Hi
My 1995 Xantia has sprung a leak on its suspension. In front of the sphere at the driver's side there is a black gator and the fluid seems to be coming out from behind there. I'm having trouble investigating as it's snowing here!
Please could someone tell me what's under this gator, what it's called to source a second hand one, and is it hard to fit?
Many thanks
Li
Xantia LHM Leak
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john alexander
- Posts: 360
- Joined: 12 Apr 2004, 00:43
Hi if its at the rear its probably the strut seals ,I burst a strut by driving the car on high setting.They cost about 60 quid. but maybe new seals are available.easy enough to change if you can set the suspention on high ,,just to unscrew the sphere !!!! a little bit .check the search function on this forum . there are people out there better at explaining it better than me. regards john.
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DervDonkey
- Posts: 65
- Joined: 25 Oct 2004, 01:08
Could be wrong, but:
If it's a slowish leak, check to make sure the two plastic pipes are properly inserted in the rubber sleeves - I had this problem, and fixed it by pushing the pipes back in. Remove the wheel, and wipe the area around the pipes with a clean rag - if the LHM is coming from there it will be fairly obvious, as is the fix...
If it's a slowish leak, check to make sure the two plastic pipes are properly inserted in the rubber sleeves - I had this problem, and fixed it by pushing the pipes back in. Remove the wheel, and wipe the area around the pipes with a clean rag - if the LHM is coming from there it will be fairly obvious, as is the fix...
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uhn113x
- Posts: 1161
- Joined: 06 Jan 2004, 22:06
- x 3
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by john alexander</i>
.easy enough to change if you can set the suspention on high ,,just to unscrew the sphere !!!! a little bit<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Careful!
If you put the 'suspention' [sic] on high and manage to unscrew a sphere it will probably go into orbit, hitting you if you are in the way.
You need to only just turn the sphere enough to break the seal with the suspension on high, then set it on lowest to release all pressure.
However, Li's problem seems to be that LHM is coming from the strut gaiter (assuming that there is not a large dangerous reptile (gator) on the car) [}:)]
This may be the internal strut seals - not too bad a job
HTH
.easy enough to change if you can set the suspention on high ,,just to unscrew the sphere !!!! a little bit<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Careful!
If you put the 'suspention' [sic] on high and manage to unscrew a sphere it will probably go into orbit, hitting you if you are in the way.
You need to only just turn the sphere enough to break the seal with the suspension on high, then set it on lowest to release all pressure.
However, Li's problem seems to be that LHM is coming from the strut gaiter (assuming that there is not a large dangerous reptile (gator) on the car) [}:)]
This may be the internal strut seals - not too bad a job
HTH
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morgaine
- Posts: 23
- Joined: 09 Mar 2004, 13:59
Sorry, I meant to say it's at the rear
No large dangerous reptile fortunately, just lots of green goo
From what you guys are saying I have burst a strut seal. The problem started when I came out of work in the lovely pitch black of Scotland in winter, and drove home. The ride was bone-shaking, which from previous problems I knew meant the suspension hadn't risen. I got out and checked and the back end was on the floor.
The LHM light had come on a few days before and when I checked it had lost fluid. There had been no obvious leak, so I topped up the fluid and all had seemed well until now.
Having switched the engine on and off a couple of times, the back end still would not rise. The only Citaerobics the car would play was going onto high setting - so, as you say, I drove home with it on high.
I am sure it will go back onto high setting - the back end just seems to have nothing inbetween, it's either right down over the wheel, or it's at max height. So I will go look for instructions on changing the strut seals.
I'll also have a look to see if I can find where the original fluid came from - in case this is an effect rather than the original cause. Although I suppose that the seals may have been on their way out and I just finished them off by driving home on High?
Thanks for the help - will keep you posted
Cheers
Li
No large dangerous reptile fortunately, just lots of green goo
From what you guys are saying I have burst a strut seal. The problem started when I came out of work in the lovely pitch black of Scotland in winter, and drove home. The ride was bone-shaking, which from previous problems I knew meant the suspension hadn't risen. I got out and checked and the back end was on the floor.
The LHM light had come on a few days before and when I checked it had lost fluid. There had been no obvious leak, so I topped up the fluid and all had seemed well until now.
Having switched the engine on and off a couple of times, the back end still would not rise. The only Citaerobics the car would play was going onto high setting - so, as you say, I drove home with it on high.
I am sure it will go back onto high setting - the back end just seems to have nothing inbetween, it's either right down over the wheel, or it's at max height. So I will go look for instructions on changing the strut seals.
I'll also have a look to see if I can find where the original fluid came from - in case this is an effect rather than the original cause. Although I suppose that the seals may have been on their way out and I just finished them off by driving home on High?
Thanks for the help - will keep you posted
Cheers
Li
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PeterMann
- Posts: 151
- Joined: 02 Dec 2003, 08:10
I once had a leak from the rear suspension in my DS ; it turned out to be from a cut in the boot (gaitor). This boot (gaitor) is normally partially filled with LHM which seeps past the suspension seal ; not a problem because it would feed back to the reservoir through the return line. Replacing the rubber thingy fixed the leak.
Loss of control on suspension height sounds like a separate problem ; from the reports of others, it sounds like the height corrector mechanism on Xantias can become stiff from contamination or lack of lubrication. I would clean and oil the height corrector and see if that restores normal function.
Loss of control on suspension height sounds like a separate problem ; from the reports of others, it sounds like the height corrector mechanism on Xantias can become stiff from contamination or lack of lubrication. I would clean and oil the height corrector and see if that restores normal function.
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bernie
- Posts: 882
- Joined: 10 Apr 2001, 02:25
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by morgaine</i>
Having switched the engine on and off a couple of times, the back end still would not rise. The only Citaerobics the car would play was going onto high setting - so, as you say, I drove home with it on high.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
There is a small white plastic clip that connects the rear anti-roll bar to the height corrector, if it has broken or dislodged then the H/C control knob will only adjust high or low.
There will be no intermediate setting.
Having switched the engine on and off a couple of times, the back end still would not rise. The only Citaerobics the car would play was going onto high setting - so, as you say, I drove home with it on high.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
There is a small white plastic clip that connects the rear anti-roll bar to the height corrector, if it has broken or dislodged then the H/C control knob will only adjust high or low.
There will be no intermediate setting.
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Dave Burns
- Posts: 1915
- Joined: 14 May 2001, 05:30
- x 2
<font color="blue">"There is a small white plastic clip that connects the rear anti-roll bar to the height corrector, if it has broken or dislodged then the H/C control knob will only adjust high or low.
There will be no intermediate setting."</font id="blue">
And if the normaly protruding part of piston rod has gone rusty, it will cause the cylinder to leak as it gets pushed in as the seal bears down on the rust instead of the smooth shiney part of the rod.
Dave
There will be no intermediate setting."</font id="blue">
And if the normaly protruding part of piston rod has gone rusty, it will cause the cylinder to leak as it gets pushed in as the seal bears down on the rust instead of the smooth shiney part of the rod.
Dave