'91 BX Estate - 06/07 - End of the Road

[dollywobbler]

Front subframe all the way for jacking. Rear is trickier. I've used the tow bar before now (it is stronger than it looks...) or you can, carefully, jack on the rear suspension units - on the brackety bits. Interesting that the Nissan Bluebird seemed to have reinforced sections on the 'chassis' rails that meant they were strong enough to jack on.

[mrcitroen]

I have a proper garage style trolley jack & use a crossbeam adaptor to use on the rear of the front subframe mounts. Lifts the car at the front in one go! The rear, as others say is a bit more tricky. Standard saddle under the rear beam but be really careful not to nick any pipes in that area. I find just left of centre (viewed from behind) is safest. Removing spare wheel gives a better view.

[catsinthewelder]

I bent the chassis rails on my white one with the trolley jack, the engine wouldn't start so I couldn't lift it on the suspension and couldn't reach the solid bits for some reason ( think I'd put wooden blocks under them to stop it sinking too low)

 

not just you

 

 

Hopefully I'll be able to do another tech weekend for these over the summer

[vulgalour]

Top jacking tips! I should've asked about that before ruining my cheese rails.

 

____

 

Mr Cobblers came and took my pedal box away today so it can be fixed. Doesn't matter than I'm grounded, I've still got a lot to clean before I want to hit the road. I've almost got the interior cleaned out now.

 

 

Glovebox hinges that still work! Apparently, these are usually constructed entirely of cheese.

 

The centre cubby thing has the heater control bodged onto it, I need to take this apart to fix it properly. That cubby also doesn't touch-open like the ashtray does. The right hand cubby is completely missing, I don't know what should be there. Oh, and there's no radio but I do have one to go in.

 

Back isn't too shabby now. I'm not sure how to reattach the vinyl cover on the front seat, it's come away somehow and has two rubber bands on it that I presume are to fix it in place. I'll remove the seat at some point to sort this out.

 

 

Ideally, all the seats need a shampoo and some loose threads catching, but overall they actually responded very well to a vigorous vacuum. The seats now smell a lot more like my Dad's old Peugeot that was similarly upholstered rather than like trees.

 

Cavernous loading area fully scrubbed. There's some areas that could do with further attention and some minor damage here and there as is to be expected so it's not perfect, but is tidy.

 

The dash had some stickers on that have left ghosting on the vinyl, The ghosting reduces every time I wipe the vinyl over so I'll just see what happens with that. I like the little star so that's staying.

 

One thing I didn't clean was the headlining. The fabric of the headlining appears to be a patterned flock over polystyrene board so I don't want to scrub it or get it too wet. There's some black mould on the headlining which could do with being removed for the sake of aesthetics, and possibly health, but I'm not sure of the best course of action.

 

While cleaning the rear arch I found another hole that had been treated. It's quite small so should repair okay, just another little bit to add to the list of small holes that need plugging.

 

A good look under the rear revealed that the metalwork holding the bumper on is pretty fragile, but the outrigger/chassis rails, cross member, tow bar and even the rear exhaust hanger are all in reasonable order but could do with a scrub and fresh underseal to make things really tidy. The floor was wet and it was getting cold so I didn't take any pictures (I know, I'm a great big pansy) but I will when conditions are better.

 

On the cleaning front I've got to do more work on the paint, clean the glass properly and make a start on the engine bay. Only spent about 3 hours on the car today and I reckon there's probably another 7-8 hours left in getting the paintwork and glass up to standard.

[Shep Shepherd]

IIRC, the missing cubby is a coin holder

[vulgalour]

The middle cubby is a coin holder (and full of foreign coins I've found in the car), I'd be surprised if it had two coin holders.

[Shep Shepherd]

Having not driven a BX since 2003, I'm a bit rusty regarding its dashboard architecture

 

I am 100% certain that there should be a flap covering the radio, though

[beko1987]

I clean headlining with loads of microfibre cloths, and some all purpose cleaner. If itll stand it, use a wetvac and so a small square at a time, several times extracting as you go.

 

Or do it it with a mf then let it dry and vacuum. A spray for the apc works well as it doesnt over saturate

[robinmasters]

The centre cubby thing has the heater control bodged onto it, I need to take this apart to fix it properly. That cubby also doesn't touch-open like the ashtray does. The right hand cubby is completely missing, I don't know what should be there. Oh, and there's no radio but I do have one to go in.

 

The radio should definitely have a cover.

