The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Tell us about life with your BX, or indeed life in general!
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Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Mothman »

Never ends does it? Little things that can go wrong will go wrong!!
This time its the ignition lock. Went to start Mollie and the key decided to jamb in the ignition with the steering wheel locked. Well, i suppose cos she is old these things happen. Bugger!!
Anyhow, wasnt too worried cos i bought one of these for 14 quid a while back on feebay purposely for a MK 1. I had already replaced one before on my N/A diesel Mk 2 a few years previously and the removal and refit went ok.
Went to see Malcolm down in St Leonards yesterday. He was actually in the process of having lights fitted up in his workshop so that he will be able to actually see what he is doing on Citroens rather than the usual touchy feely jobs. He had kindly refurbed a purflux filter head for me. Seemed to pump nicely so will fit it tomorrow. Went down in the TGS and she again was a cracking drive.
Off to get some gas for Gloria and a load of fresh fuel for Mollie as i will also be emptying out her fuel tank tomorrow.

Andy
Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Mothman »

Pumped out the all of the remaining diesel out of Mollie's tank today. It was cloudy and very yellow, unlike any diesel i have seen before and didnt smell right either.
Lots of sludge under the sender too,very much like treacle and as sticky. How will i get rid of this?
Seems like ime going to have to get some diesel bug killer to sort future problems but how to remove this gooey lot? Will i have to remove the tank?
Speedo dosnt work but having popped the top, cable seems to still be in situ so there's more work to do here.
Damned glad i didnt buy the 17RD on Feebay, although i wanted it, going to have heaps of work to do on Mollie to keep me busy. After all, you cant save everything. Hope somebody who cares has got her.

Andy
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2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
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Re: The Fleet blog

Post by MULLEY »

Sounds like the cloudy yellow stuff is veg oil, probably used veg or possibly biodiesel, it will look a bit like golden syrup on your tank filters. I used a hand pump to get all the crud out, you will have to pop some nice fresh diesel in the tank, probably 10 litres like i had to. But what i did was then re-filter all of the old crap & the nice fresh diesel that had gotten mixed up with, & then just re-used it as it was nice & clean to re-use. I wouldn't personally bother dropping the fuel tank, see how you get on with the above method 1st of all.

I also have some bio killer fluid that can help when fuel tanks get fungus inside them, i'll hopefully be at Wetherby if you would like some?
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Mothman »

Thanks for the info Matthew, i would like some diesel treatment but wont be at Wetherby so will get some local to me.
Ile add some fresh diesel to the tank but i wonder if it would be an idea to add a gallon or so of petrol to try and dissolve the treacly crud i can see at the bottom of the tank and then pump it out? Been using an old Mk 2 primer bulb and a bit of pipe which does the job ok.

Andy
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2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
x 8

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by MULLEY »

Try pumping it out 1st before using petrol, just incase that doesn't disolve it. Can you take a photo of this yellow cloudy stuff, it'd be interesting to see whether anyone else has an opinon on what it might be.

I had the golden syrup syndrome on my tank filter, it was blocking any fuel getting into the engine, it turned out that the batch of biodiesel that i'd bought was faulty, & it went really gloopy & just gummed everything up. I had to pump the tank out, clean the tank filter & then put a few litres of clean diesel in to keep capturing all the gloop to the pump it all out, so probably used 2 5litre fuel cans in total until i was fairly happy that i'd gotten most of it out. Filled up as normal & then just checked the tank filter again after a couple of weeks, cleared a little more gloop off & then when i was low on fuel did another fuel tank filter check & it was all fine, & haven't checked it since as it seemed to run fine.
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Mothman »

It goes on!!
Off out in the TZD on Tuesday and the red lights come on. OK, it was only for the LHM levels but i was surprised as i hadnt seen any evidence of a leak of green blood anywhere. I actually hadnt topped up or looked at the system since my front strut traumas this time last year, didnt replace the same amount lost then so maybe i have a slow leak. Parked her up and put in low. No evidence of any oil stains in the rain today. Maybe, as Malcolm suggested, she is loosing the stuff whilst mobile. Time will tell. Collected some compost bags at a local garden centre yesterday, received my first 'Wow' havnt seen one of those for ages, my parents thought they were great!!
Will do piccies of the crap in my fuel tank at the w/end if the weather and work permits.

