I'm Getting a 16v Tomorrow!

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BX Bandit
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Post by BX Bandit »

I expect a full report on here either this afternoon or sometime tomorrow when you`ve sobered up a bit!
Quick report cos I have to relocate the Triumph today and try and fit a pub lunch in with the missus to keep her smilin'

Report reads: F*uckin' A. Awesome motor.End of report.

Beat the sh*t out of some would-be motorway hogs and the the throttle cable was wrongly adjusted to give about 4/5s max. I'm grinning up to my ar*e :mrgreen:

As Doc says, it needs some fettling and the tappets need adjusting too. A bit of money and a bit more time will have this as a damn good car. It's still good for its age tho' and very good for £400.

I'll post some more tonight, I'm gettin' evils from the missus :twisted: :evil:

A BIG thanks to Docco for being at the end of the blower and talking me thro' a few 'hot spots' and his...erm...thorough road test of the car 'just to make sure' that everything was ok. Thanks for the beers Doc, see ya in a couple weeks or so :wink:
1990 BX 16V Platinum Grey
1990 BX TGD White
1960 Morris Minor Clarondon Grey
1971 Triumph 2000 Auto Valencia Blue
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Post by Kitch »

Once you've owned a good valver, its hard to want any other BX 8)

Good work, glad it got you home ok. Tappets are hydraulic, you can't adjust those. Mines tappy as hell too, morelikely cos I rebuilt the head wrong. Continues to run happily though.

You'll start getting problems though.....you'll be baiting every BMW and Merc in sight (or Porsche Boxster) just so you can keep up with them which embarasses them :lol:
Its sad, but its fun
One third of a three-spoke BX columnist team for the Citroenian magazine.

CCC BX registrar: The national BX register - click to submit a car!

1983(A) 16TRS (Rouge Valleunga)
1990(H) 16Valve (Rouge Furio)
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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

Nice one Bandit, it looks like you`ve had a right royal bargain to me.
Kitch, I can`t see anything sad about baiting the driver`s of much more expensive cars, in fact I think it`s terrific!
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Post by jeremy »

Enjoy adjusting the tappets - they're hydraulic!
tim leech

Post by tim leech »

As for the tappets you can get some stuff to clear them out with made my wynns at about £7 for halfrauds, plus a oil change may help!

Nice car Bandit, I have one just like it! 8)
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Post by cavmad »

Different car altogether but I once owned a Fraud Orion (yeah, I know!) and I actually managed to change the hydraulic tappets myself. Is this a fairly easy job on the 16V as I recall they weren`t expensive on the Fraud and very easy to do.
I was advised to change the oil and flush through first if that helps?


Ps-sorry if that`s a crap idea, have to confess I don`t know what kind of job it is on a 16V.
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Post by tim leech »

Good point Billy, one of my tappets is still noisy so if its a easy job I may have to bite the bullet and change it.
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Post by Kitch »

Its a cambelt off and cams out job.
One third of a three-spoke BX columnist team for the Citroenian magazine.

CCC BX registrar: The national BX register - click to submit a car!

1983(A) 16TRS (Rouge Valleunga)
1990(H) 16Valve (Rouge Furio)
tim leech

Post by tim leech »

Will put up with it then!
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Post by BX Bandit »

Thanks for all the advice so far (yes, I need more....loads more) I didn't know they were hydraulic tappets! Thats one job I don't have to do then, only 99 to go! Again I must be brief as I am typing with one hand and holding.............wait for it...........................my unsleepy daughter in the other. So, you'll have to wait for my extended report...............to be continued :lol: 8)
1990 BX 16V Platinum Grey
1990 BX TGD White
1960 Morris Minor Clarondon Grey
1971 Triumph 2000 Auto Valencia Blue
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Post by BX Bandit »

Right then......

1st impressions were good - bodywork wise its above average for its age, several surface blemishes that will ease out, a couple of 'soft' dents in o/s wing and one in drivers door. An inch diameter hole of rust just above the sill (behind rear o/s door). According to the history its had some repair work done there and one of the seams has clearly been 'cleaned out' and sealed up - not the best job but I've seen worse. Needs sorting out professionally tho to make sure it doesn't get nasty. Underneath looks sound apart from support valance on inside rear bumper.

On start up she sounded bloody awful. There is an unpleasant noise when cold for about 15 seconds which then dies away. There is a noise/vibration at about 2000rpm when hot/cold. It comes from the timing belt end - maybe it needs tensioning??? Very lumpy and variable idle speed. Bloomin loud exhaust rattle (exhaust knackered) Suspension went ok tho' but front struts are quite sticky on high.

