BX back to origianl dealers to get some things for it!

BX Tech talk
Post Reply
adamskibx
BXpert
Posts: 950
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 9:26 pm

BX back to origianl dealers to get some things for it!

Post by adamskibx »

(Please note: Aircon is now sold.)

They seemed a bit suprised that I took it back there, but I went to ask them if the paint code's "shading" was important when ordering new paint. They said they ignor the "shading code" themselves and just go by the first three letters (EWA in my case), so I got Halfords to mix me some up, so I can finally get my drivers door repair looking good- Hope they were right. Also, I managed to get a "low speed fan resistor" (expensive as from the dealer, but I havent been able to find a new unit anywhere else whatsoever, and the fans been wired to come on with the ignition up until now). I thought Andyspares would sell them but I couldnt find them on the website. I also got the temperature sensor for the thermostatic control of the fan, but im still not convinced its coming on early enough; the idle speed creeps up from 850 RPM to 1050 RPM as the temp rises, then the low speed setting kicks in- the fan stays on for no more that 15 seconds, then turns back off again, then comes back on after abouit another 15 seconds, and those off-on intervals seem to get larger as time goes on as the car is sat idling. Ive not heard the full speed setting come on yet either-id imagine hot wheather would be the only reason why that would ever occur? I wish these cars had temp guages, especially as I sit in traffic thinking "im only here driving this as I spent days and days underneath it fitting a new engine as the original identical one overheated!!!) Apparently, the engine in there now has had a new head gasket at 88 K miles as the valve stem oil seals needed replacing and the head came off- Im told you can do these without taking the head off but the proceedure isnt well understood or documented?
Last edited by adamskibx on Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
AlanS
BXpert
Posts: 841
Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 9:53 pm
Location: Queensland, Australia

Post by AlanS »

Adam,


I do hope you're luckier than I was.
The guy who mixed my paint made the same claim regarding the variance in the colour code only for him to set me up with the greatest 2 tone paint job you've ever seen in your life.
Last time I got some mixed, was by another mixer who allowed for the variants and it came out spot on.
It depends on the luck of the draw, but in my case we we're talking blue and the same base code went back to CX days and were available over a few years and my 1990 car ended up with a 1987 colour. :shock: :oops: :oops:
So my advice would be to test it somewhere on the car before you get it done over any large area as it can double the labour on the job if incorrect.


Alan S
By the time you're old enough to know it all, you can't remember why you were learning.
jeremy
Over 2k
Posts: 2112
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:58 am
Location: Hampshire UK

Post by jeremy »

Changing valve seals with the head on is quite common and indeed people like machine mart sell adaptors to enable compressed air to be fed into the cylinders to hold the valves shut.

The alternative is to feed soft nylon rope/string into the cylinder through the plug hole and wind the piston up to hold the valves shut! The spring can then be compressed, collets removed and the seal changed.

Why not fit a temperature gauge or alternatively check the cut in / out temperatures with an external thermometer. These are not expensive to buy - and I have one operated by a thermocouple attached to a cheapish Gunsons multimeter (which gets used to check the deep freeze and fridge as well)
richard
BXpert
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu May 26, 2005 9:35 pm

Post by richard »

Adam,

My BX also has the colour code EWA. Whenvisiting my local paint factor i am presented with around 7-8 choices! each shade is enough to give me a two tone finish if the correct shade is not selected. If this guy is only offering one choice go elsewhere. Most paint factors will offer an almost exact match. If you cant manage to take the car with you, take a part which has the original finish. Fuel cap is ideal for this!
adamskibx
BXpert
Posts: 950
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 9:26 pm

Post by adamskibx »

