GT nearly got an MOT today:-)

adamskibx · Post by **adamskibx** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:35 pm

Took it to the test, braced to hear it was going to fail dramatically, but it was nothing serious at all

I knew it was going to fail and so did the garage as I told them about some welding that I wanted them to do, but the other things were:

Nearside front position lamp(s) not in good working order (not working)

-no idea what they meant by this as its all working

Nearside registration plate lamp not working

-easy

Spare wheel carrier insecure

-no spare fitted at time to compress the carrier

Advisory: No lights fitted at time of test. What???? lol Of course I had lights fitted! Unfortunately I couldnt speak to the guy who did the test so ill have a chat with him on Wednesday when its having £60 worth of welding done and a retest. I took it a long way round on the way back from the test, and my god its a nice drive. Ive never felt BX suspension and steering feel so right. The only problem I noticed was after sustained uphill sections it seemed to suffer from what felt like fuel starvation and would be fine again once the engine was switched off then imediately back on again? No idea what that could be but I kniow the ignition timing is just guessed. It performs very well, and there is no sign of pinking from what I can tell, so ill leave that till I get a timing light.

Thats it! I was so pleased with that as I didnt want all my hard work to fit an engine to go to waste. So fingers crossed ill be BXing again on Wednesday

Must send off for a club sticker now lol.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:19 pm

Some (most) of these MOT testers aren't familiar with MK1 BX lights, in that you have to squeeze the switch in to get main beam.

adamskibx · Post by **adamskibx** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:32 am

Cheers for the Tip Ken. I did leave the user manual wide open on the passenger seat on the signaling and window washer page! I doubt they read it though. Ill have a word on Wednesday to make sure they know whats what. After I booked the M0T, I was very pleased to note that they had a Xantia courtessy car, so I knew they werent anti-Citroen like a lot of older mechanics are.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 6:53 am

I think position lights are what normal people call sidelights - which certainly on later cars push into the light units from underneath I think.

Sounds like the fuel filter may be blocked - or a tired fuel pump. Copes most of the time but max flow causes a touch of starvation.

jeremy

Gareth Wales · Post by **Gareth Wales** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 7:52 am

I'm afraid the mistake you made was to leave the manual open on the passenger seat and the examiner took umbrage.
I leave the manual tucked inside the BOL in the floor well - oh yes, and the seat belgts all buckled up. Never failed.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:06 pm

Didn't Alan or someone post recently that they nearly failed a test as the tester thought the lights were angled too high? When in fact the car was switched off and the back was settling before the front, pointing the lights upwards.

This could be what they mean.

My MoT was done at the guy who handles all the local cit specialist's work, so they are well aware of pitfalls, as well as being sympathetic.

It's always worth leaving a pair of overalls and some decent tools in the car, to show them you're not a muppet.

adamskibx · Post by **adamskibx** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:49 am

Cheers guys. Regarding the cutting out, I think ill sort the timing out first, as well as securing an electrical conection from the distributor properly (the metal securing thing isnt in place at the moment so it could be that). Then I will suspect the fuel pump and filter I think. It certainly seems like a fueling problem, yet a friends 2CV had exactly the same symptom once and new points and a timing adjustment sorted it out.
Gareth, I see what you mean about the examiner getting the wrong (or perhaps too true) idea from the open user manual. Ill just have a chat with them about the switches this time I think. Unfortunately I cant be there as I have work but ill have a word before-hand. I suspect this station deals with and refers to the local cit specialist, (Barry Coombs, who is listed on the BX club recomended guys), as they are right next door really.

adamskibx · Post by **adamskibx** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:24 am

Yippeee! Its got an MOT now! Pitty the new oil seal was useless though!-got to take the engine and gearbox out again at some point to put a better seal in, but for the time being ill just enjoy the car and keep an eye on the oil level

. Its definately a defective seal; I remember thinking when I put it in that it looked and felt rather weak and wasnt that tight on the shaft or the housing. I thought, well I might as well trust it; its new, its hard to get hold of, expensive, and recomended for the car. It didnt however have the big spring in it that the original did, and although the correct size, was designed rather differently. I know its definately not excessive crank case pressure because when its all linked up to the air filter like it should be, overall, there is a vacume, not pressure.