Citroen AX MK1 Problems

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rubjonny
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Citroen AX MK1 Problems

Post by rubjonny »

OK My Girlfriends AX is suffering from a long list of problems, and since my (small) experience is with VWs I thought I would ask people who know what they are talking about before attempting anything myself :)
Its an F reg 1.4TZS (Silver if that makes any difference ;))
1. Stiff/unpredictable clutch
The clutch pedal is stiff and has a nasty 'jump' to it just at the biting point. When trying to bring the clutch out so as to drive off nice and smooth the pedal jumps past the biting point, at worst stalling the car and at best making the car jump off like someone has given it a good kick up the rear! Reversing is far from plesant, bunny hopping about since the ideal reversing point is in the middle of the 'jump'. Hope this all makes sence, buggered clutch perhaps?
2. Dodgy ignition
When starting the key often sticks at the 'start' point making the starter motor run on after the engine starts, and needs to be forced back to 'on', sometimes it goes too far cutting the engine and forcing us to start the cycle over again. I've been told its a dodgy ignition switch and costs £10 to replace, but searching the parts list fails to show up anything promising, and Haynes tells me that its built into the steering lock, can someone point me in the right direction?
3. Engine cuts out
Several times whilst driving the engine has died, a couple of times whilst slowing down at a roundabout and other times whilst trying to pull away. The car doesn't jerk like it would if you stalled it, it just cuts out. I'd be tempted to say it was related to the above problem, but then it was doing this long before the key kept getting stuck...
4. Failure to start
A couple of times the engine has refused to start, turning slower and slower as if the battery was flat, until the engine will not turn and even the central locking sounded like it wasn't getting enough juice, but then come back 30 mins later and the car starts no problems and the battery is magicly restored!?!?
Apart from that its a great car, handles like a go cart and she loves it :)
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Post by RichardW »

John,
1. Clutch or its release mechanism has got to be the first suspect, but since that requires removal of the gear box, I'd try sticking a new cable in first.
2. Yes ignition switch seems most likely. The key part and electrical contacts are integral and should be pretty easy to remove. It might be fixed, however, by the careful introduction of some WD-40 or similar into the mechanism. You can replace with an item from a scrapper for the £10, a new one will be more, but at least you know it will work. You will probably end up with different ignition keys to the door locks though.
3 & 4. I'd put money on these being related, and the cause being a bad connection (earth most likely). Check the battery connections, the connections on the starter motor, the connection from the engine to body, and any other earth connection you can find.
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

Hi John -
First a primer :
The AX was supposed to supersede the 2CV as an economical car to maintain & drive. But it certainly has a lot more modern techniques than the primitive 2CV construction. Indeed it is a nice little car [:)] - a real eye hanger [8D]
The 1.4L engine/gearbox (type K1G/2CA) is exactly the same as found in BX14's from '88 on - and is feeded from a Solex 34PBISA type carburettor. All about BX (+ AX14) carbs is found on Bob Smith's website :
http://www.rwbsmith.plus.com/citroen2/Carburation/
1) This is symptomatic for the release bearing having filed/rubbed a groove into the clutch plate springfingers - which exactly gives this hard point on the pedal. But check out the cable to rule out any simple problems.
2) It's the ignition lock itself that's the problem - surely the lock position retaining spring has broken. A fiddly surgery job to repair - if at all possible to do satisfactory. Recommand the igniton lock assembly be replaced.
3) After many y's of service - any carburettor is prone to become a teaser because of dirt in the jets - or as I experienced with my '89 BX16 : a sticking float (needle) valve. This makes for sudden dry runs of the carby.
Could be an ignition fault. But this is very hard to trace if the problem is intermittent. Known teasers are loose fit spark plug caps.
The idea is to rule out any simple service problems - leaving you with only a single possibility remaining.
4) This is clearly a problem in the heavy battery wiring. All cables both ends must be dismantled - cable eyes/clamps rubbed down for corrosion - mating engine/chassis surfaces rubbed down & greased (CU paste) - and then re-fitted.
If that does not do the trick - it may be a pointer to a startermotor gross failure just around the corner - or a battery with an intermittent bad cell.
Observe any radio codes before disconnecting the battery [;)]
rubjonny
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Post by rubjonny »

Cheers for the tips guys very helpfull! AndersDK: I'm leaning towards the starter motor as I doubt it likes being run on after the car has been started, but I'll have a look at all the enectrical contacts when we get some light!
The real problem is the total lack of working space under the bonet, unlike my 1.6 MK2 Golf, where I'm sure I could fit an extra engine in theres so much room ;)
The trouble is we were hit from behind in the middle of all this other stuff going wrong and we arn't sure if the other drivers insurance are going to pay up, so we don't want to spend £££ fixing the engine only to find we need to fork out another £400 fixing the rear end!!
rubjonny
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Post by rubjonny »

Right we've had the ignition switch replaced and now it seems much better behaved, still have the clutch problem so thats next on the list.
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