no bounce

art · Post by **art** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 6:21 pm

Hi Folks
this is my first, but almost certainly not my last tech query.
I have recently become the absolutley chuffed owner of a 1987
BX1.9 gti 8v,
it is in mint condition with only 19000 miles on the clock (supported by loads of paperwork. )
the problem i have is the front end is rock solid, with no give whatsoever,while the rear can be pushed and held down then pumps itself up , the front is rigid.
I have been told the front spheres probably need regassing ?
if this is the case is it a garage job to check this or can i do it my self. if they do need regassing is it a main dealer job or would my usual (trusted) garage be able to do the job.
other than that the front end groans a bit and the power steering is quite heavy.Apart from these couple of problems the car looks as if it has just been rolled out of the showroom, so it has probably been left idle for a long long time.

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 6:36 pm

Hi Art, and welcome along. It sounds like it might be best to replace the spheres which is relatively easy I believe. If you check out French Car Forum, or ask on here in the `BX for sale and wanted` section you should be able to source some easily enough.
Your car sounds wonderful, if you get 5 minutes could you post some pictures up?
As I say welcome along mate, this is a great place to be!

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 6:53 pm

Stock items for people like GSF and Euro Car Parts - less than £20 each - make sure you get the right ones - there's an aplication table somewhere on this site.

Both GSF and Euro Car Parts have on-line shops on their web sites - have a look at them. Google will reveal the address.

Front ones are generally not difficult to remove but break chain type oil filter wrenches nicely.

Barnsley BXer · Post by **Barnsley BXer** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 7:21 pm

Hi Adrian and welcome from me too.Is this the car that was on e-bay a couple of weeks ago?

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 7:56 pm

Hi Adrian and welcome from me as well. This chain wrench on eBay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Record-Chain-Wren ... dZViewItem
might be a bit of an overkill, but you might get it cheaply if no one else bids. I hired one of these to break two really stubborn accumulator spheres.

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:42 pm

You lucky devel adrian we all drooled over that car, get some new spheres and that will sort it.

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 10:26 am

Hi Art,

Welcome mate & good on yer for having great taste in cars!! I have a pair of front spheres to suit your GTi. I bought them on fleabay having been told they were for a non turbo diesel but they are actually turbo diesel/GTi spec spheres. You can have them for nowt + postage. If you're interested, pm me and I'll give them a try on mine to make sure they're ok. Consider tho' that new ones are cheap (£20 each) but if you're strapped for cash, these may last you a year or two and get you all soft at the front again (so to speak).
BTW, as your front suspension is rock solid, your old spheres are almost certainly un-gassable due to a ruptured membrane inside the sphere and so must be replaced (always in pairs).

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 11:06 am

www.gsfcarparts.com

Click online shop.

Trust me its easy to spend spend spend!

I would change the accumulator aswell if I were you, buy one for £6.21 +VAT and P&P from

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecommerce/Parts.asp

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 11:08 am

A very decent gesture BX Bandit

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:47 pm

With the spheres done you will be pleased with the ride & cornering ability of the GTi. It laughs at the reduced speed limit signs on the curves of the motorway clover leafs.

djoptix · Post by **djoptix** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:16 pm

A mate of mine used to be in a Mini club where one of the club rules was, all members should attempt to double any "maximum speed" signs on corners

M · Post by M » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:27 pm

djoptix wrote:A mate of mine used to be in a Mini club where one of the club rules was, all members should attempt to double any "maximum speed" signs on corners

It used to tickle me something silly that I could leave faster metal for dust when exiting the M62 onto the Princess Parkway (going towards the airport) - that is such a nasty adverse camber bend and has claimed a fair few unsuspecting HGV's... I used to nail my mini round there and it stuck to the road like poo to a bears fur. The only thing I have driven so far that was close to the mini for mad cornering was a ZX - strange but true.

art · Post by **art** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 11:13 pm

Hi folks,
thanks to everyone for you welcome and advice, particularly Bandit.
you've given me plenty to think about,
yes this is the car that was on ebay and it is even better than described.
the challange for me now is to keep it as good (or even better )
the only downside for me is, i had to sell one of my motorbikes to fund it (400 superdream in show condition ) but i've still got my GL 500 SILVERWING (22years old) the BX and the bike make a lovely pair.
regards
ART

thanuttiscotsman · Post by **thanuttiscotsman** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 12:00 am

hi there,
as others have said it is your sphere's that need changing. even a small chain wrench will do it. i use one from halfords designed for changing oil filters! all you need to do is set the suspension to max height first (because it makes them easier to come off) then turn the engine off and unscrew them. remembering to put the new seals in first before screwing the new ones in. and remember they only need to go on hand tight not with 300lb's of pressure or they will never come back off. oh and dont think fluid will squirt out with the sphere's off just cos the suspensions up, it wont.

cheers rossco

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 8:31 am

Not a bad idea to jack the car up if you're doing the back spheres.

You'll be lucky to do it with an unmodified chain wrench - mine is modified by removing the chain (happened trying to do a sphere) and a 2 inch wide band of steel is welded to opposite flats of the hexagon bar so that it wraps tighter as the bar is turned.

If there is load on the suspenion then LHM will come out. If there is no load but the sphere is nearly flat LHM will come out in a feeble spray.

The back struts are not firmly anchored and the feed pipes can break off if they are rotated. If the car is raised fully and pressure maintained in the system the struts will be locked and the sphere can be undone a little. The pressure should then be let off and the sphere should come undone quite easily.

Hydraulic Citroens must be carefully suspended as they do KILL if they fall. Remember when working on the hydraulics that the car may come down suddenly - especially when working from underneath removing a sphere.