Flynn
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 143 
Club RR Member Number: 166
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Sept 17, 2020 8:38:12 GMT
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Wow, I've never seen a BX power steering cylinder fail before! I've had the rubber collar with the return line break before but that was a minor niggle. Also your steering rack area looks remarkably clean compared to mine, it's all covered in decades worth of oily muck. Rust protection, eh? BX is one of those cars where the headlights really benefit from a pair of relays and a shorter power feed. I used to daily-drive the BX for years and don't have any complaints with the headlights. Sort of sad to hear you're selling it. I hope she finds a good home! Yes it is an odd failure isn't it?! I wonder if it was a manufacturing defect and has just taken this long to finally let go. That is a good idea on the headlights, I think I'll measure the voltage that actually gets to the headlight bulb plug and see it it might be worth doing. I am probably being very harsh to the BX headlights as my comparisons now are a 322 Range Rover and 2007 Jaguar XJ, both of which are like having the power of the sun on the front of the car when the headlights are on. I don't think this will be my last Citroen, I wouldn't say no to a C6 and an XM or a Xantia would still be a lovely car. |
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1971 MGB GT
1983 Daimler Sovereign 4.2
1999 Jaguar XJR
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lightyearman
Part of things
GYJDM - Grimsby based Japanese car club - Find us on Facebook
Posts: 639
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Sept 17, 2020 17:15:18 GMT
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I'm trying to weigh up if I've got anything to horse-trade with you...
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'89 Honda CRX siR Glassroof Flint black fully restored track beasty
'90 Nissan S13 Pignose - pass the mig wire
'86 Mini - matt orange, 13" Wellers, Project 2018
'97 LDV Convoy home built camper/tramper van
'04 Saab 9-5 Aero HOT. Anyone want it?
'91 Honda VFR400 NC30 17,000 km from new
'87 Honda XR80 4 stroke baby crosser
'03 Mini Cooper S - honestly, they are fun...
'15 VW T5.1 LWB daily brick
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Flynn
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 143
Club RR Member Number: 166
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Sept 26, 2020 23:26:50 GMT
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Minor update
Last post I made the following statement:
"I fitted it this evening and all is well"
With reference to the new steering cylinder that I had purchased and fitted. And for turning right at least, all was well. Turning left not so much, I could get about 3/4 of a turn on the wheel and then it came to a hard stop, some way short of where full left lock should be. I found this out about 2 days after I had fitted it and just needed to move the car. Had a good look at what was going on and removed the new cylinder to see if anything was wrong. It was. Despite being advertised as being a new old stock steering cylinder for a Citroen BX, it was in fact a new old stock steering cylinder for a Citroen XM, they look almost identical, the rubber collar is slightly thicker on the XM item and crucially when closed, the XM part is slightly longer than the BX part, hence the lack of steering lock. Quite why Citroen didn't just use the same part on both cars puzzles me but I am sure, somewhere it made perfect sense to someone.
I know I should have checked the old and new part side by side before fitting but as the new part looked identical and bolted up ok, I didn't even give it a second thought.
The seller I bought it from has been a decent chap so far and has accepted a refund claim so I have posted the cylinder back, leaving me with no steering cylinder and no real enthusiasm to find a replacement either. My searches have been limited to Gumtree, Facebook marketplace (never used this before and I liken it to a very very large Moroccan souk, in that it feels like an entirely unregulated gathering of garbage, with a few good bits hidden away if you know where to look) and eBay. There is a complete BX steering rack at a Spanish breakers yard on eBay, it'd be over £100 by the time it got to my door and has probably been sat on a shelf for a number of years. Maybe beggars shouldn't be choosers but I haven't bought it.
The fuel preheater on the back of the engine block has also decided to start leaking fuel whilst the car has been sat motionless on the ramp, it looks like it could just be the clips and the hose have got a bit tired, pig to get at though. Enthusiasm for this car now running at an all time low.
So here we are, BX currently sat gathering dust. If any of you reading have a steering cylinder for a BX that is still in one piece, let me know!
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1971 MGB GT
1983 Daimler Sovereign 4.2
1999 Jaguar XJR
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Sept 27, 2020 20:25:29 GMT
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I've definitely got one, possibly two. Trouble is they are in unknown condition so wouldn't like for either of us to be out of pocket for postage if no good. I'll take a look and see whether they look OK on the outside at least! Wonder whether I can rig up a check with compressed air?
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Sometimes, others may not understand why you like a car so much. Sometimes, you may not even understand why you like a car so much. But none of that matters; all that matters is that you like the car, and having it makes you happy.
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Feb 12, 2024 21:57:26 GMT
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Miles since Also! Bonus bonus shot of a Paul Smith inspired Ford Scorpio limousine that was parked up near an engineering workshop in Nuneaton where I dropped off my MGB engine block 2 weeks ago, it looks like someone daily drives this and I can completely understand why, practical and stylish.  How strange, i stumble on this thread and find a pic of a mates old car in it Anyway sorry if this brings back nightmares but...  |
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Flynn
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 143
Club RR Member Number: 166
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Sept 9, 2024 15:48:03 GMT
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Now that some time has passed, I think I have recovered. I don't think I would ever have another one but it hasn't put me off Citroens.
I hope it is treating you well.
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1971 MGB GT
1983 Daimler Sovereign 4.2
1999 Jaguar XJR
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