Project BX Day 3/4?

Post by **Jon** » 01 Oct 2004, 01:19

No work last night, but collected ABS type rear arm, and 2 s/hand rear calipers. That well known good bloke Louis Barbour put new arm bearings and seals in the s/hand arm for me, and there it was ready to fit with even a new nut and bolt poked through the middle.
In a frenzy (well some mild enthusiasm anyway)I've got the arm on, done the rear suspension gaiter, got the new ABS sensor in, got the new rear discs,calipers and pads on, changed the o/s/r brake pipe, got the handbrake cables on, and done the front discs and pads, finally the o/s front CV gaiter was changed and fitted with the correct Ligarex strapping for that OE look!.
It was all going so well this evening.........so I thought I'd get the thing started so that I could bleed the brakes etc. I've got this problem right now called "I can't get it up" so I've retired to the warmth of the house and the PC just now.
It was all going so well, the engine started, and the ABS light went out!!! [:)] [8D]
I'd removed the rubber pipe from the LHM resevoir to the pump, and cable tied it in an upright position to the bonnet stay! then filled said pipe with clean LHM. 12mm bleed on regulator was open, but, despite all efforts of topping up pipe with LHM and opening and closing bleed valve there was no pressure.
He who leaves his car on axle stands without any of the spheres and accumulator,in the low position and with no LHM tank for 4 days..............can expect some problems I suppose! [8)]
Project BX over for another day and the Pino Grigio is open and working right now. [:D]

bernie · Post by **bernie** » 01 Oct 2004, 01:26

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jon

I've got this problem right now called "I can't get it up" so I've retired to the warmth of the house and the PC just now.
[:D]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I would'nt tell the wife[:D][:D][:D]

Post by **Jon** » 01 Oct 2004, 02:22

Got back on the job (the BX) and enlisted the help of Stan, my Berlingo owning neighbour.
By removing the rubber hose from the pump, and priming the pump by pouring in LHM direct to the pump body, then spinning the engine over with the fuel pipe removed, then filled the rubber pipe with LHM, and bleeding at the pressure reg (engine now running), the car has now risen into high, ready to bleed the brakes tomorrow.
Who said I couldn't get it up? [;)]
I have this feeling that the pump is a bit weak, although the car is now "up" and the STOP light on the dash is out, the pump is making some odd noises.

jonathan_dyane · Post by **jonathan_dyane** » 01 Oct 2004, 03:50

Hi Jon,
Have just been there dun that, after changing my BX's LHM my pump wouldn't prime, and as I was having various other hydraulic foibles I fitted another pump rather than bugger about with it. Bit of a bugger to get in tho, with the benifit of hindsight taking the intercooler off would have been worthwhile.
All is now well

Incidentally does your HP pump have a plastic body?

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 01 Oct 2004, 04:11

have had similar after work on system. trolley jack under x member. a few ups and downs pulled the lhm through
stewart

DoubleChevron · Post by **DoubleChevron** » 01 Oct 2004, 05:02

My CX turbo is a b@st@rd of a thing when it comes to priming the pump too. It ussually take 15minutes of filling funnels (that are jammed into the pump feed line) followed by trying to 'really quickly' plug the feed line back onto the reseviour.
There's nothing wrong with the pump on that car either. I'm sure it just gets great pleasure at p!$$ing me off [}:)] [:(!] [:D]
However it always bounces up really fast, the daravi never runs out of power (a sure sign of a weak pump) and it always works perfectly once it's primed.
None of the other hydraulic Cit's I own give me so much grief after doing hydraulic work.
seeya,
Shane L.

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 01 Oct 2004, 13:57

Woman Belong Me, being disabled, very rarely intervenes or assists in mechanical work.
This job however needed an assistant to turn the key to off. I used a funnel on the pipe and waited until it had pulled the fluid through. Jane turned off the key at exactly the right moment. On the restart, the car rose as soon as the bypass screw was tightened.

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 01 Oct 2004, 14:53

What is the issue with the plastic pump? I recently replaced the plastic pump on the BX with an old metal one from the pile, suspecting it to be responsible for the lousy brakes, no dicernible difference though.
Stewart

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 01 Oct 2004, 15:02

<Incidentally does your HP pump have a plastic body? >
I'd beware if it does, Jonathan. An ex-citroen mechanic I used to use before I went DIY said he'd replaced many, many plastic-bodied Xantia pumps before Citroen reverted to a metal-bodied one. Could always be one of those mechanical folklore things though....
Did the new pump make much of a difference to the "hydraulic foibles"?

Rob Marshall · Post by **Rob Marshall** » 01 Oct 2004, 15:28

I have heard that bleeding a BX can be a pain, but I find it dead easy: if the pump won't prime, drive it slowly when it is on LOW with the high control lever in normal: and the resulting shaking seems to work: and the thing lifts. Anyone else found that?

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 01 Oct 2004, 16:55

Follow the Haynes manual for pump-priming: they got this bit right!

jonathan_dyane · Post by **jonathan_dyane** » 01 Oct 2004, 21:20

Hi DLM,
Yes, the metal-bodied pump sorted the niggles out. I have no basis really for discussing the pros and cons of plastic pumps, I think this one was the cars original, and if so 170000 miles service isn't really too shabby. I had never seen one before, this being the newest cit I've had, and I just thought it looked a bit crappy.
I suspect the main thing that kills pumps is people driving with a flat accumulator sphere...

TomH · Post by **TomH** » 02 Oct 2004, 03:36

Day 4? [8D]