Hydroflush

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acrowot
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Hydroflush

Post by acrowot »

Can anyone tell what colour this is. I am thinking of changing the LHM in my Xantia, when I look in the reservoir the fluid is orange,LHM should be green, does it change colour to orange if it has not been regularly changed or is it Hydroflush.
1996 Xantia TDSX
alan s
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Post by alan s »

That colour is indicative of LHM ready for changing.
Here are some pics showing the colours of all the fluids you've mentioned.
http://www.aussiefrogs.com/snippets/lhm_story.htm
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acrowot
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Post by acrowot »

Thanks Alans
The first picture looks similar to the colour of my fluid, I do intend to bleed the brakes to remove the fluid out of them, does the steering need to be emptied also?.
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

No matter how you try - there would allways be a few cc of old LHM left in the system.
This has no consequences - since it's diluted down to less than 5% with fresh fluid.
The servo steering is flushed - once you have pressure back again - and doing a couple of end-to-end's on the steering wheel.
I'd say with that colour of the fluid - you should take a hydracleanse cure - then run the car for some 3.5Kmiles with this fluid - finally replacing with fresh LHM again.
Looks like the fluid has been in service way too long - neglect of timely replacing intervals.
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Post by acrowot »

Thanks for your reply Anders, do I read you right 3,500 miles, it will take me about 6 months to do this mileage, will that be OK. If Hydrocleanse can be left in for long periods of time, why can it not be used permenantly.
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Post by AndersDK »

That's just MY opinion - to ensure the fluid really gets in the corners of the system [;)] - now you took the messy route getting it in anyway [:p]
You may be perfectly ok with the fluid working less time/mileage - don't have a can ready - and can't remember what's adviced on the sticker.
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Post by tomsheppard »

Hydrorincage cannot be permanently used because it does not have the lubricating properties of LHM. If the car starts to behave more amenably once the fluid has been in for 1000 miles, then there is nothing wrong with replacing the LHM at this point.Overall, you will probably notice less stiffness in the suspension and steering. The back end may stay up for longer too.
acrowot
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Post by acrowot »

This is the first Xantia that I have owned and it drives very well but not having tried another one I have nothing to compare it with.The only hydrolic problem that I have noticed is with the brakes. When you press the pedal the brakes come on stong and smooth and then they seem to ease off needing harder pressure on the pedal they then are on too hard and you have to ease off the pedal. If I do the aerobics every few days the brakes work normally. I am just working through the servicing jobs that seem to have not been done and it is the LHM's turn.
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Post by tomsheppard »

sounds like air could be trapped in the brakes. I'd suggest bleeding them (AndersDK can probably advise on the procedure, I'm not well up on Xantiae) if you haven't already done so.
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Post by allmond »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by acrowot</i>

The only hydrolic problem that I have noticed is with the brakes. When you press the pedal the brakes come on stong and smooth and then they seem to ease off needing harder pressure on the pedal they then are on too hard and you have to ease off the pedal.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I'm on my second Xantia and both have done it. My second car was fine when new but has recently got worse. I've done Hydraflush, new LHM, bled the brakes - all to no avail.
What do people think about the posibility of the infamous brake spring getting tired?
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Post by AndersDK »

remove that dredded brake pedal spring [}:)]
- instead place a suitable spacer.
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Post by acrowot »

I do not think the brake spring is causing my problem, as I said if I do the aerobics every few days I do not have a problem with the brakes, they work normally. I have drained the LHM today and replaced it with Hydroflush, the filters were very dirty with some grit in there, the filters are now clean and the brakes are bled so I will see how it goes. I will have to replace the rear brakes tomorrow as the dreaded corrosion has taken place and the calipers on both sies are almost touching the disk and are twisted.
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Post by algieuk »

Check to see you don't have any air leak in teh pipe from the reservoir to the pump. The symptoms you describe strongly suggest a minor air leak.
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