Project Strangeangel's Shite-tastic Shenanigans 12/12 NEW MOTOR - ACHIEVED.

[strangeangel]

OK, some cycles of the height lever and a few laps round the block and we're all good. The brakes were always pretty sharp, so no change there, but the PAS now operates smoothly and is noticeably lighter when doing low-speed parking manoevres.

 

I'm not going to bleed the brakes today cos it's too bloody cold! I'll do them soon though, and because I feel confident to tackle this again (and given that the old stuff was so rank) I'll change the LHM in 1000 miles.

 

Big thanks to all who helped, and hopefully the photo trail will assist other BX newbies to take on this job

[RobT]

I remember doing an LHM change and reservoir/filter clean on this, and found removing the reservoir from the engine bay a right bastard of a job, as I was too lazy to siphon the old fluid out first.

 

Here's the brief thread I did on it back on collection day in 2011.  Blimey, is it really five years ago now?  Jeez.

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/9774-french-fancy-citroen-bx-19rd/

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Crikey. That's got mucky in five years! Glad it's now sorted.

 

Warning. Citroen bleed nipples are made from the finest fromage. Even if you don't bleed the brakes today, I'd still recommend dosing the nipples in penetrating oil.

[strangeangel]

It failed. Still. could have been a lot worse though, eh?

 

 

 

The hunt for parts begins... I wonder how hard it will be to get hold of a replacement brake caliper?

[djimbob]

Wot no welding?

 

That's the benefit of all those oil leaks eh

 

Surely you can buy a new caliper from the bay. or GSF?  - if that is indeed the problem, might just be a perished seal?

 

Best of luck anyhoo, if you need a hand gissa shout

[Dave_Q]

Was going to say, leaking caliper may not need replacing. 

 

Even if it is the caliper rather than one of it's fixings that is leaking, I would look at a rebuild kit,  especially as you can take a few days over it rather than needing it to go to work.

[Cleon-Fonte]

Weirdly BX front brake parts are readily available from ECP et al, whereas rear calipers aren't. However, there were plenty on eBay when I needed them and all the fittings (the highly biodegradable dust cover, anti-rattle clip etc) are available at online factors for £not much.

 

I didn't have any luck finding rebuild kits although they may be out there, but I'm not sure the calipers are really saveable once they start leaking as it won't be due to a simple perished seal or the like.

[strangeangel]

This has actually been surprisingly painless:

• reconditioned caliper from Germany (£90)
• brake pads £1.50 + P&P off eBay
• AEP provided the strut return pipes (I already did the other side)
• my local factors have the CV boot
• and there were a set of steering rack gaiters with the car!

I will hang onto the old caliper just in case, but as Cleon-Fonte says rebuild kits don't seem to be around, and it might well be cream-crackered anyway.

 

 

 

[Cleon-Fonte]

Another plus point is you'll now not have to bother with loosening the probable rusted, seized in cheesium bleed nipple on the duff caliper.

[Eddie Honda]

This has actually been surprisingly painless:

[*]reconditioned caliper from Germany (£90)

First thing I checked was the Budweg online catalogue. Then I'm asking myself:

 

Y no Brakes International, £57?

https://brakeparts.co.uk/#!/shop/CITROEN/BX/82-95/BX%20BX17%20&%20BX19%20DIESEL%20&%20TURBO%20DIESEL/Rear%20-%20Brake%20Calipers%20and%20Wheel%20cylinders

 

I will hang onto the old caliper just in case, but as Cleon-Fonte says rebuild kits don't seem to be around, and it might well be cream-crackered anyway.

As above, £16.

[strangeangel]

First thing I checked was the Budweg online catalogue. Then I'm asking myself:

 

Y no Brakes International, £57?

 

Not a supplier I'm familiar with & didn't come up in my searches, but I have bookmarked for future use, ta.

 

I found repair kits like that, but none with pistons - all the calipers I've ever rebuilt (admittedly only bike ones) have involved replacing those too.

 

TBH I'm happier buying the whole caliper, especially as I am unusually flush - relatively speaking - at the moment, and this will be less hassle than a rebuild (which may or may not have worked anyway). And the shop in Germany I've used before and they have always been very good.

 

Main thing is my Citroen isn't far off living to fight another 12 months!

[Eddie Honda]

but none with pistons

Available separately, £16 ea.

 

When it's less than a tenner more than a caliper (for kit and pair of pistons) hardly worth the hassle of fixing one.

