Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:35:38 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/ The BX Project Backend en-gb http://www.bxproject.co.uk/images/logo.gif http://www.bxproject.co.uk/ admin@bxproject.co.uk http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article33.html Well its been a while since I've writ a sermon on THE car mostly as a result of being uber busy first with exams then with the ULM Formula Student car. On the degree front well i finally graduated after not exactly a short time, took a hell of a lot of effort but definitely paid off and i'm happy with the result! On the FS front well we actually got a car to competition and managed to get through scruitineering, noise test, tilt test and brake test and managed a lap and a half on the endurance race before terminal chassis failure led to a wheel coming off (Should have had Citroen hydraulics!). So, the car! Well there has been little work done, mostly just trying to keep her with forward motion. I finally swapped out the second leaking FDV 10 days ago and the car is a totally different animal now, but as with all HP Citroen's, i fixed one leak and the low pressure return from the N/S/F strut is pooling out. Actually now i think about it, there's a hell of a lot more fluid than there should be, perhaps it is the return from the safety valve? General problem is that the fluid returns through a length of washer hose which has perished under the influence of oil. Haven't managed to source alternative pipe yet (everywhere is sold out of any suitable pipe!) Anyways that's nothing compared to the list of other things amiss;   sheared O/S/R ABS sensor (been like that for two years now) leak from one of the drive shaft seals blowing from the exhaust still i think inner wings are looking worse and worse by the day MOT due in the near future need to change to the aircon sump need an oil change to go with it N/S/F door wont unlock from the central locking, and is very very stiff on the key (suspect failure) roof console has deformed and rattles A LOT clutch is generally naff, it works just about fine but if you fully load it it just slips! There's probably more that I'm forgetting so i might update in time Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:35:38 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article32.html Just when i thought archieve footage couldn't get any more retro, I've gone and found this proper little classic! This is Freda (the car) at SantaPod showing just how slow the TD engine really is :P okay fine, it was a detuned engine from and estate but it was the FIRST BX 1.9TD and the reason this website even exists!   Rapid!   Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:25:42 +0100 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article31.html I spent Sunday 2nd of December competing in my first ever Club Autosolo with Accrington Motor Sport Club, and wasn't it good! For those that don't know, Autosolo is a little bit like slalom, but for cars, you compete typically on a flat car park (this one was on two car parks at different heights with a link road!) and race against the clock around a course marked out by cones, simple really! Well the weather wasn't the greatest for my first ever attempt, it chucked it down all day, however it typically pounded down when i was marshaling and eased off when i was competing! There where twenty cars in all and i had been invited/dragged by a friend from Liverpool Motor Club. First run was very very timid, i mostly didn't want to hit the cones or the kerb or get the course wrong! And i didn't do any of them, and came in with i think the slowest time in Club solo, but when i am the ONLY novice in our category, and most have been doing it for years, i felt very pleased with myself! Second run, and while i'm on the start it was kindly demonstrate to me why i shouldn't hit the kerb, thanks John, so i didn't hit the second lap too hard either, but after that the second FLEW off! In my class i was was unfortunately pitched against a 3litre Golf VR6, you'd have thought i didn't stand a chance, but by the 6th attempt i was considerably faster! Couldn't catch up the 20second lead he gained from my first slow laps, but bugger me did i drop my times, lost 12 second between 1st and 6th run! How much to i rock! After lunch the course was slightly shortened (and hence the much faster times), my last attempt did not go well, i'd been playing with he suspension setting while waiting in the que and it had stayed very low, and as i took off it went the rest of the way to the floor! It was so bouncy and uncontrollable by the time i got to the first big U-turn i failed miserably and near smacked a cone, reversed back and still got it on the second attempt no real damage done, but i might get a plastic bumper if i'm gonna do it again So i came 2nd overall in class (well there was only me and the Golf) but good god how much better could i have done! Oh, i forgot to mention, the Golf was on LPG!!! surely not allowed overall results can be found HERE Nice even if i do say so myself. One one seemed to be taking pictures, but if i find some i'll let you know! Oh, i can also reassure you that if you take a corner with enough determination the BX will definitely coch a leg! he he i had fun Thu, 13 Dec 2007 13:09:50 +0100 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article30.html I'd totally forgotten about this brilliant piece of archieve footage, and though (when i recently un earthed it) that i really should make it available for your viewing pleasure, so here it is!   