Norwegian activa won`t rise or fall..

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:06

Harald, which pipe exactly popped off? There's a clue there but I cannot immediately picture which pipe you mean...

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:09

I got to the return-pipe on the electrovalve return-side after a lot of fumbling. There were no leaks there..

Was the car running and the electrovalve energised when you checked? just a thought, sorry i cant think tonight, you have to be very close to the cause now im sure it will come to you fairly soon though.

Have you tried checking all the return pipes to the LHM tank for excessive flow?
If there is that much of a leak there will be big flow going back to the LHM tank for sure and thats where its easiest to get to, might be worth pulling all but the regulator and steering pinion returns into a big tub and seeing where the leaker is?

D

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:12

Deanxm wrote:might be worth pulling all but the regulator and steering pinion returns into a big tub and seeing where the leaker is?

With good ideas like that Dean, there's clearly nothing wrong with your thinking skills tonight

HaraldG · Unread post by **HaraldG** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:23

Can the electrovale get stuck in "open" position? Can I add voltage for a brief second to hear it moving? (without damaging it

)

HaraldG · Unread post by **HaraldG** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:25

Oh, sorry.. Didn`t notice u replied so soon.. Just a sec...

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:28

I thing you can fash 12v over it but just a flash no more, it is held open with just a couple of volts after the initial firing i think.

EDIT, BAD IDEA ^ ^ ^ ^

D

HaraldG · Unread post by **HaraldG** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:30

The pipe going in, just under the bleed screw..

The car was running and electrovalve connected when checking for leaks..

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:31

HaraldG wrote:Can the electrovale get stuck in "open" position? Can I add voltage for a brief second to hear it moving? (without damaging it )

No, that's not really a good idea Harald as it is suppled with a 1KHz squarewave. Putting 12v DC on it will soon burn it out. The valve is also polarity conscious and connecting it wrongly will damage the internal back-emf suppressor diode..

From the ECU it is operated by a 500ms pulse initially and then a 1KHz squarewave giving an RMS voltage of about 4V to keep it operated.

Even if you did manually operate it, it may not prove anything. Best to check for leakage from its leakage return pipe.

Note that the Activa electrovalve is normally unoperated. If you really wanted to operate it to test it you'd be better off "borrowing" the signal going to the rear Hydractive electrovalve as these are operated all the time the engine is running...

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:32

CitroJim wrote:
Deanxm wrote:might be worth pulling all but the regulator and steering pinion returns into a big tub and seeing where the leaker is?
With good ideas like that Dean, there's clearly nothing wrong with your thinking skills tonight

that one managed to battle its way through my brain fog Jim, theres not many make it though if im honest.

D

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:34

HaraldG wrote:The pipe going in, just under the bleed screw..

One of the metal pipes? Not the rubber return pipe back to the LHM tank?

If it was a metal pipe then that at least shows a good pressure delivery from the pump....

HaraldG · Unread post by **HaraldG** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:48

The metal pipe going directly in to the regulator.. I think that`s from the pump..

The only return leaking in to the tank is the main one..

HaraldG · Unread post by **HaraldG** » 25 Jan 2011, 21:59

I guess I can`t produce that pulse with a 12 v battery, wires and screwdrivers

I`m still not sure the pump can deliver enough though.. How much should it give? Volumetrical, I don`t have a pressure gauge

It also seems to produse some air in the main return pipe. (I`ve got clear pipes I can see through now)

The air only shows up after the pump has been loaded (i.e with roll-corrector shut). When letting it run for a while (2-4 min) with the pressure release screw open, it stops producing bubbles.

May be an indication the pump is not that healthy.. ??

Perhaps the leaking return through the corrector in hard-right-mode is just enough to make the LHM-flow insufficiant..?

The pressure is high enough to "tick out" the pressure-regulator when the roll-corrector is shut. But the flow may be insufficiant to replace the LHM running through the roll-corrector when it`s open to return.. No

HaraldG · Unread post by **HaraldG** » 25 Jan 2011, 22:03

The air is not making foam though.. It`s not that much.

lefgrter · Unread post by **lefgrter** » 26 Jan 2011, 16:03

There is no way to have air in the circuit other than
1. Feed hose
2. Damaged LHM Tank
3. Damaged pump
4. Nitrogen from a leaky sphere.

If it was a sphere it should have stopped by now.
It is very simple. We have a hydraulic circuit. If the pressurized part of it was damaged you should have LHM leaking from the hi pressure circuit to the low pressure side (environment). No air can enter due to pressure difference. If some how the low pressure returns (Pipes or parts) had any problem then it is possible for the air to enter and have some bubbles (But very few and not capable of causing any trouble). Check the pump for cracks.

An something else that happened to my car soon after i bought it.
And had some similar symptoms.
The front left suspension ram (the one that supports the antiroll ram) had a massive internal leak. As a result the front of the car wars rising very very slowly. In the end the car could not rise at normal height. Finally, after a week or two started to leak externally and had to replace it. I had a hissing noise also. I can not say if this caused bubbles or no because of the cracked pump that i discovered about a month after that.

HaraldG · Unread post by **HaraldG** » 27 Jan 2011, 19:43

I`ve changed all parts on the sucktion side of the pump. From the pipe manifoild to the pump. Today I fitted a new pump. All parts are from my other activa, and the parts should be in excellent condition..

I have also changed the brake valve and the pipe for the activa-regulator broke.. That too would cause air in the system..

After changing the pump I can still see air going from the pressure-regulator to the tank (I`ve fitted a see through hose on the return). Will it normally produse air from the pressure regulator to the tank??

Are there any easy way of checking for internal leaks in the activa rams or suspension rams?