bx 8v gti auto , time to go?

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drfonk
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:08 pm
Location: birmingham/cheltenham

bx 8v gti auto , time to go?

Post by drfonk »

Hi all,

I think it may be time for my BX to go, I know some work is needed and at the moment I just dont have the time or space to deal with fixing cars as I work away from home for 5 days of the week and normally live just outside birmingham. Just wanted to see if there is any interest out there, seems a shame to scrap it. If I can clear out my garage I may store it and remove/sell parts or try to get her going again but all depends on if I can get hold of another car soon to allow me to travel to work down south 140 miles away and also our garage isnt the largest place.

I suspect that either the head gasket has gone, there is a crack in the head or both. I have owned the car for about 13 years now and its done 208k miles .Recently I have been loosing coolant and it appears to be getting worse. There is no bubbles in the system when the engine is cold but when the engine is very hot, coolant starts to leak out the pressure cap of the radiator. I had a good look at it the other day, flushed the coolant system out etc and I can hear a hissing type noise after the engine is stopped above one of the spark plug holes. Also I know that the engine wasnt particually well repaired when I had the head gasket done some 60k miles ago/ 5 years ago, as they informed me nicely that they broke a head bolt and put the engine back together regardless with one bold missing!.

The car is my first car and has been well looked after over the years, I have had a lot of work done to it and serviced it pretty much every 5k miles. I have receipts for something like 5-6k of work/parts.

The MOT is up in around 2 weeks, I know that the rear disks probably need done and also one rear brake cover is missing (large metal disk that sits inside the wheel) but no idea what exactly would be needed to pass on the mot. The paint work is in pretty good shape for the age apart from a few scratches, minor coin sized dent in a door and small area near the petrol cap which is starting to bubble up, bumper is hanging off slightly at the front so i suspect there is some rust to be dealt with - also there is some rust starting to appear inside the doors on the body work.

The car has a removeable subwoofer with control at the drivers end, 10 cd changer and 6 mini disk changer, sony head unit with steering wheel control. Recent work - 2x new front tyres, radiator 2k? miles ago, some pipes replaced, ignition leads 8k ago, middle exhaust 8k, starter motor done 10kish - also the metal brake pipes, brake flexi hoses, both front wheel bearings, rear suspension gaiter, rear arm bearings done 2 years ago, accumulator and front spheres done 1.5 years ago and probably many other things I have forgotten to list here.

I have a few other bits and bobs for the car such a decent sphere removal tool and a new bonnet which is primed and ready to paint, fuel filter, set of plug, manuals etc. The log book was stamped until about 60k miles, there was evidance of work after this. I picked up the car at 86k miles and had the booked stamped until the end of the log and carried on keeping a log and receipts for everything after this time.

The car is still prefectly driveable and as fast/smooth as ever as long as you dont get stuck in traffic which causes it to start to lose water, especially in this hot weather!.

regards

John
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Kitch
5000 rpm
Posts: 737
Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2006 12:52 pm

Post by Kitch »

After 13 years seems a big shame to part with it, you sure you wouldn't regret it?

A head change on one of these really isn't hard work. Plenty of good used heads available on the 205 GTi drivers forum and I'm sure you could coax someone fairly local into helping. I would, but I'm miles away.

Good luck if you've made your mind up etc but seems like you've come a long way with it, be a shame to stop now.
drfonk
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:08 pm
Location: birmingham/cheltenham

Post by drfonk »

Yeah it does, I am sure I will regret it but just dont have anywhere to keep it really and time is so limited to work on it. If I were to fix it I think it would probably be easier to change the engine as there is still the problem of the broken head bolt which is still stick in the block. Right now I just need something reliable to get to work, funny enough I am not working too far from you... in farnborugh. I have nicked the girlfriends ka this week but will need to get myself something else soon.
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Kitch
5000 rpm
Posts: 737
Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2006 12:52 pm

Post by Kitch »

Probably easier to bang a new engine in, they're easy to come by (purely because there are loads of surplus kicking about from people who've ripped one out of a BX 16v :lol: for their 205!)

If you can get the car down here I'd be happy to help in any way. I've had the engine in and out of my 16v more times than I care to remember now.
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