Broken exhaust mount on ZX

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the_weaver
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Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by the_weaver »

Hi folks

I've got a broken exhaust mounting bracket on my 1993 ZX 1.9D.

It's the single, front mount, on the rear silencer box. The metal rod has broken away from the rest of the metal bracket. It's the part that's attached to the car floor that's gone. The exhaust itself is ok.

It happened after I went to a wedding at a country hotel. I went over a speed bump that was a lot higher than I thought it was. I slowed down, but not enough. I didn't hear the exhaust hitting the ramp, but the exhaust started making a noise when I started the car to leave the wedding. I think the problem was due to a rusty mount, but the speed ramp was a bit too much of a test for it.

Normally, I'd buy a new bracket from Citroen, but the part number seems to be "No Further Production" - NFP, so I'm wondering what to do now. The bracket looks a bit rusty. It might be possible to repair it, but I think replacement is the best solution. The Citroen part number is 96106669. I've had a look on Citroen Service, and the part shown on the drawings is different to mine. On the drawings it shows a piece of angle-iron, bent at 90 degrees, with two bolts to bolt it to the floor. The hanger rod is welded to the angle-iron and bent twice to form a 90 degree bend. The version on my car is completely different. It looks like a wedge shape (e.g. a piece of cheese), and is bolted to the floor by two bolts, one of which also holds the strap for supporting the fuel tank. So I'd have to support the fuel tank to remove it. Nice bit of design work, Mr Citroen.

The bolts that hold the exhaust bracket to the floor, seem to be a bit distant from the point at which the exhaust is hung. I'm wondering if this bracket is welded to the floor as well as bolted. Can anybody tell me if this bracket is welded as well? If so, it's going to be a lot more difficult to remove.

I've taken some pictures, which are posted below.

I would welcome any advice on what to do.

In the picture you can see the rubber exhaust hanger with the U-shaped rod still in it.
The U-shaped rod has broken away from the exhaust bracket behind.
Image


Here you can see the wedge shape exhaust bracket, with the hole where the weld used to be.
Image


Image


Image


Image


On this picture, you can see the rusty exhaust bracket.
There's a hole in it near the top of the picture where the weld has broken.
There are two bolts holding it up to the floor.
One bolt also holding the fuel tank strap.
Image


Here you can see a big lump of weld/metal still atatched to the U-shaped rod.
It looks like rust has weakened the bracket, rather than the weld itself breaking.
Image


Paul
ZX 1.9D, 1993, 218K.
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by handyman »

Hi Paul, the drawings shown on Citroen Service are purely schematic and do not always bear any resemblance to the real thing, especially if its a mundane part. This exhaust bracket will have been bolted to the bodywork, they are very rarely welded on. Your best bet is to find a scrapper to get a replacement, although I am sure ZXs are now getting quite rare. I'll check to see if the one on my ZX was the same and if it is accessible.

Handyman
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by citronut »

it seems to me that this ZX has seriously been attacked by the dreaded tin worm, by all the picy's you have posted here and your sill thread i would say you have got your work cut out on this car
Regards, malcolm.

current ride a BX 1.7 TZD estate
1986 MK1 BX 1.9na D Auto(in Mothman Andy's stable )
layed up roppy 1.9TD XANT estate, now gone to meet her maker
purple and lilac metalic 2CV(VIOLET)registered to her in doors
1972 DS special been layed up aprox 31 years
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by myglaren »

Those bits look to me to be the same as on my son's 306 so Puegeot may have them available.

Someone may confirm.
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by the_weaver »

Handyman

There aren't any good scrap yards near me. I might be able to use online scrap yards though.

If you've got an exhaust mount you want to sell, then let me know, as I would be interested. Even a different design (angle iron?) might do the job.

Paul
ZX 1.9D, 1993, 218K.
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by the_weaver »

myglaren

That's useful info. Can you give me more details on the 306. Year, model, engine type, engine size etc.

Paul
ZX 1.9D, 1993, 218K.
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by the_weaver »

Malcolm

The boot floor itself is not too bad in terms of rust. It's the bolt-on bits that have rusted badly. The rust is starting to spread from the bolt-on bits to the floor itself. There's another rusty bit bolted onto the boot floor. I was wondering what is was there for. It's nearer the centre than the exhaust mount.

Paul
ZX 1.9D, 1993, 218K.
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by the_weaver »

I've just had a look on Citroen Service, and the correct exhaust mount for my car, part number 96106669, which is marked NFP on the drawings, can be added to the basket. It gives me a price of £12.65 inc VAT. Does this mean I can order one from the main dealer, and it might still be in stock somewhere? Has anybody tried this?

I expect the correct mount is not actually available, so I looked for an alternative. There are two versions of the drawings, one for early RP numbers, and another drawing for later RP numbers. My car is RP number 6176, which is an early one. My car is on the drawing labeled "UNTIL RPO 007244", with the obsolete mount. I had a look at the drawing for the later RP numbers marked "SINCE RPO 07245", and it's got a different exhaust mount, but this time it is still available. The drawing shows the mount as a flat hexagonal (almost) plate, with a bent rod welded to it. It's bolted to the vertical face of the box section/boot floor, using two M6 bolts. The part number is 175482. The price is £5.54 inc VAT. The drawings show it being used with the same silencer, and rubber hangers, as mine.

I think I'll order one of those from Citroen on Monday. It's cheap enough to take a chance on. If it doesn't fit, I might be able to modify it, space it out with washers etc. I'm still going to keep looking for the proper mount as well, but that later mount might work long enough to get me through the MOT. It'll be worth £5.54 just for that.

Looking at the way the design of the mounts has progressed, it seems to be a process of gradual simplification. They start off with an overcomplicated mount, which serves multiple purposes. It shares a mounting bolt with the fuel tank strap. Changing it involves supporting the fuel tank, and undoing it's mounting strap. To make life easier, they then change over to a mount that's made from angle iron. However it will probably foul the old mount. So you still have to remove the old mount and fuel tank strap. So then they eventually design a simple mount that's just a flat plate.

Paul
ZX 1.9D, 1993, 218K.
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by myglaren »

the_weaver wrote:myglaren

That's useful info. Can you give me more details on the 306. Year, model, engine type, engine size etc.

Paul
Only info available at the moment is it is an 'R' reg D-Turbo, fairly high spec but not top of the range.

It is SORN and not available at the moment - it is at my son's house but he came off his motorbike this morning, smashed his ankle and is in hospital for the foreseeable.

I put an exhaust on for him last year and as I recall the parts you have photographed appear to be the same.
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by the_weaver »

Sorry to hear about your son's accident.

Thanks for the info. I'll have a hunt around for exhaust mounts for that model.

Paul
ZX 1.9D, 1993, 218K.
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by the_weaver »

Has the ZX floorpan been the same design throughout it's life, or did it change when the newer models came out?

Paul
ZX 1.9D, 1993, 218K.
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Re: Broken exhaust mount on ZX

Post by the_weaver »

The exhaust mounting bracket is spot welded to the floor. So it looks like I'll have to have it patched up by welding patches on.

If I did manage to get a bracket off another car, by drilling the welds out, what would be the best way to weld it onto my car? I can't spot weld it. Would welding around the edges be ok?

Paul
ZX 1.9D, 1993, 218K.
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