Mulley's New 19TXD

[Way2go]

Do you need the handbrake? If its mega bucks i'd forget it, i've managed without one for a while now & whilst it feels odd at 1st not using one, you soon adapt tbh.

So how can you promote that? A fully functioning Handbrake is an MOT requirement.

I'm not sure what your issue is:

mot today with a pass, one advisory regarding handbrake binding slightly

What do they mean by "binding", as the handbrake uses the front discs binding would also be applicable to the main brakes too. Perhaps they mean the caliper "pulls" are not springing back immediately the handbrake is released? Anyway not using it is likely to be counterproductive as the mechanism stiffens with non-use.

[MULLEY]

Last tankful i managed 775 miles on 63 litres, so over 55mpg, quite impressed with the old gal really

[Philip Chidlow]

More to do with the driver - and an admirably light right foot

We drive our TXD pretty 'purposefully' and we're lucky to see 46mpg. I must admit there's a combination of nippy urban dashing and long drives down the motorways at 72 mph four up, with a boot at least half full - shame it's not a turbo given our driving styles - but it's a legend as it is

[MULLEY]

Cheers Phil.

Try to keep the revs below 3k & usually change up through the gears a tad over 2k & in 5th just keep to 3k revs, which is approx 63-4mph. That average consists of a few longish runs but mostly commuting to work & back which has a mixture of dual carriageway & single a & b roads with a fair bit of urban driving.

I think i've deliberately slowed down, not because i'm older, i just don't need the hassle of people who don't like being overtaken & just prefer a more relaxed drive without incurring road rage.

Infact i invariably catch upto people who bomb past me on the dual carriageway & i get in front of them again because they decide to queue up in the longest line of cars in that relevant lane at roundabouts, whilst i don't

I've also noticed that at lights i catch them up anyway, the 1 minute they've saved by speeding past me has gotten them nowhere except a large fuel bill. I believe its a perception that by going quickly you'll arrive at your destination quicker, but in reality it doesn't, so go slow & save money on fuel, simples

I wonder if my car as it racks up the miles, its coming upto 130k is getting more economical?

What would be interesting would be to try a much more modern diesel to see if it could even match the bx?

[MULLEY]

Mileage 131950ish, went upto Sunny Wakefield today for Shaune to help me do some spannering.

Replacement Hydraulic Pump fitted, seems to have resolved the stiff on/off steering Also fitted a new Pump belt as well.

Cambelt replaced, tensioner & water pump checked & they were ok so left them as is.

New front discs & pads, with some maintenance of the calipers to get them slipping & sliding like they should. Whilst doing these, noticed that the strut return pipe on the driver side were perished, so fun & games trying to get that flaming clip to hold on the new one. Grrr, i want the proper citroen tool.

Checked the driver side balljoint which turned out to be fine, so the knocking sound remains elusive, possibly the lower engine mount or subframe bolt?

Noticed that the sump plug was weeping slightly, so when i do the oil change shortly i'll fit a new sump washer to resolve.

Also spotted the gearbox oil plug leaking, so something else to resolve at some point in time.

Checked the FDV for leakage & whilst there was a little lhm, it was deemed very low so keep on until it gets worse as its not noticeable.

The plastic cylincer under the pressure regulator was leaking, so that was fun taking that off with the big eff off spring etc ready to piss the innards out all over the road. Didn't spot until later a metal shaft thing had popped out as well, luckily we managed to work out which way it was supposed to fit inside the upper housing etc... A surprising amount of crap was in the plastic cylinder, it would appear to be somewhere where crap just accumulates over time, so cleaned all of that out. Had to sandpaper the plastic housing which fits against the pressure regulator as rust had attached to plastic Shaune used some glue stuff which sets even if the area is wet, so put all back together & appears to now be leak free

Didn't get a chance to change the coolant, another day for that.

Need some replacement handbrake cables as well, some more e-bay shopping to be done.

Cheers Shaune, learnt a fair bit today as well

[Defender110]

Flaming eck! you had a busy day bud!

[MULLEY]

To be fair, Shaune had a busy day, me less so, but still good to give a helping hand & get some of the bits started whilst Shaune was working on something else at the same time. It was a long but damn enjoyable day, weather stayed kind, got a few cups of tea & choccy biccies, & good company with Shaune, & learnt some more stuff, & saved a damn fortune if i'd had to get a garage to do that little lot. I was very tired on the drive back, but car is working pretty well apart from that clonking sound which only occurs in certain road conditions.

[Defender110]

I bet the clonking is loose subframe bolts, my auto used to do it. I convinced myself it was a suspension knock or engine mounting but it only did it occasionally usually when turning. Half a turn on the subframe bolts cured it.

[MULLEY]

I'll get them looked at, i didn't think it was them tbh as i only get this clonking sound if the car is going over a particularly rough bit of road & then it makes a distinctive clonk sound, it won't make the sound over speed bumps I'm really hoping it something simple & cheap, it had better not be a strut

[MULLEY]

132250 - Changed the oil & oil filter today.

[Alfa_man]

Haven't seen you all summer until yesterday. Couldn't smell chips though , do you use bio-fuel anymore?

I'm currently using sunflower oil couresy of Asda when they had a clearance price on recently

Super fresh do you have some sort of heating system for the oil?

No heating system fitted, just pour into the tank & away i go

That is pretty cool stuff, does it run fine etc - do you mix it at all?

[MULLEY]

When i say i just pour it into the tank, there is already diesel in it, i don't run the car on 100% veg oil, its usually 70% derv & the other 30% approx is my max for veg oil. Trouble is finding any thats a decent price, you used to be able to buy veg oil for peanuts so it was very cheap motoring.

The recent pump belt was squeeling like a banshee, so i've tightened it up & its now all nice and quiet

[MULLEY]

Changed the fuel filter today & topped up the oil.

Paul296 kindly came over to sort out my rust rear door shuts. Really glad as he managed to uncover the driver side one which eventually yielded a rather large hole. If i'd left if any longer it could have gone into the sill which would then have been a massive job.

So today he ground out all the rust, kurust'd the areas, used filler & bridging mesh were required & sanded it all down & got some primer on. He'll kindly be coming back next Sat to sand them down again to get them looking like new & re-primering to follow with painting them so that they look brand new.

Cheers for your help & good company Paul, learnt a lot & will be getting a dremmel for xmas so that i can tackle the other bits on the car that need doing.

[Alfa_man]

I have a polo that needs quite a lot of that kind of work.

Looked well this morning though

[messerschmitt owner]

I have a polo that needs quite a lot of that kind of work.

I can guess that your Polo isn't a mint one then?