L.H.M. Leak

stewart_c · Post by **stewart_c** » 20 Aug 2003, 01:43

Hi Folks,I have a LHM leak which is dripping off of a a unit that is about the size of an asprin bottle,which is located in the o/s of the engine bay near to where the turbo duct passes down the back(car is a 1.9 tdsx 171k).I appreciate that a drip is not necessarily where the leak is and there are several pipes running east/west at this point but due to it,s closeness to the steering wheel which is approx through the bulkhead I was wondering if it was part of the steering rack as the haynes manual does not show anything on the rack that I can find.
I went through a 1L bottle just to get home (16 miles)

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 20 Aug 2003, 03:35

Sounds to me like you are describing the brake valve, could be a loose pipe union connected to it, or a split pipe, either way it needs close inspection.
Is it in the position where a brake master cylinder would be on other types of car.
Dave

stewart_c · Post by **stewart_c** » 20 Aug 2003, 03:49

Hi dave,yes I would say that it may be slightly smaller than the master cylinder,s that I have encountered in the past,but I am going to fill it up with lhm and drive it to the garage who sometimes does some work for me( roads are quiet at 0600)then I will call him.
I will let you know what happens.

stewart_c · Post by **stewart_c** » 21 Aug 2003, 02:41

Well the problem turned out to be as Dave had thought only the name the garage used was a DOUSER VALVE.
The bit that I could see was only the end,and as the sound deadening has not been replaced I can see it is more than just a cylinder,in fact the mechanic was not particularly happy as it was one of his least favourite jobs,still that's life.
I forgot to ask what the function(s) of the valve is,I know it is on the brake circuit but is that all?
stewart

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 21 Aug 2003, 03:02

Hehe we like to call it a brake valve then people know what we are on about, usualy, doseur (if I'm not talking out of my you know what) is simply french for dose.
Its job is to apply the brakes basicaly, when you press the pedal (connected to the brake valve) high pressure oil (LHM) is directed from the valve to the four calipers at varying degrees of pressure, determined by how hard you press the pedal.
On most other types of car the brake pressure is generated by the driver as he pushes the pedal down, forcing the piston along inside the master cylinder and pushing the fluid out, wet citroens have stored hydraulic pressure which is used to apply the brakes, the system is therefore a power system, as opposed to the normal vacuum assisted variety.
Dave

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 21 Aug 2003, 03:30

I sympathise with your mechanic. I did mine last week and it is a bit of a swine. The car will not tick as often now it has been replaced and the rear end will stay up for longer if you don't have a car fitted with an anti sink sphere. It shouldn't need replacing again for 150,000 miles.

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 22 Aug 2003, 03:07

You were lucky it was leaking on the OUTSIDE of the car, they usually leak on the inside and it's often not until you wonder where that sickly sweet oliy smell is coming from that you realize that you are wading around in a carpet soaked in LHM! not funny!
I know why mec's dislike replacing them - they have about 5-6 very rusty pipes that need undoing and are just waiting to break off at the slightest hint of bending!
//NiSk

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 22 Aug 2003, 04:03

no Nisk -
It's the next-to-impossible location down behind engine on RHD cars that's the sweetest thing [:D]