Need some advice

jacksun1987 · Post by **jacksun1987** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 11:06 am

Just got my redundant pay out from my last job. But i still havernt got a job yet.
Is it worth getting my bx sorted out with it. Or give in and change it.
It needs about 500 pounds just over to put things right new arm bearing steering gaitor. Things like that,
The ride is very hard it is every bum you go over it s a carsh, Breaks you spine it does.

jacksun1987 · Post by **jacksun1987** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 11:37 am

471 .75
Bullwinkles wrote it down what needs doing to it. Cabt read his writing though all small and funny. lol
Can make out Homes resping Attintion LH RH Frount lower Suspantion arm bushes
LH RH Frount ante roll bar links
LHR Suspention arm Beaing
Leak from RHF frount break Calliper
Rhf + Both rear wheel bearings Slightly noisey

Engine leaking oil
But he siad theres no point doing the oil leak. Cost a bomb Im using 1 liter of oil bout once every 2 to 3 weeks

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 12:01 pm

Is it something you need to decide right now Paul ? I'd be inclined to hang on to the money in case things get tight - then when you get a job if you've still got the redundancy money you can get the BX done then - does that make sense.

jacksun1987 · Post by **jacksun1987** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 12:06 pm

Yep it does.
Just want it be perfect. I love my car but everytime i look at it feel slightly disapointed at the same time.

So far ive spent 771 pounds on it. Its draining me.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 12:35 pm

One job at a time.

The car is running, OK it's not perfect, but it not a perfect world. You have a car that will get you from A to B and some money to fuel it should you need to go anywhere.

I have two BX diesels autos here, neither of them is perfect but they do the job.
In your situation, only do what is necessary. Worry about MOT jobs when the MOT time gets nearer.

Alfa_man · Post by **Alfa_man** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 2:50 pm

I agree, cash is king, don't waste it!

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 2:55 pm

I would be inclined to get the spheres done for now, bearing in mind they cost £50 a pair and about half an hour to change so shouldnt be much, and save the rest until MOT day.

jacksun1987 · Post by **jacksun1987** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 5:25 pm

Ive had the 2 back ones done spheres. Bullwinkle sad the frount ones was ok. Unless they need doing now. But if it was the frount ones he would have done them.
Im a bit lucky becase im in the middle of bullwinkles and bob wilding. All about 30 mins dive away not evern that. But bob wilding doesnt have the magic no more he does other things now.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 8:22 pm

That does seem rather a lot of oil leaking if you are having to top it up by 1 litre every few weeks. Do you know where its coming from?

The rear wheel bearings are actually very easy to re-grease, i've done this myself, so if you fancy a go let us know & i'm sure we can describe how to do it. They may have just run a bit dry & re-greasing would sort them out. From memory i don't think you can do the fronts, its a sealed unit so a replacement is the only way to go?

I'm unfamiliar with the garage you mention, most of these repairs any garage should be able to do for you at perhaps a cheaper price than what you've been quoted? Keep an eye out on e-bay for cheap parts, whole arms are available for under £40 from a place recently mentioned which is probably cheaper than getting the bushes replaced, i'd keep the old one's though as spares & then get them re-bushed cheaply for future use.

I think you just need to prioritise what needs doing & have a go at doing some of the simpler jobs yourself.

You mention the suspension is very hard, when did you replace your spheres? Who changed them for you?

Paul, if you can provide a bit more useful info then i'm sure plenty of us on here can give you some advice on what you can have a go at & save some money whilst getting other bits & bobs done at a garage if you can't manage them. Also we can find out where to get the parts cheaper than perhaps a garage, find out locally if theres any garages that will do cheap labour if you are supplying the parts.

jacksun1987 · Post by **jacksun1987** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:30 pm

Yes i do need to try and do some things my self but im rubbish. I do trust the garage. Hes been doing citroens when i was in nappies. Plus he used to be a citroen main agent back in the earliy days. Like when the b was new i guess. Its the suspasion and steering whats doing my head in. It takes a very long time to pump up. Most of the time when its cold. Ive timed it it took to minites to rise. From the bottom to the normal setting. The light has stopped comming on though which is good thing. It used to come on somtimes when i was driving. He sorted that out when i took it in last time.
Thats when he replaced the 2 back spehers a new pipe and set the ride hight settings.
The suspention seems to be a bit better then what it was. But very hard when you go over pot holes and bumps.
The sterring pulsates when you are driving it. Like it seems to want to take control of its self.
The other thing whats just started latley. Is that the battey light comes on. Its not holding its charge thin the altenaters slowly packing in. But it comes off when i drive it. So its not to much of a problem. But one of theses days it might not start up. I have looked at the battery levles they are ok.

Its slowly getting to me. The body work is superb solid as a rock. Been waed oild undernieth and theres a new cambelt on it. And now i have the money in a weeks time its just so tempting to get it all sorted out. When i told bullwinkle about the steeering he sad its the pump. He has done other things on it. Like new accumintar

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:35 pm

I think he's right about the pump. However I'm not surprised the suspension feels hard and bouncy. He's adjusted the ride height to compensate for the worn rear arm bearings.

You need to find a new pump or known good secondhand one.

When is your MOT due?

jacksun1987 · Post by **jacksun1987** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:43 pm

Tell september but i cant leave it like that surly it will get worst. My grandad sad the same thing about the ride height changes. He sad a new pump will cost round 300 pounds thats fitting it and everything.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 11:10 pm

Bring it to the Northern section rally at Wetherby in the spring and lets all have a BX challenge repair weekend.

I reckon a handful of us could get this car sorted out on the saturday easily.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 11:27 pm

When was the accumulator sphere last changed, if its low on pressure, it can cause the pump to work much harder.

When did you last change the lhm? It might be worth if its been a few years to empty it out & run some hydraflush, you never know it might be dirt in the system thats causing some of your probs. These are much cheaper than a pump (unless you can get a 2nd hand one), unless the garage has actually diagnosed that the pump is deffo defective & ruled out everything else?

Ken's idea sounds like a good one to me, buy a few parts that you'll need & i'm sure some of us will muck in & get some bits done on your car for you

jacksun1987 · Post by **jacksun1987** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 11:42 pm

The accumenter was changed a year ago. When i first took it in so was the lhm fluid.
Yes im up for the northern meeting. Where abouts is it when is it.