BX breakdown!

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 4:47 pm

Ive spent best part of £1000 on my 16v so far but when you work it out I have a MOT'ed and taxed 130mph car in good condition for less than £1500!

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 5:35 pm

Where do you drive this car at 130mph Tim?

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:58 pm

When Im asleep lol I did do it once on the M1 early one morning, and that was 1999!

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 11:15 pm

Once upon a time you could have done that legally on the M1

Post by **docchevron** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 2:46 am

Of course, I NEVER exceed speed limits anywhere, ever!

Hence I dont know that my TD does 142MPH and my valver reads somewhere around 145mph but actually only does 139mph.

I've spent huge sums of money on both cars, far more than they are worth to anyone else, but I like them, and as Billy said, if I bought another car, I'd probably have to do most / all of the jobs I've already done again.
I look at it that even if each car costs £1k a year in parts then it's still cheaper than buying a new car evry year and watching it depreciate, also, I've driven ALOT of cars in my time, new, old, every sort of condition, and I cant think of a car I'd rather drive than the BX.
I loved my old XM but I still felt more at one with the car in the BX.

Cheers
Chris G

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:36 am

docchevron1472 wrote: I've driven ALOT of cars in my time, new, old, every sort of condition, and I cant think of a car I'd rather drive than the BX.
I loved my old XM but I still felt more at one with the car in the BX.

Cheers
Chris G

I think you`ve hit the nail right on the head there Doc. Feeling `at one` with a car is what it`s all about, hence my affinity with BX`s and Cavaliers and Calibras.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:45 am

Wouldn't the world be a boring place if we all liked the same things! About the nearest thing to uniformity is computers - when to be honest all new ones seem to do a goodish job and what they say on the box. Yes some people will have specific needs but so far there is no real distinction between 'business' and 'home' machines and most can be adapted for particular needs if desired.

The one variant is the Apple Mac which has its own niche market - and comes up with some good ideas which eventually get adopted (and I use that word deliberately as its uncontroversial) by other manufacturers.

Lets face it with computers - no-one drools and says I've got an Acer or a Dell or a Hewlett Packard or whatever. They even yawn when you mention the operating system!

Just imagine if you bought a new Ferrarri and everyone yawned !

Ian_Fearn · Post by **Ian_Fearn** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:40 am

I'll confirm that Leechy's valver drivers SWEET!

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:30 pm

Well I collected the BX on Saturday. The clutch is now nice and light, but in all other respects it drives exactly the same.

I'm pretty sure the back end stays up longer after the engine's turned off now the leak from the plastic pipe on the doseur has been fixed. I'm a bit annoyed that although both auxiliary belts have been replaced, there is still some squeaking at start-up. It was definitely the hydraulic belt before, so I'm going to have to check the tensioning of the new belt myself, cos I know this has to be nice n' tight. When though, I don't know!

Oh and the engine is still as clattery as it was before - it sounds like an old MkIII Escort when I rev it! I asked for the tappets clearances to be checked while the cambelt was off, but I was told because they were shimmed there would no adjustment to make... NB it has about 93K miles on the clock.

Nice to be back driving it!

Mark.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:51 pm

mnde wrote:I'm a bit annoyed that although both auxiliary belts have been replaced, there is still some squeaking at start-up. It was definitely the hydraulic belt before, so I'm going to have to check the tensioning of the new belt myself, cos I know this has to be nice n' tight. When though, I don't know!Mark.

I found this when all 3 belts were changed on mine. It is likely to be the HP belt which continues to stretch over the initial period so will require tensioning a few times before it settles to its optimum tautness.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:21 pm

To adjust the tappets will entail measuring the current clearances, removing the camshaft and current tappets/shims, measuring the shims and substituting shims to the correct value as calculated - which is a job best avoided - unless you have a bucket load of shims or know someone who has.

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 5:20 pm

Cool - thanks for the tip Way2go

Jeremy: Ah! That'll be why the garage said there was no adjustment to make - it sounds like a right fiddly job, not worth the effort!

I wonder... the car suffered a cambelt failure under previous ownership in the late 90s, and I have an invoice for replacing the belt and all the valves, stem seals, gaskets and oil seals... Perhaps the tappets weren't adjusted then... (it is a main dealer invoice though). They definitely haven't been touched since then.

Mark.

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:12 pm

Ian_Fearn wrote:I'll confirm that Leechy's valver drivers SWEET!

Oi Fearny Less of the nickname!

I think it drives average, suspensions too hard, exhaust blows and the steerings ponderous.