Citroen zx 1.9d 1992, heater woes and OMG hope I can remember how it goes back together!

[dean36014]

Was ideally browsing gumtree as you do on a boring day and spotted a bargain. A quick check on mot history revealed miles to be genuine and no major problems in the the past so off to the cash point i toddled. 

So, what does £150 get you? In my case a 1992 Citroen ZX 1.9 diesel with low miles and short MOT. Plus a completely non functioning handbrake(broken cable) and brakes that need bleeding. On the plus side it was supplied from new from the local citroen garage to me, has a great undamaged interior, original radio cassette and even remote locking.

Downsides are, different backlights, one is off a Volcane with a darker tint. A drivers door that has been kicked in at some point and pushed back out, bit of lacquer peel on the front of the roof, no wheel trims and short mot.

It drives great, really tight still as its only done 82k. Lucas pump unfortunately though.

This leaves me a dilemma of what to do with the Suzuki Swift. Anyone want a low mileage swift, comes with a replacement wing, new brake pads in a box, and bumpers that desperately need painting. £180 to anyone on here, collect Coventry.

 

 

 

[mouseflakes]

Glad someone got this - well bought sir!

[dean36014]

Was it on here somewhere then? I saw it on gumtree, originally at £300, then £200 and finally at 150. was going to bid him on it but it was just too good for that money

[egg]

Yep, I believe it was on the £200 or less thread.

[rantingYoof]

Supernaut is gonna be piiiiiiiissed.

[17-Coffees]

Supernaut is gonna be piiiiiiiissed.

 

Thats not the same one he'd been eyeing up that was near Stirling?!? 

 

-

 

Looks in great condition from the photos considering the price! (Or £150 gets alot more when your not in the NE of Scotland?...) 

[320touring]

Supernaut is gonna be piiiiiiiissed.

nah, its NA rather than turbot;)

[rantingYoof]

Ah right. I've seen way too many ZXs on my screen the past few days.

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Lacquer Peel]

That ZX is a beauty, I admired it in the <£200 thread.

The non-turbo engine is more amenable for pottering about, the TD is a good engine but the turbo has a very off/on power delivery that sometimes fights you.

[dean36014]

Starting it this morning revealed it definitely needs a glow plug or two! It's now up on axle stands to have a look at the rear brakes. Floors are like new underneath. Apparently it's been garaged most it's life

[beko1987]

That is gorgeous! Hope the handbrake cables are easy for you, mine are starting to split but still work fine! The rear calipers could be seized up too, causing the snappage. Their easy to strip down and clean up.

[eddyramrod]

That's a steal, right there.  I often see an L-reg in the same red around here, also in lovely condition.  Seen it at shows too so the owner obviously knows what he's got.

[dean36014]

Well back brakes stripped out and a leaky wheel cylinder and worn out shoes discovered too. Hopefully I'll keep the total parts spend down to around £100 including a service. back to GSF and they're 41% off weekend and play the french car roulette of correct brake parts.

[dean36014]

Well pair of wheel cylinders for a tenner delivered off Ebay. Pair of handbrake cables ordered from GSF using there 41% off discount for £11. Just need to identify the brake shoes now. Part of the self adjusting mechanism is broke on one side, but as these rarely work I'll just adjust them up and hope for the best until a new bit can be found at the right price.

[dean36014]

I'm amazed, my studying of tiny pictures on gsf website has only resulted in correct handbrake cables and shoes turning up! Fingers crossed the eBay purchases are as successful. Total spend so far is fifty quid and that's to replace everything inside the drums and new cables.

[nacho man]

Well pair of wheel cylinders for a tenner delivered off Ebay. Pair of handbrake cables ordered from GSF using there 41% off discount for £11. Just need to identify the brake shoes now. Part of the self adjusting mechanism is broke on one side, but as these rarely work I'll just adjust them up and hope for the best until a new bit can be found at the right price.

I am pretty sure I might have some shoes for a 306 that might fit will have a look in the garage tonight. Will get them sent off to you if there any good.

[dean36014]

Got the shoes today off gsf but thanks for the offer.

[dean36014]

Well parts have been arriving so tomorrow will be fixing day. New handbrake cables, brake shoes, adjusters and wheel cylinders have turned up. Just dodged the rain showers and pulled the glow plugs out and discovered two aren't working, that will be causing the poor cold starting then!

