How much for.....

[jeremyC5]

It's all your lot's fault !!!

I was NOT going to do another project! - But since no-one seemed interested in taking my BX19RD from me for parts, it seems it has fallen to me to get it back on the road.

Having had a look at it, it seems mostly rust free.
There are only two or three small holes in the cills to fix, and that's it !

One thing I've noticed so far is that the fuel pipe looks a bit flakey, so:

How much for... replacement fuel pipe, should I be looking at ?
Is it just an open ended pipe, or does it have flanges on the end like brake pipes?
Is that a return fuel pipe, and does that need to be replaced as well, that looks a bit rusty as well. ?
(it's a diesel, if that makes any difference)

Also, do the hydraulic pipes need replacing much ? Are these the very tiny ones, I haven't had much time to look yet.

Do you think I am wasting my time and money on this car, it will never be a looker, it is a bit of an old girl with it's knocks, bonks and scratches . ?
Also, considering I'm gonna have to pay for MOT, Road Tax and Insurance, is it worth it ??

-All your opinions will be very welcome

[MULLEY]

All BX's are worth saving, even if they aren't ever going to be a looker. If its relatively rust free & mechanically sound, it will be a fun car to drive, with excellent fuel economy from the 1.9n/a diesel engine. There should be 2 fuel pipes, they are quite a thick pipe, so unless they are really rotten i'd just treat the rust & then coat them in something to stop the rust coming back.

Hydraulic pipes can rust, a visual check is your best bet, especially where they bend or are tucked away, again i'd just treat them to a mix of lhm, old engine oil & diesel mixed together & literally just paint the pipes. Do that every year before the roads get salty, & they'll probably last a lifetime.

[citsncycles]

I echo the above - if it only needs minor welding then that's already half the battle!

Stocks are running out of the genuine fuel pipes, but others here have made replacements up out of copper pipe, although I've been told these can be attacked by biodiesel.

Hydraulic pipes are particularly vulnerable at the back of the passenger sill up onto the rear subframe, and also the pipes on the rear subframe itself. The pipes themselves are all available last I checked, although most citroen specialists can also make them up for you. The front to rear pipes are quite involved to change, as ideally the rear sub frame needs dropping, but it's all doable.

[David]

Hi, Personally I would fix it. They are brilliant cars & their uniqueness is something that can't be bought in a new car.
The fuel pipes are just push together ones. When they went on mine I replaced them with plastic pipes. Although I needed longer ones for the 4x4 fuel tank anyway. I got ones the same diameter as the original metal ones so it was a easy job. Both pipes were exactly the same on mine. Just don't put them on back to front.

As for the hydraulic pipes, As others have said have a look first & try to preserve them if you can, Only open the can of worms replacing them if you have to (or the expense doesn't matter & you want solid reliability).

It's all your lot's fault !!!

Maybe so, but you know you'll thank us!

[jeremyC5]

Thanks for your feedback,
on an old Ford 100E, years ago, the garage fitted a flexible rubber (or similar) pipe front to back all the way, for a replacement fuel pipe. It was quite thick, but I guess a metal replacement is better.

Very little rust, this one, when on the road previously, it used to do 70 mpg. I used to calculate it over several tanks of fuel on a rolling basis, so I know that was right - amazing.
The engine had only recently had the head gasket done along with timing belt and tensioners - I did those, so I know it was done!!

One thing that really annoyed me was waiting for the windows to close, is there anything to speed them up !! ??

[David]

One thing that really annoyed me was waiting for the windows to close, is there anything to speed them up !! ??

I asked this very question when I first joined the forum. If you buy some silicone spray & spray it in all the window runners they will go like rockets! You have to see it to believe it!

[Des Smith]

Is it worth it ??

In financial terms, probably not. But it's too late, you've been incubating the disease for a while and now the symptoms will become more acute - a thinner wallet, waking up in a sweat at night, expenses spreadsheets etc etc.If you want a real scare, read my St Tropez blog...

On the pink fluffy side, you'll get a nice warm glow because you are perpetuating another example of a wonderful car.