Smooth (if you ignore the tappets :D)   Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:20:04 +0100 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article29.html It's nice to be able to provide some news again, especially now i have pictures, just a shame that i haven't much to report! Problem is i'm back at uni and thus VERY VERY busy, things are just getting put to one side. On the plus side, just at the end of the summer hols i did manage to score a lovely big bumper for the Landy, and following fitting, used it in part to move the scrapper!   Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:21:49 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article28.html The final piece of the puzzle! It has taken a bit of a while to get this bugger working, but finally, after a rather long winded circular process, I've managed to move the gallery to its new home. You know what that mean right? I can post piccies again :D YEY! Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:15:39 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article27.html Well, Jazz might not have made the National, but thats to stupendous efforts from the Doc the car did actually make it to the CCC Midlands Rally in Stratford, hurrah. What a weekend, myself, the gf and pilsy made it there on friday evening to meet up with Fearny who was totally recked and Mr G who was asleep. Tent erraction carnage followed, followed by drinking, and awaking in the morning! Not much happened Saturday day, got me just one bargain! Then the evening came and things got interesting, drinking till 4:30am which beats the record set at the national. The other half made a right tit of her self, then proceeded to throw up lots. After 20 pints the Doc and I thought it would be a good plan to change my rear spheres! Bollox to axle stands and sphere removal tools, there not the tools of men! Morning came, recovery was undertaken (of minds and bowels), pizza was eaten and we where pretty much the last off the site (again), least it didn't rain and leechy's car din't break down again! Ooh pics;   Thu, 06 Sep 2007 01:43:28 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article26.html Well its mostly looking good for the 'big' change so far! Only significant issue is a temporary loss of the Gallery. THis service will be brought back ASAP (well as fast as i download all the pics ;) ) All in all, it looks like success! Thu, 30 Aug 2007 01:21:42 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article25.html It's only taken 6 years, a shit load of money and many trips from the Doc but finally i have a valver! And if you dont believe me check out the video!   I rather like the Valver (PS thats Doc and NOT me driving)   Tue, 21 Aug 2007 20:07:03 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article24.html Absolutley had enough of the current site providers, there crappier than crap and i've had enough! I already have all my domains with an alternative hosts along with all my email accounts. Started doing the maths today, turns out that i'll actually save £3.98 a year by switching to the third biggest hosts in Europe (not that i know who 1st and 2nd are). Anyways please beare with me as there is a transistion from the current hosts (i'll tell you all about them at some point) to the new old hosts; PLEASE BE AWARE OF DOWNTIME OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS! Tue, 14 Aug 2007 22:59:54 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article23.html Well i've come up with a genious new project plan. I'm not going to give too many secrets away, but i bet you can figure some of it out, it will be ready for next years national, and possibly the first of its kind! Thu, 12 Jul 2007 22:00:31 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article22.html I think this is technically Day 9 but since i came home at 10pm yesterday after a day slaving under the car i figure i might as well skip ahead! ALSO yesterdays trials and tribulations and pretty well categorised on the forum, so Day 8.5 can be found here; Clicky link to forum topic So, today was a bit of an epic. The BX was booked in for an MOT with TKS Motors on Pebroke Street (very highly recommended), however i found where the LHM leak was coming from, the side of the FDV so i called and cancelled the booking! Now my knowledge on these things is very limited as i hate FDV's they are the work of the devil. Anyways the Doc suggested screwing the blanking cap back in, i tried and it spun and spun, eventually i pushed it in to find it was sprung. Anywho, i managed to reseat the cap and pretty much stop the leak in the end. All in all things went okay, albeit a little slow, but i didnt make it to MOT today. It feels good to be in the BX again, and it strikes me that the valver is going to be rather quick (havent had it passed 5000rpm). Its running rough though, i think its one of the HT leads breaking down as it gets rather hot rather quickly, new ones on order!   