Lazy pump?

C.J. · Post by **C.J.** » 10 Jun 2008, 13:43

Taking up to 15 seconds for the 'Stop' light to go out, and a further 15 seconds for the car to rise, after the car has been static for more than a couple of hours.
Normal, or time for a new pump/whatever?

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 10 Jun 2008, 14:12

I would say it's normal being an oldish car, mine takes at least a minute from lowest height to drive, sometimes longer, after sitting for more than an hour or so.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 10 Jun 2008, 18:52

That is absolutely normal even for low mile good condition cars.
Still you must take the STOP lamp warning serious as it is meant to.
Until the car is in normal height and warning light(s) have exstinguished, the hydraulic pressure is not adequate for the brakes.

C.J. · Post by **C.J.** » 10 Jun 2008, 23:35

AndersDK wrote:That is absolutely normal even for low mile good condition cars.
Still you must take the STOP lamp warning serious as it is meant to.
Until the car is in normal height and warning light(s) have exstinguished, the hydraulic pressure is not adequate for the brakes.

Thanks for that both of you, and apologies if it's been asked a thousand times in here before.

Bit of a pain sitting there waitng for it to gain height, especially if your in a hurry, but hey ho, that's the price you pay for probably the most comfy car I've ever owned. 8)

Post by **CitroJim** » 11 Jun 2008, 12:27

Be thankful you don't have an Activa, the stop light stays on so long you have time to read a couple of chapters of War and Peace

Still, with ten spheres and two rams to pressurise it makes sense.

My 2.1TD takes around ten seconds to go off. My old 1.9 sinking TD goes off in about 5 seconds and then another 10 or so to rise up from bumpstops. Compared to the anti-sink models it is remarkably quick to rise. That's the difference between the feeble 2 piston pump on the anti-sinks and the 7 piston pump on the sinkers and the use of an FDV

A good test of how good the hydraulics are is to see how long it takes for the stop light to extinguish immediately on a warm start. Whilst my Activa takes several eons to extinguish its stop light from cold of a morning, it will immediately extinguish it up to about 30 minutes after the last stop showing it holds its pressure well. My 2.1TD is not quite so good and will only hold it for about 10 minutes or so.

An anti-sink with a very quickly extinguishing stop light may well indicate it has flat spheres it has no need to pressurise, especially the accumulator. One rare instance where the stop light taking a time to go off indicates good health!