 

The third cubby appears to be either a blank or a door open warning light.

 

 

http://www.citroenet.org.uk/passenger-cars/psa/bx/chronologie/bx-chronologie3.html

 

I'm pretty sure my dad's old TRS (which I think is the pez equivalent of a TGD) had a blank.

[dollywobbler]

There should be a blank there. Thought it was in the car. Perhaps not...

 

The front seat is my fault. The rubber bands hook into the base. If you feel underneath, you should find the plastic tags to hook onto.

[vulgalour]

I've emptied everything out of the car that there is to empty out, so it must have been misplaced. Perhaps Ruffgeezer's breaker will have the bits I'm after.

[dollywobbler]

The third opening is where the pictogram goes. Well it does on my BX!

 

Brian.

 

Only on the posh ones Brian! I'll have a root about and see if I can find the plate. It just sort of clicks in place.

[vulgalour]

I was going to crack on cleaning the engine bay today. I like a clean engine bay, it makes leaks easier to find and maintenance is more pleasant when there isn't gopping globs of oily greb everywhere. The bitterly cold weather meant it wasn't to be, but today was not without some work at least. I started with this.

 

Most of the dirt is road muck and some oil, there seems to be little in the way of stubborn grime and what I have cleaned came off mostly with very hot very soapy water, some rags and a toothbrush. The airbox got cleaned up, as did most of the inner arch on the same side, but by this point I was losing feeling in my nose and fingers so I called it quits.

 

I did still take the opportunity to do more investigating. Starting in the engine bay, I know the oil and filter need changing from checking the oil and finding it was as black as black thing but I hadn't checked the air filter. Happily, the air filter seems good so that's one thing off the list.

 

I was perplexed by the battery earth strap which, rather than the braided strap I'm used to seeing, appears to be household electric cabling wrapped in electrical tape. Surely this can't be right?

 

Diesel pump next. The pipes connected to this are rock hard so they will want replacing, I haven't removed them as I don't have replacements to hand but I wouldn't be surprised if they break when removed. If possible, I might end up taking the pump apart to clean it out too.

 

There's quite a bit of oil about the place, I wanted to try and find out where it was coming from. Some of it is getting sprayed up behind the back of the engine by the looks of things, the rest is running down the block and collecting all manner of detritus to make a sticky, clumpy mess.

 

A quick examination seems to point to the top gasket, particularly this corner where there's some very wet oil. There's not much oil to speak of above this point, but lots further down, as though it's run from the gasket down over the block.

 

Uncovered another little rust blister that will want dealing with too, on the inner wing.

 

Checked the exhaust and found the source of the blow easily enough. Looks like the backbox has exploded.

 

While I was checking the exhaust, I had a good look at the rear hanger which is, amazingly, still attached.

 

This gave me chance to use the camera as a second pair of eyes to have a proper look underneath. The flat metal sheet that joins the wings and bumper to the structural elements mostly has the consistency of wet cornflakes, what's left of it, but it does at least look easy to replace. All the structural bits look scruffy but solid and certainly don't seem that willing to bend or drop off when handled. Have some pictures of some rust.

 

 

 

And now you see why I daren't take the back bumper off to investigate further; I doubt it would go back on. You can just make out two little holes where the seal, light cluster and bumper meet in each corner.

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

futha mucka, that looks somewhat crunchy!!! I agree with not taking the bumper off.

[Cavcraft]

Earth straps were pretty well known for being a bit shit on these, that's probably why it's wearing such a bodge as it is. The rear exhaust hangers and exhausts themselves seem to be made of brie, so again no surprises there.

I've not seen a BX with that much rot though, I take it you are handy with a welder or know someone who is?

[vulgalour]

I know quite a few people handy with a welder, happily, so I can get this fixed. The boot floor and the chassis legs/outriggers are all really solid despite appearances. It looks like it's the outer skin that holds the bumper and wings in shape have rotted away, probably due to being massive rust traps. When I've got some sheet metal and access to a welder (I can weld, but I'm no pro) and/or a welding person I'll get it all glued back together again.

[dollywobbler]

As VA says, the boot floor and outriggers are surprisingly sound - far better than my TXD was before I got the backside of that welded up. It was the generally solid state of that area that really made me decide not to just break it. Needs plenty of work, but there's something solid to weld to at least!

 

The extra earth cable was fitted very early on in my ownership when a mechanic thought it might cure a starting issue it had at the time. It didn't, but I've never removed it.