I didn't really enjoy the first drive - was really bothered by the start-up noise on the engine and due to the clutch cable/pedal box scenario (as so ably described by doc!) it was an absolute b*tch to get in gear. I wasn't certain, so a phone call to Doc put my concerns to rest so it was £400 on the nose.

There is a list of about a dozen small faults e.g. Passenfer door f*cked, boot lock loose, elec windows slow/don't work/up=down, manual door mirrors instead of elec, no plip fob etc and some more significant items that Doc picked up on but nothing major I think/hope (except windscreen!)

Needless to say that as I grew more confident with the car - the rev counter got more exercise and so I took her up to just over 6000rpm - on a few occaisions....enough to put a great big grin on my face and enjoy that hard engine note...and she liked it too!! The ride I thought was just great, beats the Xantia without question...ride and handling. The rubber is sh*te (esp the rears which are old old old) so believe it or not the back behaved like it was on ice when caning it on roundabouts but I am very, very, very impressed. I find it both composed AND supple, a really great car that I look forward to putting right with time.

I like the colour too Tim, a bit of a girlie thing to say I know but it suits the car.

Doc has threatened to come down in a couple of weeks and help with some fettling work - I think he's just in it for the beers personally but I'll let him fettle away and keep you updated. :mrgreen:
1990 BX 16V Platinum Grey
1990 BX TGD White
1960 Morris Minor Clarondon Grey
1971 Triumph 2000 Auto Valencia Blue
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Post by Kitch »

Wouldn't worry too much about the noisey tappets on cold start up. It should die away within about 5secs really, try popping some decent oil in it.
Cambelt noises are common on these cars too. The cambelt runs very very close to the cover and if the tension is ever so slightly out, it rubs. Solved by tightening the belt, but I'd just change it to be honest as you don't know what sort of premature wear its taken as its been rubbing something.

Get the rust sorted, engine done etc. Then take it to the limiter in 3rd and wait two days before the grin starts to mellow out :D
One third of a three-spoke BX columnist team for the Citroenian magazine.

CCC BX registrar: The national BX register - click to submit a car!

1983(A) 16TRS (Rouge Valleunga)
1990(H) 16Valve (Rouge Furio)
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Post by RobC »

re: cambelt rattle. i've had mine tensioned and adjusted on many occasions when i've been worried about the rattling noise, and each time it comes back from the garage still rattling a little bit when cold. as the engine warms up it expands and the rattle goes away. don't worry too much about it - if john witty who builds gary's racing BX says the tension's fine, then i believe him...

when i looked at the car i remember that other noise you were talking about though - sounds like a high pitched scraping noise, coming from the back of the engine, when cold right? never heard that before on a 16v. however it's definitely not
a) cambelt
b) tappets
c) HP pump

because i know what all those sound like. if i were you i would change the oil and filter asap (IIRC it's got a cheap halfords filter on, yuck!). if it persists then i might start getting a little worried and maybe get a professional opinion, because there's definitely something not 100% right there...

glad you're enjoying the beast anyway! 8)
1991 Citroen BX 16v
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docchevron
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Post by docchevron »

Alas, when I heard it running it was warm, and it sounded ok. It had been run on 95 octane but Bandit's using 99 now and it was idling better than mine when he got to my place!

I'll check the noise out but it'll have a new belt and tensioners anyway, plus full service, sort peddel box, clutch cable, throttle cable etc.
I dont think it's got a thermostat in it since it runs extremley cold and the rads well past it's best. I've got a rad so I'll hoof it in and fit twin cooling fans (also in stock!).
Ok, I know it's not my car but it's a valver, not far away from me and Bandit's a very nice bloke so I'm setting up camp at his till it's sweet! I'm sure his better half will be very impressed!!!!! :lol: :lol:

Cheers
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Far too many BX's, a bus, an ambulance a few trucks, not enough time and never enough cash...
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Post by Way2go »

docchevron1472 wrote:Alas, when I heard it running it was warm, and it sounded ok. It had been run on 95 octane but Bandit's using 99 now and it was idling better than mine when he got to my place!
:?: According to the Cit Manual, Service Station Information for the MK2, all models run on 95 Ron unleaded including the 16V. The only car it recommends 98 Ron leaded for is the BX14 carburuetter models which also can run on 95 Ron unleaded after timing adjustment.

Surely if you use 99 Ron in the 16v it's not going to give higher performance unless you remap the ecu? :?
1991 BX19GTi Auto
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