GRX gets a ticket

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GRX gets a ticket

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The Estate gained its MOT this morning. Been off the road for 51/2 years so the first drive was going to be interesting. That got kind of lost in enjoying the ride and comfort after a year of van driving and far longer BX less. So really I was no more clued up when I had done my 9 miles to Mellors than I was when I started. Mike, tester, told me to wipe the grin off my face.

Being under a car on the ramp is always better for finding fault. My rear hight adjuster is weeping fluid. The protective under surface body treatment is breached in several places. An iffy looking fuel pipe for the future. Many little clean up and tidy up tasks to do, if this car is to provide long service. Fundamentally its good and solid, though. I lied about the mileage. Its just turned 116,000, so has every chance to be solid with a spell off the road as well.
All joints and electrics passed so a clean ticket with no advisories. I thank you.

Driving over the brakes bedded in, no probs there. On the return I found the car is bobbling on corners. One side is pretty hard on the rear. So that is going to be spheres, I guess, though mixed and matched tyres will not help. Pump and accumulator have settled down and it is not to bad on tripping in to boost the pressure on a lengthy gap. The car stays up for a good long time. Rear suspension is adjusted to high. So far no leaks - ooo eck. Better than I expected.

Downside. The clutch is not working well, with a rather woolly feel and it is periodically slipping. I hope this might be a sticky cable and the remaining nut shards and leaves I could not blow out, after finding mice had been nesting on the inter-cooler, accessing through the air duct in the bonnet. The engine bay was loaded with discards and stored nuts. Cheeky blighters had a Ritz flat there. The inter-cooler is to be changed, as I have a better one, now that the mice wee has corroded the original somewhat. I rather suspect the problem is not nuts but that a worn or contaminated clutch plate is present. Be fair, there is always a reason someone sells a car and it was not expensive.

Radiator was not convincing. I think I will change to the spare and see if its better.
All in all I think I am more pleased than I should be.

The 1600 Auto in Blackpool is to be collected Friday week so that will hopefully be doubled in use with the TZD in time. So I near road use.
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

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Tim Leech
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Re: GRX gets a ticket

Post by Tim Leech »

Well done! Is this an ex Ken Newbold car?
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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Re: GRX gets a ticket

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A timely MOT. The van just blew up! Do not know the cause. Trouble is too busy to work on BX so far this week. All the van had to do was last two more weeks, but no, that would be to easy. Humph! :x
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

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Re: GRX gets a ticket

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Tim Leech wrote:Well done! Is this an ex Ken Newbold car?
I do not know. I got L327 GRX of a chap called Andrew Smith of Leslie Road in Nottingham according to the logbook. I do not recall much about him other than he was working on his flat/house and was into climbing. He apparently got the car in May 2005 and I got it in December 2007 from when it has toured my various off road parking places till now, 51/2 years later. I have a notion there was a link with Newbury, now why was that. Dealer sticker?
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

'87 Trooper, Borgwards, Saabs, MG ZB, Bellamy Trials, Fiat Jolly & Bianchina, Goggo Dart, Messerschmitt, Heinkel, Bubblecars
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Re: GRX gets a ticket

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With that reg it sounds very much like it, is it a 19TXD estate?
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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Re: GRX gets a ticket

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No its a white 1.7 TZD Turbo.

More fun and games today. Got the tax disc sorted and in dire need of Diesel got to the garage to find the flap lock jammed. It had coughed a few times getting there so I attempted to ease the lock round. Was not having any of it. A key is not a good lever. So back home. With a bit of wood to lean my thigh onto the center and some Wurth in the lock I got it to move and worked it open. Now not enough fuel to get back to the garage. :roll: OK so the blown up van does not need fuel any more. Cannot get a pipe in the tank, already know that, so off with the fuel pump line and into a container. Fire the starter round and flat the battery off somewhat. Off to the garage and £50 of fresh fuel and an Italian tune up. :D

Clutch on the end of the pedal, is it adjustment or slipping - or nuts? Two tyres are rubbish. Tick over to high. Suspension good, brakes good but a noticeable delay in PAS steering when first starting either up or unused for sometime. Not sure I like that, might be something nasty. Whole car is loosening up well. Radiator, still not sure and must check out a temperature gauge dodge. It has even temperature across it but the engine seems hot. However it has only now been able to clear its throat.
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

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Re: GRX gets a ticket

Post by Tinkley »

HI TB, try rebleeding the hydraulic system again to see if this helps the PAS, for some reason a periodic bleed often helps. Also if rear is slow to rise. Clutch if it requires foot on floor will be cured by adjustment usually, beware of the 'floating' pin many are lost by those not adjusting correctly. On the water front I would check the system (having had fan,fuse,thermostat all gone in one) so check fan rotates as the bearings can sieze, short the connector after removal with a small wire and 2 spade male ends. It will rotate on just turning the ignition switch, you can hear it easily with the door open. The two spades should be put in the single 'cross' socket and one of the two side sockets. Check fuse , probably No4 as this is for the whole cooling system a 20amp one. Thermostat should allow fan to cut in after around 10-12 mins idling judging from my testing yesterday (I was relieved to hear that familiar whirr!), the warning temp lights are on a different circuit.