 

Oil leak looks like the usual suspect of cam cover gasket. Not meant to be too tricky.

 

VA - don't be led astray by the colour of the oil. It's done no more than 4000 miles since the last change. Diesels always turn their oil black. Definitely worth doing again, but not desperately. Air filter was also renewed in May last year, hence it looks good.

[whitevanman]

Buy one.....

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mig-211s-comp ... 19d906e376

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mig-welder-/1 ... 20cf5d5ede

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clarke-Turbo- ... 19d90100d9

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cebora-mig-we ... 2a297639d0

 

The gasless one can use a bottle as normal I'll add usually just in case.

[vulgalour]

@DW: Well that explains one thing, while the oil is very black, it's not very thick. I didn't know diesels blackened their oil, there's a lot I don't know about diesels. Good to know about that earth cable too, I thought it was strange but there's no signs of it getting too hot or chafed so I guess leaving it as is will be the best course for now. For all there's not a lot in the engine bay, some areas are really fiddly and awkward, seemingly needlessly, like the pipes for the air box which seem to be designed to infuriate when removing and refitting.

 

@whitevanman: Once work picks up, I will. Not looking forward to working upside down with rust and weld falling on me though. Tempted to farm the work out, even though it's going to cost a bob or two.

[Captain Slow]

gopping globs of oily greb

 

 

 

 

Seriously, I may need to let you loose on my engine bay some day!

[trigger]

Gosh, that rust looks worrying. I'd run a mile if that was my car so well done on your perseverance, and good luck!

[cobblers]

I got your pedal box welded up VA, I'll pop it round tomorrow after work.

[vulgalour]

Awesomes~ I owe you a pint or something.

[michael1703]

thats not a diesel pump but a filter housing, worth changing also for what they cost, the black knob on the top is for priming the injector pump when you run out of diesel

[vulgalour]

huh, I'd assumed that because that's where the primer button is that it was the pump. Not having the manual for this engine leads to guess work... but at least I can more likely get in and clean that out if it's just a filter housing rather than a pump.

[dollywobbler]

huh, I'd assumed that because that's where the primer button is that it was the pump. Not having the manual for this engine leads to guess work... but at least I can more likely get in and clean that out if it's just a filter housing rather than a pump.

 

That's one of the possible culprits for the air leak. The seals go in the primer and air gets in. My Mk1 was so bad that I slathered a load of sealant around it. It improved things no end! That's not a recommended measure though - new primer heads are apparently available.

 

The pump is behind that, where the throttle lever is. It's driven by the cambelt.

 

Oh and further annoyance for you. The BX needs two Haynes manuals. There's a separate one for the diesel engine. Be warned that earlier brown Haynes manuals for the BX contain a LOT more information than later editions. I don't find myself referring to manuals that often though, thanks to the chaps and chapesses on BX Club.

[warren t claim]

huh, I'd assumed that because that's where the primer button is that it was the pump. Not having the manual for this engine leads to guess work... but at least I can more likely get in and clean that out if it's just a filter housing rather than a pump.

 

That's one of the possible culprits for the air leak. The seals go in the primer and air gets in. My Mk1 was so bad that I slathered a load of sealant around it. It improved things no end! That's not a recommended measure though - new primer heads are apparently available.

 

The pump is behind that, where the throttle lever is. It's driven by the cambelt.

 

Oh and further annoyance for you. The BX needs two Haynes manuals. There's a separate one for the diesel engine. Be warned that earlier brown Haynes manuals for the BX contain a LOT more information than later editions. I don't find myself referring to manuals that often though, thanks to the chaps and chapesses on BX Club.

 

A latex glove over the primer plunger helped cure my old Escort dizzler woes.

[bub2006]

Car looking good mate. I'm wondering what the deflectors would like like on a reliant robin!

[mrcitroen]

Good stuff. The car is certainly looking better. It will be worth the effort & I'm sure if you get it up to scratch, it will be a keeper. I have owned my current BX for yonks.

The rear panel rust is common on BX's. Mine was nothing compared to yours & just required a tiny plate at each end. As said, can be fixed by a good welder.

Keep it up! I'm enjoying the progress you are making

[vulgalour]

Car looking good mate. I'm wondering what the deflectors would like like on a reliant robin!

 

Chuck me a tenner and you can find out. PM if interested. I can't see it costing more than that to post the deflectors and it'll put a few pennies in the BX fund.