Think I might have sorted the insurance problems out too. The company the Suzuki was insured with wanted £422 to change over to the ZX. New insurance quotes were around £360 with zero no claims bonus. Then in a moment of rare thought, I decided to swap the  daily Grande Punto onto the policy with zero no claims and up the mileage allowance too, cost £120. Then added the ZX onto the policy with full no claims, just a £25 admin fee, result!! 

So hopefully tomorrow I'll set about the rear brakes, I think the rear brake pipes are going to end up getting replaced as so far they have resisted all attempts to undo using proper flared brake spanners and rounded. I might try a bit of heat tomorrow and molegrips, otherwise cutters it is, shame as the pipes are in perfect condition.

I'm thinking that the daily might end up on garden duties and the ZX pressed into daily usage when its sorted, it drives lovely and more my sort of car really than a Punto.

[dean36014]

Also discovered a hand written label on the Halfords battery fitted proclaiming it new in 2007! As it's still working perfectly that must be a record! The previous owner must have been a bit anal, in the handbook are handwritten notes working out the correct speed against the speedo reading and the percentage of over reading displayed.

[robinmasters]

I seem to remember some difficulty with changing handbrake cables; the new ones differed from the old ones somehow, and whilst the minor modification to make them fit wasn't difficult it took me a while to work out what the problem was.

 

How's that for specific, detailed advice?

[dean36014]

Superb information, normally the sort of high quality stuff i extol on others!

Well it was a one step forwards, two steps back sort of day. Everything was already stripped out on the offside rear bar the wheel cylinder. The brake pipe going into this cylinder resisted all none methods of undoing. Heat, proper high quality brake spanner, more heat, mole grips and finally the pipe got hack sawed flush to the union. Annoying as the pipe was perfect, will have to get a new one made now. The cables were simplicity itself. remove centre console, two screws and a 10 mm bolt, undo handbrake adjuster and releash cables. Then undo the exhaust heat shield at the rear, and pull cables out. Guide new cables through hole in floor, hook back upto the adjuster and hey presto. new wheel cylinders fitted, usual faf around doing the springs on the new brakes shoes and adjust up and put hubs and drums back on. Adjust cable inside and perfect handbrake, can't bleed the foot brake yet as I need the new pipe making up. Plus I forgot to get new hub nuts, so its all bolted back together with the old ones again to the bits turn up.

Then the major disaster of the day, while under the car I spotted a dodgy bit of floor at the front. A little squeeze revealed the floor to be soft so I ripped the seat out and pulled the carpets back. looks like there has been a bit of a leak into the drivers footwell, plus some careless jacking had crushed the front crossmember thingy. A stab with the screw driver revealed holes. so out with the grinder and had a clean up of the rust, then cut back to solid metal. Not a massive hole but a bit of a problem as I no longer have a welder since my divorce. Managed to bash most the dent out the crossmember so not all bad.

So do i buy a cheap second hand welder or beg a mate who restores Mini's for a living for use of his? I'll get some steel this week and use some cardboard aided technology and make a plate up and self taper into place temporarily. 

[dean36014]

Oh dear, back end all rebuilt so decided to investigate the front end. Wish I hadn't now! So far one leaking shock, two split cv gaiters, one antiroll bar link rattling and a bottom ball joint just starting to show play. So a search of ebay turned a shock up for 20 quid delivered ( yes I will purchase another one when funds allow), and other bits ordered from gsf with a 35% discount code. Some cardboard aided design has resulted in a plate knocked up for the drivers footwell, temporarily fitted with some self tappers until I get it up my mates for welding. The new glow plugs are all fitted, and she now starts perfectly. Hopefully the shock will turn up tomorrow and rebuilding will commence this weekend.

Insurance all sorted now, swapped the no claims between the two cars resulting in a £58 refund from one and extra £100 to pay on the other, A £42 extra payment is better than £400 odd quid for a new policy! 

[mouseflakes]

I feel I shouldn't 'like' the last two posts as they both include unwanted surprises. However - good work all round on this ZX. I still like it and it looks like you'll make a really decent car of it. Sorry to hear your 'Ex' managed to win custody of the welder. Having an angle grinder but no welder is not a good place to be.

[dean36014]

Yep really miss the fully kitted out workshop I used to have, but not the marriage! Not even got a garage now, just a concrete base where an old one stood. Its annoying as it would have been all done and welded up by now if I still had one. Think its definitely something on my shopping list though.  I thing my total spend on parts so far is around £100 so not too bad. Hopefully thats all the surprises found for the MOT next month so if it hits the road for £250 all in for a 82k thousand mile diesel I don't think thats too bad. 

