruff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrett Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Excellent advice all round! If the problem has gone in the morning I suspect it will be that last idea FPB7, and either way I will bung a new filter on it. I'm not used to these modern cars with their silly methods of combustion, but it felt like 'shit in the carb' so fuel filter makes a lot sense to me. Cheers chaps, I'll keep you updated.Did I mention I love this car? Minimad5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Morose Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 They're great aren't they? Just wish mine was a little higher geared like yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrett Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I also ran it right down to reserve yesterday and filled it up this morning which increases the likelyhood of a bit of crud getting through. I'm glad of the autoshite collective brain in time like this, so i dont have to use my own Inspector Morose and chaseracer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrett Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 What have you got? Any pictures? I have been so won over by this one that I keep thinking about getting another one of different spec just to compare. I think this is possibly a problem amongst BX owners - has anybody only ever had just one of these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Morose Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I've got the ex Dollywobbler/Catsinthewelder/God knows how many others Autoshite bike. There's a few photos of it around the place. It's a 1.9 N/A diesel estate, slightly lower geared than yours and tatty but sound in all the rIght places. I love the thing and now the exhibition season is coming to an end I'm going to start on giving it a bit of well earned love over the coming months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 What have you got? Any pictures? I have been so won over by this one that I keep thinking about getting another one of different spec just to compare. I think this is possibly a problem amongst BX owners - has anybody only ever had just one of these? Oh good God, no. I think I probably went through about 15 at least. I never really took to the petrol ones (though a really nice black automatic I had was nice) you either want the 1.7n/a diesel or the turbo d types, really. Inspector Morose 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Valvers are insane. I'd like to try living with a 1.9 petrol injection. The 1.4 petrols are amazing too, and cheap tax. Just similarly undergeared like the non-turbo diesels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twosmoke300 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 The Mk1 1.9 Gt was a lovely car , dad had 2 in the same colour ( burgundy) for a month or 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now