A few queries...hope you can help!

[peanuts]

Hi there. I've just discovered the forum and have owned a '91 TGD estate for the last couple of years having liberated from a yard locally.

There's not much I won't have a go at and to get it back on the road it had quite a lot of work including replacement octopussies (the lower one was fun) plus usual brakes, cam belt, water pump etc. I've now put 20k on it bringing the mileage to 90k. There are a couple of things I could do with help with:

1) In the last month or two there has been a couple of minor but never the less irritating electrical faults. The one I have yet to sort out is periodic failure of the heated rear window and the horn. Going over the wiring diagram in the Haynes manual, component 51 is the 'RH control unit' which in the usual French way seems to operate several unrelated systems including the two above. Does anyone know what this is and where it is located?

2) I will be replacing the clutch soon and wondered if there is another gearbox in the BX range that gives a better final drive. Whilst pick-up is very good top-end is a little laboured (I think) for a diesel. 70 mph is around 3250 rpm versus 2600 on Peugeot 405 models... I'm happy to loose acceleration in favour of more comfortable cruising - any suggestions?

3) Finally the front callipers are a little sticky and I would like to strip and replace the seals as they are otherwise very good. I don't want to pay for exchange units but can't find the seals for sale as a kit - does anyone know a supplier?

Many thanks in advance for any comments.

[vulgalour]

I can't help with any of the above, but I'd love to see a snapshot of what you've got there, especially since it's a yard rescue.

[citronut]

without looking at the BOL i would think the only thing common to both the horn and heated rear screen might be the fuse/box in general,

as these cars are not electronically challenged like more modern Euro box's,

here is the OE part No. for the caliper seal kit although it states NFP (no longer available )

95 590 798

you might find them by doing a googly search

also here is price and part No. of the caliper slide kits bit extortionate though

Part Number Description Quantity Price excl. VAT Price incl. VAT Total incl. VAT Selection
0000443903 BRAKE CALIPER REPAIR KIT 66.05 GBP 79.26 GBP 79.26 GBP

quite often these sliders are the cause of sticky calipers and can be dismantled cleaned and re/assembled

regards malcolm

[MULLEY]

I may have a front seal kit if you get stuck, you'll have to pm me with an offer price seeing as they are NLA, & i don't really want to let them go for nowt if you know what i mean.

[peanuts]

Thanks for the replies - I'll see what I can do about photos shortly. I did take it (and the chap I purchased it from) to the ICCR this year so you may have seen it. It's J reg and white but was very green and bird do when I bought it... It'll post a few pics of what is still in the yard. There's still at least a dozen other BX's in varying states of decay...

Regarding the callipers, thanks for the part numbers and advice Malcolm. I know what you mean with the sliders as I've had a a lot of Peugeot/Citroen cars with the problem. They are regularly cleaned and greased which helps. My main thinking is that if you can buy a recon calliper there must be seals available. I also run a very early 205 and managed to get a seal kit from my local car spares place. They of course wanted to sell me exchange units but despite their age the units I had were almost spotless inside - the several pounds I paid for the seals was a lot cheaper than an exchange too. I also have confidence issues with the quality of the recon units as when I've been in the shop I've seen a few faulty units returned.

The electrics are in phase of working at the moment. I have been around all of the connectors and the fuse panel and am confident it is okay. The 'control unit' has to be worth a go as it is directly related. You're right that the car's wiring is not that complex (apart from a load of cables being the same colour) so i'm wondering of the unit masquerades as something like one of the stalk assemblies.

Regards
Daniel

[Dollywobbler]

The turbo diesel gearbox has taller gearing than the non-turbo, similar to the Peugeot 405. The only issue might be that on steep motorway inclines, you might need a downchange to keep speed up. Don't know for sure, but that might be why they fitted lower gearing.

[rutter123]

horn not working? prob not earthing on the chassis where its mounted-n/s/f behind the valance it tends to become quite rusty here causing a bad earth, you may also find the horn brackets very rusty and the wiring broken, for a tenner for for a new hooter and bracket just drill a new clean mounting hole fit new terminals usually does the job. an easy check is with a multimeter on the horn wires.

[citronut]

Daniel
you are aware the front calipers on a BX have the hand brake mechanism built in, so it is not quite as simple as just popping a piston out to fit new seals,

if you still wish to search for the seal kits try this company

http://biggred.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

as they are very helpful, call back if probs excellent service,

i used them to source Visa caliper seal's were no one else could get them even though they all say they can, but turn out to be on back order,

BIG RED phoned me several times in tracking seals down

regards malcolm

[KevR]

RE: gearing. If all you want is a taller fifth for motorway cruising, I seem to remember that it's just a case of sourcing the appropriate gears (from a TD), taking the end cover off the gearbox and changing the gears in situ. No need to change the whole box. Of course, I might have dreamed that...

[Defender110]

Welcome along Peanut, I know what you mean about the calipers; I have perfectly operational ones on mine but the slider seals where split. I just covered the seals with a coat of thick grease to protect the sliders from the weather whilst I sourced some new seal kits. There are two different kits, one has the slider seals in it and the other doesn't and one has the hand brake mechanism cover but not the slider seals. The seal kits were available from Citroen but unfortunately a lot more exspensive than recon calipers. I did manage to find some new old stock kits eventually off ebay and a guy on here but didn't find anywhere that actually stocked them.

[Defender110]

RE: gearing. If all you want is a taller fifth for motorway cruising, I seem to remember that it's just a case of sourcing the appropriate gears (from a TD), taking the end cover off the gearbox and changing the gears in situ. No need to change the whole box. Of course, I might have dreamed that...

Yes very easily done in situ, I did this on a Peugeot Partner van when the splines went on the fifth gear.

[citronut]

BIG RED do list caliper seal kits which include the slider dust boots,

also the kit looks like its for two front calipers at £22.90

http://biggred.co.uk/catalogue.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

you need to select your car make and model

regards malcolm

[Defender110]

That's handy, I think I will order a set of these just for stock. Looks like these are manufactured from the original Citroen kits which again bizarley don't have the handbrake mechanism dust cover which also splits
Thanks for the link Malcolm.

[peanuts]

Re the seals that's excellent. I'll contact Big Red about them. The main piston although operated by the handbrake assembly can be removed independently and the actual fluid seal changed easily-ish as far as I know, without taking the handbrake to bits. I've removed the pads before now and operated the brakes to get the piston out most of the way for inspection and it all looks okay. I decided I wanted to replace the seals as sometime in the past I had a Trafic van with constantly sticking brakes (4 pot callipers) and no apparent fault, and after replacement flexis x4, fluid, strip and clean I only solved it by changing the piston seals. To look at them I had no idea why little rubber rings could cause the problem but they did. Perhaps hardening with age? So with only one piston each side with the BX I though I'd give it a go.

The 5th gear swap sounds very interesting, would never have thought that possible! It will obviously have a noticeable effect with the diff remaining the same? Would gearbox bits from something like a 306 be compatible as there's plenty of those in the scrapyard? I did think originally of a gearbox from a 405 but of course none of the pump mountings would be there.

Horn and HRW stopped again today and as they always do it at the same time I think its a feed problem. I'd still be interested to know what the 'RH control unit' is mentioned in the manual. At least then I can swap the bit and see if its cured...

[peanuts]

Ordered!