[mat_the_cat]

You may know this already, but a 'proper' hydraulic Citroen is dead easy to bleed. Just wedge a piece of wood between steering wheel and brake pedal, and crack off each bleed screw in turn. Not forgetting to keep the LHM topped up!

[strangeangel]

Well, I wish I could post up loads of pictures detailing all the repairs I've made in order to get the new MOT, but I can't. This is because of a combination of laziness and, unusually, too much money which led me to take the car and all the parts to our local garage, and pay them to fix it.

 

By way of penance, the BX's first job - within hours of gaining it's new MOT - was to bring home a ridiculous French moped. Get in.

[320touring]

Good news on the mot!

[strangeangel]

While idling away time on the internet, I discovered that the old BX has a close living relative somewhere:

 

 

Vehicle details

• Vehicle make CITROEN
• Date of first registration March 1988
• Year of manufacture 1988
• Cylinder capacity (cc) 1360 cc
• COâ‚‚Emissions Not available
• Fuel type PETROL
• Export marker No
• Vehicle status Tax not due
• Vehicle colour RED
• Vehicle type approval Not available
• Wheelplan 2 AXLE RIGID BODY

 

Now I've got in my mind the highly improbable idea of a picture of the two of them together...

[chaseracer]

Many moons ago, while the Dyane was being worked on by Tame Mechanic, I was lent a road-legal racing 2CV he had at the time.

 

Its registration: PMR983Y.

[Skizzer]

Very glad this old bus is still thriving.

 

It's the original AS team-ownership BX - it just has the many AS owners wired up in series rather than in parallel.

[strangeangel]

Very glad this old bus is still thriving.

 

It's the original AS team-ownership BX - it just has the many AS owners wired up in series rather than in parallel.

 

And <whispers consipratorially> it's actually rarer than that beige upstart!!!1!*

 

 

 

 

 

 

*the perenially unreliable Howmanyleft sez just 13 19RDs (how many of those estates?) against 27 14REs

[strangeangel]

So today we did visit Cleon-Fonte and his magnificent TZD Hurricane:

 

 

and this is how we held the stub axle steady while he knocked the shiny new hub into place:

 

 

On Sunday we're off to see the Beige and try and help fix stuff!

 

 

[strangeangel]

While I was over there, C-F drew my attention to this; I was totally unaware of it!

 

 

[Cleon-Fonte]

Overall a good afternoon of BX fixage was had, until we came to re-assembling the rear brakes and found I'd managed to lose the brake pad anti-rattle clip. ARSES.

 

I do believe this is the first time these two BXs have shared the same postcode, as every time EPN's attended one of the Glossop meets mine has decided to suffer some debilitating mechanical problem.

[strangeangel]

Visited the 14RE at Castle_Cleland today, more in the Beige's progress thread here!

 

 

 

[strangeangel]

Quick question: when I got the car the rear suspension stayed up for a good few hours after being parked, now it's back on the stops in an hour.

 

While this isn't a problem on a practical level, does it sound like a sign of imminent failure?

[Cleon-Fonte]

So long as everything else is normal I don't think sinking times are too much to worry about. At least it's a sign your rear arm bearings are healthy.

[mat_the_cat]

Does it stay up a lot longer if you leave it in intermediate height? If so it's pretty typical - just leakage past the rear suspension pistons which is greater roundabout the normal ride position, which sees most wear. If it still sinks at the same rate that indicates internal leakage elsewhere in the hydraulic system, but nothing to suggest imminent failure, as Mr CF has said. 

[strangeangel]

Does it stay up a lot longer if you leave it in intermediate height?

Good question! I will try it and see what happens.

 

Cheers chaps.

[strangeangel]

Just cos it's clearly a very small world...

 

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/18655-s-a-barretts-sussex-shite-spots/page-4?do=findComment&comment=1007616

[strangeangel]

It's bad enough getting dumped out of the World Cup by a bunch of thugs, but 80 miles from the end of my 500-mile round trip, this happened:

 

 

Given that I had enough diesel to get home, I surmised that, as long as didn't turn the engine off, I'd be OK - I didn't need sparks, and the big, beefy battery was replaced recently, so I was confident that it'd power the lights long enough for me to get home. And, for once, I was right!

 

Subsequent use of the multi-meter suggests that the alternator is shagged. Oh well, shouldn't be too expensive?

 

[dollywobbler]

I once had to cut the alternator belt off on a BX, after the alternator seized. Amazing how far you can drive one with no charging!