Personal preference after having lost core plugs through internal rust on my 1.4 lump leads me to being fanatical about using deionised water/antifreeze in the cooling system. I have no reason to suspect that this is superior in iron blocks as well.

Glad the old girl came to the rescue.
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Re: GRX gets a ticket

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The replacement radiator is a great improvement but as commented elsewhere it does seem to be weeping. That was on a hot day over 45 miles (?) for the water light to come on. No fan or drama. So detective work to do to see if I can find the leak. The engine seems OK after its slight overheat. I was pretty certain I had taken all care in an awkward situation.

Need to double check one fan for full function. Poor connection I think.

Jabba has supplied me with an already converted Diesel / Gti composite dash board assembly and sensor for which I am most pleased. Also showed me how you get into the dash etc. Could be interesting with my fat arms and big hands but a way will be found.

Clutch. I failed to understand the adjustment on this. So there is no more. Having said that it is improving with use.

I did rebleed the hydraulics and took the filter out. There is a lot of crude in there judging by what I have collected since I cleaned it prior to starting to bring the car back together. Anyway the steering seems to be a bit smarter about being active now, so it worked.

We progress, but slowly as I am learning while I do it.
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

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Re: GRX gets a ticket

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Well it had to happen at some point but it need not have happened near Evesham. The Estate gained a failure somewhere in the LHM system where you cannot see it and had to be left since a 'helper' at the weekend removed the three vital things I needed in cleaning the car out. A torch, a rag and the freshly made set of BX notes with drag away info. #-o At my age I should know not to believe that people do what you ask them to, but I was in a hurry, chucked the tools in, and left, assuming I had some chance of repair. Nope. :cry:
So hopefully we can go and scrape up the mess tonight. Great timing as it puts into question getting to Wicksteed since I have not a clue what has failed. There is fluid mainly on the drivers side crossmember but its got over the passenger side wheel somehow. Fav is the u bend after the hight adjuster save for fluid to get that far it might need to be a high pressure failure. The thing steers and has brakes while there is fluid so I limped it to a very good pub. :D Cheesy chips with bacon and Dockside Dark while I waited for a lift.
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

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Re: GRX gets a ticket

Post by Tinkley »

Sorry to hear of the woes. My best guess is the Octopus return from the ride height cylinder, exactly as you describe. It may however be the clip becoming too loose not an actual rubber failure. It all depends on the age of the Octopus, theres plenty about it on this forum. If you have access to a ramp its about 2hours to change the entire Octopus. Much easier if by some other misfortune the engine and transmission are not in normal situ.
The access to the back of the ride height corrector is pretty limited and the higher you can get the car in the air the better. It will require a bit of cleaning too maybe compressed air, steam, paraffin or something just to see through the murk. Good luck with it.

I did hit something that disconnected both front return pipes on one side and that was a bit messy!
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Re: GRX gets a ticket

Post by mat_fenwick »

Cheesy chips with bacon
Not ALL bad news then! I would have thought if it was a high pressure leak you would really know about it, and low pressure ones can often be repaired, at least on a temporary basis. Good luck!
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Re: GRX gets a ticket

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Tinkley wrote: Clutch if it requires foot on floor will be cured by adjustment usually, beware of the 'floating' pin many are lost by those not adjusting correctly.
The TD uses a different arrangement and has no floating pin. If it's the low mileage TZD with the clutch issue I'd be surprised if it was worn, easy to see 100K plus unless granny had a heavy left foot.

Check travel according to Haynes. A high biting point means you are getting thin on the old plate (once adjusted correctly that is). You may find, if it's been stood, that general use will free it up but short of removing the box to investigate, the only other culprit could be a tired clutch cable, usually in fine fettle at this mileage but age could be against it, corrosion due to condensation on the cable itself or a fracture on the outer sheathing???
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Re: GRX gets a ticket

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mat_fenwick wrote:
Cheesy chips with bacon
Not ALL bad news then!
I was more interested in the Dockside Dark, what brew is this you speak of?!
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Re: GRX gets a ticket

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Do you know I was that teed off I did not look at the pump handle so I cannot tell you much about Dockside Dark save it was one of the many fine ales that visit The Fleece at Bretforton near Evesham, which is owned by The National Trust. Maybe their website has some info on it. My guess would be Gloucester. Anyway its got a very strong aftertaste so only really for those who like a really beery pint. I was a bit surprised they had it on as summer tends to be for lighter brews - IPA for instance. (I had a good one at The Majors Retreat, Tormarton). However they always seem to have a mild, porter or dark on, at The Fleece.
Now funnily enough I go up to a regular pub night there, indeed over the summer it has been the habit to have this night as a classic car night. The pub is that busy this has rather dropped off the Landlords priority list, but it is a darned good venue. So once I knew I had a BX that was fundamentally sorted I was going to suggest this as a possible South West Midlands pub night venue, since there seems to be nothing else. You cannot suggest a pub night venue and then not be there, really. So if I am there and Graham and Nick Haddon are too, that is three folk into Citroens already. I do about 45 miles to get there. Such a circle takes in Stratford, over to Coventry, bottom of Birmingham, Worcestershire and down to Gloucester/Cheltenham.
The food is good too. You can get expensive but for the riff raff like us they do pie and a pint in the winter and Burger and a pint in the summer for £7.50, I think its. If it all got really successful there is a barn across the way that can be had if the locals are not using it - its a proper pub so a focal point of the village.