Also managed to pick up a genuine Citroen door skin for the dented door for £6!, so maybe another job for my mate to do. Never tried changing a door skin so might leave it to the professionals.

Looking forward to getting back into an old citroen with a XUD, used to have Xantias with the same engine and loved them. Speed isn't an issue for me, I drive trucks every night so a 2cv would seem fast!

[dean36014]

Well had a good day today. went to a place near atherstone with a mate to pick up a turbo XUD engine he wanted for spares parts. The place rented out scenery and props for shows etc and was full of fascinating stuff. The highlight was a trike with a frame made to resemble a skeleton, 1100 bike engine in it too with open pipes!

The afternoon was spent reassembly the ZX. New cv joint gaiters fitted, and a job I hate doing, compressing springs and rebuilding the front shock absorber unit. Everything all bolted in now and ready to go....until I spotted a split front brake hose, so another order to collect from GSF on Monday. Then hopefully I can finally get the brakes bleed and wheels back on. Tried to adjust the screeching V belt but even at maximum adjustment it was still too loose. So A 15mm shorter one ordered from gsf which should hopefully sort it. The belt size on there now doesn't match any of the options at GSF or Eurocarparts so hopefully its just a size to big, it did improve at maximum adjustment, but still screeched slightly. Discovered the main beam tell tale warning light on the dash doesn't work, so thats another thing to sort out before the MOT. And finally my new front number plate turned up. Treated it to a new one with the original dealers name on as the front plate was damaged anyway. 

[dean36014]

Been dodging the showers and now have fully bled brakes and new fan belt fitted. Jobs left to do are torque up front hubs, top up gear oil and refit wheels. Plus the little matter of welding that plate in the floor.

However a weekend trip to ludlow resulted in this in the boot of the car

Virtually unused and in good condition, not quite the Butters welder i used to own but perfectly good for snotting plates into car floors.

Then a little ebay action resulted in this turning up in the post today, all I need now is some dry weather to get it welded up!

Got the week off next week so hopefully will get it all finished and cleaned and polished up ready for daily duties. Although if my number comes out tonight I might be collecting a Laguna!

 

[dean36014]

Welding done! Typically the new disposable bottle brought from machine mart doesn't work. Its got gas in, but connecting it to the regulator results in a big fat nothing. i'd forgotten how much I hate the damn things and why I had a full size bottle from BOC in the past. A quick look at the old bottle that came with the welder that I was assured was empty revealed it to be actually full! Can see Machine Mart being arsey about refunding me for the bottle, but its a clarke welder, clarke regulator all been purchased in the past from said premises. Anyway, a quick play with settings and lots a sizzling bacon noise later had the plate snotted in. Not my best welding, but two back operations in the interval since I lasted welded and I've seem to lost the ability to bend myself into awkward shapes to get the right welding position. Considering I'm was used to using a pro quality machine the little clarke works perfectly and produced some lovely welds when the operator managed to get it together!

I even found a vintage tin of smoothrite in red to give the welding a quick coat before seam sealing will commence. next job was to top all the gearbox oil with new fluid. Why the fuck would a company supply a bottle of gear oil without the flexy spout! I took the cap off expecting the nozzle to be inside the bottle but no, just a plain cap.How the hell are you meant to get the oil in the level hole using a bottle? A quick rummage in the shed produce a large syringe from my motorbike days, a bit of rubber hose push on the end and viola! Still a messy job compared to something that used to be so simple. Wheels are all bolted back on now and just the sealing and underseal to do underneath and it can come off the stands at last. Woohoo!!!

feel free to take the piss out my welding, in my defense the plate was made out of some old 2mm steel i had and the citroen floor is the usual touch it with the welder and it vanishes guage.

[billyboy406v6]

Hats off to you sir, wish I could weld like that.

[sierraman]

I wish I could weld.

[dugong]

That ZX is a beauty, I admired it in the <£200 thread.

The non-turbo engine is more amenable for pottering about, the TD is a good engine but the turbo has a very off/on power delivery that sometimes fights you.

In my limited experience adjusting the accelerator cable / pump usually helps with this.

Knob_van is an NA and gets along surprisingly well if you work it hard.

 

Even thought it's still going (I've even seen it a few times on Chester Road) my first 306 TD was easily the slowest XUD out of all the ones I've driven since.

I'm convinced there was a boost leak or something related sapping the grunt. My old ZX and 306 estates (even the 306 1.4 I sold recently) would all leave it for dead.