Purchasing Hydraflush?

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CitroJim
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Purchasing Hydraflush?

Post by CitroJim »

I want to change the LHM on my Activa and in the process run a dose of Hydraflush through the system.

Question is, where can I obtain some? Our local factors don't stock it (never even heard of it!) and we don't have a branch of GSF handy :( I don't really want to ask our local Citroen dealers as I expect it'll cost the earth!

Before I make myself look a right twit by asking, will GSF post it or must it be collected from a branch?

Is there any other well-known sources of supply?
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Post by _kid_ »

when i wanted some LHM it was more or less the same price form the dealer and GSF, maybe worth a call for the hydroflush
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Post by Xaccers »

There's a GSF over in Luton, and one in Northampton, so not too far away (just don't ask my dad to go to Luton again, he got stuck in roadworks for an hour last time and now refuses to go, especially as they gave him the wrong spheres).

I'll double check how much hydroflush I have at home tonight Jim :)
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Post by deian »

Funny you ask that today, I was gonna post about the hydraflush from GSF... £14.50 for 5 litres right? And I think they do deliver, well I hope so anyway, it's on their website.

But my main question about it is whether it's the same stuff as you get from citroen?

What benefits will it do to the hydraulic system other than clean it? Will you feel any benefit in the ride after using it?

Thanks
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Post by AndersDK »

There is only 1 type of hydraflush, made by very few makers, because little asked for.
Would not surprise me if Total is the only supplier.

Cost the same as LHMplus.

Its not listed on Citroen PR net, but I'm pretty sure most Cit dealers still stock it. Comes in 5liter red plastic cans. The fluid is orange/red in colour.

try a forum search. The issue has been up before and I remember I submitted some links to specification sheets on the stuff.
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Post by slim123 »

Hydraflush is / was a brand name attached to a flushing agent developed (I am told) by our friends at Pleiades. They had this special mix developed for them years ago and have sold it in 5 x litre containers for years.

Later on Total made a similar product for flushing the system, I guess that they must both be about the same as both have great results spoken about them.

Personaly I like to get mine at Pleiades when needed because as well as being handy as they are just up the road from me, I like to support the little guys who give the personal service rather than filling the pockets of a multi national company.

But then I am the same with any purchase, I like to use the local butcher rather than the supermarket, but thats just me being peculeir, (or is it?)

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Post by CitroJim »

Thanks all!

I asked in our local Citroen dealer today when I went in to pick up some bits I'd ordered and he did not stock it, never had, never used it.

It is a shame Pleiades is so far away from me :(

I'll give GSF a call in the morning...
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Post by Ross_K »

Sorry to be anal but its actually called 'hydraurincage', not 'hydraflush'... :D

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Post by jmd »

I can strongly recommend Hydroflush. I usuallt leave it the tank for around 1,000 miles. Cleaning the tank and filters before & after using it, then refill with LHM. I did purchase 5Ltrs last week from a Cit Dealer cost me €60-00 here in the R of I. (about £40-00 Stg). Next time I will be calling to GSF.
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Post by Xaccers »

Ross_K wrote:Sorry to be anal but its actually called 'hydraurincage', not 'hydraflush'... :D
[/img]
Rinse or flush, it amounts to the same thing :D
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Post by deian »

What benefits are there to be had from hydraflushing a citroen?
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Post by CitroJim »

deian wrote:What benefits are there to be had from hydraflushing a citroen?
We really need Slim to give us a proper and full answer Dei, but as I understand it, the general dirt and debris (rubber from the seals mainly plus a bit of rod dust that gets in the LHM reservoir) that slowly contaminates LHM is not fully removed during a normal LHM change and can contaminate a new charge of LHM. Hydra [insert your preferred word here :lol: ] will remove that contamination and more than likely hold it in suspension until it is drained in much the same was as a good engine oil does for engine contamination.

I also expect Hydraflush has additives to clean the hydraulics (a detergent). This and the additive to hold debris in suspension is more than likely missing from ordinary LHM.

Over to you Slim for a proper answer please :wink:
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Post by slim123 »

Thanks Jim! Maybe not a proper answer, just my own humble opinion.

The hydraulic system on the Citroen runs at a constant pressure of between 145 bar and 175 bar. The main principle of hydraulics is that you can compress a gas but not a fluid, the fluid being at high pressures and heat takes a bit of a pounding during it's life.

Over the years the hydraulic fluid will get old and oxidised, this is shown as a yellowing of the fluid, this in itself is not a problem and not dirty, just aged (like most of us) and it now needs to be changed, not flushed.

A very accurate check is to get yourself 2 x clean jars, put some new LHM in one (about 2" deep) and in the other put the same amount but out of your cars reservoir. Now stand the jars on some newspaper, you will be able to read the print through the new stuff, can you read it through yours? This will give you some degree of how mucky yours is.

There are 2 x reasons why I normally flush the system through.

1) When left for an age, the LHM will become very dirty or even contaminated so this is the time to flush the system

2) Before changing any hydraulic component, check the fluid and if in doubt change or flush, as it would be a shame to put a nice clean pump on a filthy system.

Hydraflush, or Hydra anything else, is designed to wash out the old dregs of fluid by mixing with it, then carrying it back to the reservoir, also it will scour the system and clean out the components such as height correctors and brake calipers.

To flush the system, (the way I do it, others may differ)

1) Fully depressurise into low position and open the pressure regulator bleed screw.
2) Using some hose and an old empty oil can, syphon as much fluid as you can from the reservoir.
3) Remove the nest of pipes from the reservoir top and retrieve the 2 x strainers.
4) Remove the reservoir.
5) Clean the reservoir, reservoir top and the strainers using parrafin, then dry off with some clean rags or blow with compressed air.
6) Put the lot back the way you found it.
7) Fill the system with flushing fluid (approx 4.5 litres)
8 ) Start the car and leave running for about 2 mins then tighten the bleed screw on the pressure regulator.
9) Lift the suspension up and down a few times, then leave on high and check/ top up fluid level.
10) Remove the wheels and bleed throgh the brakes, untill flushing fluid appears at each caliper.
11) Put the wheels back on and start up to check fluid level (top up)

Drive the car for about 2 x weeks, then do the whole job again bt this time instead of hydraflush, use LHM fluid.

Also it might be of some interest to know that I have used hydraflush to flush out "normal cars" power steering systems, with huge success.

Points to remember,
Use parrafin to clean the parts, it's cheaper than petrol, better than petrol and less volitial.
There is never any need to slacken the regulator bleed screw by more than 2 x turns.
Allways prop the car with stands when working under it.
Dont forget to double check the wheel bolts.

I dont think that I have left anything out, but please feel free to add any usefull tips.

This is the flushing fluid that I use.
Image

Regards
Slim.
PS; I never put the smiley in where it should be No 8, I found it there on the preview and I cant seem to get rid of it !!!!!!!!!
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Post by CitroJim »

Thanks Slim, excellent stuff!

The 8) comes up whenever you try to put and 8 next to a bracket. All the smilies are coded with two or three text combinations. You can stop them by putting a tick in the "Disable Smilies" box on the posting form :wink:
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Post by Xaccers »

citrojim wrote:Thanks Slim, excellent stuff!

The 8) comes up whenever you try to put and 8 next to a bracket. All the smilies are coded with two or three text combinations. You can stop them by putting a tick in the "Disable Smilies" box on the posting form :wink:
Or one of the admins with access rights could edit the code for that smilie to something like (8 ) :)
I had to do that on one of my forums.
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