Hard suspension

robthespaniard · Unread post by **robthespaniard** » 25 Sep 2007, 13:48

I have a Xantia 1.9td . The LHM fluid was contaminated by addition of normal DOT brake fluid. I have I have drained the system and changed the fluid back to LHM . The suspension goes up and down as it should, power steering is good, brakes are good and the constant ticking from the front has now disappeared. The suspension however remains solid. Does this mean that the seals are ok and that the problem is in the spheres and if this is the case is there any way to repace the speres one at a time to see which ones have gone or will I have to replace them all. Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Rob

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 25 Sep 2007, 14:02

You should be able to tell which spheres have gone by pushing down on each corner of the car with the engine running.

robthespaniard · Unread post by **robthespaniard** » 25 Sep 2007, 14:09

So If they are all hard it would follow that they have all gone then ?? Sorry to be such a knumpty

KP · Unread post by KP » 25 Sep 2007, 15:57

Yes it would do

Is the hieght corrector on the normal hieght and does the car raise to the right hieght?

If i were you and that had happened to me i'd be kicking up a fuss about dot fluid being put in! but also swap anti sink sphere and accumulator sphere and others as well as they will all be bushed and stick some hydraflush in first off then drain after a week or two and put normal LHM in

robthespaniard · Unread post by **robthespaniard** » 25 Sep 2007, 19:14

car seems to raise and lower correctly.. If it is the spheres that are gone then it is a bit of a result as if the seals had gone as well that would have been disaster. Having describedthe symptoms , would you all agree that I have probably been lucky and the seals are ok . When I cleaned thefilters during the fluid change there was a fair amount of black deposits in them, however , the car seems to be rising and lowering as it should.

robthespaniard · Unread post by **robthespaniard** » 25 Sep 2007, 19:16

Oh... and in Spain , even the citroen dealers have never heard of hydraflush. They just use LHM and change it after 1000KM

deian · Unread post by **deian** » 25 Sep 2007, 20:05

robthespaniard wrote:Oh... and in Spain , even the citroen dealers have never heard of hydraflush. They just use LHM and change it after 1000KM

Dealer or dealers? Surely one will know what hydraflush is... I hope you know what Hydraflush is... I would say it is essential to use it if the system has been contaminated with brake fluid.

robthespaniard · Unread post by **robthespaniard** » 25 Sep 2007, 20:42

I know what it is but I get blank looks from the Citroen dealers. I have tried 3 so far and the same answer from all of them..... I have had to use lhm and will do the change several times or will wait until a friend is driving back from the uk to Spain and have some hydraflush brought back.. We have to work with what we have in Spain... After the replies that I have had it looks like I have got away with the seals but will have to replace the spheres... One advantage of being over here is that we dont get salt on the roads and rust and corrosion is not a problem so changing the spheres should not be as difficult as it could be.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 25 Sep 2007, 21:33

Ask them about hydrorincage (c as in garcon, so it's hydrorinsage), that's actually the name of the GSF stuff.

robthespaniard · Unread post by **robthespaniard** » 26 Sep 2007, 00:32

Thanks for that Xac, I will ask them next time I am out..

pprado · Unread post by **pprado** » 26 Sep 2007, 03:08

If the seals you are referring are the suspension cylinders ones, then - there are none, the suspension parts are metal to metal, machined precisely to seal by themselves...

If you park your car for long, does the front (not the rear) sink to the ground? That may indicate the cylinders are leaking too much.