awful burning smell

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:44 am

I've owned a number of BXs in the past where the wear indicator connectors have been cut or broken by previous owners/servicers, but my opinion is that they're superfluous: a number of other things will tell you when the pads are wearing low, not least general brake performance, which should be very positive.

One big giveaway generally is that handbrake won't respond to the auto-adjust technique. This assumes that the cables were properly fitted and adjusted in the first place, that the cables remain properly equalised, and that the spring/washer arrangement in the caliper is in good order. Don't mess with this area though if unsure ....

The search function on this forum should bring up the many discussions of handbrake auto-adjust, for anyone not familiar with it.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 11:49 am

DLM wrote:a number of other things will tell you when the pads are wearing low

Yeah, I get an awful grinding sound when the pads are low - I don't think it's a coincidence...

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 1:09 pm

Was trying to avoid the blindingly obvious, but I guess it does no harm to state it anyway ....

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Jul 08, 2009 1:18 pm

Sorry, I should have included a

to say I was just being facetious! I didn't know that failure of the handbrake auto adjust could be an indicator of brake wear, so I have learnt something...

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:24 am

Well, I think somebody had to say it...

As for the handbrake auto-adjust, that's my experience of what happens: not failure as such, just the auto-adjust procedure getting less effective (more ratchet stops even when adjusted up) as the pads wear low. Could just be the state of some of the BXs I've had, or the state of stretch of the cables. Some have done it even though they've had replacement front calipers in relatively recent service history.

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:28 pm

MULLEY wrote:Mine were cut above the plug part, so the pad wires were connected upto the plug, just not higher up

Yeah thats the case with mine. I didn't realise the BX had an auto-adjust on the handbrake. How does it work?

More importantly, any info on how to get the sliding pins out? is it possible just to pull them out using the screws? also whats the best way to remove gaiters without them splitting more?

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:51 pm

Handbrake auto adjust (if its working correctly), foot firmly on the brake pedal (engine running), pull the handbrake up a few times & it should start to tighten up & progressively get harder to get higher. If that doesnt work, then thats another little issue to get resolved.

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 5:44 pm

I didn't know about the handbrake either, I must try it.

RxBX · Post by **RxBX** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 11:31 pm

Boxwolf, Have you sorted the brakes out yet ?
If you'd 'Fryed' the pads and you need new ones there's some on E-Bay at the moment at a good price (£2.99 'BIN' + £4.99 pp) with leads (LINK).
Also listed on E-Bay a new caliper repair kit (I don't know if there handed though, Note ! listing finishes on 12-Jul-09 @ 20:43:47)LINK.

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:50 pm

Havent sorted them yet, no. I havent had time and nobody will tell me how to get the £"$^%* pins out, letalone without damaging the gaiters. The only method I can think of is screwing the screw back into them and pulling it out.
been doing a lot of driving recently and looks like I'm going to be doing lots more in the next few weeks so I need to get on top of this before it ruins my brakes. I hope the pads aren't fried...

That caliper repair kit looks like it is the wrong part of the caliper, the bit thats jamming on mine is the pin that allows the caliper to slide back and forth not the cylinder itself.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 11:14 am

Time for some kind of pic/diagram methinks.

Can you just confirm from the diagram below which part of the caliper assembly you're talking about, and exactly what you did beforehand.

Boxwolf, I suspect you have reached the point at which a recon/new caliper is called for - not an unusual thing on a BX, or any other car. As there's only one piston in the front calipers, correct action of the caliper absolutely relies on sliding action of both piston and caliper slider.

Going back to first principles, anything that slides needs

(a) A pair of unscored, uncorroded surfaces to allow that action to take place. Once any of the components involved fails to answer to that description then replacement is the only option in town. Damage/corrosion to one surface will almost certainly affect the other surface and damage it too.

(b) Room for that sliding action to take place as per the original design, unobstructed by accumulated dirt or dust - i.e. in clean condition. That's something that needs checking and careful, appropriate action whenever working in that area.

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:39 pm

Thanks for the diagram, but that only seems to show half of the caliper. It is one of the caliper sliders (a?) that was sticking when I last took the caliper off. The gaiters are a bit split on both sides of it which may be why it has started sticking up.

Here's what I did when I sorted it last time;

* Put car on stands,
* Took wheel off,
* Try sliding caliper - stuck
* Attempted to unscrew caliper screws
* Swear at it
* Managed to undo caliper screws out using wheelbrace
* Removed caliper
* Tested both sliders - one jammed
* Swear at it
* Attempted to remove gaiter - it splits, other side is already split
* Shoot some shock&unlock through gap in gaiters on both sides
* Hit slider with heavy end of wrench till it moves
* Kept doing it back and forth till it slides freely
* Reassembled, lots more swearing

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:16 pm

I suspect the outer half of the caliper isn't pictured as it's just one lump of metal that doesn't do a great deal except brace and contain the pads - and it's therefore irrelevant to the problem. There's a lot to fit into this diagram.

There's a slider and boots in the diag, labelled "A" unless I'm very much mistaken, which forms part of assembly #4 in the list on the right - "Repair kit de Colonettes". If Citroen still do it that's what you need, I think.

However That kit will be useless though if the caliper body where the sliders locate is at fault through corrosion or damage. In that case it's time for a new/recon/secondhand caliper - I'd be looking for one anyway as a backup.

I wonder, and hope for your sake, whether bits of the disintegrating slider boots could be the cause of some of your problem. I wouldn't count on it though.

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:52 pm

Okay, not really sure what to do now. damn.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:31 pm

Buy a new caliper off e-bay when one crops up (at the right price they are as cheap as the repair kit

), or you can pay full wack around £60+ if you cant wait any longer.