BX Mk1 estate - Mojo returns, alternator fails

[dollywobbler]

Quick update. Still waiting for money, and therefore parts. However, thanks to the antics of catsinthewelder, who kindly sent me some photos of the hinges on his BX estate, I'm pleased to report that the broken tailgate hinge is broken on the tailgate rather than the body. Phew. One hinge is still wonky, but I should be able to straighten that out when I get the tailgate off to replace it. Naturally, I'm hoping to find a tailgate in completely the wrong colour. Fortunately, the Mk2 tailgate is identical to the Mk1, so that makes life easier too.

 

I've got the BX up on stands at the moment. The battery is so duff that it won't hold any charge at all, and I was getting fed up with having to jump it every time I want to work on it. Now it's up in the air which'll make attending to the blowing exhaust and rad swap much easier.

[chaseracer]

You must ask the wife to do up her do like this for road trips in Le Froggie Waggon!

Dr. Rach with a beehive? Can't see it, Norm!

 

[ruffgeezer]

Well saved that man,

 

I will ask at work if we have anything that may help the cause

[R9UKE]

What a beauty, well saved. There's a Mark 1 pottering around Belfast. I'm waiting for the old woman to die, I want it.

 

[scooters]

What a beauty, well saved. There's a Mark 1 pottering around Belfast. I'm waiting for the old woman to die, I want it.

 

 

Good bucket of water on her doorstep every day this winter ...slips and let the nhs and dss do the rest

[R9UKE]

Good bucket of water on her doorstep every day this winter ...slips and let the nhs and dss do the rest

 

 

Perfect, good advice, you're clearly experienced in this field.

[chaseracer]

But the doctors of the NHS are all nice to our family.

But Norm, in the main this is true. Such is my experience, anyway...

 

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Dont set Norm off FFS

[dollywobbler]

Especially not in my thread! He has his own forum for ranting you know.

[warren t claim]

Just out of interest, what carb's it got?

 

No carb. Have I forgotten to mention that it's a diesel? Yeah, probably. Can't really see the point in a petrol BX unless it's a GTi.

 

I beg to differ. My mk1 BX GT was a hoot to drive and even had the perfect storm combo of an early satellite dash with normal instruments. It's a pity the carb totally borked up after a thoroughly good hooning.

 

Am I the only person who prefers non self cancelling indicators?

[dollywobbler]

See? Carb borked up. Don't get that on diesels. These engines just tend to work perfectly almost all of the time.

 

You're not the only one. I HATE self-cancelling indicators. 2CV doesn't have them, and nor does this BX. Marvellous.

[chaseracer]

I HATE self-cancelling indicators. 2CV doesn't have them, and nor does this BX. Marvellous.

I still cancel self-cancelling indicators. Force of habit...

[Anglevan]

Glad somone is saving the unloved I did a lot of work on these in the past. If you can get hold of a new back wing (IF) they must be the easiest rear wing i've ever fitted. Good luck and look forward to the updates

[j-j]

. Am I the only person who prefers non self cancelling indicators?

Another vote for non self-cancelling blinkers here! CX has them and they are ideal for proper signaling off roundabouts. Also great for joining the motorway on a slip road that has a hefty curve to it. Also! The rocker switch on the satellite dash has a more sensible left-right orientationthan the up-down stock we're used to.

[mnde]

. Am I the only person who prefers non self cancelling indicators?

Another vote for non self-cancelling blinkers here! CX has them and they are ideal for proper signaling off roundabouts. Also great for joining the motorway on a slip road that has a hefty curve to it. Also! The rocker switch on the satellite dash has a more sensible left-right orientationthan the up-down stock we're used to.

 

Another vote from me for the non-self cancelling indicators (GSA)

 

Mark

[mattblack]

Is it true that Citroen didn't fit self-cancelling indicators because 'it was one less thing to go wrong..'?

 

Or is that one for the 'Myths' thread?

[dollywobbler]

Is it true that Citroen didn't fit self-cancelling indicators because 'it was one less thing to go wrong..'?

 

Or is that one for the 'Myths' thread?

 

Myth. Only reason I reckon they didn't fit them was it'd be an interesting mechanism to go from the steering column all the way to the rocker switch. Far easier to just not bother! 2CV stalk stayed pretty much the same throughout production and is far too simple to include a self-cancel function. Thankfully.

