Team Green Tiger - BX19TGD - Back on the road

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:11 am

Sorry, no room in our gaff, but there are a lot of properties available in the area!

BX has started refusing to start cleanly. Not sure if my new starter motor is actually rubbish or if there's a problem with the fuel lines. Sometimes just spins, more often starts but not as instantly as it did a few weeks ago. Could just be the fact it's got a lot colder I s'pose. Still has a bad case of creaky front strut and one rear arm bearing still needs replacing. Now housy things are getting in the way though, and other Citroens are demanding attention too.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 3:42 pm

Oh well - your loss

Edit: Grammar

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Tue Nov 02, 2010 4:39 pm

The Green Tiger gets a new windscreen tomorrow. She's picked up a chip in the swept area but I've agreed to have a new screen, as this one's already got a crack in the corner as well as other chips - I also blame it for the crap wiping performance having replaced the screenwash, wiper blades, wiper arm and both using and not using magic potions. Will I be able to see in the rain again? (quite important in Wales!)

Bit nervous as to what we'll find once the screen is out. Hope it isn't all rotten!

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Tue Nov 02, 2010 4:51 pm

If it's anything like we're having up here today you may find it beneficial to have a periscope fitted!

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Mon Nov 08, 2010 12:08 pm

We just about got away with it in light drizzle. New screen fitted - much better. There is some rot but it wasn't too bad thankfully.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 11:52 am

I need to go squeak hunting. The steering wheel is touching the column shroud and squeaks. The LH rear boot plasticky thing squeaks. There's a new squeak on the RH of the rear somewhere too. Would be a nice quiet car to drive otherwise!

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 3:02 pm

Just as I'd got the BX squeak free, and decided that it was the best car in the world, it's not run for some time. Starter has been getting slower and slower for a month or so and now it's got really cold, it just won't start.

Knowing that the glow plugs are due a change, I replaced the lot, discovering some new swear words as I did so - but at least I won't have to do that again in a hurry. It made no difference. Connected up another battery (can't find my boost box cables, can't get a car near it for a jump) and still wouldn't go.

Chief suspect is the starter motor itself. My mechanic didn't seem convinced it was the right one when he fitted it and while it was fine when it was warm, it now just doesn't seem up to the job. Fortunately, Mr Fenwick is due to visit in a couple of weeks with a second hand starter motor...

Really annoying though as we've had loads of snow, and the BX is great in that stuff. I hate not being able to drive it! The 2CV's out of action too, so I'm not having the best of times at the moment.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 3:39 pm

Chin up, Ian. Now your CX isn't a frozen lump, maybe that'll have to do?!

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 7:06 pm

I'd better not forget it then! If you're desperate I can stick it in the post for you...

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:45 am

Thanks Mat. 2CV is up and running now (CX has no heater, Mini's brakes are binding - so not out of the woods yet) so I should be ok to wait a bit. Don't really want to fit it in the snow anyway!

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:30 am

So, after the 12 hour chaos-strewn journey from Cardiff to home yesterday (120 miles) where can I get snow chains for my BX?!

Only slight problem is we're completely snowed in at the moment...

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:00 pm

HAD to get out of the village today, as cabin fever was starting to kick in. I tried getting the 2CV out, but it couldn't get enough traction to even start getting away from the garage, so I eventually coaxed it back in.

BX has been parked up at the local hotel (roadside) for a couple of days, since the Friday OMG SNOW CHAOS in fact. Went to dig it out. Cleared all the snow off it but it was quite well buried - a chap who works at the hotel has a 4x4 though and he dragged me out. Saved a lot of digging!

Went to drive off and the car wouldn't move due to the ice packing the wheelarches! Up on high and cleared as much out as a could with a spade. It was rock hard.

Drove to town 12 miles away, had to keep it in intermediate as any lower and the ice started catching again. Had another go at clearing the arches but couldn't improve things.

Got stuck AGAIN in the supermarket car park after I'd made the mistake of letting it drop to standard height. Wouldn't move at all, and then the rear end refused to go up as well! Eventually lifted and I moved off, dropping back down to intermediate.

Got back to our village and now the problem was where to park. Our long driveway is still many inches thick in snow. I could drive down to our house, but wouldn't be getting out again. Found a car park but it's up a steep slope. A section of it was cleared and gritted so I built up momentum and charged up it. Success! It's as far as I could drive into a car park, but it'll do.

kermit the frog · Post by **kermit the frog** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:13 pm

Ian well done with getting the Green Tiger home.
Hope the weather breaks soon although it doesn't look likely
Merry Christmas.

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 10:39 am

The steering wheel is touching the column shroud and squeaks.

You've probably found this one by now - but if the instrument pod is slightly loose or not seated properly on its mounts, that can push the column shroud into the steering wheel.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:20 pm

I'm considering selling The Green Tiger. I get the feeling it's brewing up a few too many issues (I'm obviously not going to sell it pretending it has none!) and it's blocking me from getting anything else.

It's done remarkably well. Cars usually last me a few months tops (except the 2CV) yet the BX has survived for well over a year now. I've done 20,000 miles in it, thrown a fair bit of cash at it but perhaps all good things must come to an end.

Issues I know it has are that I think the clutch is on its way out and/or the engine mountings. The LR rear arm bearing needs replacing. The bodywork is getting iffy in quite a few places (including one sill after an idiotic incident involving an axle stand...but both sills show signs of bubbling).

The box section right at the back has been iffy for some time too. It could be a great resto project for someone who can actually weld, but that's not me.

I think I might actually be tiring of the lack of power too. It was no problem when I lived in the Flatlands, but they have hills here, and it gets pretty tiring having to downchange all the time.

Not sure I'll be racing to get rid. It managed 54mpg today, and that makes the question of a replacement very tricky indeed. Especially as the BX cost so little in the first place. But I do think she needs to move on. Anyone fancy a stripey BX?