Leaking Hydraulic pump

nigelc116 · Post by **nigelc116** » 18 Jul 2006, 10:59

There's a leak on my Xant from underneath the Hydraulic pump. The LHM is dripping onto the alternator.

I can't see where the leak is from but the 3bolts that hold the pump body together were loose by 1/8th turn or so. The 6 large button type fittings with the torx head recess in were tight.

Are there common leaks on these pumps?

If I take it off can I buy a seal kit to repair it or is this a specialist job?

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 18 Jul 2006, 12:32

http://www.citroen-pr.net/catalogues/il ... 912150.gif
(note : item 2 for the V6 Xantia only)

Only seals available as seen on the schematic. No repair kits available. There are less than a handfull of specialists throughout UK - and these only offer a replacement service.
Most aftermarket dealers offers recon pumps. Ask around.

The pump is (must be) a very special construction to withstand the enormeous pressure capability of up to 300bar (up tp 5000psi) or more on the output.

Its not uncommon that the pumpbody itself develops a crack on these pumps

nigelc116 · Post by **nigelc116** » 18 Jul 2006, 13:58

This looks complicated and pottentially costly

I think that I'll make a shield to keep the small oil drip off the alternator

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 18 Jul 2006, 21:19

nigelc116 wrote:This looks complicated and pottentially costly

I think that I'll make a shield to keep the small oil drip off the alternator

Umm,

That doesn't seem like a very good repair to me....

If it's leaking theres no telling how much that leak might increase.... better to try and isolate what part of the pump is leaking...check the inlet hose is tight and not split, check the outlet pipes as well as they can weep slightly if they're not seated properly when they're tightened up.

(The steel pipes have no seals, and have to be aligned perfectly square with the outlets of the pump and if the were at a slight angle and someone "forced" them to fit by the tightening of the nut pulling them into line, they can weep)

Clean the pump with some petrol (mind the hose though!) so there is no trace of oil, and see where the oil first appears after some use...

Regards,
Simon

nigelc116 · Post by **nigelc116** » 19 Jul 2006, 21:33

I've checked it again tonight it looks like there is a small possibility that the rubber pipe could be leaking so I'll check it tomorrow after buying a jubilee clip, but i'm sure that it's more likely to be the joint between the two halves of the pump.

How easy is it to change this seal?

Where would I buy a new seal?

Thanks for your responses.

nigelc116 · Post by **nigelc116** » 29 Jul 2006, 09:01

I've fixed it........

I bought the seals from the local Cit garage, took the pump off, opened it up and changed the large o ring. I also changed 3 of the small o rings that are below the 6 plugs, these plugs were very tight.

I used http://www.citroenthai.org/pump62B.htm as a guide.

The job was very easy but there was one problem that I found.

When I removed the cap on the non pulley end there are 6 peices of very thin steel in a lolly pop shape that cover 6 holes. These are held down by a 6 legged spring. Well one of these spring legs is missing and the lolly pop was floating around in the pump.

This may explain why the power steering always feels notchy...

I've put it back on and the leak in fixed and I'll consider changing the pump if I can get one at the right price from the scrap yard.

If anyone has a leaking pump and doesn't feel up to the job, contact me at nigelc116@tiscali.co.uk and if your local to West mids UK I'll discus having a look at your car for you.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 29 Jul 2006, 10:22

nigelc116 wrote:I've fixed it........

I bought the seals from the local Cit garage, took the pump off, opened it up and changed the large o ring. I also changed 3 of the small o rings that are below the 6 plugs, these plugs were very tight.

I used http://www.citroenthai.org/pump62B.htm as a guide.

Great!

Can you describe in more detail (perhaps with reference to the photos on that page) which o-ring you're refering to as "the large o ring" ? Was it square section or round section ?

I don't suppose you took any pictures ?

Also which seals did you find were and weren't available from your Citroen dealer ? Were there any seals in the pump that looked easy to replace that they didn't provide ? (Which could possibly be found via normal engineering supplies)

I plan to fit some new seals to my pump soon and I'm scavenging as much info as possible beforehand....

The job was very easy but there was one problem that I found.

When I removed the cap on the non pulley end there are 6 peices of very thin steel in a lolly pop shape that cover 6 holes. These are held down by a 6 legged spring. Well one of these spring legs is missing and the lolly pop was floating around in the pump.