Andy
Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Mothman »

Out and about today for an hour in Gloria and i saw a white BX with a tailblazer, a DS in Tun Wells and a French plate XM in Lamberhurst who seemed well pleased to see an old BX.
In the mean time, ive ordered a special enzyme for Mollie's gunged up fuel tank that is supposed to eat up all the diesel bug and its residue, enabling it all to pass through the filter and be burnt with the fuel. A lot less hassle than cleaning out the tank. Got it from a marine supplier and recommended by a mate who is a charter skipper who cured his 'bug' with it.

Andy
Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Mothman »

The diesel enzyme arrived this am, stuff called Soltron. Its supposed to kill the bug and eat up all the residue which then passes through the fuel filter and is combusted in the engine with no ill effects.

Will give it a go this pm.

Andy
Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Mothman »

Went down to Malcolm's in St Leonards this afternoon to try and sort the green blood leak. After a lot of searching i saw that there was a bit of wet that was leaking all down the front subframe asssembly that was coming from below where one of the strut leak off pipes pushes into one of the two metal pipes bolted to the inner wing. The rubber pipe that goes into the octopus was to blame and Malcolm actually managed to get it off ok without pulling so much off, which would have cause real problems reattaching it to the said octopus. Well done bud, problem now sorted, although the leak was minor.
Then found that there was a grinding sound every time the clutch cable was depressed. A great deal of trouble was gone to to find that it wasnt the pedal end, inc removal of the doseur bolts and everything around the steering column. All put back ok but it seems to be coming from the gearbox end. Anyone with any ideas. I hope to be trying to sort it this w/end. Its quite noisy but cant be heard inside the motor.

Bloody motors, i hate em......
Image
You can see the split at the rhs of the piccy.
Andy
Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Mothman »

Been getting Gloria ready to go away. Changed her oil as its only about the 2nd time in 12 years or so. Malcolm did it before getting her ready for me but wont do any harm. Also changed the dexron, it was black last time, still pretty dirty but again, it wont hurt. Loaded up all the spares i think i might need in case there are problems on the way to Looe. Just need to sort all my fishing and personal kit, fill her up with some gas and a quick brush and scrub up and all will be ready. Just hope the nice weather i booked a while back turns up.

Andy
Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Mothman »

Gloria got the 'horn' last night or rather it stopped outside my mates house on the way to the pub. Maybe she just didnt want to go for a pint so dragged her feet a little. Couldnt find the horn anywhere under the bonnet, book of lies didnt help, it wasnt where it said it was!! Checked all the fuses, all ok there.
However, the BOL did help re dismantling the RHS binnacle as i have an old brown book which is much thicker than later blue jobbies so the job went well as it covers Mk 1s in greater detail. Decided to rob Mollie of hers, replaced with Gloria's of course and now i have a much louder noisier horn. The binnacle seemed a tad loose on its mounting so tightened up the 2 screws a bit more and alls well. I like it when a fix goes to plan, took all of 5 minutes.

Andy
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Re: The Fleet blog

Post by BX Bandit »

Got ramp envy, them's for men with beer guts and beards! The yorkie of ramps!
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Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Mothman »

Went out this morning to sort some moles for a friend in Sophie and on the way back thought it smelt a bit odd inside the motor [no, it wasnt dead moles, havnt caught the bastards yet]. Parked her up and noticed a trail of oil running off into the distance behind her. Thought oh no green blood!! but couldnt see anything gushing. Started her up and opened bonnet to find diesel gushing all over the engine. The oil back pipe to the pump had split. Replaced this last August for the MOT. Cheap shit stuff. Glad it happened on a short journey, shudder to think what would have happened if i had been on my way to the West Country.

Gave Gloria a good spruce up today as well and whilst washing her, one of the number plate lights fell out. Easy fix as i had a spare. If i hadnt been washing her, wouldnt have found it. I suppose blu tac would have done in an emergency or the good ole duck tape. Only a couple of days to go and ime away. Cant wait.
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Re: The Fleet blog

Post by Defender110 »

Mothman wrote: and whilst washing her, one of the number plate lights fell out. Easy fix as i had a spare. If i hadnt been washing her, wouldnt have found it.

This happened to me whilst washing one of mine but with the headlight glass, managed to catch it before it hit the deck. 8-[
Kevan
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2002 C5 2.0 HDI (110) Estate - Jasmine - SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
x 8

Re: The Fleet blog

Post by MULLEY »

Same with my old Gti, suddenly popped off as i was washing the car, managed to save it before going smash, checked the other side & that was very loose, so i prized it off, used some white builders caulk & re-fitted, job done :)
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
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