Hope you can help! BX TZD Turbo Diesel 1991 Estate
On the way to work (and MOT Test ironically)While sitting in a traffic jam, the dreaded steam started coming out of the bonnet side 2/3 way up the offside.
Immediately pulled in and its coming up from the back of the engine in the area in front of the steering wheel. Checked the header tank & as expected it had lost a couple of inches.
Now tell me straight this is going to be a b*****rd of a job isn't it, as I can't even see down the back of the engine from the top. I remember from memory the fuel heater unit is there and that there a couple (?) of rubber hoses running along the back of the engine plus the matrix feeds.
Are there any known weakpoints amongst that lot & where's best to look first?. Also any tips as how to easily access them, and are they Citroen Parts dept only bits?
At least I managed through topping up to get the car back home without cooking gaskets etc, & on the bright side had I been barrelling down the motorway I wouldn't even have seen the steam & the first warning would have been the overheat & low coolant warnings.
Coolant loss is slow but steady judging from the steam.
Many thanks in advance
Alan P
BX Turbo Diesel Coolant Leak - Help
Moderator: RichardW
Had this very same problem in a pug 405 1.9td, sitting in traffic and suddenly steam from the back of the engine.Also like you couldnt see what it was so put the car on the ramps and had a look from underneath.There is a housing at the cambelt side of the engine that has several water pipes going into it and it was one of these that had burst.As far as i can remember these were only available from main dealers and they cost a bomb,although it was quite a few years ago now so andyspares may stock them.Also check the core plugs under the exhaust manifold as that was were the next leak started a few weeks later.Had similar trouble with other PSA diesels and am now on my third xantia petrol with (so far) no trouble,so for me at least it seemed to be a diesel thing that caused me grief.
B
B
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rory_perrett
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Alan
You are right this could potentially be a pain. As comment above it could be the hose from the radiator to the waterpump that runs along the inner wing, fairly cheap and fairly easy. The hoses to the heater matrix are another matter. I suspect that these are dealer only parts if you go for a full replacement. I've had a problem with the longer one that runs across the back of the engine. Managed to get it off the engine end ok. There is a D clip to the balkhead about half way along. I found it easier to take the intercooler off and then sort of lie across the engine so I could get my arm down the back of the engine. With the D clip off I could pull the pipe up the back of the engine to have a look at it. At this stage I thought that I might be able to get more room where the hose couples into the heater matrix valve at the bulkhead by undoing the top engine mount and tilting the engine forward. Didn't really work so went for plan B. As the hose was split nearer the engine end than the heater I gave up on getting the heater end off and went for a repair.
Cut the hose to remove the damaged area and then using 22mm dia plumbing fittings made a replacement section. I use the solder ring type joints either end of a bit of tube as they have a nice raised ring that helps hold the hose clip in place. Certainly cheaper than buying the complete hose.
Best of luck
Regards
Rory
You are right this could potentially be a pain. As comment above it could be the hose from the radiator to the waterpump that runs along the inner wing, fairly cheap and fairly easy. The hoses to the heater matrix are another matter. I suspect that these are dealer only parts if you go for a full replacement. I've had a problem with the longer one that runs across the back of the engine. Managed to get it off the engine end ok. There is a D clip to the balkhead about half way along. I found it easier to take the intercooler off and then sort of lie across the engine so I could get my arm down the back of the engine. With the D clip off I could pull the pipe up the back of the engine to have a look at it. At this stage I thought that I might be able to get more room where the hose couples into the heater matrix valve at the bulkhead by undoing the top engine mount and tilting the engine forward. Didn't really work so went for plan B. As the hose was split nearer the engine end than the heater I gave up on getting the heater end off and went for a repair.
Cut the hose to remove the damaged area and then using 22mm dia plumbing fittings made a replacement section. I use the solder ring type joints either end of a bit of tube as they have a nice raised ring that helps hold the hose clip in place. Certainly cheaper than buying the complete hose.
Best of luck
Regards
Rory
Thanks B
Did you repair the hose yourself? I'm just wondering because access looks S...t from what I can see, and I was wondering if you have to push the engine forward to get in at the back of the block, or if there are any other tips regarding getting into the limited space.
Tried to make sense of the Haynes manual coolant schematic last night, but it wasn't very clear.
Cheers
Alan
Did you repair the hose yourself? I'm just wondering because access looks S...t from what I can see, and I was wondering if you have to push the engine forward to get in at the back of the block, or if there are any other tips regarding getting into the limited space.
Tried to make sense of the Haynes manual coolant schematic last night, but it wasn't very clear.
Cheers
Alan
Cheers Rory
Thanks a lot.
It was chucking it down last night so didn't fancy lying out in the road to give it a thorough look see, but will check it out over the weekend.
I'm hoping its the bottom radiator hose thats gone, but that would be too easy for a BX!!. Can you remove under wheel arch fittings to improve access?. I've been under the car a few time recently with Hydraulic line replacements & waxoyling etc, so remember it being tight as a gnats chuff for space. Reckoned removal of the Intercooler was almost likely to be essential.
Alan P
Thanks a lot.
It was chucking it down last night so didn't fancy lying out in the road to give it a thorough look see, but will check it out over the weekend.