[Volksy]

I think the term stems from the GSA and early Visa, which had the controls in a drum shaped pod next to the steering wheel. The BX dash is more like a CX with all the controls mounted on the clocks surround, doing away with the need for traditional storks on the steering column.

So BX/CX aren't technically satellite controls.

[j-j]

What is meant by "satellite" dash? That it is separate, like an accessory pod, from the main dash fascia?

Well, it's the common name for the 70s-80s Citroen dashboards that used no column stalks. Now I think of it I don't know that Citroen ever called them 'satellites' but maybe thay did. In French brochures etc it was named "Pluie-Route-Nuite" (spelling's probby wrong) but it was French for "Rain-Road-Night" for the layout of the two pods of the controls and the instruments. Wiper switches, road info, Night lights etc.

 

I think they called them satellites as though they were 'orbiting' the steering wheel or something.

 

Here's what my 1977 CX has:

 

Here's what my old 1984 GSA had:

 

And my old BX Mk1:

God I miss this thing.

[j-j]

Sob, this is causing me grief! Sob, I miss the Mk1 BX

 

 

Sorry hadn't looked at the BX pix for yonks!

[dollywobbler]

He already owned the CX, but I think it'd been forced off the road due to lack of funds. Besides, there's a limit to how much wacky dash action you should expose yourself to. I'm sure there are government guidelines or something.

[Craig the Princess]

Is it true that Citroen didn't fit self-cancelling indicators because 'it was one less thing to go wrong..'?

 

Or is that one for the 'Myths' thread?

 

The really doesn't seem like a 70s/80s Citroen thought process.

[stuboy]

my mate had a mk2 red one 17d and was ok, till box blew on it, replace he said it was a nightmare... then he got later one darkish purple with button style wheel trims 19d and it was really quick, i used to drive them and the gearbox felt like stir nuts and bolts in porridge..

 

he also had his bro in law gti with blown engine so he put 1.9d engine in it was a nice mix

[scaryoldcortina]

Is it true that Citroen didn't fit self-cancelling indicators because 'it was one less thing to go wrong..'?

 

Or is that one for the 'Myths' thread?

 

Myth. Only reason I reckon they didn't fit them was it'd be an interesting mechanism to go from the steering column all the way to the rocker switch. Far easier to just not bother! 2CV stalk stayed pretty much the same throughout production and is far too simple to include a self-cancel function. Thankfully.

 

No, self cancelling would have been easy, using a system already tried and tested in production. Hillman Imps have the indicator stalk in the dash not the column - there is a switch on the column underside and the indicator is held "on" by a solenoid until the switch interrupts it. Because this is an electrical system, you could put the switch anywhere you like.

 

FWIW, I liked the non-cancelling nature of my old Mk1 BX, I was training for my bike test at the time so it was handy to always have to remember to switch the indicators off....

[mattblack]

Is it true that Citroen didn't fit self-cancelling indicators because 'it was one less thing to go wrong..'?

 

Or is that one for the 'Myths' thread?

 

The really doesn't seem like a 70s/80s Citroen thought process.

 

Yeah, well I couldn't find the 'irony' smiley...

[Cavcraft]

The gearboxes were damned good on these to be fair, the only real 'problem' being that 1st on the turbo diesel models was only any good to get you about five yards before you needed 2nd.

[dollywobbler]

I dunno Billy. I think his description of a BX gearchange is about spot on. They are pretty vague and clunky. Very annoying when the 2CV has one of the most precise, accurate and play-free gearchanges out there (once you're used to how it works!).

[M'coli]

Edit: forgot I was in catch-up mode and 2 pages behind. Sorry DW!

[ruffgeezer]

I had a quick nosey at the estate we have in the field, only a quick one mine as we are mega busy just at the moment:

 

 

 

Pretty much the same as it was before, just with more green shit on it.

[Albert Ross]

Road trip + Bag of spanners + tins of Red Bull, a few Peperamis, a roll of blue paper, something to lie on, collect wing and tailgate = WIN for preserving the Wobblerwagon! That Red one looks good from that angle. I'd use it as it is!