[rutter123]

firstly i would get it up on a lift and thoroughly inspect the under side for rust in the usual suspect places, and check all the plumbing thoroughly, as these particular areas can dig quite deep into your pockets, take some time to go over the car work out what its gonna cost to put it right,,then double it..good luck

[themildbunch]

Stocks are running out of the genuine fuel pipes, but others here have made replacements up out of copper pipe, although I've been told these can be attacked by biodiesel.

I tried to order both steel pipes a couple of months ago and only the return one was available - pretty cheap though. You may also find the rubber fuel lines between the tank - steel pipe - filter have gone very soft and 'balloony' - worth replacing all of it to stop odd cutting out / stalling behaviour, even if they're not obviously leaking.

[rutter123]

Any exposed rubber pipes/seals will prob be perished after 20 odd years, this includes the strut return pipes, fuel lines all the way, strut/ steering gators and return pipes, front brake flexi's, handbrake cables, lhm tank return/supply pipes esp around the elbows on the top, what sort of condition are the fr/r susp pipes are they the old steel ones?

[jeremyC5]

That's quite a list rutter !

- I will have to write all this stuff down and do a thorough inspection.
- I don't have a lift though, so it's not easy to get right underneath - and I know it not advisable to use the ol' girls hydraulics to keep it up whilst your under it !!

Do you get parts just from the local "partco" stockists, or is there a specialist supplier(s) of citroen parts people use now, since they are getting on in years ?
- If so, who's the best ?

Des,
I didn't even know I had the disease, I didn't feel any symptoms, but I should have realised, since I got myself a citroen C5 18 months ago, it should have been diagnosed at the time !!

I thought I had a Volvo disease, I used to have them alot, but that disease always empties the wallet so quickly for the fuel, hadn't had one for years but I went and got another one recently, and found I am cured !! - Don't like it at all !! - Sh*t off a shovel - V70 D5 SE 185bhp, but still I don't like it ...

Thanks for the silicon tip !!!

[rutter123]

You have to remember most of the rubber pipes will be 20 odd years old or more, being exposed to heat/cold, road salt, years of flexing, etc will be showing signs of age, front strut return pipes are easily accessible by removing the wheels, these are only low pressure so can be repaired to a degree, best bet for getting under the car is a pair of ramps ( i have fixed mine to some scaffold boards for more height) and the lever on high should give you enough space to inspect the underside, parts are still available inc strut return pipes (only use o/e fitments here as pattern parts are rubbish) there are several specialists who can make metal pipes up to your requirements at reasonable cost, as for the rest servicing parts and the like GSF, ECP, CAFCO, APC, to name a few, carry a good stock, anything else im sure can be found on this forum. It's all down to how much your budget is, i would expect to spend a few hundred to get it to a reasonable standard.

[citronut]

here are part No.'s and dimentions for both metal front to rear fuel lines

95 594 177
NFP= no fer-kin parts
FUEL FEED PIPE
DIAM EXT 10 LON 1535

95 594 178
FUEL RETURN PIPE
DIAM EXT 8 LON 1645

here is price for the return pipe which is still available from citroen

Part Number Description Quantity Price excl. VAT Price incl. VAT Total incl. VAT Selection
95594178 RETURN PIPE 8.09 GBP 9.71 GBP 9.71 GBP


regards malcolm

[jeremyC5]

here are part No.'s and dimentions for both metal front to rear fuel lines

95 594 177
NFP= no fer-kin parts
FUEL FEED PIPE
DIAM EXT 10 LON 1535

95 594 178
FUEL RETURN PIPE
DIAM EXT 8 LON 1645

here is price for the return pipe which is still available from citroen

Part Number Description Quantity Price excl. VAT Price incl. VAT Total incl. VAT Selection
95594178 RETURN PIPE 8.09 GBP 9.71 GBP 9.71 GBP


regards malcolm

Cheers for that...and other input into my 'needy' ol' girl's fate...

Those pipes seem cheap !!
I thought the return pipe was bigger than the feed pipe....
This now answers the question, " why does the fuel pipe only leak when the engine is running?2...
...it's because it's the return pipe!!!

[citsncycles]

You'll find that, especially compared to more modern cars, BX parts are cheap - when you can get them!