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

[New POD]

Does it count as a modification. Does your insurer know or care,???

[mat_the_cat]

Pretty sure I have a door, in red - if that's of interest?

[strangeangel]

Does it count as a modification. Does your insurer know or care,???

 

I'm prepared to be corrected on this, but I believe the wheel I've just fitted is the type that should have been on the car in the first place?

[Six-cylinder]

I'm prepared to be corrected on this, but I believe the wheel I've just fitted is the type that should have been on the car in the first place?

 

Yes I believe that you just took it back to standard.

[strangeangel]

Pretty sure I have a door, in red - if that's of interest?

 

As long as it's straight and reasonably sound - yes, please! Where abouts are you?

[mat_the_cat]

 

 

It looks totally straight to me. The only negative is the fact it was obviously cut off with a gas axe, so the area around the hinges is scorched and needs painting.

 

 

I'm in North Wales, but could bring to the next meet. Yours for a drink if you want?

[strangeangel]

Yes, please! That looks great.

[strangeangel]

Looks like someone's been here before me!

 

 

The window regular/motor assembly was a boring like for like swap so I didn't bother with pictures. The window positively whizzes up and down now. The central locking solenoid, however...

 

 

Arse. The wiring connectors were the same, though, so time to get bodging. The hook was bent through 90 degrees courtesy of two pairs of mole grips, and an extra hole drilled in the door to suit the new solenoid.

 

 

Sorted!

[strangeangel]

Just noticed dipped beam is out on the near side. No problem, just wang a new bulb in and... no different. Bugger.

 

A quick look at the wiring attached to the headlamp reveals MODIFICATIONZ.

 

 

Best break out the multimeter tomorrow then...

[strangeangel]

Well, this was an easy one, this thing was so rusted up I could hardly get the screws out:

 

 

And this was the feed* to dipped beam...

 

 

A few bullet connectors and we're back in business.

[strangeangel]

It just occurred to me that this thread has become all hassles and phat repair billz. Life with this car really isn't all that bad, honest! This afternoon I had a run over to Manchester for the football; the ladies overcame a determined Liverpool side with a 93rd minute winner, followed by a very pleasant drive home.

 

 

 

Happy shite-ing, folks

 

[strangeangel]

So there I was, just about to set off for the football with not a care in the world. Lowered myself into the BX, half turn key, wait for orange light to go out, turn key and... silence. Oh.

 

Blagged a lift and on the way back ran through a few possible scenarios; the one I eventually went with involved these:

 

 

12.7V said the multimeter. Thwack went the hide mallet on the starter. BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA went the XUD.

 

TIme to get shopping for a new starter then!

 

[dollywobbler]

Before ordering one, I'd see if it does it again. They are prone to earth failures, which appear to be starter motor fails, but are just electrickery going French.

[strangeangel]

1 minute ago, dollywobbler said:

Before ordering one, I'd see if it does it again. They are prone to earth failures, which appear to be starter motor fails, but are just electrickery going French.

Ooh, good point. I hadn't considered that. Cleaning up the earth is free, I will definitely be doing that before parting with any coin. Cheers!

[dollywobbler]

If it happens again, I'd try bypassing the earth with a jump cable between gearbox and neg terminal. If that doesn't help, try a direct feed from battery to starter as ignition switches can sometimes go a bit French too. Of course, it could well be the starter, but I've certainly had issues that turned out not to be that.

[catsinthewelder]

My 405 has a length of wire attached to the live on the starter solenoid that can be touched against something that actually is live when the ign switch doesn't do its thing which is quite often.

[mat_the_cat]

As well as earths, and the ignition switch, another possible cause is the multi-way connector over the top of the gearbox. Voltage drop there sometimes causes the starter solenoid not to operate - but if you're measuring 12.7V at the solenoid spade connection when cranking, I'd say that's good enough!

[Tadhg Tiogar]

On 12 May 2019 at 9:32 PM, catsinthewelder said:

My 405 has a length of wire attached to the live on the starter solenoid that can be touched against something that actually is live when the ign switch doesn't do its thing which is quite often.

I was surprised how many CXs seem to have this emergency start "probe", including mine....

[strangeangel]

A new addition to the fleet arrived yesterday... what can I say? I saw it and that was that.

 

 

Really, seriously pleased with this latest purchase; just the 180 mile drive home from Heathrow yesterday indicated that this is going to be a lot of fun for sure.

 

The BX is staying BTW

 

[Tamworthbay]

What a buy! And could not have gone to a better home. Genuinely jealous. Have fun with it.

[vulgalour]

All your weird blue French estates are belong to strangeangel.

[Ghosty]

You win. Well bought sir.

[Fumbler]

1 hour ago, vulgalour said:

All your weird blue French estates are belong to strangeangel.

I'm seriously considering making a sign for that now.

[Six-cylinder]

Ami - Wow, fantastic it had such a charm too it and nearly had me braking my own criteria of A series must have at least 29 bhp! 

[strangeangel]

Thread title expanded to accommodate the lovely new arrival. Much as I appreciate that the Ami is an entertainment system in itself, I do like a radio. And I've bought it one!

 

 

Strictly analogue, but as long as I've got Radio 4 and Five Live we're all good. This shouldn't need much installation either, as it's an early pull-out design with its own speaker built in. I will shortly be ordering a gizmo from Shenzen that will turn my 6V into the 12 needed to run this. Hope the car's charging system won't mind the imposition too much!

 

[strangeangel]

Well this is pretty cool... jonny69 sent me some pictures of the Ami having all the rotten bits replaced:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proper job!

 

 

 

[strangeangel]

More Ami PR0N... this time from 2010 when it arrived in the UK:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[barrett]

I've seen those pics before. Such a shame it got painted in that weird colour scheme, it looked like a 'proper' Ami before. Ah well.

[strangeangel]

13 minutes ago, barrett said:

I've seen those pics before. Such a shame it got painted in that weird colour scheme, it looked like a 'proper' Ami before. Ah well.

 

It does look nice in grey with the painted French plates and all, but honestly I prefer it in the current slightly dull two-tone scheme. I wouldn't want all the holes that were in it when it was grey either!

 

It is a pity those pics aren't a bit bigger, it would be nice to have got someone to make a vinyl replica of that little dealer sticker on the bootlid.

 

[jonny69]

Did you whip the front plate off to see if the French painted one is still underneath?