citroen gsa does not sink

[odedn]

Hi everyone.
I am new on this site.
I need your advice. I am near the end (?) of a long period of a car restoration.
I noticed that most of the questions regarding hydraulic suspention deal with cars which does not rise. Mine does not sink even days after activation (mostly on the rear)...then I depressure the system manually, being concern of damage to the spheres.
I don't find traces of fluid in the flexible return pipes. recently i cleaned the height correctos thoroughly from both sides but nothing changed.
In a matter of fact I realized that I don't know (after reading lots of literature) how and in what way does the fluid make his way back to the reservoir. Is it through the corrector ? Or is it directly from the sphere ? How does it starts flowing from the cylinder suspention - being "traped" between the spheres inner rubber and the piston....
As i said - my car does not sink...
Will greatly appreciate your comments/advice!
Thanks,

[citronut]

hi and welcome

does it react up and down to the manual height lever being moved from high to normal ride height??????

if so you have nout to worry about, with propper Citroens ( pre pug interference ) they can stay up for days and days after the system being pressurised,

were are you located

you are aware we have a G section on here, i instigated, link below


http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... m.php?f=25" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

can we have some picys, obviously in the above location

[odedn]

Hi Malcolm

Thanks for your prompt reply.

I appreciate your professional comments to my question.

The height correctos at my car function well and react properly to manual lever.

I was told that pressure in the system could damage the spheres which are better kept in their natural position. I have another GSA and Bx which do loose pressure within a reasonable time after driving.

I don't know what is the main pathway in which the fluid gets back to the reservoir , or where else I should examine and look for faults...

Thanks, again

[myglaren]

Malcolm means the G-section of this board.
You will find it here.

[odedn]

Sorrry. My misunderstanding .. (-:

[myglaren]

Not a problem, easy mistake.

I think I will move your thread to that forum where you may receive more attention.

[citronut]

I was told that pressure in the system could damage the spheres which are better kept in their natural position. I have another GSA and Bx which do loose pressure within a reasonable time after driving.

I don't know what is the main pathway in which the fluid gets back to the reservoir , or where else I should examine and look for faults...

Thanks, again

the healthier the system on a proper hydraulic citroen they can keep system pressure for quite some time ( days and even weeks ),,
so i believe you have no problem with your G,

can you post some picys of your car

[myglaren]

There is a very informative description of Citroen hydraulic systems here.

And the GS specific part here.

Hope this helps.

[Stonehopper]

Can't help with the lack of sinking, but just having taken my GS off the stands after six months I've experienced some similar traits.

I had a couple of jobs to do; fit a new bellows to one strut, and new caliper seals. After doing so, bled the brakes and pumped her up to max height to remove the stands. She wouldn't drop at the front at first, and I had to manually release the pressure. Took a while to pump up again, and despite having sufficient LHM in the reservoir, the red light came on and stayed on for some time.

I'm thinking that six months idle and at full stretch, maybe the height corrector has stuck. She's still SORN, so no road check as yet, and things seem to be working a little better after some up & down exercise.

Question:

Having taken the nylon pipes out of the strut bellows, I had failed to take note of which went on which port! Does it matter? One is black the other clear, but the clear one seems to vanish into the front subframe as does the black. I suspect the black is the fluid return and should be the fitted in the uppermost port. I'll pump it up and check the other side.

[citronut]

I'm thinking that six months idle and at full stretch, maybe the height corrector has stuck. She's still SORN, so no road check as yet, and things seem to be working a little better after some up & down exercise.

it could be possible for the height corrector to stick, but very unusual, i have seen BX's were the front will not respond, and sorted it by lubing the linkage at the corrector, the BX linkage is much the same as the G,

Question:

Having taken the nylon pipes out of the strut bellows, I had failed to take note of which went on which port! Does it matter? One is black the other clear, but the clear one seems to vanish into the front subframe as does the black. I suspect the black is the fluid return and should be the fitted in the uppermost port. I'll pump it up and check the other side.

these to pipes the black is just a vent pipe and the other end is just poked into a hole in the side of the sub frame, and the clear/white one is a seepage capillary return which goes into a three way rubber union,

if you look they are the black one is slightly biger diameter that the white one, so if you look into the open ends of the rubber spouts on the gaiter you should be able to see the difference in ID = inner diameter,

also if memory serves the rubber spout that is between the two rings of the gaiter clamp is the one the clear/white pipe fits into,

if you look at the spouts at the base the one between the clamp has like a raised section either side and also between the clamp

[Stonehopper]

Thanks Malcolm.
I did just check the other side, and see that I have fitted them back the same as the untouched side with the clear at the topmost. I can see that the lower union is a vent for the bellows, and the other the return to reservoir.
What puzzles me now, is that from memory the clear pipe disappears into the front subframe and is open ended. We have 50mph winds battering us now and working with bonnet up is a no-no, so I'll take a closer look to see if my memory fails me or whatever when it's calmer.

The front ride height corrector seems to be functioning just fine after some shuffling about in the drive and sitting on the front end.

[citronut]

were are you located Derek, and can you post some picys of your G

[Stonehopper]

Just outside Much Wenlock, Shropshire.

You want images in this thread - or somewhere special?

I seem to be having problems posting an image. Any pointers?

[citronut]

i also have problems adding picys to forums, although i have a dropbox account now wich makes it easy to add links to any picy,

i also have a tame Admin on here i email any photos and he adds them into the relavant thread

[myglaren]

Just a test as Derek's Photobucket is playing silly buggers.



Hmmm.

Also an excuse to post my C5 mileage