BXProject

I've got (at least) one sticking on the van, and a flush didn't help things so I've finally got round to buying a set to replace them all. This is despite the 'experts' on the relevant forum stating then they have bucket and shim adjusted tappets... Question is about priming - they're packed in little plastic cases (bit like 35mm film cases) full of light machine oil so it seems like they already are oiled enough. I'm a bit worried that if I fill them with engine oil the valves will open too much and contact the pistons. Am I being paranoid?

And if I should prime them I assume it's just a case of immersing them in oil and pumping a few times?

I've always found a proper strip and clean has solved ALL sticking issues i'e ever had, even so, in every case where ive done them i've just lubed them up during installation, they will always clatter as they fill when you run it up, i'm pretty sure you wouldn't be able to "pre fill" them anyways...

I wouldn't panic!

Just make sure they are oil wet. place them in then twist them through one revolution to seat.
That's it. Like Jay, I've never bought new ones. Just stripped and cleaned and re built

I must admit I was tempted to clean and re-use, as the tapping is intermittent rather than constant - in my logic if they were worn they would tap all the time. They don't tend to do it when cold, when I guess the higher oil pressure overcomes any stickiness. Thing is, it's a fair old job to get the cambelt off the engine, and the fuel pump is driven from a separate belt from the other end of the camshaft so it's a bit of a faff to get it all timed up again. It would be rather annoying if the cleaning didn't solve the problem! Once I cross referenced the part number for the tappets I found that they were listed for just about every VW/Audi since the 70s, which meant I could find them at a reasonable price on eBay.

If in doubt you could always remove feed to coil or rotor arm or whatever to prevent the engine running and just turn it over for a few 5 second blasts on the starter to get some oil about

Well, I've searched high and low for the coil and rotor arm, but I can't seem to find them. Think I'll just disconnect the stop solenoid or glow plugs instead...

Stick with fuel solenoid. Mine starts without glowy things

oh bastard bollocky wotsits! What bloody car/truck/vehicle you talking 'bout now!? Thought it was your stellar thingy!

It's the VW van, it's been a bit tappy for a while but I'm doing mvre miles in it this year and finding it embarassing sounding like an old Fiesta!

Dude, you wanna turn your fuelling down, 36 is low non?! Then again, most of your driving is hilly and unmotorway like

It takes a couple of fills to get accurate data from Fuelly... Although you do have to follow the filling rules or it all goes cock-eyed.

It is actually rather good once you use it regularly, giving lots of useful economy info. But you do have to be in a position to reFILL the tank each time (or at least MOST of the time)...

I'd recommend it! 8/10

Bx Bandit wrote:Dude, you wanna turn your fuelling down, 36 is low non?!

It's still the most economical vehicle I own!

Bx Bandit wrote:Then again, most of your driving is hilly and unmotorway like

I think that is the main reason TBH, rather than the fuelling. I used to get mid 40s from the old engine when living down in Gloucester (I'm not the most light footed driver around!) but that dropped to low 30s when I moved up here, not that I used to check regularly. It's not just the hills, it's the full throttle acceleration to move up the queue of grockles that also kills the economy. On the rare occasions I visit civilisation I get a lot more from a tank - I've seen 46mpg once and averaged 44mpg on the BXagon (beaten by Mike E's suspiciously good average of 46mpg!)

Hopefully with the website I can keep track of consumption better, so I can see if anything suddenly changes. I'd like to do a 'best economy' run, but I keep getting bored trying to stick to ~60mph.

Hmmm, still poor though, i've managed 70mpg from a fully laden 1.9td, 300miles and never a drop over 55mph. It was very painful.

The Leon is doing well though, averaging 55 on long runs, 50 if the journey is a little more spirited. And i've got to say, cruise and stop start make a hell of a difference!

Yeah, cruise is ace. When I come down to yours or Docs, admittedly it's all M/way, but I get 50 out of the Picasso with cruise locked in at 80 most of the time.
Best I got out of K39 was 55 on a mixed run to Ross on Wye and back. All I did to achieve that was to keep it below 75 on the / way bitz.
The ZX managed 54 overall, on the trip to Sweden and back, with the same 19 n/a engine.
That was fully laden and I was shifting a bit on the autobahn.
That car was pretty new also, having only done around 6K, at the start.

Ya see, all this fo shizzle co2 and catylitic bolx and consumption figures barely change! Ok ok, car get heavier etc I know, but honestly, i can do what i want in the BX inc a heavy laden trailer for part of a tank and I still get over 42. the C5 get's barely 40 with a fairy sitting on throttle, a helium filled boot and super cooled ultra light nitrogen (extra-extra cooled if I go to NZ ) in the tyres!!!

Heap of shoite the C5 is so it is

Which motor you got in the C5 then Bandit?
If it's the HDI 90, you should be getting at least around the same as me in the Picasso, which is about the same as the BX, 45. And that's without helium feet or radio active tyres

It's the 110 Phil. I got better performance and economy out of the Xantia 2.1!

To be fair it *may* be a sticky caliper as the pads are unevenly worn and the car does pull to the left a bit, but I'm overall unimpressed to be honest. Apart from the C6, it spells the end of my love of Citroens (well, modern ones). It wasn't a patch on my neighbours Audi A6 I borrowed and that was a year older and a 'model-year' behind.

I'm just pleased I've averaged 41mpg on the last tankful in the BX, and that included a couple of months off the road when the only journeys were up the track to collect firewood, just 1st and 2nd gear stuff. It'll be interesting to try for beat 50mpg (starting from the next tankful!)

You must have something more than a sticky brake Bandit. The 110 is supposed to be better than the 90 on juice and my Picasso is somewhat heavier than the C5.
Mind you, mine only has 60k on it.

Back on topic for a minute - I'm wondering whether I should be changing the cam as well? I've read that you should never just change the tappets by themselves as they wear with the cam.
Thing is, I can't afford a new camshaft right now, so even if these give me 10k miles (couple of years driving) hopefully by then I'll be rich, and can afford to change both! Thoughts?