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

[beko1987]

Lovely, puts mine to shame, I haven't washed it in about 6 months,..

[dean36014]

There's a few bits that need attention still. A scrape on the rear corner and the patch of lacquer flaking on the front of the roof. I keep attacking that lacquer with the steam cleaner at work and its gradually coming off. The paint underneath came up lovely with the polishing mop. Have to keep reminding myself its just an old worthless car and not a classic. Mind you I have a spare room full of cheap spare parts from Amazon so the car is a keeper

[dean36014]

worldofceri, , always welcome for a cuppa and chat

[Twiggy]

Thank you, it was fascinating read, and it looks brilliant.

[fordperv]

Dean I don't want to sound like a tin foil hat wearing type person but is it wise posting your street name on an open forum that anyone can see with the rising number of thefts of old motors, might be wiser to pm it over to him

 

The car looks lovely by the way

[dean36014]

I'm sure he's read it now, cars never left on the road, always behind locked gates, but probably true!

[worldofceri]

Yes indeed!

[dean36014]

Well as anyone knows the remote locking on these are useless. You need the plip virtually against the glass to make it unlock and it's quicker using the key to be truthful. However,I invested a whole 9 quid in a quality* Chinese remote locking kit that allegedly rolls the frequency on each time too. Couple of hours work with the soldering iron and viola! I can now unlock the car from the kitchen,much impressed.

[beko1987]

Nice! I gave up with the plip due to the closeness it needs to be at. The remains are in the glove box, ill explain tomorrow! Youll need an aa battery...

[dean36014]

Just got back from a long weekend on the norfolk broads in the faithful old citroen. Did just over 450 miles on a single tank of fuel and a fill up on return worked out at 57mpg average for the trip! Stayed at a fantastic b&b at Lingwood in a railway station. The line was the norwich to yarmouth line and only ran during the day. The view out my bedroom window was onto the station platform! Found a boat graveyard at Martham, was really sad seeing about 20 of the timber built river cruisers rotting away on a hardstanding. I remember them afloat from previous visits as a child, googling some of their boat numbers revealed them to be built in the 50's. Would love to take one as a restoration project but my garden isn't big enough! Saw some restored ones and they look so majestic compared to the fibreglass bathtubs in use now. Took my daughter on a trip on the southern Comfort imitation paddle steamer, went on with my ex wife on our honeymoon there 21 years ago.

The old citroen parked at the station b&b

the boat graveyard at martham

 

A link to Queenie r237, built in 1965

http://www.broads.org.uk/wiki/index.php5?title=Boat_Details&BoatId=6376&BoatHistory=15111

 

 

[mouseflakes]

Nice to see the ZX so well used - sad to see the boats like that though

[dean36014]

Well I fitted the towbar, had to purchase new bolts as the ones supplied weren't long enough. Surprisingly it towed the trailer tent fine, not much slower than usual. However the wet weather revealed the tyres on the Saxo alloys were rubbish in the wet, you know they're crap when you can get a 1.9 XUD non turbo wheel spinning. So, do I put decent tyres on the alloys or go back to steels. As much as i like the alloys I wanted a set of original wheel trims for it, as they were a bit wacky. So I eventually found a set in poole, collection only. luckily this weekend i'm going away to the new forest so a trip to poole is on the cards. So decision made, steelies it is. The ex beko ZX had a good pair of tyres on BX rims, so got a decent pair of wet weather tyres fitted on the other pair from formula one Autocentres at a bargain price. Its nice to have some decent rubber on it again. Whilst changing the wheels I took advantage to sort the back brakes out and fit the new bargain price new drums from amazon. Found a set of fake Citroen wheel trims in the shed and fitted those as a temporarily measure until the wacky ones are picked up. Its looking a bit more standard now, really need to find something to stick that door strip on.

New towbar fitted 

Wacky wheel trims purchased

Back on steelies, with tacky fake trims

[beko1987]

They were proper amazing tyres, but wore quickly (what was on the rear was on the front for a year and a half). I did think about getting some for the Xantia but being a much heavier car, I imagine it'll wear them even faster so looking at other tyres for that.

 

They could negotiate a flooded M40 at 75 with nae bother, and hitting a massive puddle the only notice I got was when the clip-less arch liner got pushed against the wheel...

[dean36014]

The good two are on the back now. i replaced the front two with goodyears which have a b rating for wet weather. Everything I've read about the uniroyal's raves about handling and grip, but moan about high wear rate. Its a novelty not getting the steering shake that I got used to with the saxo alloys as i refused to pay £12 a rim for balancing due to having no centre hole. Next job after my weekend away after getting rid of the ZX Volcane remains is to fit the new lower arms and the posh new Sach's shocks. Felt guilty cutting the Volcane up, but when I went through it found rotten sills and areas of the floor, and it had a hard impact in the B post on the drivers side. the B post had wrinkles in it and the sill had a bend in it where the side was distorted. i didn't want to throw money at it when I'd never get it right to my satisfaction. On the plus side the engine lives on with Cynanide Steve and I have a shed full of useful spares and panels. Parts of it live on in mine now. Still the best £50 I've spent! 

[beko1987]

yes, when I bought it the guy said it was sides wiped at 7 years old (probably should have told you that, sorry!) it was pulled out and had the doors and wing on one side replaced, which is why they are a slightly different shade! the doors still shut, so I can't say it ever bothered me! wasn't aware of the rust though, so probably a good job you did cut it up and part it out. I always thought the rear beam was starting to ever so slightly camber too, but remembered I'd out the front tyres that had worn on the inner edge before I had the tracking fixed on the rears, which probably made it look slightly iffy

 

Im glad Steve made use out of the bits too! it had a good run in life at 291,000 miles!

[dean36014]

The heater output on the old ZX has always been a bit rubbish. then just to compound matters it sprung a leak from the matrix. As a temporary bodge i chuck some K-seal in, which didn't manage to stem the leak but did effectively block the heater reducing its output to woeful.

So, screwdrivers out and remove the dash, gulp! About 90 minutes of work made it look like this!

 

A few more bolts undone and the offending matrix was removed. doesn't look too bad in reality but very wet in the corner.

 

Luckily I'd brought one from Amazon for the grand sum of a fiver, here they are side by side.

 

Well that's a bust then, obviously must be for a left hooker. thankfully ECP have one to collect in the morning and reassembly can commence.

 

[dean36014]

Well glad to report it's all back together and only 2 screws left over! Lovely warm heat now thank god.

[barrett]

Jesus, if I ever managed to get a car looking like that first photo I know there is exactly zero chance I'd ever get it back together again. Which is a shame, as my BX heater matrix is stuffed and my mechanic says it's £400 of labour to change it. Actually, do you do house calls?

[dean36014]

its being methodical in your approach, i even know where the missing screws go! Bloody cold doing outside at this time of year though.