Tom Sheppard's BX

bernie · Unread post by **bernie** » 18 Nov 2003, 01:05

As people may or may not know I have now taken on Tom's old BX TGD Estate. It is a really clean machine.
I have read through quickly the water retention problems,he was having, on this forum.
My first report is, after a ten mile run, there are still problems.
The radiator was cold but boiling water gushing from the inlet with cap removed.
I will be investigating further.
Bernie

arry_b · Unread post by **arry_b** » 18 Nov 2003, 02:42

Radiator cold eh? (cold to the touch rather than not showing anything on the gauge)
Apart from the obvious head gasket possibility, how about a blocked radiator? Thermostat stuck?
These could have causes the head gaasket failures (if it has gone).

DLM · Unread post by **DLM** » 18 Nov 2003, 16:02

Hi Bernie - I live in Gosport and know both Tom and his immaculately-kept BX. I've been through the BX diesel head gasket experience myself and come out the other side (40k miles later still running fine - touch wood) - though I didn't do the repair work myself. I also have a TXD in store (due to be cannibalised soon) with a similar cooling system to the Xantia-like setup on Tom's old estate.
I'll mail my contact details should you want a (fairly local) second opinion.
Is the rad showing the classic head gasket bubbles if run with the cap off from cold?
Are any of the hoses heating up (on either side of the rad)? Does the thermostat show any signs of opening?
Are the overtemperature lights coming on? They can be tested on earlier models by removing the leads or grounding them (can't remember which, I'm afraid, and the setup may be different on a BX as late as Tom's).
Is there any leakage via the hole under and to the rear of the rad cap?
Though rad blockage is a possibility I seem to remember Tom having flushed it earlier in the year....

bernie · Unread post by **bernie** » 19 Nov 2003, 02:34

Found the top hose has been damaged and leaking by rubbing with air filter trunking.
Tried for a new one at GSF , no luck only petrol ones.
Went to Freeborn (main agent), turns out there are 3 versions and mine being the middle one (so perhaps not a late xantia/zx).
Anyway the shock was to come £32.95 + vat!!!!!!!!!
I also had to buy the smaller (asbestos covered) heater hose that wraps round the turbo on my 17TZD, another £17.20 + vat
£59 for 2 water hoses you could buy a whole BX for that!!!!!

bernie · Unread post by **bernie** » 19 Nov 2003, 15:58

Fitted hose, left thermosat out, bleed system.
Started up , immediatly bubbles in rad. top and fuel peeing out the top of the bosch pump around throttle spindle.
So it looks like head has to come off plus surgery on pump.
Hay Ho

bernie · Unread post by **bernie** » 19 Nov 2003, 17:07

Just noticed radiator has a leak half way up

DLM · Unread post by **DLM** » 19 Nov 2003, 23:19

Hmmm....not a nice combination.
That air hose area is a strange one on BXs - I once saw a pretty hefty hydraulic pipe abraded away by the braided metal air hose coming from the top of the rad and going to the underside of the air filter.
Sounds like a couple more bx-worths at least....
If you're considering secondhand parts then I may be able to help with bits from the TXD I've got stored, though I can't guarantee they're much better ('93 Bosch pump, similar rad - AFAIR some of the rear fins are flattened though it doesn't leak). The Rad should be a "later" one for a n/a BX (more pipes). On the other hand, there isn't diesel peeing out of the pump I've got - it just seems to make a bid for freedom from the filter area, or let the air in.
Off with its head first, I guess. Did you ever see the series in Car Mechanics over the last year about a 1.9D 405 estate? After being head-gasketed it also turned out to have some worn bores too. In view of that I'd check out everything very carefully once the head's off - though that's probably a very pessimistic viewpoint.

Unread post by **alan s** » 20 Nov 2003, 02:59

I'll just put 2 bob's worth in here too.
A couple of years ago there were a few owners doing or having head gasket & cracked heads done who were complaining of a repeat dose within a short time frame. It turned out to be caused through a reduced flow of coolant through the radiator due to scale. I think the recommended flow rate was 60% and anything under that, lead to a failure. (1% or 2% having even been quoted by a couple) It was so critical that some repairers were not prepared to do the job unless it included a new radiator, so I'd suggest that the radiator be very carefully tested just in case this was what trapped the previous owner.
Alan S

DLM · Unread post by **DLM** » 20 Nov 2003, 04:11

....and there is the story I've seen somewhere that 1991-ish 1.9D heads (or blocks, I don't remember) silt up the radiators because they were never cleaned up properly after casting. Whether that's an old mechanic's tale or not I have no idea, but the radiators do seem to reach a point of no return - once passed then problems develop very quickly.
If only Mr Citroen had seen fit to put a proper temp gauge in ALL diesel BXs.