BXProject

[mnde]

What's up when you get dead, light-feeling steering around straight-ahead only? - i.e. feels like free play, but only around straight-ahead. The effect is magnified over rough surfaces - steering goes light at straight ahead, the front end wanders around. Is this all down to the crappy osf wheel bearing or the rubber steering coupling as well? Last year, back when I was actually using this car, I drove it for a short while with an exhaust heat shield rubbing on the coupling before realising what was causing the heavy steering and squeaks..... It's only about 4 years old.

It's taxed but recently out of test, so I'm trying to assess what it needs. Got to get this sorted soon because the GSA is showing signs of wear driving over speed bumps every day with over year-old hydraflush in it and other such general wear and tear.

Cheers,

Mark

[docchevron132]

I'd start by checking the hardy disc, thereafter I'd be checking the TRE's and wishbone bushes...
After that, Is the ram secure on the back of the rack??

[mnde]

Behold, this is my courtesy car while the BX is in for repair







Lovely isn't it.......

Good news is the BX passed the MOT, once the leaks had been cleaned up. Garage owner's got a BX he's breaking that can potentially yield nearly new rear HC, pressure reg (slight leak on mine - see pic) and hub-and-nearly new bearing to help fix it up. He's also looking into what's causing the wandering around.



David - you have PM, monsieur.


Cheers,

Mark.

[docchevron132]

Flow valve with leak then! They all do that sir!

Erm, lovely courtesy car.... I...erm.... yeah...

[Bx Bandit]

A Suzuki Wagon R, deary deary me............you can buy one of them in Gran Turismo...........

[mnde]

^^ I thought so!

[Philhod]

I drive the Opel version when I'm over in Sweden.
Quite honestly it's been a cracking motor.
Never given any trouble, easy to work on (I serviced it twice) and it's a veritable Tardis inside.
It has an Opel 1200 16v engine so will bob along a bit on the motorvej.

Mine went light like that when, as Doc pointed out, the ram came loose after a leak round that area soaked everything.
Was OK when all was secured.

[mnde]

Soz I've not been on here recently, but I've had a manic few weeks at work.

BX is better but still not "right". The strange light steering has gone and the car handles better but still on really rough pieces of tarmac I can feel the steering wheel moving around in my hands. I think it's the nearside rather than offside.

The garage changed the OSF wheelbearing and hub assembly - because the owner's scrap BX had nearly new front wheelbearings. He checked all the steering links, suspension bushes, TREs and found everything was tight, even on low suspension. He said the rack gaiters were in good condition and didn't notice any wandering or droning on the drive to the MOT station... He couldn't find anything to explain what I was describing. The new rear height corrector has effectively doubled the stiffness of the rear suspension, so handling feels tauter!

There is still a rumble and a low level drone. This increases in volume between 50 and 55 mph (then dies down again at faster speeds) and also when cornering sharply left at speed. So we're back to the question of gearbox bearings/cv joint/intermediate driveshaft bearing.... Thoughts gentlemen?

Mark.

[Philhod]

If its' anything to do with the d/s ctr brg, surely it would drone /rumble turning left at speed???
I'm back to tyres /wheels. Try a set of balanced slicks. They sell off worn but balance-able ones very cheep at Oulton for the drifters.

If it still makes a noise turn the radio up.

[mnde]

If its' anything to do with the d/s ctr brg, surely it would drone /rumble turning left at speed???

Erm yes, it does. Also a general roaring noise that sounds like tyre/wind noise but not.

If I coast in neutral i can hear a drone that gets louder if I suddenly chuck the car left.

I'm also suspecting wheel alignment, which I should have asked the garage to check. Apparently it was done last Feb "using a laser" - but the steering wheel is slightly off centre and like I say the front tracks around on rough roads. When travelling really slowly on potholed roads, I can feel the steering wheel moving about. Also sometimes under heavy braking I can feel tugging to the left and right.

Mark.

[Philhod]

Loose pinion to rack????

[Bx Bandit]

In my experience, the centre bearing on the o/s drive shaft drones most on steady/straight motorway driving,
not made worse with cornering.

The CV joints will knock rythmically on near full lock - on roundabout for example.

Diff bearings will tend to whine.

All this said, I have a mild whine, suggesting diff bearings, a dull drone, suggesting I don't know what and a mechanical Brrrrrrrr
when turning left - the degree of Brrrrrrrrr being dependant on cornering force (i.e. speed and cornering angle related )as opposed
to just steering angle and i have no idea what it is. All you can do is investigate!

[jayw]

I know it's a stupid question, but do you have any oil in the gearbox?

Had an 8v that exhibited odd droning/whining noises until the gearbox finally collapsed... gear change was never affected until the bitter end. All because the diff seals were shagged and the oil had slowly dripped out over the years....

Just a thought...

[mnde]

Fuck shit bollocks.

Just drove to Halfrauds during my lunch break, bought some gear oil just in case.

Then in carpark put car in high, level-ish ground, wheels on full LH lock, removed the "filler/level" plug ... and a fair bit of gear oil came out.

I wouldn't say a torrent, but it made a bit of a mess

Haynes (blue or brown) is f(*&^ useless about this, as it's the 1990 on BE3 gearbox where it says "drain plug deleted, instead there is a filler/level plug in the gearbox end cover" but doesn't show a picture.

I AM right that its the 18mm drain plug at the rear vertical lower edge of the end cover????

A long while ago now when David was working on my car he noticed a leak from the gearbox end cover. He removed the plug and (from memory) about 1/2 a litre came out (!), therefore it was massively overfilled by the Citroen specialist when I had the clutch done in 06/07. Mine is H reg, ORGA 5113... I *think*.

But now I'm worried whether I've undone the right plug cos I don't know where the bastard drain one is anyway. Help!


Mark.

[mat_the_cat]

This is the filler plug (well, at least it's been where I've been putting gearbox oil for the last 90k miles! )

[jayw]

It's not unknown for the gearbox to be filled up via the breather on the TOP of the casing (where the black/white plastic hex type "nut" is) . It's reasonable to say that those who have made this mistake are utter fucking morons and should be beaten to death by gay Morris Dancers using nothing but their tamborines... So don't do it

[smiffy]

should be beaten to death by gay Morris Dancers using nothing but their tamborines...

Stuart Hedges will disapprove of this!

[Father Ted]

It's not unknown for the gearbox to be filled up via the breather on the TOP of the casing (where the black/white plastic hex type "nut" is) . It's reasonable to say that those who have made this mistake are utter fucking morons and should be beaten to death by gay Morris Dancers using nothing but their tamborines... So don't do it

Ahhh, so using a length of rubber diesel fuel tube to fill it up via the breather isnt a good move then?

Ooops.
awaiting the gay morris dancers

[Philhod]

Do they have to be gay????? Or will any morris dancers do? Are they hard or soft tambourines?

[jayw]

I should point out that i was speaking in terms of those who fill through the breather until it's FULL Anyone who feels they deserve the VERY camp morris dancers still (with their soft tamborines) say "Aye"...