This may explain why the power steering always feels notchy...

Quite likely ! Thats the output of the 6 piston section of the pump which drives the power steering, and those will be the non return flapper valves...if one has the cap missing it will cause leakback and a loss of pumping capacity as well as a more irregular output...

Regards,
Simon

caque · Post by **caque** » 29 Jul 2006, 13:35

http://www.devazur.com/planete-citroen/ ... tpompe.pdf

and here

http://www.planete-citroen.com/forum/sh ... php?t=6130

Hope this helps

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 29 Jul 2006, 23:39

caque wrote:http://www.planete-citroen.com/forum/sh ... php?t=6130

Hope this helps

Excellent!!

Pity it's in french though! I'll see how badly google translate mangles it

Edit: ok, pretty badly:

"To clean the pump HP to eliminate the fatty traces. To pulverize the revealing one of escape on all the pump HP."

Regards,
Simon

slim123 · Post by **slim123** » 02 Aug 2006, 10:54

Thought that I would post this even though it's an old thread.

I was speaking to the guys at Pleiades yesterday.

Did you know?? They now sell a service kit for the Xantia pumps, this consits of a coplete set of "O"rings and the front oil seal.

Contact them on 01487 831239

Thought it might help!!

Regards
Slim

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 02 Aug 2006, 20:45

Hi Slim,

Thanks for that. When you say a set of o-rings do you mean the small diameter ones for the pistons ? And for the "front oil seal" which one are you refering to ? The one on the bell housing on the right with the power steering output ?

(See locations 1 and 2 on the following diagram taken from one of the above threads)

If so that sounds like the same as whats available from Citroen.

The seal that I'd really like to be able to get hold of (as well as the others) is the one joining the left and middle housing sections, (shown as a square section seal on that diagram just to the left of the cam lobe, but not numbered) but nobody seems to supply those...

By the way I'm in New Zealand so I'm presuming thats a UK phone number ?

Do they have an internet presense ?

Regards,
Simon

deian · Post by **deian** » 02 Aug 2006, 21:24

Simon,

Pleaides site is here: http://www.citroen-hydraulics.com/! They have a branch in Australia too. So thats a little closer to you. Hope it helps.

slim123 · Post by **slim123** » 02 Aug 2006, 21:37

You will have to contact them for full details, as I allways buy a complete pump ready to fit, as when working it is more cost effective to fit a working guaranteed unit rather than spend hours buggering about fixing one.

Also it is worth noting that most problems with a leaking pump are caused by running the pump with a "flat" main accumulator, so it goes without saying, if you are doing the pump, change the main accumulator, I allways do!!!

Pleiades are on the web, but I have had a look and the pump kit has not been added to the site yet.

Regards
Slim

nigelc116 · Post by **nigelc116** » 03 Aug 2006, 12:17

The seal that I changed was the one labeled 2 on the diagrame. It's been called a square section seal on this thread. The one on the pump was definatly square section, the one that I purchased from my local cit dealer was not as square, but not a traditional round seal.

It did the trick and there's still no leak.

I would agree that the leak is linked to the flat accumulator sphere, this was very flat when I bought the car.

as I always buy a complete pump ready to fit, as when working it is more cost effective to fit a working guaranteed unit rather than spend hours buggering about fixing one

It took me one and a half hours to remove the pump, half an hour to change the seals and 45 mins to put it back on, if you can afford the £180 or so for a new pump rather than £3 for seals ans this amount of time then you should be on the Aston Martin owners site because you clearly have too much cash!!

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 03 Aug 2006, 13:53

nigelc116 wrote:...
slim123 wrote:... as I always buy a complete pump ready to fit, as when working it is more cost effective to fit a working guaranteed unit rather than spend hours buggering about fixing one
It took me one and a half hours to remove the pump, half an hour to change the seals and 45 mins to put it back on, if you can afford the £180 or so for a new pump rather than £3 for seals ans this amount of time then you should be on the Aston Martin owners site because you clearly have too much cash!!

nigelc116 -
slim123 is a mechanic by profesion - must warrant his work to customers.
Makes for a slightly different approach to repair jobs ...

French Car Forum

Leaking Hydraulic pump

Leaking Hydraulic pump

Some info here (in French, but photos)

Re: Some info here (in French, but photos)