BXProject

[Bx Bandit]

Oiiiii, stop looking at me nips! Spoze that's why Doc said to let it all spill out onto the timing cover but a bleed nip is a pretty mean way to save £££!

[mat_the_cat]

let it all spill out onto the timing cover

Not in public....

[Way2go]

let it all spill out onto the timing cover

Not in public....

More than just seeping nipples eh?

[docchevron132]

it's not a nipple, it's a bolt. Look rearward from the outlet banjo. You see the bolt in the side of the filter head? Undo that. Thats the bleed.

[Bx Bandit]

Well that's just wank that is.................

[Philhod]

press ctrl and + six times

[catsinthewelder]

Sorry again, should have posted here first. Chubleys back on the road, at least for the moment. He was actually fixed by the RAC man when I found out that I had home start with my recovery , only called them as a last resort to get him to my tame mechanic.

The reason that I came so close to giving up on him had a great deal to do with that blue estate up on Merseyside which came very close to being scrapped the other week due to lack of interest. Another similar one down s***h was weighed in with very little wrong with it. Both at least appeared to be in far better condition. Values are low so it seems sensible to find a good straight one and keep it that way. well that's what the head says, now hes back with us who knows?

Chubley has very rusty A pillars behind the door hinges and around the windscreen, the inner wings are rough and while there is rust further back, that is probably fairly average for a BX. The hydraulics are weak, the spheres need recharging and I'm constantly chasing leaks around the engine bay. At tickover he'll take a couple of minutes to rise and hes back on the floor a few hours after you get home. The rough paintwork doesn't bother me and I like the stripes but I can't see the accident damage that led to him moving in at my house will ever be properly fixed. I've replaced the front section of the exhaust but the rest is on borrowed time.
Fixing all this would cost more than buying a better example.

The other problem is that the VW is supposed to be our project vehicle that spends months at a time off the road being welded up. Our lass won't drive that and shes the one who needs a vehicle day to day. I usually just cycle to work and use the BX when we all go out or for picking stuff up. I suppose that I could buy a temporary runabout for her and take him off the road for a bit but it would have to be very short term or I would get a great deal of grief off the landlord.

We'll see how we go

Cheers again for all the help and advice, sorry not to post back here. I think I posted it up on BXC and AutoShite and 90% of you are on one or tother

[Bx Bandit]

Dude, ANY BX you care to buy will have the same rust issues as Chubley. They all go in the same places.
As our friend Hunter S Thompson would say - it's straight economics: If you can be arsed to weld up Chubley and deal with his problems, you'll do it. If you can't. you'll look at other BXs and buy a 'better' one. But you wont know till you've got the new one home and spent time with it to truely know how good/bad it really is.

In other words, to sensibly write of Chubley, he needs to be entering the disaster zone(law of diminishing returns - if you get my drift). Otherwise you could unwittingly end up where you left off

[Philhod]

Except mine of course

[Bx Bandit]

yeah yeah yeah, blaa blaa blaaa

[Philhod]

Whole of back end finished , NO welding required. new back exhaust all re waxoyled. brakes cleaned and checked ok brake back plates painted and new support made for the fuel exp tank, sill internals waxoyled from back working forward now sill in excellent cond no welding required at A or B posts.
Front steering susp to do next

[Bx Bandit]

new back exhaust all re waxoyled.....

you can't waxoyl an exhaust! Jee...

[catsinthewelder]

I'd love to say yes Phil but the Mrs wants an Estate

Best fix Chubley then,

I assume that if a BX sinks back to the floor a couple of hours after you get home that it needs new spheres?

Then takes a couple of minutes to rise back up, new pump?

Best put new LHM on the list too

Anything else I should budget for? AEP looks promising pricewise

[Philhod]

you can't waxoyl an exhaust! Jee...

Listen sonny, if it's under there it gets fucking waxoyled see!!
And that's over a coat of silver radiator paint

If it's sinking quick it could be cylinder seals. unless it's very bad not worth bothering TBH.
Spheres usually cause hard bouncy ride, similar to riding in high when they need replacing.
Eurospares had an offer on a few months back £17 each.
Slow rise is usually the accy sphere. I've had 4 BX's and never had to change a pump yet.
Dissconnect the reservoir and clean it out. I usually wash the filters in petrol before re filling with new stuff.
AEP is ok at a pinch. Would that their quality was as good as the prices.

[Bx Bandit]

If it's the rear seals then there will be plenty of fluid in the 2ndm return line on the rear strut bellows.
I think it's more likely either passing through the doseur valve (as spouted by Tom Sheppard - don't know if it's true) or possibly a weep on your FDV. My Valver sinks in about 15 mins because of this. I wouldn't get too concerned as Phil says.

The alternative for spheres is to use Plaiedes who recharge spheres so you KNOW they are the correct pressure, as opposed to new stock that have been sitting on the shelf slowly losing pressure.

I also doubt it'll be your pump, although 2 mins to rise is a bit slow. Filter clean and new fluid to start with. What is your tick time?

[catsinthewelder]

Took somewhat too long to get round to checking the tick time, but this morning I was sent on an errand so took the BX. Got back, popped the bonnet and listened to the pump. Tick time about 5 seconds, was about to try and acquire a new one but wait a minute the car came with a bag of spares.

Found a accumulator sphere in the loft, looked used but can't be much worse than 5 seconds so swapped it over. Haynes were as much use as normal but Matt's guide in the BXC FAQ sorted it. Cheers Matt

The Tick time is now about 6 seconds but I am now a good deal more confident to swap it again once I've sent the original off to Plaiedes for pressurization, I'll give them a bell tomorrow

[Philhod]

I've not seen Matts instructions but I always smear the fiber washer with vaseline before screwing back on.
Like most jobs on the hydraulics, once you've done it once you wonder what all the fuss was about. I t really is quite straightforward.

[catsinthewelder]

I'll do that when the new one go's on then Phil. I put copperslip on the threads as there were signs of it on the old one, this is alright ain't it?

[Philhod]

this is alright ain't it?

It sure is. Copperslip was brought out specifically for brakes but there rae loads of other uses.

On the BX the brake caliper distorts with corrosion, where it meets the steel radius arm.
Once removed and cleaned, a dollop of the stuff between the mating surfaces, stops it from re occuring....ever!