Xantia V6 leaking LHM

[momag46]

Hi everyone, I have a problem.
I have a leak at a pipe joint from the front suspension sphere. It is at a joint between a large dia rubber pipe and the normal pipe.

Is this something anyone has seen before?
I’ve spoken to Pleiades and they’ve never seen this before and Simon looked at 2 Xantias they had on site and neither had the large rubber pipe like mine.

Maurice

[xantia_v6]

All Xantia with Hydractive suspension have that pipe with the rubber section. I have not seen a failure at that point, but have had a similar crimped joint fail on my XM.

As the failure is rate, you should be able to find a good used replacement, or you may be able to find a hydraulic specialist who will replace the rubber section, but either way, the pipe would need to be removed from the car...

[CitroJim]

All Xantia with Hydractive suspension have that pipe with the rubber section. I have not seen a failure at that point, but have had a similar crimped joint fail on my XM.

I've only ever seen them weep a little at the rubber/metal transition... In fact one of mine did but it seemed to be quite stable and never got any worse over a period of a couple of years.

How badly is yours leaking Maurice?

No promises and it'll be a while before I can access my parts store but I may have one...

[momag46]

Thanks Jim, it is pretty bad, I’ve got a lot of HLM on the floor of the garage. Simon at Pleiades said that the two car on their site didn’t have the thick rubber pipe, I’m sure that he said one of the cars was an Activa!
I’m not a car DIY’er these days so will need to find someone to do the work or have some very thorough instructions.

Maurice

[CitroJim]

The Activa should have had exactly the pipe you need Maurice... No worries, when I can move Bluebell out of the garage when the weather eases I'll see what I have in stock

[momag46]

Thank again Jim.

[CitroJim]

Thank again Jim.

I'll try to get to it this week Maurice... Be aware swapping this pipe is quite a major job and needs a bit of disassembly at the front end...

As far as I recall, it'll need the bumper, headlight, ECU box (possibly), front shroud, fans and radiators removed - including the aircon condenser.

It might well be worth seeing if a hydraulic company can do an in-situ repair... The rubber section is there to allow the pipe to flex as the strut top moves around under steering forces so must be retained....

The non-hydractive models don't need this rubber section as the thin pipe with a loop in it offers enough natural flexibility but the bigger and thicker hydractive pipes have absolutely no flexibility in them...

[momag46]

Thanks again, you’re a star Jim.

I may have a talk to Pleiades, but with a list like that I don’t know if they’ll take it on.

[Stickyfinger]

"As far as I recall, it'll need the bumper, headlight, ECU box (possibly), front shroud, fans and radiators removed - including the aircon condenser. (move it out of the way)

The above is about 1 -2hours of book time....so not a big job.

As long as the metal fittings are OK any good hydraulic-pipes specialist can replace the rubber section.....

[momag46]

Again, thanks Alasdair, the breadth of knowledge on this site is amazing.

I know this is way too big a job for me, I’m just a top-up man these days. There was a time when I could have done it but that was some fifty years ago!

[xantia_v6]

Beware that the hydraulic fittings changed at RP 8053 and if your car is later than that, then any pipe that Jim has is unlikely to fit. The change of pipe fittings is mentioned in https://frenchcarforum.co.uk/TechDocs/P ... lution.pdf

[momag46]

Thanks for the warning, I’ll have to check the RP number, it’s a 1999 car so a series 2.

[Stickyfinger]

Just to help you visualise the pipe.

Ask Pleiades to remove it and give it to you (if they do not wish to fix it), take it to a good (local to you, there will be a good number in your area) agricultural hydraulic specialist and ask them to replace the rubber pipe reusing the original steel pipes, take it back to Pleiades for refitting.

(Note: make sure the refitted pipe is kept to the same orientation, like all Citroen pipes they should be a passive fit without tension)

[momag46]

That’s one hell of a pipe Alasdair.
I’m assuming a joint can’t be put in. When you say “replace the rubber pipe”, do you mean with a steel or rubber section?

Maurice

[momag46]

Also, I can’t find the RP number x looked in the usual places, door shuts, inner wings & bulkhead, any ideas guys.