Re Cx's and engine variations
I've either driven or bought (or both
) every one of the possible Cx flavours over the years including
some odd fish like a 2.4 Carb, a 2.2D and the 2.0 Citroen original (pre Douvrin) and while probably more
commonly available, the 2.2 petrol.
As always, the right engine/trim level will largely be dependent on what you want from the car.
The base 2.0 is powerful enough in the saloon bodyshell but works a lot harder in the estate and
usually down to trim will have the most wallowy ride due to it's tyre and roll bars and very reminiscent
of the Prestige and Safari/Familiale for Ds like hovercraft ride. The 2.0 Douvrin will get a saloon bodyshell
over a ton and will give 40mpg if you use the econoscope. The 2.2 change over the 2.0 was purely the
stroke so if you're pulling a 2.0 apart stuff a new set of conrods in as the rest is exactly the same.
I have a real ambivalence to the Douvrin units mind; I've had issues with head gaskets, weak valves
and belt hassles and carb jets over the years I've owned them.
For me, one of the most impressive Cx engine/box combos is the 2.4 Gti manual 5 speeder - I guess this
is what got me hooked on the petrol turbos!
Whilst there's no argument the TD 2.5 and the Gti T2
are an astounding pair of engines and I have a particular admiration for the 'straight' 2.4/2.5i 4-pot. It's
virtually a brick outhouse (indestructible) unit and using chains is far more robust than rubber bands as
found on the TD.
The ultimate TD was probably the 2.5 with GEAR DRIVEN timing to the cam and diesel pump and I still have
one in the garage I was always planning on fitting a new crankcase and oil feed from to run a turbo - I'd say
these engines were massively over engineered and will forgive most things!! A 2.2 diesel head has easily
withstood running on a 2.5TD turbo bottom end/set up.
The 2.5 GTi T1 and T2 engines are amazing and have a massive wadge of torque though the rubbery
gearchange stops them being too sporty and the ratios don't help 0-60 sprints either - not something
you really need a Cx for anyway!! There's x2 upchanges needed just to get it to 60...
As far as Cx engine reliability goes, I'd say the diesels will always give headaches with the marginal
cooling system provided as standard and the fuel injected bigger lazier engines the best never wanting
anything more than oil changes; just that's a very silly place to stick the oil filter...
Andrew
No, I had quite recently replaced it. Apart from the H/G it was very reliable, it had done 114k when I bought it so was heading toward 300k when I sold it and was still going well. They didn't all suffer from this problem, I saw a turbo 2 which looked as though the head had never been off, it was apparantly due to some blocks having been made in India from scrap and they were pourous. I replaced the head twice and had the block surface machined, all to no avail, but it was such a fantastic car I was prepared to do it. I replaced it with my first XM in about '96.