Making life difficult - BX TZD clean-up (contains shit pix)

[barrett]

When my office was uprooted and relocated in 2013 my previously gentle B-road commute became a fast blat up the A23, and the journey that had been fun in properly old cars became a bit of a chore. I was using the Allegro as a daily at that point and decided it wasn't really fair to do 50 miles of motorway driving a day in something that is mostly famous for being a bit shit (although in fairness it would cruise up at 75mph and never gave me any bother) so I started looking for something a bit more suitable whilst still being 'interesting'. 

 I went to look at a £200 Citroen BX petrol nearby, a tiny bit of MoT I think but no tax, and pretty grim all round, so I walked away. I decided a BX of some sort would fit the bill nicely though. I've always loved Citroens, and the BX was just becoming rare enough for me to start really noticing them. Pretty much the following day, a certain Cheshire-based Vauxhall enthusiast chucked up an ad for the ex-Dollywobbler, ex-Garethj, ex-loads of other people silver TXD. Long story short, I jumped on a train or three and drove the thing home to Brighton. I flipping loved it immediately, even taking it mega easy it was obvious that it was a beautifully capable, fast-ish super comfy cruiser perfect for motorway journeys. I've used it almost every day since then, going all over the country and putting about 15,000k on the clock. It's needed quite a bit spent on it in that time, with a pretty gruesome bill just to get it through a test, but I never once considered chopping it in for summat else. I was convinced I'd found my perfect car and couldn't see how anything else would suit me as well. This is actually a bit of a ballache as nice turbo diesel BXs are becoming quite sought after and I knew when the day came when this one finally gave up, I'd struggle to replace it. 

 With various things going wrong with it in the last couple of months, my Citroen mechanic tactfully suggested that it was probably not worth him fighting to keep it going much longer unless I was happy to spend serious money on it. I started searching for a replacement, and this Triton Green beauty* popped up on facebook literally the same day. Bonus!

 It is a '91-ish (I have no paperwork yet and haven't checked the reg) TZD turbo - the top spec diesel model - with loads of extra bells and whistles added. It's been enthusiast owned for the last decade or so and has had fitted, among other things, air con, a full 16valve interior, mega rare centre armrest, sunroom wind deflector etc etc. It has also been sat for the last four years after the owner ran out of time/space/money/etc. Just before it was laid up it had blown a head gasket, and this was all properly sorted with new cambelt and water pump at the same time by the engineer owner. And it's done about half a mile since then. 

 

I knew the various bits on it were worth more than the asking price, it was only down the road and the chap agreed to deliver it for free, so after a pretty cursory viewing I agreed to take it on. My thinking is that I'll put it through a test, and if it's gonna cost significantly more to fix this than to get the silver car back up to scratch, I'll use this a parts donor. If it doesn't need as much, I'll get this one sorted and press it into daily use and take the silver one off the road and do the jobs on it as and when I can afford it without having to rely on it to get me to work. Simples.

 

As you would expect, it was fuggin' grim after being sat outside for four years. Here's how it looked when it arrived last week

 

Those are quite flattering actually. Today I spent several hours just getting it to a state were I could sit in it without feeling ill, although this was only a sort of 'stage one basic clean' - it needs a proper going over to get it actually nice.

 

This sums up the general look of the bodywork

 

And the interior was even worse. Mainly cobwebs, spiders and tiny snails fucking EVERYWHERE

 

The boot was full of useful* spares

 

There were flippin' acorns in the engine bay

 

and all the door shuts looked like this

 

Sadly it was dark by the time I'd more or less sorted it, so no after pics. Ha! It is at least less offensive than it was yesterday, and after a bit of fiddling I now have all the lights and shit working

 

Still loads to do though. It runs like a bag of shite, and despite there being oil and water in it the gauges on the dash are saying there is none of either and I should STOP immediately. And the ABS light is on. And the horn doesn't work. Next stage will be taking it round the block with a load of fresh diesel in to see if I can cure the bad running the Italian way - the PO assures me it's just air in the system as it wasn't properly bled after the engine work and hasn't been run since then. I did actually get it to idle a bit better just by running it for five minutes so I'm hoping it's gonna be an easy fix. Should probably chuck a new fuel filter on too I guess.

I'm properly time-poor at the moment so I'm not sure when any of this is gonna happen. I'm also obviously cash-poor so can't just send it off to 'a man' until I've at least had a go at sorting the really basic stuff. Sadly I'm a fuggin' retard when it comes to fixing cars, so there is a pretty good chance this will simply sit around for ages until I have a nervous breakdown and sell it on at a loss. Happy days!

 

TL:DR - I bought a dirty BX and then I cleaned it a bit and I really like BXs

[Jim Bell]

CITRIN BX FOUR SNAIL.

 

 

Well played man.  That looked like a whole load of work to get even mildly livable.  I recon from the outside, from the front, it actually looks marvelous from ten yards.

[mercrocker]

Should clean up nicely that, superb colour for a BX.   I wish I'd had the bollox to buy one to replace my GSA (that had a YCG plate as well)  instead of running back to the iron-clad dullness of a Chevette.     Nice buy....

[hairnet]

industrial jetwash

 

 

 

for a week

 

hope its not too rusty the mech stuff can be sorted -- give it to gary for a frog tune up ala 405

[mat_the_cat]

David, the PO is a sound bloke and a good engineer, so I'd trust that the work has been done properly. Plus, you'll be joining a very exclusive club, owning a BX with AC

[Ben_O]

wow that is grim.

