BX in danger of losing its appeal...

[Philip Chidlow]

Me again. Same old.

The BX GTi auto is a great BX. This one is too, once it's out on the open road or starting from cold.

But it's got this problem with starting after resting...

After a drive and left alone for a few mins it stutters and idles very badly. Will stall sometimes when gear is engaged and it's time to move off... But once running and on the road (and when starting from cold) it's brilliant.

And don't query the injectors: they've been removed, ultrasonically cleaned and replaced (no appreciable difference in performance so maybe they weren't too bad in the first place) and the plugs, HT leads have been replaced.

If this isn't sorted soon the wife's going to lose patience (she's the one who uses it more than me) and it'll have to go. Not a happy prospect.

Is it the airflow meter (MAP???I don't know enough about this sort of thing). Any ideas?

It's on 'death row' as we speak

[toddao]

Yes sounds like air problem, restricting airflow to the wife will certainly keep her more patient!

Seriously though until someone better qualified appears it sounds to me like XMitis has jaded you somewhat. The way you present this problem Phil, it's as though you've already made up your mind to shift the BX. It can't really be that much wrong?

[Philip Chidlow]

Don't get me wrong, I haven't given up. I just want to sort it.

Obviously I like the XM, but it's no BX and certainly can't replace it. It's not suitable as a daily hack although the BX clearly is - although the fuel economy does hurt.

[toddao]

I know you're a devoted BXer Phil, I was just ragging a bit ( Plus all defectors to the XM must be punished!)

Phil said

although the fuel economy does hurt.

especially with the rising cost of petrol. It's €1.50 a litre here now, I don't know what it is in England. Maybe get a diesel BX instead?

[mat_fenwick]

Diesel is more expensive over here - I pay £1.20 a litre for diesel and £1.15 for unleaded. (And 58p for gas, but 15mpg still doesn't make it cheap!)

I don't know what is the problem though Phil, but perhaps when it does it next, leave it stuttering for as long as possible. The take a plug out and look at the colour, I suspect that it's overfuelling but a plug check may confirm this. Sorry can't be more help.

[Philip Chidlow]

.... especially with the rising cost of petrol. It's €1.50 a litre here now, I don't know what it is in England. Maybe get a diesel BX instead?

It was an average of €1.39 in France this week. There was something on the news about it. Motorists are getting hacked off. Oil is nearly HALF what it was a year or 18 months ago, but it's never been more expensive at the pumps. WTF is going on?

I must say, a little diesel hatchback might be the way forward... and keep the BX as a 'hobby' car. If I can get a lock up.

What about this sort of thing? Or is HDi a whole new world of hurt?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2000-CITROEN-XSAR ... 0503936467

Anyway, this isn't really the section to discuss this... so back O/T: I'll do what you say Mat, but I wondered if it was loss of pressure in the fuel rail when hot?

[mat_fenwick]

That's a very plausible answer Phil, as that would fit with why it's OK after the fuel has got flowing again. Fuel pressure regulator getting a little tired maybe?

[Philip Chidlow]

I think that'll be worth looking at. I don't know, but I imagine they're not difficult to change... finding a suitable replacement will mean a trip to Edwards as I doubt I can get new.

[Tim Leech]

I changed the MAP sensor on my Xantia phil, was a 2 minute job, an electrical connector one end and a small rubber pipe. New was about £40 from GSF.

[Philip Chidlow]

Thanks. I wonder if GSF do one for the BX GTi. Haven't got any money or time at the moment though!

[tom]

I'd be most suspicious of the coil pack and the ignition module. Diagnosis is tricky so I would use a tuning company with a suitable fruit machine rather than spending time and money on guesswork.

[scrappydoo]

Similar though not exactly the same as mine:

http://www.bxclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10814

Have you tried a new distributor as vacuum advance diaphragm tends to diminish with age.

I'm getting there slowly with mine, but it's a long process and I also have a francosceptic missus who does most of the driving and would like nothing more than for me to move it on due to it's "rough running".

[akarso]

I'd be most suspicious of the coil pack

I'll second it - if broken they tend to fail when warmed up.

[Philip Chidlow]

Tom, that's good counsel. I will take it to Edwards where I can rendezvous with a chap called Peter who has plug in do-da's etc. as well as a metal plate in his head, but that's not really relevant ...

He did a cracking job on sorting issues with my 2.0 petrol Ulysse (which is a similar PSA lump to the one in the BX GTi), diagnosed and fixed all manner of things. Having access to the vast resources of Edwards helps too.

[mat_fenwick]

I'd be most suspicious of the coil pack

I'll second it - if broken they tend to fail when warmed up.

But the problem apparently goes away when he moves off...