Mat's BX Blog

Tell us about life with your BX, or indeed life in general!
User avatar
BX Meteor
BXpert
Posts: 985
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:04 pm

Post by BX Meteor »

Yep it's about 15miles north of Nottingham, about 90 miles north of MK, and about 90 miles east of Wrexham (not sure where in N.Wales Mat is)
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7328
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 20

Post by mat_fenwick »

50 odd miles west of Wrexham. I've bought the windscreen now, and will probably just kip over in the car somewhere on the way back, and then go straight to work the next morning. I work part way between home and Wrexham.

Let's hope that
a) it hasn't scratched/chipped
b) the heating elements work
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7328
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 20

Post by mat_fenwick »

It was a lovely day over here today, so dropped the old gearbox this afternoon:

Image

Making sure I didn't get the two muddled up...

Image

...and the new one back in before I decided to call it a day for the night.

Image

Still need to replace the front struts, a driveshaft gaiter, one track rod end, both ball joints and front brake discs. I'll also replace the one of the braided hoses and the oil cooler hose, both of which are the only original hoses in the cooling system. I've also got a spare length of 35sq mm battery cable from when I fitted the winch, so I've made up a new earth lead to replace the original which I'd repaired a couple of years ago.
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
Tim Leech
Over 2k
Posts: 15617
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: Various
x 160

Post by Tim Leech »

Do you want to fit my new one? Seem Ken isnt going to be mending it anytime soon :wink:
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7328
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 20

Post by mat_fenwick »

No problem, if you can give me another 12 hours in a day!
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
Vanny
Merseyside resident
Posts: 3592
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 11:48 pm
Location: BXProject
My Cars: BX 16v Ph2 - Jazz
BX 16v Ph2 - XPO
x 90

Post by Vanny »

Are you sure you have enough relays there mat?
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7328
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 20

Post by mat_fenwick »

Probably. Most of 'em are yours!
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
Tim Leech
Over 2k
Posts: 15617
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: Various
x 160

Post by Tim Leech »

mat_fenwick wrote:No problem, if you can give me another 12 hours in a day!
Lol sounds like my days At the moment, I've arranged to get it done at work instead which will be more convenient but very priceyg! :roll:
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
User avatar
MULLEY
Over 2k
Posts: 8406
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: 1999 Xsara LX 2.0HDI (90) Hatch - Fern
2002 C5 2.0 HDI (110) Estate - Jasmine - SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
x 8

Post by MULLEY »

What was up with the old gearbox Mat?
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7328
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 20

Post by mat_fenwick »

Weak synchromesh on second was the only problem, so shifts had to be very slow to avoid crunching! Even regular oil changes evidently didn't stop it from wearing out :(
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
MULLEY
Over 2k
Posts: 8406
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: 1999 Xsara LX 2.0HDI (90) Hatch - Fern
2002 C5 2.0 HDI (110) Estate - Jasmine - SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
x 8

Post by MULLEY »

Double de-clutching FTW :wink: Would have been the ideal opportunity to practice it on that gearbox.
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN

I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7328
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 20

Post by mat_fenwick »

You're welcome to it if you want! I was having to double declutch if I wanted a quicker change, but still not very quick.

One of tonight's tasks were to change a front ABS sensor.
Image

You can see how the rust has split the sensor casing; despite that the light was only coming on occasionally. The screw had completely rounded off so I had to weld on a nut to get it undone.
Image

I also changed the last remaining original braided coolant hose - access wasn't ideal to say the least but it was all surprisingly easy, just a bit fiddly.
Image

Lastly, one of my spot/fog lamps had cracked so a nice easy job of swapping it with the last of my spare units.
Image
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7328
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 20

Post by mat_fenwick »

Now booked in for an MOT next Wednesday, better pull my finger out! New brake discs, track rod and ball joint on order (I only have one in stock) and today I did some tyre shopping.

My local place are struggling to get much choice in the 195/60 R14 size, but they did happen to have a set of 4 Michelin Energy E3A tyres in stock, which as they are from 2009 they would let me have for £68 fitted.A quick bit of Googling suggests that's a good price as they seem to be around the £90 plus fitting, but it's still a lot of cash in one go. Hmmmm.
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
electrokid
1K Away
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Woking

Post by electrokid »

Are you sure you have enough relays there mat?
That looks like the headlamp mod :D
1992 BX19 TGD estate 228K Rusty - SORNed
2002 C5 HDi SX estate
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7328
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 20

Post by mat_fenwick »

Correct! Collected two tyres today, and saw something that made me smile.

Image

You can't make it out all that well, but there is a sheep in the back of his pickup! Only in Wales.... Still, the benefits of living in a small place is that there's more trust around I think - he didn't charge me for the tyres and just said I should pay when I bring the other two :)

I needed to change the ball joints, and my vice at home was too small so I took the hubs to work - ended up pulling that out of the workbench :oops: So plan C was to take them to a garage, which I did today. We struggled even with the impact gun, and he was shaking his head after a few minutes but eventually it loosened. The other was off in a matter of seconds. No charge for that - wish I'd gone there first!
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad