Mk1 BX 19RD Estate RHD! A new home

Post by **Tim Leech** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:56 pm

Ive got to fit a complete new exhaust next week to the 19TZD, ive taken the whole of Tuesday off to tackle it, as the front pipe will be fun! Im hpoing the nuts just snap off as Ive got a new fitting kit too, which cost more than the front pipe

Des Smith · Post by **Des Smith** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:01 pm

Dollywobbler wrote:Thought I'd celebrate having banished the coolant leaks by recording a bit of video, so I can recall just how shoddy it was when I started!

Awesome horror video! I thought my BX was a bit of a shed when I bought it but this one takes the biscuit. I cannot begin to express my admiration for anyone taking on a project of this magnitude. There doesn't seem to be a single undented panel and it sounds like a V1. All power to your elbow and I shall follow the thread with interest. It will be great to see it restored.

Have you established whether it really is the last Mk 1 estate in the UK?

Post by **Defender110** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:12 pm

Were you driving round on a Massey Ferguson whilst filming

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:26 pm

I must admit, it does sound a bit too similar to my neighbour's little grey Fergie...

Hopefully it'll quieten down with the new exhaust. It's still quieter than my VM-engined Range Rover...

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:51 pm

Yeah, but so is a pneumatic drill!

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 4:12 pm

Very true!

Did a quick pre-MOT on the BX tonight. Nearside front sidelight wasn't working. Seems to be typical French electrics there - wiggle the wire and it works fine! Will have to just hope it works for the actual test. I'm quite used to this with the 2CV...

Still confused by the hazard lights. They still only work with the ignition on. This can't be right surely? Worries me because there's a fair chance that I'll run out of the fuel on the way to the petrol station...

Oh, and I think the accumulator is flat. Pump seems to be running constantly on tickover, but cuts out for barely a second with the revs raised slightly.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:27 am

BX has MOT! Scraped through with a few advisories. However, success is marred by a minor tragedy - the water pump is clearly leaking.

I think I'll therefore have to avoid risking a trip to Stratford on Sunday.

To do list has grown somewhat. Major next steps are:

Radiator fan switch replacement
Timing belt and water pump (never done these before!)
Accumulator sphere
Possibly a rear suspension sphere as got an advisory on a minor weep (sphere seal?)

Longer term, the engine oil leak seems to have made a bit of a mess of the RH front suspension arm bushes - though no play showed up during the test. However, there is a clunk that side (not ARB links) so I reckon a new arm or bushes are a good step. Not until I've stopped the engine drenching that side in oil though! Any thoughts on possible leak areas? Cam cover gasket?

Found her very pleasant to drive, if a little short on power. Not sure if this is just because I've done a lot of miles in my 150bhp Saab recently, because she's 6bhp down on The Green Tiger or if she's just struggling with stale fuel.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:42 am

I found with my DTR, judt drive it everywhere with the pedal to the floor and it goes quite well!.

Well done though mate, REALLY hope you can make Stratford.!

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:50 am

If you can pop round here Friday night (I'm sure you're fairly used to regularly topping up BX coolant) with a belt and pump I can fit them. I also have a spare accumulator in stock.

As for the wishbone bushes, Mk1s rotate on roller bearings although I'm not sure whether they're also rubber mounted. If not, I wouldn't worry.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:59 am

mat_fenwick wrote:If you can pop round here Friday night (I'm sure you're fairly used to regularly topping up BX coolant) with a belt and pump I can fit them. I also have a spare accumulator in stock.

As for the wishbone bushes, Mk1s rotate on roller bearings although I'm not sure whether they're also rubber mounted. If not, I wouldn't worry.

Im told the later Mk1 also had rubber bushes so could be worth checking!

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 11:18 am

Thanks folks. It seems to be losing a litre of water for every 30 miles, so it is quite bad. Have spoken to Lockwood's about the belt kit and pump with some other bits, but not sure the stuff would be here for tomorrow.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 11:19 am

Unless you limp to Stratford and do it then?

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 11:31 am

I guess it's a possiblility. BX does have a low coolant light after all...

However, we have got someone staying with us on the Saturday night, so I'd be struggling to get away too early on the Sunday - then it's about a 3hr drive... (how quickly can you do a cambelt/water pump change Mat?!)

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 11:47 am

Well done with the MOT! As your car is 1986 it won't have the roller bearings - they stopped after August '85, it will have the conventional rubber bushes of the later models.

Re the lack of power - they obviously aren't going to break any landspeed records but they should still go pretty well. I would clean out the tank - it's going to be full of shit, put some injector cleaner through it, get the timing adjusted ( Mat will probably do this if he does the cam belt etc). Once you've been driving it for a while you'll get used to its dynamics. Maybe post a vid with you driving along and the various 1.9 n/a drivers will be able to give you a rough idea if it's behaving normally!

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 1:09 pm

What did you do about the exhaust Ian? was it much of a job?