Oh dear. Thats not good news. It was Chevron Citroen dealers who told me I only need to worry about the first three letters. I havent tried it yet as ive not got round to prepairing the area, but the paint deposits round the inner jet on top of the can (once the spray nozzle is removed) look like the same colour as the car, although its such a small blob of paint its hard to tell. I did actually take the filler cap into Halfords with me and they said they couldnt mix me up a small amount to test it. I watched them do it once I decided to go ahead, and they could have mixed me up a smaller test amount very easily. Its done by weight and they fill up a container with a certain amount of white, then a certain amount of yellow, and black and orange. The scales give them the "progressive grams" (ie to save them using a calculator). Im eager to test it now but dont want to get the nozzle full of paint in case I cant clean it out perfectly for when I actually do the repair- I suppose I could take the nozzle off and try and spray a bit out of the inner nozzle.
adamskibx
BXpert
Posts: 950
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 9:26 pm

Post by adamskibx »

Jeremy- Thanks for that explaination about changing the valve stem oil seals- hopefully its something ill never have to do to this car for a long while as theyve been done 20000 miles ago. I actually thought theyd changed those because of smoke, and that they hadnt actually cured the cause as it was smoking when I ran it for the first 200 miles or so, but that cleared up and now there's not even a hint that the engine has done over 100,000 miles:-) Even my mysterios cutting out problem slowly vanished, and now ive set the timing with a strobe light, its very quick too. In fact, it was so different, it actually scared me as I tested the new timing setting. Jobs to do now include changing the intermediate driveshaft bearing as its off the 103,000 mile car due to the new engine, painting the blimmin door edge the right colour, putting two new tyres on, swapping the rusty sunroof over with the TRS one and fitting new rear quarter panel windows. Im pretty sure its the intermediate bearing thats going- I had exactly the same sound in the old car, but the deisel sound drowned it out nicely. I never did get to the bottom of it, but having seen how a BX drivetrain all goes together, I reckon its the intermediate bearing- its like a wooshing grinding sound that can only be heard when feathering the throttle in the lower gears and letting the speed climb so that the revs are around the 2500 + mark.
User avatar
DLM
Our Trim Guru
Posts: 1620
Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 6:41 pm
Location: Gosport, Hampshire, UK
My Cars: Historically, lots of BX hatches/estates in the 90s/00s - 16/19i/17td/19d
Recent scruffy diesel n/a estate - "The Red Shed" - is no longer mine.
x 9

Post by DLM »

Adam - I'd expect a certain amount of smoking after replacing valve stem seals just due to accumulation of oily deposits in and around the cylinder head and bores. If you've ever seen an oily cylinder, or an oily plug out of a car with valve-stem or piston ring problems you'd know what I mean.

How are you getting on with the aircon - or is that last on the agenda?

I have a Gti/16v dash with temp gauge which someone else bought (and hence wants more for than I would charge). If it's of any interest to you PM me.

Senders to suit are more problematic, but a 205 GTi with a blown engine is the most likely source. 205/390 GTi Veglia temp gauge dash modules will also fit a BX, though look a little different from the BX pattern.Send er Temp gauge from the same car is the ideal mix, as the should be properly calibrated. Anders maintains they're calibrated in batches.
Back on two wheels and pedal power for the moment.
adamskibx
BXpert
Posts: 950
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 9:26 pm

Post by adamskibx »

Thanks David. I really want to get this car a temp guage. As for the aircon, I really cant be bothered, so thats still surplus to requirements if anyone wants it (I undid the pipes etc to get it out the TRS and there was no sound of any freon gas escaping so I presume it would have needed new gas anyway) If the aircon hasnt gone by the time ive got more time on my hands, ill make it my mission to fit it to the GT, but I want to get all the other stuff sorted first. I would definately be interested in that 16V dash BTW, if there is any way of removing the temp guage section of it and wiring it all up manually to a MK 1 BX GT dash (same dash as a CX Turbo 2 I think) Thats a point; I wonder if the CX has a compatible guage that I could add into the dash neatly? Ill try and find out now. As for the sender, the engine is the same type as the later GTi engines, but with a carb instead of injection, so perhaps a BX16 V sender would fit? Like you say though im more likely to find one on a dead sporty peugeot or something with the same block. Was it just the 16 v that had a temp guage? Or did the TD have one too? Ill send you a PM about that dash David, Regards, Adam
User avatar
Ian_Fearn
Spender lotta cash on Citroens
Posts: 2231
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:51 pm
Location: Derbyshire

Post by Ian_Fearn »

If your aircon system is available i'll definately buy it.