Anyway we were back over last night to scrape up the BX. Rude not to nip in. However the tow car, Merc, was not happy going up Fish Hill and boiled up. Fortunately I had water in the BX as I still do not trust the rad. So after loitering in on a garage forecourt for a spell we chucked about 3 pints of water in. It was happy as Larry after that so I think it was just a bit low before we started. So today, if I get motivated, I will find out which bit failed. On thinking through my bet is going to front height adjuster or beyond as I had it off and fiddled with it. So the rest of that system has been done moving the weak point on. Had my van not packed it in I would have had all pipes off, checked and sorted out as this is what happens if you do not. Everything is 20 odd years old and Mr Bodge may have been to visit.

Got the loan of a car for Sunday if I need it.
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

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Re: GRX gets a ticket

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The pixies are determined to stop me. :twisted: The loan car evaporated via a failed clutch pedal on their VW Polo - the second one in two months. Yep its modern! #-o So they need their Merc as the Polo is on its bi monthly visit to the garage where it spends a week on holiday having something done to it for about £300 a throw. I keep telling him to get a BX but I am not exactly the best advertisement at the moment! [-X However he is more than capable of the DIY, if advised what/how to do it, much as myself. The ancient Merc 300 diesel Estate I got him to buy, even though on a low budget, has done 37k with narry a fault after we did the power steering fault it came with and all has been DIY so far. It is cheaper on fuel that the Polo! :) Modern crap.

The BX meanwhile, nose in the air, had a rear return come off. I am not convinced that this is as simple as it looks as the bracket with the 4 high pressure pipes behind the crossmember is now broken and pulled back a bit. It wasn't like that before. I checked the pipes visually before and during the MOT, as I am allowed under the ramp with my guy. (Ooh, nice Ducky :lol: ) Yet I recall hearing no impact I am reasonably convinced something has hit that. So another thing to sort out. :(

:idea: Theory one, then, is that impact clouted the return line, directly or indirectly via the bracketed pipes, pulling it back, or out. It then depositing my LHM on the road, obviously. On the plus side the front to rear high pressure lads seem fine.

This does not explain how LHM got over the n/s wheel. There is no sign of a leak round there.

So put the return back together, not easy with hands my size. =D> With only 2 bottles of LHM available locally, I gifted one to the gods of the green stuff and tried the system. As expected, the return now in place, no leak. However their was a explosive spluttering leak from the low pressure output of the accumulator. :cry: The large rubber outlet to small bore return pipe has perished and each actuation of the accumulator, 45 seconds or so, was sending out enough pressure to permeate the failing rubber. While this was pumping through air/LHM the venting fluid was traveling a fair distance and I think might account for the n/s wheel. Bare in mind I drove some two miles on a collapsed suspension, no steering BX, so it will have been pumping frothy stuff round. Allowing for compressed gas exciting the pump/pressured side and expending out of the liquid, a la bottle of fizzy pop, I can see how this has finished off a weak exit pipe and gone everywhere. #-o That said there seems to be quite a bit of pressure escaping on each bypass now there is just fluid in the system. So I wonder if the accumulator is entirely good. [-o<

:idea: Theory two, then, excess pressure passing through the return system. Looking at the schematic that should really only effect the front loop though. That has failed once on the back of the three way joint, a fav I understand, as it has a rubber pipe doing a U turn. So the probability is the new leak is not related to the other one, save the low LHM level has created the second issue which was waiting to happen anyway. :roll:

:idea: Theory three can be tested. A seal failing in the rear suspension passing to much fluid forward. Well it was fine about 3 weeks ago after testing the return and up until the leak, and after that has been corrected, the accumulator has been pretty relaxed about life at about 45 sec a cycle. A test is easy so silly not to do it. :)

Result. I need a bracket - scrounge off Jaba perhaps, and more of an issue right know, an accumulator low pressure output pipe that does not pee LHM everywhere. Not something I can botch up with a skeleton workshop. Bummer for Wicksteed. The pixies win. :twisted:

If my logic is flawed feel free to tell me so. I gave up worrying about looking a pratt years ago. If you don't get stuck in you do not learn.
Miguel - 16 TRS Auto S, light blue, 43k miles - £450
Pluto - 14 E S, White, 105k Miles - in work
Egbert - 19 16v Gti, White, A/C & Leather, - Keeper
Walt - 17 TZD Turbo S, graphite, 70k miles, good op extras - Keeper
Scraper- 17 TZD Turbo E, blue, 208k miles - parts
Homer - 19 TXD E, Red, 189k miles - £250
Gary - 17 TZD Turbo E, 118k miles - in work

'87 Trooper, Borgwards, Saabs, MG ZB, Bellamy Trials, Fiat Jolly & Bianchina, Goggo Dart, Messerschmitt, Heinkel, Bubblecars
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