Found the Leak!

anno888 · Unread post by **anno888** » 24 Jan 2005, 19:02

Hi all,
I have found the leak that I was ranting about earlier and thought I would post a pic seeing as most mechanics can't visualise the part by my description.
Hopefully someone can tell me what part it is. (Excuse my paint skills)

I should mention that the round thing is the front accumulator sphere and that it's an LHM leak!
The leak is from between the pipe and the nut (not the nut and the Accumulator)
Will I need a new pipe or is there a sealing washer/rubber o-ring under there that just needs replacing?
Cheers

bxbodger · Unread post by **bxbodger** » 24 Jan 2005, 20:43

You should just need a new pipe seal- its probably leaking because its been overtightened in the past.
They cost pennies[:)]-check the size of the pipe and then go to the online shop.
Depressurise the system, undo the joint, and the old one may come out with the pipe or you may need to winkle it with a pin-when you tighten it its dainty fingers only!!!! The hydraulic pressure will cause it to expand and seal the joint- overtightening wii damage it and it won't do its job.

jeremy · Unread post by **jeremy** » 25 Jan 2005, 00:32

Bodger is absolutely correct - just make sure that the pipe goes in nice and straight and is not under stress and that you free off enough of the pipe so that you can change the seal without stressing it.
Also worth checking it is tightened properly before you start. The nut should NOT be very tight - the seal is rubber not metal to metal like a normal brake pipe. A firm pull on a short spanner is adequate (about 9 lb ft)
jeremy

Panjandrum · Unread post by **Panjandrum** » 25 Jan 2005, 02:00

If, as appears from the diagram, this leak is the feed from the reservoir to the accumulator, you might find that there is a problem with the accumulator sphere? No idea why, and now I think about it I wonder, but as my accumulator was dying I had a few incidents of the feed pipe disconnecting. My friendly expert diagnosed weak accumulator eventually and it has been fine since that was replaced.

anno888 · Unread post by **anno888** » 25 Jan 2005, 02:22

I know that the diagram is not great but the top thing with the two metal pipes coming out was found on earlier Xantias (so I was told) and it is called something like a fluid distributor/ flow divider.
I have now bought the little rubber seal and will have a go fitting it in a few days.
The kind folk at DCT Motors in Norbury gave me all the tips on fitting including not to tighten the screw too much so will try to take your tips on board as I have a habit of doing everything up very tightly.
Once the job is done I will need to fill up with LHM. I have no idea how much fluid is left in the system but there is none in the reservoir.
Do I just go ahead and start pouring into the reservour with the car running so the pump distributes the LHM or would there be air in the system due to the reservoir being empty hence the pump sucking in air????

jeremy · Unread post by **jeremy** » 25 Jan 2005, 02:35

The first component in the circuit is the flow divider valve and has about 5 pipes coming out of it.
Bleeding really comes in 2 parts, the steering looks after itself, the suspension will bleed itself if 'Citroebics' are performed by raising and lowering the car a few times.
With luck the brakes will be ok as air will not have got into them. Dont touch the pedal until the Citroebics have been done a few times as the back brakes are fed off the rear circuit.
If you do have air in the circuit it may show up as brakes which are slow to release. Bleeding is similar to normal practice in that you loosen the nipples in sequence starting at the furthest brake. These brakes are bled with the engine running and of course when the pedal is depressed fluid is simply pumped out continuously. It is probably adviseable to raise the car fully to bleed the back brakes by making sure that there is sufficient pressure.
Jeremy