Mat's BX Blog

Tell us about life with your BX, or indeed life in general!
Post Reply
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

If it's any consolation the Focus is leaking too, into the right rear footwell! Discovery, van and MINI all watertight though, and hopefully the BX will be too once I seal up the roof seams. Unlike the house:

Image

Fortunately we caught it before the water rose any further, and unblocked the drain so it could escape.

I'd dropped a few hints to Lana before Christmas about an Optimate/CTEK type charger, that I could use to keep the van batteries topped up over winter while we're not using it. Well, she didn't get me one of those. But bought me something better! It's got two 25 Amp outputs, which are independently voltage and current controlled for charging each leisure battery, plus a 1 Amp output for keeping the starter battery topped up.

So it will easily cope with overwintering, but also if we are on holiday and not travelling much, a quick charge for an hour or so will put a reasonable amount back into the batteries. I wired it all in this evening and all seems to work well! It even has a temperature sensor, as the ideal float voltage for lead acid batteries varies slightly with temperature. It's quite handy being married to an engineer :lol:

Image

Tucked away under the passenger seat:
Image

Wiring starting to look a little complicated now!
Image
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
mds141
Over 2k
Posts: 5288
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:26 am
Location: Lancaster
x 9

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mds141 »

You got a flux capacitor in there as well Mat? :-)
Mark Smith

Is it just me or is everything shit?

1989 BX GTi 16 valve. Blanc Alpine. Completed the Citroen Classic Challenge Ecosse and 1337 miles without a hitch.
2000 XM VSX 2.1 td Auto. Rouge Magenta.
TGD saloon many years ago.

1990 Swift 'Corniche' 12/2 aka BXClub HQ.
Honda Firestorm. Gone, but not forgotten.
2015 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC.
Mickey taker
Over 2k
Posts: 3209
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:38 pm
Location: M K
x 1

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Mickey taker »

!!!---))) :rofl: You don't honestly think Mats camper could ever hit 88 mph do you Mark !!!
1991 BX Meteor 1.6

light travels faster than sound, thats why you look intelligent and then you spoil it all by opening your mouth !!!!!
User avatar
citsncycles
Over 2k
Posts: 3224
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:14 pm
Location: Dursley, Gloucestershire

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by citsncycles »

Bloody Hell - a water tight Disco! That's a rare motor you got there!!!
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
Defender110
Over 2k
Posts: 5917
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:02 pm
Location: Harwood, Bolton
My Cars: Land Rover Discovery Series 1 200tdi 3 door
Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5
2020 Fiat Panda cross 4x4 twin air.
x 27

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Defender110 »

citsncycles wrote:Bloody Hell - a water tight Disco! That's a rare motor you got there!!!
He's spent the last 6 months welding all the door shuts closed :rofl:
Kevan
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
2020 Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross Twin Air.
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

citsncycles wrote:That's a rare motor you got there!!!
:lol: Probably unique!

Back onto the BX, it's been drying out in the garage for the last week so I planned to make a start on sealing the roof trims today. Sadly the metal was still too damp to use sealant, due to the humid atmosphere. I did take off the roof rails and clean out the seam though, and in doing so made an interesting discovery.

On the passenger side there has always been a spot of rust where the roof level rises. I've dabbed at it with rust converter and paint for the last 8 years but never did anything about it properly. I decided to wire brush it back to good metal and found there was actually a crack there:
Image

A quick bead of weld will hopefully seal it (had to be careful not to damage the trim).
Image

Ground back to reasonably flush with the roof...
Image

...and a coat of zinc rich primer to protect for now until the weather improves:
Image

I've seen another estate with rust there on both sides, so I wonder if it is a weakness of the shell that they crack at that point?
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
barry badger
BXpert
Posts: 341
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:17 am
Location: north west.
x 7

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by barry badger »

I've had two 19rd estates both of which were cracked there (i never did anything with the cracks and they never went any worse), they were both very high mileage so it could well have been due to stress. They were both dry inside though. None of my current fleet have cracks in the roof.
1993 tzd estate, on sorn
1992 tzd estate, slowly being raided for parts
1992 txd estate, "doom blue" on the road
1991 4x4 estate, on sorn
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

Both mine and the other one I saw the rust on are 200k+ mile cars, so that makes sense. I don't think that is the cause of the leak though, as it's nowhere near big enough to get a significant amount of rainwater through it.

In other news Lana seems to be suffering from Norovirus, so it's probably only a matter of time before I get it too. Oh joy.
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
Mickey taker
Over 2k
Posts: 3209
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:38 pm
Location: M K
x 1

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Mickey taker »

I think Lana's given it to me Mat, not nice
1991 BX Meteor 1.6

light travels faster than sound, thats why you look intelligent and then you spoil it all by opening your mouth !!!!!
User avatar
Caffiend
Reluctant BXpert
Posts: 1222
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 1:39 pm
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Caffiend »

Before you can't move more than 10 seconds away from the nearest, um, facilities, get yourself to the chemist and buy some Dioralyte. Fantastic stuff for keeping hydrated and not feeling worse than you have to. Good luck. You'll need it.
Diagonally parked in a parallel universe
1991 TZD hatch (Triton Green)
1992 Hurricane
Dollywobbler
Over 2k
Posts: 3940
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 2:25 pm
Location: Wales
Contact:

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Dollywobbler »

And wash hands as often as you can bear. It's transmitted by contact, not airborne. She has my sympathies. So much of it about.
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

Well, without wanting to tempt fate it looks like she might be over the worst and I'm still OK. She's not thrown up today and even made it from the bed to the sofa!

In the meantime I've sealed up the roof trims on the BX. I've only got black Sikaflex (221) so used that with the intention of painting it red once set. But actually a black line looks rather neat. I'll see how it looks once the roof rails are back on but may leave it as it is.

Image

Will have to sort out the paint around the window frames soon though!
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

Roof rail now back on, and I can't be bothered to paint the sealant - looks fine as it is anyway!

Image
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
Dollywobbler
Over 2k
Posts: 3940
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 2:25 pm
Location: Wales
Contact:

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Dollywobbler »

Let us know whether that cures it. Might face a similar job on the Green Tiger. Both mine need door window frame paint too. I've got some black Rustoleum, but I don't think it'll give the right finish. Not that it really matters given than the paint on both of mine is generally awful...
User avatar
electrokid
1K Away
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Woking

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by electrokid »

Sorry to hear about Lana, hope she gets well soon - I can concur from a bout I had a couple of years ago - Dioralyte is definitely the way to go.

So... cracks in the roof - not looked at mine but I have had a damp seatbelt from time to time - is there any way to remove the fibreglass trim so I can have a closer look ?

I found water on the driver's floor mat yesterday so I guess I've found the leak that's causing wet floors front and rear OS in the BX - looks like windscreen - and the Granada seems to have a blocked sunroof drain :( nothing's dry around here !
1992 BX19 TGD estate 228K Rusty - SORNed
2002 C5 HDi SX estate
Post Reply