My hayfever seems to be getting worse in the summer nowdays and the Xantia is bliss with the aircon on.
Over and out from me
User avatar
DavidRutherford
BX Digit man!
Posts: 2706
Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 5:07 pm
Location: Placing comments on YouTube.

Post by DavidRutherford »

Ian_Fearn wrote:My hayfever seems to be getting worse in the summer nowdays and the Xantia is bliss with the aircon on.
I know that feeling all-too well.

Except.

The reason the Xantia makes you feel better is the fact that it has a pollen filter on it's intake. The BX never had one, although i've no doubt you could somehow fashion a holder and filter onto the BX air intake.

Certainly if I ever get a BX with aircon, the first thing it's getting is a big fat pollen filter, not only on it's intake, but on the recirc too.
this might be a signature
User avatar
Philip Chidlow
Over 2k
Posts: 11594
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2005 1:08 pm
Location: Chelmsford, Essex
x 25

Post by Philip Chidlow »

If you work out how to fit pollen filters, let me know (ahh-choo!) :roll:
• 1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Hurricane
• 2006 Xsara Picasso 1.6 16v
User avatar
cavmad
Keeper of the site Goat
Posts: 7857
Joined: Fri May 20, 2005 9:13 am
x 1
Contact:

Post by cavmad »

Adam, as far as I`m aware the TZD turbo diesel BX`s had a `proper` temp guage fitted if that helps?
Vauxhall apologist.
roscoe
BXpert
Posts: 184
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2005 11:04 am
Location: Australia

Post by roscoe »

My TZD turbo diesel didn't have a temp gauge, only the usual warning lights. I got an instrument panel from a wrecked 16V, took it apart and took the temp gauge out of it, removed the two blank panels off the TZD panel, the temp gauge unit bolts directly in. There is a very simple wiring mod to do to get it working (explained elsewhere in this forum by Dave Bamber) and also on the Czech DIY site. I ordered a new temp sender for a 16V just to be on the safe side as old ones may not be accurate, installed it where the first warning light switch was and it works a treat. I checked the calibration with an electronic thermometer and it was within 1 degree of what the gauge indicates, so that's good enough for me. The whole job took under an hour and you don't need to drain the cooling system if you're quick with pulling the switch/refitting the sender unit.
cheers,
Roscoe
1991 TZD
2004 Peugeot 307
1990 Mitsubishi Express Van - Alpaca Transporter
jeremy
Over 2k
Posts: 2112
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:58 am
Location: Hampshire UK

Post by jeremy »

No diesel BX has a temperature gauge as standard - there is no mention in the instruction book - just of the infamous 'Too late' warning lights.
Mr B
Northern Moderator
Northern Moderator
Posts: 710
Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 12:32 pm
Location: On a sofa, up the road from Marty!

Post by Mr B »

roscoe wrote:My TZD turbo diesel didn't have a temp gauge, only the usual warning lights. I got an instrument panel from a wrecked 16V, took it apart and took the temp gauge out of it, removed the two blank panels off the TZD panel, the temp gauge unit bolts directly in. There is a very simple wiring mod to do to get it working (explained elsewhere in this forum by Dave Bamber) and also on the Czech DIY site. I ordered a new temp sender for a 16V just to be on the safe side as old ones may not be accurate, installed it where the first warning light switch was and it works a treat. I checked the calibration with an electronic thermometer and it was within 1 degree of what the gauge indicates, so that's good enough for me. The whole job took under an hour and you don't need to drain the cooling system if you're quick with pulling the switch/refitting the sender unit.
My BX TD
Image

As our man on the other side of the world says an hours work and a thing no TD owner should be without.
1991 Landrover Discovery
1995 VW Golf SE
Post Reply