non hydractve supply piping routeing

[c.morewood]

Xantia s2 estate, after moving to the High setting I had a fine mist of LHM with hissing and then the dreaded leak from the front of the o/s rear wheel somewhere above/to the rear of the fuel tank.
Obviously a supply pip had let go. But I can't see exactly where its coming from, even with the car on stands and the suspension cylinder out (10 minutes) as opposed to 6 days plus last year
It wasn't from the cylinder or the sphere so the dowty seals are still working and nothing I can see is leaking. Does the long front to back supply go over the tank there? About 4" in from the side of the tank? From the Citroen service page it looks as though the long pipe routes over the other side of the car. Can anyone confirm the long pipes routeing?
I have a feeling that tomorrow will be spent removing the fuel tank to find exactly where the split is and lowering the subframe if I can get the bolts to move, to repair a return leak I've had for a while.

I've taken RichardW's advice and spoken to Big Mick at http://www.eurocarcare.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and have sorted out all the rear pipes including the long one (except the cylinder ones) for about £60. He even seems to think he can make the rear cylinder ones out of C5 unions joined to Xantia parts.. He says he needs a minimum of a 7cm tail on the C5 union/pipe to ba able to create an pipe join.
As many of you will know Xantia from RPO8209 to the end at 8519 were made with C5 unions on their Cylinders and Xantia unions on the other ends of the pipes. and they're no longer made by Citroen.

[RichardW]

The long supply pipes come in at the other side Chris. Could be the pipe from the height corrector to the K splitter? Is there a chance the cylinder has let go, and the leak was coming from the vent pipe?

[c.morewood]

No Richard, Vent pipes were intact Cylinder is perfect.. but then again..maybe above the rear subframe the Y might have let go.. that's possible. That's good news that the long pipe is at the near side as I won't have to take the tank off. I'm going to replace all the others before the weekend so I should get it by a process of eliminmnation and if it is the cylinder I've got plenty of spares.. well 2 anyway.
Just off nights today so not in the best of moods to tackle this just now.. off for an early night and a refreshed look at it tomorrow.
Thanks for the advice Richard

[citroenxm]

FOR FURTHER INFO:

Theres a K joint on EACH side of the Subframe. The Passenger one is the rear brake supply and and drivers side one is suspension.. the long feed goes to the anti sink, then it splits in various direction to the height corrector and the other K joint. It also goes to the anti sink K joint and anti sink sphere.. PRECIESLY which way Im not sure. Had it been an Exclusive I would of sugested Electro valve on the hydractive block, but ALAS SX it hasn't got one.

[c.morewood]

Thanks Paul

[c.morewood]

I just confirmed the clear vent pipes and the Y's were in good condition.
The supply pipe which I'm pretty sure is leaking is the one which comes out of the o/s K and routes up over the top of the subframe and seems to dissapear on the n/s which I think could be the long supply pipe.
Can anyone confirm this?
I was really hoping not to have to drop the subframe because then maybe I'll have to start messing with brake pipes and clips and the metal clips are seriously rusted and I don't have the time to mess around with rusty breaking parts..its going to be bad enough getting the old suspension pipes off .. the unions are no longer 8mm .. they're about 7mm.
Ta,
Chris
ps where is the safety valve located where the long rear supply pipe goes to?
I'm beginning to think that maybe I've bitten off ore than I can chew this time as the unions are so rusty and some are inaccessible to even a small pipe wrench.

[citroenxm]

Its under the LHM tank, on the Angled subframe upright... Look in under the passenger wheel arch, or as said, under the LHM tank.

[c.morewood]

Thanks Paul...What an inaccessible place!! Looks like I might have to take the wishbone off to get better access.
I was working on the rear end this afternoon... my neck is killing me.. I had to give up as I couldn't hold my head off the floor. got the 4.5mm pipe union off but the pipe won't budge. I'm thinking of cutting the other 2 pipes to give me better access as the union heads are just rusted away... Not looking forward to tomorrow .

[Hell Razor5543]

If you can, use Plus Gas on the unions. Make sure to get them soaked, and (with luck) they will free up. Ideally you want to do this for a few days before trying to loosen them.

[citroenxm]

IF the pipe is tight, and the unions out, which you have managed, and the pipe end if scrap, I use Pliers or cutters to grip the pipe and LEVER action against what its comming out of to get the pipe out.

I also use Mole Grips on scrap end which arent going to be used again, if the union heads or completely buggered!

[c.morewood]

I couldn't find plus gas James.. I know its the best.. but they were soaked overnight.. I was thinking of using heat when I realised that the plastic return pipes were up there as well.. Phew!!

Unfortunately Paul I have to keep the 4.5 mm pipe .. its about the only one in good nick...buit thanks for the suggestion.

Any tips on getting to the Safety valve end? And routeing of the pipe from the vertical to horizontal.. I've got the underneath plastic pipe carriers off but where they change direction behind the crossmember out of sight there seem to be more clips or something precenting the pipe from moving.

[citroenxm]

The pipes go UP over the TOP of the front subframe but UNDER the steering rack!! so are VERY well in place,,

They are not easy to put back in the CORRECT place. Ive simply placed them before now...

As for the valve, LHM tank out im afraid! Theres no easyer way really!!

[Hell Razor5543]

I have found that ECP carry Plus Gas, and it can be got off e-bay;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Plus-Gas-Rele ... 35d1d2690f" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[c.morewood]

Great James.. Thanks. Its in my basket.
Paul I had the Lhm tank off today and found a similar looking junction with 4 connectors ..but quickly figured out that it wasn't connected to the end of the pipe I was replacing.. and then spotted what looked like the safety valve another foot below that. Thanks for confirming that it is what I was looking at. But there's no way I'm going to get my hands down there. it was bad enough trying to get a spanner on the union on wht I thought was the safety valve, before I realised my mistake, I'd have to remove that connector and the bracket it sits on and a few more pipes to get access. I can't see any way other than from the wheelarch.

[c.morewood]

Progress so far.
Following Paul' s suggestions I gave up trying to remove the unions in situ and cut the pipes which I was replaceing.. I had to use light heat on one union. I'm glad I got all the "K"'s out as it took a lot of work in the vice to get these unions to move. The good news is that the replacement pipes from Big Mick at Eurocare have 10mm union faces and so will be much easier to remove in the future and you can use an open 10mm spanner on them. So the back end is all together although I haven't followed the presribed route for the long pipe .. thanks again Paul...over and down the side of the rear subframe.
I discovered something else today. The pipe I thought I was removing was the supply pipe as I had followed it over the subframe and down under the car and there was only 1 long pipe on the supply diagram from Citroen. But the pipe I'm working with comes out of no. 9 "K" on the diagram which appears to be part of the brake circuit. I'm hoping that might be easier to access.