LHM or not?

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 18 Apr 2008, 17:10

I syphoned the surplus (one litre) fluid from the LHM tank to bring it to the correct level and saw it was a disgusting brown colour. There must be green LHM in there as my gloves got that distinctive yellow staining but it looks and smells just like engine oil. I noticed an LHM bottle in the boot, not comma that I use. Are there different coloured LHM fluids available or should they all be flourescent green?

[rant] This car has been in the hands of muppets, that's for sure but judging by the garage receipts, I reckon the muppets were "professionals". Garages should be properly regulated considering the prices they charge IMO.

Even the new exhaust fitted is leaking at the downpipe

[/rant]

The trouble is, the car rides better than my last Xantia and it'll be costly to fill it with hydroflush and then replace that with LHM. Is there an alternative? The fluid wasn't dirty, it looked very clean in fact.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 18 Apr 2008, 17:28

That's how old LHM goes Mike. Green to yellow to brown.. As you found, brown LHM will still leave green/yellow stains and a thin film of it will still look greenish.

Sounds like it's never been changed.

Drain it, clean the filters (they'll look like they're wearing fur coats) and refill with Hydraflush and leave it in for at least 1000 miles.

Sadly, the sort of neglect you're finding is all too common. The Xantia (and indeed any hydraulic Citroen) is not well understood by the trade and in fairness, to do all the work of a routine major service properly would cost a fortune. A fortune the average owner is reluctant to pay out.

mezuk04 · Unread post by **mezuk04** » 18 Apr 2008, 17:49

The LHM was yellow in my Xantia so it was quickly replaced (3 years ago) but this year my BIL is hopefully getting the proper deal done, hydraflush and brakes bled.

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 18 Apr 2008, 18:12

citrojim wrote:That's how old LHM goes Mike. Green to yellow to brown.. As you found, brown LHM will still leave green/yellow stains and a thin film of it will still look greenish.

Incredible. Then I best publicly apologise to (possibly Cromwell Garage) the repairers. I was going by the fact the my previous LHM was always bright green in the tank even though you condemned what came from the brakes. But this stuff looks just like dark, used engine oil, only transparent (given enough light) and no signs of contamination.

My mistake

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 18 Apr 2008, 18:20

No worries Mike!

MikeT wrote: I was going by the fact the my previous LHM was always bright green in the tank even though you condemned what came from the brakes.

The LHM trapped in the brake "dead ends" does discolor more rapidly than the LHM in circulation so the first bleed can give some rotten looking stuff that should quickly clear to the reservoir LHM colour. One reason to regularly bleed your brakes; it refreshes the LHM in the "dead ends" of the hydraulic circuit.

Speaking of brakes, look in your blog thread for why they may feel like they're surging Mike.

nick · Unread post by **nick** » 18 Apr 2008, 19:15

Different brands of LHM can also be quite different colours too. One brand I used (I can't remember which, but it may have been Morris) was a sort of greeny/brown watery colour from the bottle - very different from the colour of Total LHM, but it seemed to work fine in the BX I had at the time.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 18 Apr 2008, 20:16

Yes, the Delphi stuff I often use is a dull, insipid green as against the bright, flourescent, almost glow-in-the-dark green of Total LHM!

Unread post by **elma** » 19 Apr 2008, 02:52

some are more corrosive than others as well.
The pratco one will melt concrete rather quickley but total and delphi do not.