Sylv called me earlier... another problem!

[Rhothgar]

Hi all

1996 ZX 1.9TD SX with Roto-Diesel.

Got the dreaded call earlier.

"The car's broken down!", came the voice on the end of the line.

Then the usual deduction work took place - you know the sort. Asking basic questions to try and work out if the car has actually broken down...

Anyway, I went out without any spanners and found it to be pumping diesel from the pump union - through the head of the nut actually.

I switched off and felt all the nuts. All were firm. I then tried to waggle all the pipes. All were firm with the exception of the one that was leaking which clicked as I pressed it and released, pressed it and released.

Went home and grabbed a 17mm. spanner. Wound the nut off to find the the flare has sheared off the pipe!!!

This is NOT normal. Has anyone else ever had this issue with an injector pipe. I assume it is supposed to be a flared pipe and not a swaged on union.

Any thoughts? Any spare pipes?

Look forward to hearing from anyone.

[Lighty]

broken off due to vibration, make sure the pump has all fixing on it, especially the rear one .

[Rhothgar]

Thansk Lighty.

I thought so but as it is all connected together it vibrates at the same rate - surely?

Where exactly is this rear fixing?

[CitroJim]

Yep, classic case of metal fatigue caused as you say Lighty, by vibration.

When you replace the pipe Roger, ensure there is no stress in it when you tighten the union nuts. I've known this problem happen when the pump is moved to set timing with out de-stressing the pipes by loosening their union nuts and doing them up again.

Same applies to hydraulic pipes too...

[Rhothgar]

Cheers Jim.

I've going down to London tomorrow. Are you around in the afternoon? Can't guarantee I'll have time to drop by though.

[CitroJim]

Cheers Jim.

I've going down to London tomorrow. Are you around in the afternoon? Can't guarantee I'll have time to drop by though.

Should be Roger, should be home by about 16:30 although just recently I've had all sorts of trouble extracating myself from behid my desk in the evenings Give me a quick bell when you're in the vicinity...

It'll be great to see you

[Rhothgar]

Hi Jim

It's going to be no-go I think as I have decided I need to set off earlier for London.

Let's see what additional traumas the day brings first and see if I do set off earlier.

Sylv's car is beginning to feel like a never-ending story... It's only got 104k on it and two owners.

[CitroJim]

No worries Roger...

I'll be in London on Thursday...

Cars go through stages like that. After this it's going to enjoy a very reliable spell for ages now... Just you see...

[Rhothgar]

Yes but when can I start spending some TLC time on my Xant!!

[Rhothgar]

All sorted!

Had a word with my diesel pump specialist mate. Whipped off the pipes and took them over to him. 40 mile round trip. Shame he's so far away. But, RESULT!

Free repair! He got the pipe. Filed the end flat. Micrometered the pipe. Picked up and olive and hammered it home.

Job done. Worked a treat.

Although the ends are formed as part of the pipe on the roto-diesel pipes for this year of ZX, an olive is the way they used to do be done. I am going to treat this as a temporary repair though as the pipe is slightly shorter than it should be and therefore may now be subjected to additional stresses.

Word to the wise! The clips that hold the pipes together are critical because they damp the injection pulse from the pump - so there you go!

[citroenxm]

i had exactley the same problem happen to me on a 309 d lucas car..... thank god i just happend to be 2 mins from a derv specialist.. i limpd there on 3 cylinders.. and he did exactly the same.. an olive on the end... few months later lesson not learnt another one fractured.. on the m56 w miles from the services on the way home from manchester so again limped a couple of miles to them... annoyed with myself i had a spare set of lucas pipes in my shed at home (im hoping to find these for you rothgar) so i had no choice but to call mum out to bring me one pipe... all the way from anglesey... stuck it on home james...

got rid of it soon after and bought a bx tzd turbo with bosch on it..

[steelcityuk]

My brother had a BX diesel where the LHM pump output pipe sheared off whilst heading down the M5 on a bank holiday. The car had been into a 'specialist' 2 weeks earlier for some head work, they hadn't refitted the pipe properly.

Steve.