Steel Shavings In The LHM Reservoir...

rg · Post by rg » 10 Mar 2005, 02:17

Folks,
I've just cleaned out the tank on my XM 2.5 and I noticed a fair few metallic flakes.
Is this pointing to a sick pump? All other "vital signs" are OK.
Or is a small amount acceptable? I suspect that a "deep clean" has never been done on my tank.
rg

tonespeed1999 · Post by **tonespeed1999** » 10 Mar 2005, 02:28

in 20 years of working on citroens ive never come across metal flakes in the tank!
sounds like some component is starting to break up.
i would use hydra flush and then monitor the situation.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 10 Mar 2005, 03:12

You can not get metallic flakes from the hydraulic components. Any failure that could ever cause such a problem would give you a terrible noise from that component - or it will most likely seize solid if a control valve any kind.
I'd suspect the LHM reservoir itself - if it is a metallic container in your XM.

dan.2cv · Post by **dan.2cv** » 10 Mar 2005, 03:15

Did someone use 'Goldschlanger' instead of LHM?

rg · Post by rg » 10 Mar 2005, 13:05

Dan,
It certainly looks pretty!
I have "metalflake sludge" in the bottom of the tank. Some paint manufacturers spend years trying to get this mixture.
Thanks, folks, for your kind and helpful replies.
The tank is plastic. I am mystfied as to how the flakes have got past the inbound filter, unless, as I strongly suspect, the filter has fallen into the tank at some point and allowed unfiltered LHM to discharge.
Hydraflush is now in, and I'll keep an eye and ear on it.
One of the resasons for asking the question was to determine if some level of metal contanination is normal. Gearboxes I have dealt with have often shown signs of metal in suspension or trapped on a magnetic plug. I would have thought not, but this car is a Citroen...
rg

vanny · Post by **vanny** » 10 Mar 2005, 13:52

you CAN get metal contamination in the LHM presumably from the metal pipes. After long enough they break down and you can end up with minute little black spots in the bottom of the reservoir (seen this on a couple of BX's). Generally they get happily filtered out, but it's a damn good reson for booth keeping an eye on the LHM AND giving it a regular change!

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 10 Mar 2005, 14:34

I have heard about metal debrie in LHM tanks before - the reason its in the tank is that the filters have worked! The usual source of excessive metal debrie is the front suspension struts. So it would be a good idea to check the return flow from these into the tank - if there is anything more than just a dribble coming back from them under normal running, then start looking for replacements!
//NiSk

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 10 Mar 2005, 15:02

If the stuff you're talking about is just the metallic shiny residue that's left in the bottom of the tank after the old LHM has been tipped out and before it's been washed out in petrol, then I don't think I've ever seen one that didn't have it.
But if we's a talkin' about bloody great sharfs of steel....hey, hey...that's a whole new ball game.
Alan S [}:)][;)]

ItDontGo · Post by **ItDontGo** » 10 Mar 2005, 16:42

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by rg</i>
Gearboxes I have dealt with have often shown signs of metal in suspension or trapped on a magnetic plug...
rg
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I had a mini and the metal flakes which came out of that sound like they were a bit larger. In fact they were entire gear teeth - and quite a few of them at that! That might explain why it got locked in gear one day.

rg · Post by rg » 11 Mar 2005, 18:17

Thanks, all, for taking time to reply. Long live the forum!
They are, indeed, just shiny little flakes, rather than chunks of component with the casting numbers still readable...
The ultimate in contamination must have been on my 1973 Triumph Bonneville.
The oil for these machines is carried inside a 3" diameter tubular frame down member.
The previous owner had shot-blasted the frame. And not cleaned out all the crevices . Shot in the oil filer. Oh dear...
rg

adamskibx · Post by **adamskibx** » 11 Mar 2005, 19:45

Quote "I had a mini and the metal flakes which came out of that sound like they were a bit larger. In fact they were entire gear teeth - and quite a few of them at that!"
I had to chaange the gearbox in my Dyane once as this sort of happened to me. Well it was very odd really. During a 150 mile motorway trip I got stuck in traffic and found that even with the clutch fully pressed it would judder as if the cluth was biting a bit, but i knew it wasnt the cable as it was violent and inconsistant. I thought, well theres no way i can do aything here and I dont have AA cover so I carried on home. Found out that the gearbox had come away from the engine as the bottom two bolts were missing leaving the clutch plates at a strange angle to each other. After bolting it all up again with new bolts, the car made a banging noise under acceleration so I took the box apart only to find that the gear that drives the differential had two teeth missing and it wrecked some of the bearings. I dont know whether the teeth went first and vibrated the bolts off or somehow the teeth got damaged cos the box was under strain. Ill never know. It was interesting though!! Luckily I had another box to fit the cogs out of.

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 11 Mar 2005, 20:33

Are the flakes chrome plating off something or are they actually where something has worn?
Hydraulic rams and valves are commonly chrome plated, I don't know whether the Citroen ones are but if they were, that could be the source of your flakes.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 11 Mar 2005, 21:45

The servosteering ram cylinder rod is chromed. But if this starts to flake you will evidently have large EXternal leaks here as the rubber seals would be torn very fast.
Dont know about the front struts. But same rule here : if flakes from here seals will be torn fast causing large INternal leaks.
The various control valves are not chromed.

paranoid · Post by **paranoid** » 12 Mar 2005, 02:54

When I got a secondhand head unit for the xant with filters etc, I cleaned the second hand filters and got several tiny shards of metal in my fingers, very small but it was swarf. donor car was about an L reg

dan.2cv · Post by **dan.2cv** » 12 Mar 2005, 05:29

Looking at a newer post it might appear that your pump is trying to turn itself inside out in a bid to cost you an excessive amount of money. Sell it immediately and buy my old Golf TD which has recently started smoking like a bingo player.