 

I used to own one of these but it was a 1600 pez. I remember the gear stick being very stiff and you would have to ram it into each gear..

[barrett]

Here's a sweet BONUS pic of the boot carpet. The rest of the carpet wasn't quite this bad, but it wasn't far off. Sorry I didn't have my white moccasins on

[Cavcraft]

Apologies if you already knew this, but the STOP light can mean low LHM level. Even if it's slightly under it can cause that light to go, I seem to recall people reckoned if you remove the cap the level should reach your longest finger.

 

 

Anyway, that's about the best one you can buy that model v.comfortable and don't half go some. This bloke...

 

http://www.keithdavisandsonltd.co.uk/

 

 

...used to have a few complete BXs kicking about his yard and had a really nice TZD interior in his loft. Maybe worth ringing him if you need owt.

[purplebargeken]

Fantastic looking cars but way too scary for me to even consider. 

[Jim Bell]

 I seem to recall people reckoned if you remove the cap the level should reach your longest finger.

 

 

 

 

 

Euphomism?

Is this a penis prank? 

[Arthur Foxhake]

I love it. Many wants.

[beko1987]

Here's a sweet BONUS pic of the boot carpet. The rest of the carpet wasn't quite this bad, but it wasn't far off. Sorry I didn't have my white moccasins on

20151023_140036.jpg

Hot numatic action there!

[Pillock]

Awwwww, that's gorgeous.

I tend to like facelift/late models on most cars, perhaps it's an odd thing to say on here but that floats my boat way more than an early little indicator one would. Very 90s. I had an advert of the 16V GTI on my bedroom wall (I was too poor for actual posters) where most teenage boys probably had a Ferrari or Countach.

 

TL;DR - Yum. 

[vulgalour]

BXs are great, I'm glad I got to own one and I do miss it.  I'd like another some day I think, something much like the one you've just bought in fact as it looks like it's going to be a really nice thing when the fettling is done.

[320touring]

Good effort:) i reckon my CX will see a rug doctor before long.

 

i find them ideal for getting rid of the shite to be found in durtay auld motahs

[hairnet]

Fantastic looking cars but way too scary for me to even consider. 

owned a xantia for 11 years - bx a walk in the park fettling wise

 

wayyy less elec shite

[ruffgeezer]

There is a brand new shell in this colour in the back workshop at work, so when you are finished, I could do with a donor car

[mat_the_cat]

I tend to like facelift/late models on most cars, perhaps it's an odd thing to say on here but that floats my boat way more than an early little indicator one would.

 

Me too! Not just BXs, but there's something strangely appealing about an ageing design being 'tarted up' to try and keep it competitive in a changing market.

[Pillock]

Me too! Not just BXs, but there's something strangely appealing about an ageing design being 'tarted up' to try and keep it competitive in a changing market.

 

I think it was a very 90s thing.... "Shit lads, we've got no money for a new model. Get the boys in design to restyle the headlamps a bit, we'll move the dash layout round and everyone else is tinting their rear lights, let's have a bit of that. Oh, and metallic colours too. Nobody buys red cars any more"

[Minimad5]

Mhhm really need another BX, do miss K550SKE.

[sloth]

on the will own one day list. shame oz didnt get the dizzlers. need a gti....

[the judge]

I was wondering if the silver one was up for grabs.....

[dollywobbler]

Fantastic looking cars but way too scary for me to even consider.

They're not scary at all. Seriously, the scariest bit is corrosion, like any old car. Hydraulics rarely give any bother. I have only had one major failure and that was on a 300k mile example still on its original pipes. SKE is a car I still regret selling really. So accomplished. Good luck with the new one.

[purplebargeken]

Lovely looking seats.

 

Reconsiders Bucket List list. 

[UltraWomble]

Look back through the log book history and you will find my name just after a chap called berne who fitted the air con.

It's lost the headlight protectors since g had it.

 

Sent from my SM-C105S using Tapatalk

[chaseracer]

Lovely looking seats.

 

I have BX GTi seats in the Dyane.

[Jim Bell]

I didnt have my BX long.

 

I'd jump at the chance of another but I think the values are on the up.

[barrett]

Look back through the log book history and you will find my name just after a chap called berne who fitted the air con.

It's lost the headlight protectors since g had it.

I was wondering how long it would be before somebody else admitted they'd owned this before. And I was also thinking that a pair of headlamp deflectors would really set this off.

[barrett]

Right. Put some fresh fuel in and moved it off the drive onto flat ground, ran it for a while alternating between revving the tuts off and holding it at around 1000rpm. Now seems to run much better and will start and idle okay, although it's still a bit lumpy its already loads better.

 

The water obviously had a chance to circulate and the level warning light has gone our. It does seem to have at least two coolant leaks though, one from the water pump area and one from somewhere mysterious. I am hoping this is just old rubber hoses being shocked back into life and nothing more serious but it all needs investigation.

 

I tried putting a spare wheel on the most flat corner to take it round the block and get the brakes properly free, but the wheel I fitted turned out to be even flatter. D'oh.

 

Today's progress: a step backwards, if anything

[CHRIS1980]

I've had 2 BX. Both lovely motors. As they say in Essex..well jell.