MOT stuff

[retrodriver]

Some good some bad news, all it needs is headlights and handbrake adjusting and a new brake pipe. But.....he mentioned a slight leak on one of the front struts, wont know until tomorrow if im going to get away with it, he is going to see if it drops anything overnight. There are no drips in my garage so fingers crossed!

However he reckons there is a light bottom end knock coming through, bugger. Its done 101k and to be honest the engine isnt as smooth as the one in my old 305. However it could carry on for ages who knows although might look at an engine swap before I pay out for a cambelt etc on this one. Emissions are fine and it burns no oil which is good!

[DavidRutherford]

he mentioned a slight leak on one of the front struts, wont know until tomorrow if im going to get away with it, he is going to see if it drops anything overnight.

If it does, that can't be used as reason to pass or fail an MOT! It has to be an assessment of the car as presented, and nothing more.

If I had a leaky strut, but removed all evidence of the leak, and said evidence didn't return during the test, I cannot be failed for a leak.

[DLM]

Apologies if you, or the tester, know what follows:

handbrake adjusting

Do you know the technique to bring the handbrake auto-adjust into play?

Engine running, step on the brake pedal FIRMLY, keep your foot there, then repeatedly pull up the handbrake lever - adjustment starts once you get beyond about the 6th click AFAIR. With handbrake off, take your foot off the pedal and try handbrake again. Repeat as necessary.

NOTE: This won't work so well if your brakes and/or pads are getting low, or are unequally worn, and assumes that the front pads were fitted with 1mm clearance between each pad and disc. Attempting to nip up brake cables manually, unequal length cables, etc can all throw things out of kilter too.

....he mentioned a slight leak on one of the front struts

Normally, BX strut leaks are from the pair of strut low-pressure return pipes fastened at the bottom rear of the strut + looping up towards the inner wing. These flexible rubber pipes perish and crack before breaking (it will happen eventually), becoming porous as they crack.

Replacement pipes are available from GS & F/Eurocarparts/Citroen: original parts rather than pattern pipes are best. The clip is best renewed - and fitted/removed with a pair of carpenter's-type pincers. Excessive returns occur once strut internals and seals wear.

[citronut]

to adjust the hand brake you have car on level ground, engine running and press the brake pedel hard 2 to 3 times, you dont pull the lever up and down because if the lever is even slightly on the calliper cant adjust inside,

for example when fitting new pads you should unhook the cables from the callipers, wind the pistons in, fit the pads, then with engine running press the pedel hard 2 to 3 times to reset the adjustment before re/attatching the cables

regards malcolm

[pitman]

On our car, this leaking from the front struts showed up only when the car was in their garage.

To test the front part for worn bushes, the MOT tester levered the car with a hydraulic jack. Then, some LHM came out of the worn front strut rubber pipes.

Or, they changed a rear tyre, and again, the car was in a strange position and it did leak again.

On the driveway at home, there was never a single drop and the loss LHM was undetectable. I never topped up anything.

If the handbrake isn't adjustable by the normal procedures, it's worth to have a look at the handbrake mechanism. There is a rubber cap on the caliper. Removing the clip around the cap, you can take it off and look if it still looks fine. I found only the rusty remains of something unidentifiable and had to replace the caliper. There might be some repair kits, though. That maybe cheaper but' it's probably more work involved.

[Tim Leech]

Some good some bad news, all it needs is headlights and handbrake adjusting and a new brake pipe. But.....he mentioned a slight leak on one of the front struts, wont know until tomorrow if im going to get away with it, he is going to see if it drops anything overnight. There are no drips in my garage so fingers crossed!

However he reckons there is a light bottom end knock coming through, bugger. Its done 101k and to be honest the engine isnt as smooth as the one in my old 305. However it could carry on for ages who knows although might look at an engine swap before I pay out for a cambelt etc on this one. Emissions are fine and it burns no oil which is good!

Well the headlamps are an easy fix and you have a spare pair , as for the rattle from the bottom end I wouldnt worry to much. My first 16TZS had a slight rumble but it didnt affect the way it performed and did 10k like that and dint get any worse. Although I know my Rutherford has/did have a good low miles 1.6 engine spare?

[retrodriver]

Well the front strut isnt going to cause problems for the MOT which is good, they couldnt make it leak they just noted some LHM somewhere which was cleaned and didnt return. Its having new front pads as they are very low which will help the handbrake along. Headlights are being adjusted no problems and its having the new brake pipe genuine citroen etc. Should get it back later with 12 months ticket, including buying it in the 1st place it will owe me about 200 quid, not bad!

He said dont worry about the engine its fine, maybe try some slightly thicker oil but he said it could do many many more miles like that and just change it when it finally lets go hehe

[velosolex50]

Should you need calipers, I have had a pair from Brakes International in rochdale, £47.36 +vat each+ carriage. Helpful, friendly, rapid despatch & even if reconditioned, they look brand new. Handbrake now fine!

[retrodriver]

thats good to know....the handbrake seems to travel less now, and the brakes are superb but the calipers will want changing at some point, I think they are a bit sticky in their old age! Im surprised the old pads did anything to be honest, completely dead.

Total bill including MOT was 212 quid, the car cost 80 quid so all in all a cheap car!