Head Gasket Gone On BX TXi.

[bx petrol auto saloon]

DearAll.
After having to attend my wife and daughter nasty accident yesterday,
I noticed that when I went to start her to attend Shari,s accident that the
BX didn.t start on first turn of the key as she has been doing since I
renwed the waterpump, cambelt, tensioner and the radiator etc.etc.
Yesterday I drove the whole one mile back from the scene of the acc-
ident, when the low coolant level warning light came on on the dash-
board. So this morning I checked the coolant level to find it quite low,
so now I need to put a new head gasket and new head bolts too.
I am rapidly running out of cars now, it is damn good job Istill have
my trusted faithfull freind SAAB 900i
I am lucky in the fact that I had to put a new head gasket on my
daughters old Renault Migrain in the summer so at least I now how to do
one now.
If my SAAB breaksdown then it will be shanksy,s pony or worse my
daughters old car the automatic Renault migrain, we still have in my
garage after we bought her the Saxo automatic.
Best Wishes.
Vince.

[BX Meteor]

Dear Vince
I think someone else has already said this in another thread ....
it seems that problems are like buses, they all seem to come at the same time.
How sure are you that it's the head gasket that is causing water loss ?
cheers, Brian

[bx petrol auto saloon]

Dear Brian.
Firstly many thanks indeed Brian for your very very Kind reply
Secondly, I must apologise for not replying sooner since Shari,s
accident we have had 2 different loan cars of varying complexities, and
we also had quite a bit of trouble, just to find out where her damaged
car was for 2 days we didn,t know where the car was What with lots
of phone calls to Motability who are very good and to insurers etc.
I haven,t managed to fill the BX with water yet and take her for a bit
of a run I am really concerned that if I go out to start her, that
if she doesn,t start again then I will have to start taking her to pieces
again As I can,t have her not running, as she needs to be run regul-
arly as they do
I think that she is leaking coolant into the cylinders, this is why she
doesn,t start first time
But I definately will attempt to try and start her tomorrow Brian
and I will let you know how she goes OK.
Thirdly this time of year I always like to say that unfortunately that
there are alot of people who are alot worse than we are, and I would
love to wish you Brian and All your Family too, have a wonderful
christmas and an even more wonderful new year too.
All The Best Brian and your family too.
And the seasons best aswell. x
Vince and Shari, 1 son 2 daughters, 3 moggies and the mutt.

[bx petrol auto saloon]

Dear All
Christmas eve day I managed to top up the cooling system and take
her for a good 15 mile drive. She started first turn off the key without
any throttle, so I was very pleased with that when I got back I had
a good sniff of the exhaust gases coming out of the tailpipe, and I
couldn,t smell any antifreeze in them.
Again today I took her to the local petrol station to put some petrol in,
and again she started first turn of the key wiith no throttle again, and
ran perfectly there and back
I will just have to see how she goes over the next few journeys, so
hopefully fingers crossed on that one I think.
All the best
Vince.

[bx petrol auto saloon]

Dear All.
UPDATED NEWS.
I have noticed over the last few weeks, whist I have been taking the
exhaust off, and subsequently having to put the old back on. So that I
can drive the BX to have her new stainless steel exhaust fitted in the
next couple of weeks.
That whist she is still starting OK, without any throttle I have
noticed that she is not firing up first turn of the key When she starts
she is running on 4 cylinders
However I have noticed she is still using coolant, as I have had to
top the coolant up twice now, which is something I don,t like having to
do on any of my cars at all
I have had the same problem on my SAAB 900i Sophie when I first
bought her, the first winter she went through I had to take her off the
road because the head gasket went on her
So next week I am going to ring the people I get all my parts from,
and get a new head set including new valve-stem oil seals etc.etc. and
some new stretch bolts too
One question I would however like to know, is that when the
cylinder head is off, I will need to check the valve clearances before I
put the head back on Are they shims if so where do you
think I may be able to get hold of any spare ones Another I will
have to find is a micrometer as I can,t remember whether I have one
or not, I will have to have a rummage in my toolchest If not I
can always buy a new small micrometer from where I get my spares
from
Anyway I just thought I would keep everyone informed of how
things are progressing with her
All The Best.
Vince.