BXProject

[jonathan_dyane]

Hello guys, sorry I've been a stranger of late, all's well, I just haven't been on the internet so much.

I went back up to Durham this weekend, and decided to treat the XM to some love in the form of much needed spheres, and to fix the height corrector issue. Did the sphere's (managing to snap the exhaust off the FG at the same time, but that's another story) and then realised that the XM ran out of MOT at the end of last month. Balls. Decided I'd better weld up the small hole in the NS sill, which quickly turned into a three foot section, with the inner sill also fubared

Running out of time, and realising that I would have to strip the carpet and passenger seat out, the father kindly offered to lend me his BX to take back to Liverpool and run around in this week, only issue being that it was currently in three door mode, given that he had removed the NSF door to sort out the holey A pillar, so I had to quickly weld that up and throw the door back on, otherwise it would have been a rather drafty drive...

Had a decent drive back to Liverpool, although now the octopus is bust so looks like I'll have to fix that next weekend too, if I can get one First decent run I've had in the car though, and it seems a goodun, although I don't think the speedlines are particularly round; gets rather vibratory over 90.

[Bx Bandit]

Aaaah, life back in a BX! Isn't it great! Sounds like a ball ache of a weekend though mate

[jonathan_dyane]

They are great things, bot then so's the XM (I must love it, coz it should be in disgrace by rights...) Didn't you end up Charlie's XM or did I imagine it (I managed to fit a migraine into today too, so intellectual ability is sub-par...)

[Stinkwheel(Matt)]

Dammit, never rains but it pours, I feel for you on the migraine, im currently sitting here in head related aony for some reason.

Being back in a BX feeling is great, when i drove my little StTropez back here from hertfordshire in feb was truly wonderful.

Ive never 'got' XM's its all about CX's for me.

[jonathan_dyane]

It's strange, there's nothing worse than that sinking feeling when you realise that your head is going to go all strange and make you want to die. Worryingly, resultantly I can barely remember the drive down, other than pissing off someone driving one of those new little Volvos overtaking him uphill, despite his best efforts to speed up and prevent me, can't beat a healthy TD XUD

The XM thing; I was (at best) ambivalent about them for years, until I rode in one last year and realised that a) I fit in it better than any other Citroen (I'm 6"6" with a bad back) and b) Hydractive when operational works fucking well. I resolved I must have one, and I have to say I love it; if only it had CX front suspension and DIRAVI it would be the best car of evah!

[docchevron132]

I too love XM's, and JD's is fucking lovely.. And it came from just down the road from me, and I knew nothing about it...

I can tell you that no-one has any stock of Octopi, having tried in vein to get one from the red car last week.
Available on stock order from GSF apparently with a three day lead time, so I'd order 1 pronto if you expect to do it next weekend..

The story was rather wprse for front HC's.. No stock anywhere in the UK. 1 found in France, couldn't have it for three weeks, and it was £131!

[Fish_Botherer]

Is that true for all octopi at the moment? Should anyone need a BX one I think I have a new GSF-sourced but (I think) original Citroen one sitting in the BX-pile I didn't shift on with Grolliffe.

I often find myself mooning (old-usage, trousers very much in place) at an XM when a halfway-decent-looking one turns up. If I were in spondoolies and doing what my sister-in-law does some of the time now (carting furniture around), then I'd have investigated the 2.1d estate that was on fleabay recently a couple of miles away from me - even though it was a relatively low-spec auto. I have no idea if the seller did get what she was looking for, which diminished slightly with each re-auction.

[jayw]

PM sent Re octopussy...

[Bx Bandit]

They are great things, bot then so's the XM (I must love it, coz it should be in disgrace by rights...) Didn't you end up Charlie's XM or did I imagine it (I managed to fit a migraine into today too, so intellectual ability is sub-par...)

He has betrothed it to me yes mate, stuff like kids and decorating and relatives dying have got in the way and there's more yet to get in the way. It 'may' get done last end of this month but I expect thing's will endeavour to get in the way

[jonathan_dyane]

Thanks Doc, I shall instruct the father to get onto GSF smartish! At least they are seemingly still available

Bandit, the XM is a thing of win, at least if it manages to get you to fall in love with it before it goes wrong

[Stinkwheel(Matt)]

As this has turned all octopussy does anyone know if non PAS cars octopi are still available and who do i contact to get one? I think its time to make sure ive a spare.

[jayw]

Are they different?

Having just swapped my Valver from PAS to non i didn't notice that any of it was connected to the Octopus? The return from the rack heads back via the FDV and main return line to the tank...

[Stinkwheel(Matt)]

That interesting jay, ive always laboured under the impression non PAS cars were different.

Not unusual for me to be wrong though.

[jayw]

It's OK, i'm just curious incase i've forgotten to connect something up!

[Bx Bandit]

There are different Octopii for pas vs non pas, the only difference I can think off is the leakage return from the ram.....I thought it was the non PAS that GSF held in stock but that was a while ago and they seemed to have changed somewhat over the last 18 months

[jayw]

leakage return from the ram

Is there one?

IIRC the has only 2 steel pipes, connecting it to the pinion? The return is from the pinion via the pipe that runs under the engine and picks up the FDV return on it's way back to the tank...?

Or is I hallucinating again???

[Bx Bandit]

You're thinking of operational return, but there is also a leak off collar (opposite end to feed/return unions) that feeds a plastic pipe that goes across sub frame and I assume goes into the Octopus.

[jayw]

leak off collar

Ooooh, better check that tomorrow and make sure i've terminated it...

[Bx Bandit]

I'm wrong, in that the leak off doesn't go via the Octopus, but straight back to the LHM tank, so you're ok mate. Can't see how they distinguish between a PAS and non PAS Octopus then!

[docchevron132]

there is no difference.
As Jay pointed out, the operational return attaches to the small octopus down by the PR.

The leak off return attaches to the same return as the security valve return, which is also attached to the leak off from the PR as it goes, but is no way attached to the large octopus.