I despair.

tom · Post by **tom** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:14 pm

Further down the Forum, somebody is selling a BX with a faulty blower.
Despite all the correspondence and advice given on this topic which is now a very well trodden path, a regular has posted "Try hitting it with a rubber mallet."

This then is to be the legacy of the club and of the forum, that the contributors who have put many hundreds of hours into helping owners understand and diagnose the problems on their cars shall be supplanted by "Try hitting it with a rubber mallet"

Gee, thanks.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:30 pm

We all have our crosses to bear, Tom. I sympathise, but if it works with tellies...

The advice on this forum is second to none. Long may it continue.

M · Post by M » Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:39 pm

Perhaps the perpetrator was hit on the bonce by a rubber mallet?

And no Tom, not everyone who wants one, has one - but not everyone wanting one has a Joanne at home telling them that they aint having one!

(in joke)

tom · Post by **tom** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:58 pm

It works (or more correctly worked in the days of valves) with tellies for a very good reason.
Only certain people can be considered qualified to use any kind of hammer on a BX and then only when denied red or raw meat
which is the real reason why we've got Billy on a diet of Hungarian turkey twizzlers.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 10:03 pm

like it!

Post by **docchevron** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:29 am

tom wrote: Only certain people can be considered qualified to use any kind of hammer on a BX and then only when denied red or raw meat
which is the real reason why we've got Billy on a diet of Hungarian turkey twizzlers.

Ah, thats ok then, cos I dont eat any meat at all, raw or otherwise!

I actually find hammers an invaluable tool for BX fettling, although I'm disgusted at the thought of using a "Rubber" hammer. Wheres the risk in that? Much better off using a 14lb sledge!!

Cheers
Chris G

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 10:09 am

I apologise as I am indeed the perpetrator of said advice.

Such advice was never intended to supplant the rich vein of advice on the matter offered on the forum.

Only, after all else failed, I tried giving the motor a smart tap with my mallet and it burst back in to life, case solved!!

My reasoning was to give the guy something quick and easy to try first, as he's trying to move the car on, as it worked for me. Not to encourage a "bash it first, ask questions later" methodology.

Perhaps I should butt out in future?

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 10:20 am

I know the feeling Tom - I've advocated repairing FDV's with a tap on the ball bearing non-return valve. I've had people complain it doesn't work when they've ground the ball using grinding paste, and one guy on the French Car Forum even tried drilling it to get a better seat! This of course ignores those who think that riveting it with many blows is better than the one recommended (produces multiple seats which overlap)

The practice is not my own invention in fact but pinched from the overhaul instructions for a Laycock overdrive. I used it on my Triumph Stag - where it was so successful the thing took 5 seconds to disengage! (May have had something to do with other components from the other unit I cannabilised)

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 10:20 am

mnde wrote:
Perhaps I should butt out in future?

Absolutely not.

Barnsley BXer · Post by **Barnsley BXer** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 10:59 am

Philip chidlow wrote:
mnde wrote:
Perhaps I should butt out in future?

Absolutely not.

Definitely not.Too many people have already "butted out" thanks to Tom's criticisms/ridicule.Please don't add your good self to the list Mark

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:00 am

mnde wrote:I apologise as I am indeed the perpetrator of said advice.

Such advice was never intended to supplant the rich vein of advice on the matter offered on the forum.

Only, after all else failed, I tried giving the motor a smart tap with my mallet and it burst back in to life, case solved!!

My reasoning was to give the guy something quick and easy to try first, as he's trying to move the car on, as it worked for me. Not to encourage a "bash it first, ask questions later" methodology.

Perhaps I should butt out in future?

Like you say mate he was moving it on and it`s worked for you. I hit everything with hammers, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn`t but it`s free and fun to find out!

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:40 am

Whats the problem with trying a bit of force anyway Tom? Its a motor with brushes, there is every chance of the brushes having simply stuck. Infact if it was any other motor i suspect that it would be first responce for most people to try and it does work on many motors including the starter motor!

While i accept that the bitron unit and dash mounted potentiometer are know for causing this fault, there not the only cause, and to think that every single bx will have the same exact problem when giving these symptoms is not exactly a good basis for fault finding! Infact the only time i have ever had problems with the fan was a corroded connector in the scuttle, no cause other than age (no pools of water etc) and very easy to diagnose!

THere is too often an attitude of some on here that there can only be one explanation for any given problem, and it's simply not that easy! I know for fact that i have had problems that no one else has had nor has anyone been able to diagnose, and i've been told many times that certain tasks simply can't be done.

mnde, your input is perfectly valid and a suitable responce to the problem, its a shame that people think they can persecute you for your input, dont be put off!

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:33 pm

I hit mine on the 16v with a the palm of my hand! and yep you guessed it, it now works!

Tom chill out!

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:22 pm

Banging, or at least tapping a brushed motor is a perfectly acceptable "first test", and can be quite revealing. If the motor bursts back in to life, there's a fairly good chance that the brushes are 99% used, and it really needs new ones. At least after the bash-test you have a working fan while you source some new brushes.

The only problem comes when this doesn't fix the problem, and someone then beats merry hell out of a perfectly serviceable motor, thus breaking it, when the fault was elsewhere.