Another Forum Newbie

A forum for new members to introduce themselves to the rabble already onboard. Not compulsory!
Tell us a little about yourself, lie if you have to but keep it to just an introduction, not a car discussion.

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sandybx
Posts: 65
Joined: 22 Apr 2013, 18:40
Location: Tonbridge KENT
My Cars: Ctroen,s SAAB, s Vauxhall,s.
x 2

Another Forum Newbie

Post by sandybx »

Dear All,
Many moons ago now, when I was 15 in 1977. I was serving my apprentiship, to become a car mechanic at a local Citroen Dealership ( Lindum Cars ltd. ) on Wragby Road in Lincoln. I just loved the looks of all the new Citroens that were in the showroom and I really enjoyed working on quite a few of the Citroen range at that time, I spent alot of time working on GS,s and GSA,s :)
My first and only Citroen, I bought for £ 700 was in 1984 and it was a one owner from new Beige GSA hatchback, it was a V-Reg. I got it cheap because the owner was a very good friend, and I used to look after his car for him. There was also quite alot of mechanical work that this GSA needed. It needed new front pipes, clutch and both camshafts and all the rockers needed to be renewed. I renewed all the mechanicals that needed renewing only to find out the rust on most of the bodywork panels was too bad to get repaired, the drivers side rear wing, where the glass meets the top of the rear was really quite bubbly.
It was at this point that I was given my first SAAB, as a favour for doing alot work for a friend doing up sales cars, mechanically and then valeting etc etc. Since then I have had six 99,s and I have been driving SAAB,s for 32 years now. About 13 years ago now I bought my first and only classic 900i, It is a 1988 facelift model in rose quartz one owner from new with FSSH she had 60,000 miles on when I bought her, she now 69,000 miles on the clock. I have since fitted 3 spoke ronals and just had four brand new 185/65x15 H rated Avon ZV 3,s fitted. I also fitted a walnut dash, as it was given to me from a very good friend. She also has a full stainless steel exhaust system aswell. I have also worked as a mechanic for the local SAAB Dealer.
Even after driving SAAB,s for so many years, I still find that all cars with spring suspension are a bumpy ride, when compared to a Citroen with hydropnuematic suspension. It was at this point that I thought I must remedy that, and after a very very long search and alot of help from kind people on the BX forum, we managed to find a very kind gentleman who was willing to sell his much loved 1993 white BX TXi 1.6 8v automatic hatchback, she has a pram handle spoiler, abs, electric sunroof and air conditioning too, she has one family owner with 47,000 miles from new and FCSH I have had for about a year I would imagine, still 47,000 on the clock ( My cars only do about 70 miles a year tops, so they are very well pampered ) She has just not that long come out of the bodyshop, to have all of her tiny little bits attended to by a family friend who owns his own bodyshop and detailing company. I have fitted new spheres etc, waterpump and cambelt etc, battery, I have serviced it aswell. The BX will be coming out very soon as I am ordering a rear height corrector repair kit, tomorrow from Martin at Pleiades, as it will be a better quality item, than off ebay. After sorting out her slight LHM weep I can look forward to giving her a really good wash and hoover out etc etc, ready for me to use some of my new polish that I have bought over the winter. The BX is very very original and has been extremely well loved by it previous owners and is completely original, which is the way she will be staying too.
I need to thank the Salters, they are lovely and very very kind family, and my special thanks for delivering the BX aswell, and Tim from the BX club for all of his very kind help indeed. =D>
INTRODUCTION PART TWO.
About 18 months ago we sold my daughters R - reg, 1.6cc Renault Megane automatic, and replaced it with 1999 V-reg 1.4cc 8v Citroen Saxo automatic in metallic blue with 74,000 miles. We bought it privately. He had renewed the full exhaust system including the cat, oxygen sensor, cambelt and a new head gasket aswell.
After about 6 months and only about 2,000 miles later the Saxo was becoming a real pain and constantly breaking down and having to be recovered by her breakdown company ( and with it being an automatic, these should ALWAYS be either be front end suspended recovery or flat bed recovery, as towing them any great distance will break the automatic gearbox.
The Saxo was starting to cut-out and loose power and end up dying at the roadside and not restarting, this happened about 6 times, with her breakdown down company were not really clued up as to why this was happening ? On the last 2 times it broke down, the car had broken down in the morning, they managed to get it going and sent her on her way, but a few miles later it did it again, but this time he could,t get it going so he towed her back about 9 miles on a towrope ! when they arrived i wasn,t best pleased, but we said nothing at the time.
At this point i took the Saxo off the road, as it was so unrelaible, I renewed the crank sensor, which sorted out that problem. However I still wasn,t happy with the way the Saxo was sounding and running, it was at this point I removed the new sparkplugs that I had fitted when I serviced it when she bought it and the middle two plugs were orange with rust. I did a compression check and it was very low on the middle 2 cylinders and the Saxo was starting to use coolant aswell. So I removed the cylinder head and I checked the head surface with a straight edge and some feeler gauges, she was bent by a massive 7 thou. So we had the skimmed and I renewed the head gasket, stretchbolts all associated gaskets, waterpump, antifreeze, stat, all the belts, oil and filter, r/cvr gasket etc.
After finishing the head job, the Saxo was starting, idling with no leaks or coolant loss etc, but I still wasn,t happy enough to let her have it back, The Saxo was whist idling when it started to warm up, she was hunting, so I renewed the coolant sensor for the ECU and that cured that fault. However the car was sounding and running a massive amount better, but when I put it into drive to back out of the driveway, she stalled, it was a this point that I realised that the car had no fast idle to speak off, so I renewed the MAP sensor in the inlet manifold. This cured that fault 100 % The Saxo was now starting first turn of the key and fast idling and base idling perfectly, and with no application of the throttle ( as it should do )
Once the Saxo was all finished, I let my daughter have her beloved car back, and from this point on she has been 100% totally reliable and with any other problems at all.
She clocked up 150 trouble free miles until she broke down again on Detling Hill with no drive at all, the recovery people brought her car here to me. I did some checks on the automatic gearbox, and found that the fluid level in the automatic gearbox, was NOT going down when you start the engine, which meant that the pump or splines in the automatic gearbox was unservicale. I had a quote from a automatic gearbox specialist in town and they wanted £ 1000.00
plus parts plus VAT, just to recondition her old automatic gearbox ( not fitted to car ) just supply only.
We managed to get a secondhand automatic gearbox from a car with 67,000 for £ 125 including the ECU that goes with the gearbox and delivered to hear aswell, So I had to remove the engine complete with the atuomatic gearbox from her Saxo, I removed the old gearbox, fitted the used one and had to refit the engine and the automatic gearbox back into the Saxo. ( there was one bolt missing from the used gearbox, just above the n/s driveshaft ) thankfully I spotted that before I put used gearbox on to the engine. I filled the used automatic gearbox with dextron 2, only to find out that the sump was leaking on the new gearbox, so I had remove the oil and take off the sump ( which has NO gasket, so I had to make one. ) after doing all of this her Saxo has been absolutely trouble free and a 100% reliable again, I haven,t had to even lift the bonnet for 3 months now.
So I am a happy bunny now.
Vince,
Last edited by sandybx on 29 Apr 2013, 18:10, edited 1 time in total.
1992 Citroen BX TX i 1.6 auto with air con in White with 47,000 miles.
1988 SAAB classic 900 i with 3 spoke Ronals in rose quartz with 69,000 miles.
Hell Razor5543
Donor 2023
Posts: 13727
Joined: 01 Apr 2012, 09:47
Location: Reading
My Cars: C5 Mk2 VTX+ estate.
x 2993

