Zel's Fleet Blog - BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D & 230TE, AC Model 70.

[white exec]

Should be pretty close with those...
BX14 saloon RR 400/40/1.1
Xan non-HA saloon RR 400/30/1.2

Zel, on the condensated oil-filler, is that breather hose (to the left) free to do its stuff? Should allow a bit of air/fumes flow, which should shift condensation. You're likely right though - lack of running.

[Zelandeth]

[Jim] You should have the non-HA spheres that came off the back of my silver V6 Xantia. They were either new or just regassed from Plaiedes. They were put back into marked Citroen boxes.

Mike, I indeed have Thanks for remining me!

Zel, let me know ASAP as I have an essential, authorised journey to make tomorrow morning (Covid jab) and that would be an ideal opportunity to drop them off to you...

I'll also lend you my sphere tool. You'll need it! As well as a big hammer and cold chisel I expect

Don't forget to initially crack them off with the hydraulic system fully pressurised and on high

I'll definitely take you up on that, Jim. I have at least regularly been soaking them in PlusGas (my last can of it!) since the car arrived - not given the state of them that I expect it to make any difference really!

Reckon an industrial grade air chisel is probably what I'll end up needing!

[CitroJim]

I'll sort them out this afternoon and drop them around in the morning en-route to my Covid jab Zel...

Not sure of the time, will advise...

[Hell Razor5543]

I have a decent wide cold chisel and 1KG lump hammer, if that would help (and they have seen service loosening spheres on the rear suspension of 2 Xantias). I also have a week off (use them or lose them sort of thing). There are also a couple of Xaccers' DIY sphere removal tools available.

[CitroJim]

I have a decent wide cold chisel and 1KG lump hammer, if that would help (and they have seen service loosening spheres on the rear suspension of 2 Xantias). I also have a week off (use them or lose them sort of thing). There are also a couple of Xaccers' DIY sphere removal tools available.

I believe you've just talked yourself into a job James

If you do, we must try to arrange a carefully socially distanced meet-up

[Hell Razor5543]

Tuesdays I help out my Mum (she is not that well, and when she is moored in the area I do what I can), this Wednesday I have a blood test (but I will be home around 10:30, so can head up after that), and on Thursday afternoon I am getting stabbed in the shoulder. Every other day I am fully available.

Zel, if the spheres Jim has are not suitable I have found AEP Direct spheres to be pretty good. I just did a search, and they do have them for a 1.4 petrol BX;

https://www.aepdirect.com/citroen-bx-1. ... ory_id=121

[Zelandeth]

Today's unexciting update...TPA has had an engine oil & filter change.





I had another shot at a Slow-Mo video of the distributor working in daylight. Given we've got a clear cap on at the moment it seemed something worthy of playing around with the slow motion mode on my camera.



Got another angle where you can see the points opening and closing.



Quite interesting to actually see things working. Can see from the lack of sparking there that the replacement capacitor setup I put in place.

If we're not up and about when you drop stuff off Jim, should be fine to just leave things behind the gate by the van (you'll know you're in the right place by the huge mountain of scrap waiting for me to be able to take to the tip).

[mickthemaverick]

That slow mo is great Zel!! It really lets you see what's what. We need more, and more!!!

[white exec]

Excellent video through the transparent dist.cap, Zel.
Are those transparent caps still being made, and are they meant just for troubleshooting, or permanent use?
We had one for the '35 Rover Ten, but it wasn't in good enough condition to be left on the car.

[Zelandeth]

Excellent video through the transparent dist.cap, Zel.
Are those transparent caps still being made, and are they meant just for troubleshooting, or permanent use?
We had one for the '35 Rover Ten, but it wasn't in good enough condition to be left on the car.

They seem to be what about half the suppliers of parts for the Steyr-Puch engined stock. Several have both clear and black ones listed under the same part number. I *should* have a black one on the way which I think will look less out of place in there - if the package ever escapes customs, where it's been hung up for nearly a month now.

[white exec]

Gosh; I had thought they were just an old 'diagnostic' relic.
A V8 one at night would make an interesting sight — a V12 even more so!

[Zelandeth]

Hey look what was dropped off for the BX today...



These are actually rear spheres for a non-hydractive Xantia rather than BX ones, but they're pretty close spec wise. Will be absolutely fine for the purposes of getting the car into a driveable state. Once she's got an MOT and is driving reliably I'll look at getting the exact correct ones.

So tomorrow (if time permits) the battle to change the rear spheres will begin. I've been regularly dousing them in PlusGas since the car arrived and I've been loaned the right tool for the job but I'm still expecting this to be a royal battle.

[CitroJim]

Excellent Delighted you're happy with them Zel It was a real treat to see you at a distance and have a good look at the BX

When you come to remove the old ones remember percussion is your friend And make sure the car is well supported at the rear to avoid the possibility of the suspension suddenly collapsing from upon high when the spheres finally come loose..

Remember to initially 'crack' them with full pressure in the system and the suspension on high...

[GiveMeABreak]

I saw this a week ago and meant to post it up here - reminded me of yours, being the same colour:



He gets it going after the third attempt and it sounds quite good when running. Note the pumping of the accelerator - wasn't that some old method of operating the choke IIRC....

One thing I couldn't help notice was the same issue of the 2 halves of the plastic 'shells' over the steering housing that seemed to also find their way into at least 2 of my XMs - seems they could never get them to match up!

[Hell Razor5543]

On the two occasions where I had to remove seriously seized rear suspension spheres I found that knocking a 'divot' into the seam first gave the chisel a good purchase point when undoing the spheres. Then, every six months or so, loosening off the spheres by a 1/4 to 1/2 turn (and then doing them back up hand tight) prevented them from seizing again, making replacement a simple process. When I was at a dealership an elderly mechanic (who had a lot of personal Citroen experience) told me that this is what he did, making maintenance an easy job.