Anyhow i'll expand on this submission at some point. Thu, 12 Jul 2007 20:56:00 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article21.html First things first, i went off to collect the seal from Borders, and some new brake discs for the front, few other errands and back to the car. Gear box went on, wasn't exactly easy but mostly because i'm so used to doing the diesel box and the angles and the likes are a little different, its also a little difficult to do it all with only one set of hands. Mock not my wooden dowl of fury as once again it worked first time :D So with the gear box on, starter next, then the clutch cable, sort out a load of messed up wirring (injector connectors on the wrong injectors), bottom hose on, actually got a fair bit done given the late start! The next thing i chose to tackle was the exhaust, and now came a small problem, the weld between the downpipe and the resonator was starting to crack and there where signs of blowing. So, only one thing for it, see if i could still weld stick! Initial impressions where that i really couldn't ***** get it right, fortunately i was practising on the old exhaust so splatering everywhere and not getting it struck up wasn't a problem. Turns out the stick was duff and stick number 2 saw an almost instant return to form (not that i ever had any) end result wasn't pretty, but it worked (after blowing a couple of holes). Went to actually fit it, but couldn't find exhuast couplings so will have to buy some more (how i lost 4 of them i don't know, found all the springs though).   More Piccies Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:57:09 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article20.html Ah, an interesting day. Mr Cavmad volunteered under duress to come and give us a hand, shouldn't have tried a long journey in a Renault though. He gets half way here and his alternator pulley comes clean off, so i go to assist, not a lot to be done so we get his car back to the workshop and phone the RAC hoping that they can fix it. They couldn't, so towed Billy home and that was that. Oh well no loss really, we all know Cavmad's technical know how! Anyhow, i managed to get the engine and stand out of the work shop and into the car, clever me! Well that helped. Only problem for today, i pulled the crank shaft oil seal out of the engine which really didn't help as the replacement was only 7mm thick and it should be 10mm thick, anywhoo Citroen now only do the 7mm for all models at a cost of £15 but i scored one at my local bearings specialist (Border Pumps and Bearings in Sandycroft) for £5 and it was the right thickness! Groovy!   More Piccies Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:38:07 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article19.html Well Doc (hero of the weak) spent the day rebuilding my engine and making it lovely and put back together. I didn't get many pictures as i was mostly watching (and learning) in awe of the lengths the Doc went to to achieve perfection, and the speed at which it was done. Honestly, what was done in a day would have taken me probably three. Unfortunately owing to Doc's i'll health (discharged himself from hospital just to come help me!!!) he departed in the evening, not nowing quite what would become of his efforts!   The following days saw little progress and not enough to consider an entire day! Work during this time including the sourcing and fitting of a clutch cable, changing all the diesel fuel line bits for petrol fuel line bits (no easy task, but not very interesting for the photos!)   Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:22:06 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article18.html Day 4 - Diesel engine out Wow, well Doc arrived some time around 5pm and by 10pm the old engine was out and not only where we in the pub but the valver engine was starting to fall to bits! In all honesty, it probably would have taken a good two days for me to get the engine out of there!! Hurrah, no more diesel :D   Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:16:30 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article17.html Day 3 - bits and pieces TOday has probably been the least successfull of all the days i've been up the farm. Intention WAS to pull the engine out of the scrapper, reality was the rain slowed up everything. Got the n/s suspension off but i ended up awefully wet so pretty much gave up. Instead i started pulling the donor engine apart (carefully and systematically) and even that wasn't without its problems! Ended up with a snapped head in the harmonic balancer (see the pic below) but a good ole smack with a pin punch and the snapped stud became loose and wound out quite happily! Also got the head set, gaskets, cam belt, tensiors and water pump today, total cost £202 GULP! i can afford that for the whole project but i'm not sure how the finances will fair when it comes to buying up parts for the bottom end :(        Thu, 21 Jun 2007 23:18:11 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article16.html Its been a long time coming and many many months of research gone into it, but finally i'm starting to put together a manual which should cover ALL aspects of the Citroen BX 16v ECU options, configuration and installation. It will cover not only the main features of both the M1.3 and ML4.1 ECU's but also have relevant chapters on all the components that go into the system including components such as injectors, fuel pump etc and cover such things as ECU schematics and error codes. It is my intention to have a first version released within the next six weeks so check back for updates! Tue, 19 Jun 2007 23:46:42 