I'm hoping its the bottom radiator hose thats gone, but that would be too easy for a BX!!. Can you remove under wheel arch fittings to improve access?. I've been under the car a few time recently with Hydraulic line replacements & waxoyling etc, so remember it being tight as a gnats chuff for space. Reckoned removal of the Intercooler was almost likely to be essential.
Alan P
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rory_perrett
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RichardW
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'13 3008 1.6 HDi GripControl - x 996
Alan,
My understanding is the the following hoses join onto the water pump housing on the back of the block:
Cold return from the rad (round the side of the wheel arch)
Cold return from the heater (straight from the bulkhead)
Thermostat bypass (comes round from the side of the thermostat housing and is threaded through the inlet manifold)
Water pump outlet is direct to the block I presume.
The heater feed comes off the flywheel end of the head, and is screwed to the bulkhead before entering the heater adjacent to the outlet - I think it is this hose Rory repaired.
You won't see any of the hoses on the housing becuase the turbo inlet hose obscures everything. It is possible to remove this hose, but refitting requires the patience of Job and an assistant with small hands.
Best bet is to get it up on ramps, dry it all out and try and spot where it is coming from, and then form an action plan from there. It's going to give you headaches (and hand aches no doubt!) whichever way!
Richad
My understanding is the the following hoses join onto the water pump housing on the back of the block:
Cold return from the rad (round the side of the wheel arch)
Cold return from the heater (straight from the bulkhead)
Thermostat bypass (comes round from the side of the thermostat housing and is threaded through the inlet manifold)
Water pump outlet is direct to the block I presume.
The heater feed comes off the flywheel end of the head, and is screwed to the bulkhead before entering the heater adjacent to the outlet - I think it is this hose Rory repaired.
You won't see any of the hoses on the housing becuase the turbo inlet hose obscures everything. It is possible to remove this hose, but refitting requires the patience of Job and an assistant with small hands.
Best bet is to get it up on ramps, dry it all out and try and spot where it is coming from, and then form an action plan from there. It's going to give you headaches (and hand aches no doubt!) whichever way!
Richad
Had a look up behind the engine last night and the coolants actually coming down from the middle up at the top. Its dripping on to the exhaust manifold around the turbo unit and seems to be dripping off of a stud on the inlet manifold, so its from somewhere higher up, but bloody hell there is nospace up there at all, so I reckon the intercoolers coming off plus the top & lower engine mounts, what do reckon?
I'm assuming its the thermostat bypass pipe from wher it is, what do you think?
Alan
I'm assuming its the thermostat bypass pipe from wher it is, what do you think?
Alan
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RichardW
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'13 3008 1.6 HDi GripControl - x 996
Alan,
Yeah, sounds like that pipe - unless (gulp) your head has sprung a leak <img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle>. With the intercooler off, you will find the hose sort of sits on top of the manifolds, squeezed under the back of the rocker box - you may only be able to see it by laying right across the engine. I had trouble unwinding this hose when I did the headgasket - I seem to remember there's not much room to extract it past the engine front plate - you may have to take off the RH engine mount and timing belt covers to get enough room <img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>. It's also a fibreglass reinforced hose, so you might want to wear gloves before you start prodding it, or you will be itching all weekend!
Ah joy.....<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>
Richard
Yeah, sounds like that pipe - unless (gulp) your head has sprung a leak <img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle>. With the intercooler off, you will find the hose sort of sits on top of the manifolds, squeezed under the back of the rocker box - you may only be able to see it by laying right across the engine. I had trouble unwinding this hose when I did the headgasket - I seem to remember there's not much room to extract it past the engine front plate - you may have to take off the RH engine mount and timing belt covers to get enough room <img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>. It's also a fibreglass reinforced hose, so you might want to wear gloves before you start prodding it, or you will be itching all weekend!
Ah joy.....<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>
Richard
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Jon
Ahhh, the joys of the BX TD "braided hoses"!
The only way to do them is to remove the intercooler then undo the engine mounts and pull the engine forward (be careful not to damage the rad!)Its a nasty job.
The other one worth checking in this area on older BX TD's is the metal water pipe(the one with the bleed nipple in it) that runs down the back of the head, they corrode and leak over time.
Those braided hoses are probably the nastiest job that it has ever been my misfortune to carry out.
<img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>
Jon Wood
forum@andyspares.com
The only way to do them is to remove the intercooler then undo the engine mounts and pull the engine forward (be careful not to damage the rad!)Its a nasty job.
The other one worth checking in this area on older BX TD's is the metal water pipe(the one with the bleed nipple in it) that runs down the back of the head, they corrode and leak over time.
Those braided hoses are probably the nastiest job that it has ever been my misfortune to carry out.
<img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>
Jon Wood
forum@andyspares.com
Thanks guys
Is the Braided Hose (if that what I find leaking) available as an Andyspares part or is it a Citroen only?
Other question is, can I run the engine off its mountings pulled forward & without the intercooler to test the pipe for leaks once its all partially dismantled to see things.
I know I could pressurise the system with a adapted rad cap but I dont have one.
Cheers
alan P (getting more scared by the minute)
Is the Braided Hose (if that what I find leaking) available as an Andyspares part or is it a Citroen only?
Other question is, can I run the engine off its mountings pulled forward & without the intercooler to test the pipe for leaks once its all partially dismantled to see things.
I know I could pressurise the system with a adapted rad cap but I dont have one.
Cheers
alan P (getting more scared by the minute)