Re: Another Forum Newbie

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

Welcome to the forum, sandybx and your BX.
James
ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR

C5 2.2HDi VTX+
Yes, I am paranoid, but am I paranoid ENOUGH?
Out amongst the stars, looking for a world of my own!
sandybx
Posts: 65
Joined: 22 Apr 2013, 18:40
Location: Tonbridge KENT
My Cars: Ctroen,s SAAB, s Vauxhall,s.
x 2

Re: Another Forum Newbie

Post by sandybx »

Dear Hell Razor5543,
Firstly, thank-you so very much for your very kind welcome =D>
Secondly, do you attend any shows with your BX :?:
Vince,
1992 Citroen BX TX i 1.6 auto with air con in White with 47,000 miles.
1988 SAAB classic 900 i with 3 spoke Ronals in rose quartz with 69,000 miles.
Hell Razor5543
Donor 2023
Posts: 13727
Joined: 01 Apr 2012, 09:47
Location: Reading
My Cars: C5 Mk2 VTX+ estate.
x 2993

Re: Another Forum Newbie

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

Hello Vince,

Sadly I am ex red BX and ex blue Xantia. I did attend the X Rally earlier this month (my first rally) and it was great fun.

James
James
ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR

C5 2.2HDi VTX+
Yes, I am paranoid, but am I paranoid ENOUGH?
Out amongst the stars, looking for a world of my own!
User avatar
Welshy_Pete
Posts: 414
Joined: 29 Apr 2012, 01:56
Location: Wrexham Wales
My Cars: 306 hdi 1999 + 306 hdi 2000
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Re: Another Forum Newbie

Post by Welshy_Pete »

Hello welcome to the French Peugeot, Citroen and Renault car forum.
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