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article15.html Day 2 - Interior Removal Well during the last few days i've moved over the spare engine and a load of tools through the use of my dads Picasso, really should have got more pictures as it was practically on it's bump stops! I thinki have learned that if i do end up with a Xsara Picasso then it needs better springs! I've also cleared the grass from under the donor car at the farm to reveal concrete slabs underneath it making life much easier. I also found out what the problem was with the lights in the stable i'm using to store parts in, the entire wiring loom has been disconnected :( But i'm going to get a decent RCB in and see about re wiring and running mains into the shed and car port (just need to find some of that old red and black wire!) Yesterday i spent some mare time on the car, again only a couple of hours but with a very glamourus assistant we got one complete suspension turret off and most of the interior ready for collection when Doc finally comes to visit. I've also bought myself an engine stand to start work on the engine, and i should be taking the fly wheel for balancing and a couple of hundred grams of lightening tomorrow! If nothign else it will give the new clutch a decent surface to mount too. Next plan is to get the other side of the suspension off, and get the engine and gear box out of the donor car, and probably pop the exhaust off at the same time so i can see about getting a stainless jobbie made up! And the pics;    Tue, 19 Jun 2007 13:47:10 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article14.html Well the first day of unbuilding the donor car didnt go so well! The some what sweltering heat meant VERY slow progress and in the in I gave up at 3 as the heat just wouldn't relent! I did however manage to get some unbuilding and quite a few pictures. A full write up will follow in time. Here are some pics;   See more pictures here   Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:53:38 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article13.html New Space, new timeline! Well time is now here and work can begin! Having waitied quite a few months, work will now start to take place on the rebuild of Jaz. One of the most significant developments is that following a farm sale where i work i now have a 100' x 150' barn to work in (from monday) or alternatively the optional powered garage which is significantly smaller but has power and lights! I'll be like a big in mud by all accounts.Another great revelation is that after many labourious hours splitting up caravans, i am now seeing some fruits of my labour in the form of folding money which should help buy some of the much needed finishing parts for the 16v racer. Along side this i have aquired the temporary use of an untrasonic parts cleaner and have gons on a cleaning frenzy with all of my sockets having had a good 15 minute soak :) Shiney!Oh, i think i might have found a new friend to go racing with, she's a bit of a race junking and easily persaudable into anything motorsport related. Whoo hoo!Oh and on the website front i now have a cool plug in visual editor for these posts so can make them all look funky and cool! Yey :D Sun, 03 Jun 2007 00:13:33 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article12.html Nearly a year ago now i purchased a number of big boxes of modern Citroen parts on eBay in order to get a couple of items i wanted from them! Well it's looking more and more likely like i will have to get rid of all my citroen parts within the next 6 months so i will slowly be listing everything on eBay starting with this HUGE job lot of spares. Grab a bargain when looking here ; eBay Auction 260123254639 And keep watching as i begin to add more and more parts! (ps contact me directly if you see anything you want without the hassle of eBay) Mon, 28 May 2007 16:07:31 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article11.html The time has come, Janice will start getting disassembled NEXT WEEK. It won't really be distressing to me given how many more holes I've found around the rust floor (used to be the boot). However its not the end of the world and lots of good will come of it, if i can get some gas bottles then I'll be getting the gas axe out and finding out what really holds the BX together and there might be an opportunity to try some crash testing if i can find a bugger bumper for the landy at work! If you need any pieces for your BX then i suggest you check out the 'Parts Bin' section of the website; BX Project Forum Tue, 15 May 2007 17:21:26 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article10.html Well it pretty much jumps right and slaps you doesn't it! And quite an improvement too i think, not perfect but so much classier. Personally i like it, but if you have thoughts on the new look or what you would like to see in the site then why not join in the discusion on the forum! http://www.bxproject.co.uk/forum Sat, 12 May 2007 21:13:31 +0200 http://www.bxproject.co.uk/Article9.html The original and the best list of Citroen Specialists is BACK! Started in 2004 the list was compiled from garages mentioned by users of the then AndySpares forum as being good with all things Citroen. Its grown to some 50+ personal recommendations just for you! Do you have a local specialist? Recomend them! Follow the link for details. Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:23:04 +0200