Leaky ram and electrovalve!

Unread post by **Dommo** » 01 Jan 2010, 14:42

Hi folks

I bought an Activa yesterday:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1999-CITROEN-XANT ... 2eaa24d72c

He had a ram coming for it but that was £400 and I decided that I'd get the car and if it needed shed loads of work I'd just sell it on and not lose as much on the brand new ram.

So I'm after a ram basically if anyone has one. But I've not looked where the leak is from so I'm not sure yet. Where am I looking on the ram for the leaking spigot? I can see that it drips from the bottom of the ram.

And at the back of the car is a leak, the seller said it was from the rear electrovalve but I've not yet been under it to find out. All I know is that its above what looks like the rear anti roll bar because this bar gets dripped on. Then the fluid appears to flow along the bar to whichever end is lower and drips off that end too, but I'm not certain, it could be leaks at the ends too!

Does this sound like the electrovalve?

Thanks! Dom

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 01 Jan 2010, 15:43

This link show the most typical leak and how to repair it.

Loads more useful info on http://activaclubfrance.free.fr/entretien.html

Unread post by **Dommo** » 01 Jan 2010, 15:53

Thanks DickieG

Is that pipe that sticks out the 'spigot' that I've heard about then?

Thanks.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 01 Jan 2010, 16:54

With front and rear rams what often happens is that the rubber outlet for the return flow hardens with age until any movement is sufficient to cause a split/leak. When I replaced both rams on my Activa with brand new ones, the rubber on the old ones was hard and brittle whereas on the new rams it was very supple.

If you're lucky and use a suitable sealant you may be able to stop the leak, I don't know what particular sealant will work, maybe even a hot glue gun will do the job. I'm sure a few people here will be able to give you a better idea than me.

Unread post by **Dommo** » 01 Jan 2010, 17:23

DickieG wrote:With front and rear rams what often happens is that the rubber outlet for the return flow hardens with age until any movement is sufficient to cause a split/leak. When I replaced both rams on my Activa with brand new ones, the rubber on the old ones was hard and brittle whereas on the new rams it was very supple.

If you're lucky and use a suitable sealant you may be able to stop the leak, I don't know what particular sealant will work, maybe even a hot glue gun will do the job. I'm sure a few people here will be able to give you a better idea than me.

Alright thanks DickieG. I'll have a look at the ram when I get chance and try to see where the leak is from. I bet silicon sealant would do the trick, on that french guide you gave me I can see Pâte silicone in a list which is presumably a what tools are needed list.

Thanks again.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 01 Jan 2010, 18:41

Dommo wrote: Does this sound like the electrovalve?

Could well be Dom although the first sign is a drip from the hydractive centre sphere, the one that hangs down at a jaunty angle.

The normal reason for failure is dissimilar metal corrosion eating into the alloy side of the electrovalve body where it contacts the steel face of the sphere block until it corrodes right through and exposes the green sealing O ring. It then leaks.

Have a look at the picture below. The green arrow shows where corrosion has attacked and exposed the O ring. This valve was off my V6 and leaked rather heavily. This is an extreme case.

A good test for this is that it will only leak in soft mode. Pull out F8 (20A) in the engine bay fuse box (with the ignition off) and the leak, if it is from the valve, should stop as pulling F8 disables the hydractive ECU and puts the suspension into permanent firm mode.

Unread post by **Dommo** » 01 Jan 2010, 19:11

CitroJim wrote:
Dommo wrote: Does this sound like the electrovalve?
Could well be Dom although the first sign is a drip from the hydractive centre sphere, the one that hangs down at a jaunty angle.

The normal reason for failure is dissimilar metal corrosion eating into the alloy side of the electrovalve body where it contacts the steel face of the sphere block until it corrodes right through and exposes the green sealing O ring. It then leaks.

Have a look at the picture below. The green arrow shows where corrosion has attacked and exposed the O ring. This valve was off my V6 and leaked rather heavily. This is an extreme case.

A good test for this is that it will only leak in soft mode. Pull out F8 (20A) in the engine bay fuse box (with the ignition off) and the leak, if it is from the valve, should stop as pulling F8 disables the hydractive ECU and puts the suspension into permanent firm mode.

Thanks Jim.

There are plenty of times when dissimilar metals cause an issue, on my 306 the AC pipes rot because of where they are and what they're clamped to the slam panel with. Alloy pipes, steel clips, routed to run along the bottom of the slam panel which gets all sorts of salt and rubbish thrown at it.. Brilliant thinking!

If it only leaks in soft mode does that mean when it's been parked for a few minutes it should be in stiff mode and therefore not leak? I did notice that when we just got back it was leaking from the middle of the rear of the car onto the ARB, so I laid down a few containers to catch the drips and when I came out this morning there wasn't much in there really.

I'll give that a try though, remove the fuse and turn the car on, and if it's clear then put the fuse back in, if it starts leaking then that'll be the cause?

Thanks again Jim, I'll PM my address for that bush while I remember.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 01 Jan 2010, 19:19

Dommo wrote: If it only leaks in soft mode does that mean when it's been parked for a few minutes it should be in stiff mode and therefore not leak?

Absolutely correct Dommo

Unread post by **Dommo** » 01 Jan 2010, 19:26

That would explain why there wasn't much that leaked out overnight then. There was quite a bit on the floor when we bought it, but it was left idling for a good 10 minutes so it'd be in soft mode the whole time I assume.

Cheers.

Unread post by **Dommo** » 02 Jan 2010, 15:14

Jim, I just tried removing fuse 8 from the engine bay fusebox and when I open the door I can still hear the hum/buzz from presumably the hydractive block? It clicks off after 30 odd seconds.

Am I hearing a different thing buzz like the activa system or is my fusebox different

Cheers

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 02 Jan 2010, 16:13

No that will be the suspension ECU buzzing as its in soft mode.

Unread post by **Dommo** » 02 Jan 2010, 17:08

Citroenmad wrote:No that will be the suspension ECU buzzing as its in soft mode.

The hydractive ECU?

Removing fuse 8 is supposed to turn off the hydractive ECU but I can still hear a buzz which I assume is the hydractive electrovalve? (Which should be turned off with fuse 8 out)

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 02 Jan 2010, 17:13

Yes, the hydractive ECU, though not sure how it can still be buzzing with the fuse out

. Is it definitely fuse 8?

Unread post by **Dommo** » 02 Jan 2010, 17:18

Yeah I'm confused myself, I've removed fuse 8 from the engine bay fusebox, the one just in front of the LHM reservoir?

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 02 Jan 2010, 18:08

Dommo wrote:Yeah I'm confused myself, I've removed fuse 8 from the engine bay fusebox, the one just in front of the LHM reservoir?

It normally is that one but there have been a number of evolutions with the electric system, check the handbook to make sure its still the same fuse.

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Leaky ram and electrovalve!

Leaky ram and electrovalve!

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