Rear LHM leak

[c.morewood]

Here you go Richard


Thanks Simon

[c.morewood]

Is there a small black O ring that goes on the end of the connection?
I found one lying in the crap under the car and can't figure where its from.
Its not the rear brakes .. I've checked both of them today
Getting ready for the repaired cylinder this afternoon... I hope it goes back together ok!!

[RichardW]

Chris

Probably is the answer... service.citroen lists this:

05

5280 Q0

01 SUSPENSION CYLINDER O-RING
DIAM 3,4 TOR 1,9
O-RING ATTACHMENT 3,5 DIAMETER TUBE

And 'normal' struts just use a normal tube type seal. It's not listed with either the cylinder of the pipe though, just on a page of brackets, but I can't imagine it's anything else. Well spotted amongst the debris of removal!!

[c.morewood]

Thanks Richard.. Well I got the ram back today.. They'd done a lovely job of welding to build it up and milling it down .. at a lovely price too... £150 plus VAT!!!

Until that is I tried to remove the ram..... They'd only dropped a bit of aluminium on the ram and then forced it back into the cylinder scoring the sides.. Well maybe they didn't force it back in , considering it would have been hot from the welding I'll give them that. But it took a press to get it out again which definately scored the sides big time!!




I was not impressed!!
I took it all home after only paying half price thinking all was lost.. but a couple of hours with a Dremmel and very fine wet and dry and I MAY have rescued the situation.. however .. there's always a however.... whilst the cylinder was hot and they've put the ram back inside.. it has heated up and melted the plastic inside which holds the metal button the end of the rod rests on... so the button has now nothing to hold it in place...Don't you just love it !!!


I'm wondering if a blob of Araldite would hold the button in place?
I know its not ideal, but I need the car back on the road asap now..I've sourced another set of hens teeth .. thanks to Bryan, another forum member and was intending to hold an extra set of cylinders in case.. no...for when this happens to another forum member.. they're too valuable to let go to scrap.


Can anyone suggest another way of holding the button in place?


Chris

[Mandrake]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the hydraulic rams (both cylinder and piston surfaces) are machined to a very fine tolerance of around 10 microns, if they are visibly scored as shown in your first picture, they will leak, big time.

The leakage will be internal but if its great enough it may pop the low pressure leakage returns lines off due to excessive pressure there... And will also probably cause the car to sink rapidly after turn off despite the anti-sink system.

(Anti-sink works by isolating the height corrector from the rams as its normally the height corrector that is by far the leakiest item with the rams almost leak free, however if the rams are leaky the suspension will go down fast regardless)

I hope I'm being too pessimistic, but...

[c.morewood]

Further to my last.. having purled away with a small chisel. I managed to loosen the black plastic and remove it.
It would seem that the button sits in a recess and the rod is guided to the top of the button by 4 tri angular plastic bits.


I can't figure out how the button is held in place... watch this space.....

[c.morewood]

I was hoping you wouldn't say that Simon..the fit is tight.. even without the O ring in place .. but 10 microns I doubt.
She's always been a sinker.. well for the past couple of years anyway ... maybe not straight away but after 10 mins or so... but not completely down.
I'm going to have a go if I can get this button to stay in place.. I won't get the replacements till at least next weekend .. that's if Bryan can get them off!!!
I'm sure he's been reading Richards thread with interest.
I'm beginning to wonder what I've done to deserve this??????? Maybe its just all the years and miles of carefree motoring she's given me... now its payback time!!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

Chris

I can feel your pain. Ouch!

As I have said to Richard, going through exactly the same tribulations, I do have a Xantia Strut on my windowsill with what may be a serviceable rim which has a good chance of sealing.

It is however off a 1994 Xantia TD hatchback, and probably wont meet either yours or Richard's needs.

I also have another strut which has appeared in the rogue's gallery already with a definite unserviceable rim in need of refurbishment and guaranteed not to seal properly.

If the inner cylinder (not sure if this is the right term) or the plastic bit destroyed by the heat of welding is of any use I would be happy to help out.

kind regards

Neil

[c.morewood]

Much appreciated Neil,
I'm going to try to fit it tomorrow.. Just putting on the sphere and holding my hand over the flow hole its able to hole some pressure, but not for long.. and it depends on which way the ram is matched up with the cylinder.. so I don't hold out too much hope.. but if it lasts a week....but then again, the way my luck is running...
Hopefully I should have Bryans old cylinders in a week or so.
What gets me is that its so valuable (rare) they did a lovely job of fixing the rim (I've added a photo above) and they've b****ered it up.!!
I hope Richard has better luck.

[citronut]

if they melted the nylon seat for the push rod the piston must have been in situe whilst they welded the cylinder,

also if the original repair bill was £150 + VAT it would have been cheaper to buy a new unit from citroen

Part Number Description Quantity Price excl. VAT Price incl. VAT Total incl. VAT Selection
0000527227 HYDRAULIC REAR SUSPENSION CYL 76.36 GBP 91.63 GBP 91.63 GBP

and this comes complete with boot, clamp and push rod

[Mandrake]

Is that the right one Malcolm ? I'm sure I remember Richard looking up a new replacement for his and it being on the order of £150...

[citronut]

Is that the right one Malcolm ? I'm sure I remember Richard looking up a new replacement for his and it being on the order of £150...

not sure thats the right one its just one result comes up with on a general search with the 110hp estate

[RichardW]

The Citroen random number generator has been at work again! Take your pick from £90 - £160 depending on the car, for what is essentially the same part! Mine is at the £160 end, but the one for Chris's car, with that funny pipe, is NFP - although it lists at £136; the cheaper ones are hydractive. Oddly the RH cylinder is still available for Chris's car - and as far as I can see the only difference is the position of the leak off hole - so it should be possible to convert a left to right by just drilling a hole in the right place, and filling the other in.

Pity your other one has been damaged Chris - think I'd be asking for my money back! If they've melted that nylon block, what have they done to the seal? If you don't manage to get the cylinders off the other car, then I'd be tempted to change the pipe to a standard one, as this will give you a better choice of cylinders (or new availability) - although I just got blanks from the local breakers when I asked earlier today.

[c.morewood]

Richard did you try the breaker in Norfolk whose e bay link I sent you.. he had them last week.. just the wrong RPO for me.
I had the seal out whilst de burring and it seems to have suffered no ill effects.. no melting anyway.. We'll see what tomorrow brings....
In hindsight..perhaps it would have been easier to have has those with the pipes.....

[citronut]

have you tried this company as they are cit/pug dismantlers

http://www.pcr767676.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;