AX Problems

rubjonny · Post by **rubjonny** » 14 Oct 2004, 19:34

OK I'm having some (more) trouble with the other halfs 1989 1.4 AX:
Starting:
Its being a right slag to start recently, sometimes I have to sit there for up to 5 minutes trying it, it goes like this:
turnturnturnturnturnCHUGturnturnturnturnturnCHUGCHUGturnturnturnturnturnturnturnCHUGCHUGCHUGturnturnturnCHUGACHUGACHUGAchuchuchuBROOM

but the other day it started first go!! I've done the fuel filter, new battery and new ignition switch which helped a bit. I'm thinking next step is the sparkies, leads, rotor arm and dizzy cap, any other things I can try in the mean time? Starter motor turns like a champ, never slows either!
Driving:
Doing a hard right at speed will produce a low thudthudthudthud sound, seems to be coming from passenger side. moise changes with engine speed so I assume it is drivechain related, the CV boot was loose on this side so it looks like it may bee the joint

Any other ideas?
Also, steering wheel develops a shake at about 70mph, goes when you slow to 65 or speed up to 80, I'm thinking front wheel(s) may be out of balance? Car seems well planted though and stable which is bizare! Other suggestions?

rubjonny · Post by **rubjonny** » 14 Oct 2004, 19:36

Oh and one more thing, the rear window demister refuses to work, the bulb is lit when not pressed, but goes out when the button is pressed. I can hear a relay clicking behind the glovebox though, any common faults to check with this?

rubjonny · Post by **rubjonny** » 14 Oct 2004, 20:42

Oh and when stopped in neutral, if I pump the brake pedal the idle drops, is this normal? It doesn't do it on my MK2 Golf?

davek-uk · Post by **davek-uk** » 14 Oct 2004, 20:44

The only time my old AX has difficulty starting is if it needs a new fuel or air filter. Other things to check are glow plugs and possible air leak into the fuel system. If the car isn't starting properly it either isn't getting the fuel hot enough (glow plugs) or there is no fuel there to use. Try manually squeezing the primer bulb (n/s inner wing) until it is hard to see if it starts better. The bulb should be pretty well pumped up already, even after being left overnight, and if it isn't you have a slight leak somewhere. Apart from the engine requesting a filter I have had difficult starting from glow plugs (which slowly get worse) and from fuel leaks (tracked down to the stop solenoid).
As for your wheel problems, I would get your tyres checked and balanced - you may have lost some balance weights or have a defective tyre. Play in the outer CVs can be detected by starting off on full steering lock - you'll get a definite metallic clicking from the worn side. Mine do this now (and have done for some time) and unless it is very bad the joint is unlikely to fail.
The rear heated window may be the contacts at the window, a faulty switch or an earth problem. It's one of the things I have had no problems with so I cannot be more precise.

davek-uk · Post by **davek-uk** » 14 Oct 2004, 20:48

Doh, I've just re-read your questions and realise you have a PETROL AX. Just ignore most of my reply will you please!
I'm going back to sleep now...

Post by **martyhopkirk** » 15 Oct 2004, 13:54

John.
With any persistant starting problem start with the simple and cheap bits first.
New plugs and leads, cap and rotor arm then check and replace your fuel filter (again a cheap bit) make sure its getting fuel, make sure its getting a good spark, then make sure its getting air (change the air filter if its not been done in last 5k miles).
Simple bits done, (and assuming all thats working ok) if its still being a twunt to start then you have either got a timing problem (probably not if it runs ok once started) some sort of engine management problem (again possibly not if it runs ok when going) - the other (unlikely) cause would be a colapsed Cat, though you would get problems right accross the range with that.
Moving on (if its got an ecu) would be to get it code read and see if its showing any fault codes, my old Rover 216 used to be a hellish twunt to start in the cold and eventually was traced to the cold start solenoid (bit like a choke in older cars) - apparently it was flooding the engine on my dog.
As Dave says, the thumping is either likely to be a worn CV joint (quite common on an aging AX apparently) but not too expensive to fix, (or completely ignore like i did on my Mk 2 Fiasco for many years) or a mis ballanced wheel - if it only does it at a certain speed, it may be the latter.
As for the dropping revs, that to my mind suggests a vaccum problem (which could in some small way be related to the starting problem if the car runs a vaccum advance ignition system - though here im well out of my depth and clutching at straws a bit). However if you do have a leak (pray its a pipe not the master cylinder) this could be a relativly cheap and simple fix for the whole shebang (except the wheel of course).
Heated rear window - again as Dave says, check the switch, check its earthed propperly (fiberglass hatch?) make sure its getting a good voltage and current (multimeter - cheap one from B&Q for £8) check the fuse and then have agood look at all teh little lines and see if any were / are blown - again not had a problem with Citroens, but similar problem with bothe Mk2 and 3 Fiascos - once one line blew, the others seemed to overload and blew in quick succession, once i had lost 4 or 5 lines the fuse kept popping - soloution - little bottle of silver electro paint from local autofactors.
The only other soloution would be a match!
Hope this helps a bit.

rubjonny · Post by **rubjonny** » 15 Oct 2004, 15:37

All good advice guys cheers, was planning to get all the bits and do a full service, I did the fuel filter first and it seems to have helped so I'll go ahead and sort the rest.
Its a carbed engine so no real engine management to speak of or ECU so its either fuel air or spark, had a load of electrical problems that I've sorted so I'm leaning towards an electrical fault (Why did citroen use such cheap sh*ty wires!)
Cheers all!

wilkobob · Post by **wilkobob** » 15 Oct 2004, 16:43

I know its a bit off the topic, buy my old zx 1.4 carb had a problem starting, turned out to be new dizzy cap and rotor arm, and clean sprak plugs. Was fine after that. I also had a thumping sound which turned out to be a drive shaft, got one off a scrapper for £20. Fairly simple to fit.
Another area to look at if any of this dont help, is overhauling the carb, since I knew of another 1.4 carbed zx with similar problem, and it was due to carb jets being blocked (only as a last resort).

Post by **martyhopkirk** » 15 Oct 2004, 17:29

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Why did citroen use such cheap sh*ty wires!
Cheers all!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Ahh, if only we knew!

rubjonny · Post by **rubjonny** » 18 Oct 2004, 15:54

Now it seems to fire up straight away, but sometimes when you try to drive it cuts out? I'm thinking replace dizzy cap, rotor arm, filteres etc and we'll be away.
One problem, how do I tell if its a Bosche or Duceliier cap?

rubjonny · Post by **rubjonny** » 20 Oct 2004, 13:13

I'll answer my own question:
It said 'Bosch' on it [8D]

rubjonny · Post by **rubjonny** » 20 Oct 2004, 17:00

replaced the rotor arm & dizzy cap and that seems to have done the trick! Started up on the button with no choke in the cold & wet, and I moved off straight away & it didn't stall!
Fingers crossed