RED LHM!

[Old-Guy]

Next job on the VHX: bleed the old LHM out of the callipers after making sure the front callipers slide freely and that the pads don't 'hang-up' (one piston-side pad had been fitted with its 'pip' not in a cut-out no wonder the brakes weren't that good).

Decided to suck some LHM out of the bottom of the reservoir to see what it's like. Colour can best be described as RUBY PORT

It's nice and clean
but not bright green

ATF? or could it be whatever C5s are filled with?

I don't know how long it's been in there. Anyone care to venture a prognosis?

[Hell Razor5543]

Has it been in for so long that it has got embarrassed?

[addo]

Dex 2, I'd say.

[SaabC5]

As addo says, if its cherry red it could be Dex tranny fluid, C5 LDS fluid is dayglo orange.

[Old-Guy]

Will Dexron 2 have done lasting damage to seals etc? In other words, should I get rid of the car ASAP with a new MoT and some tax (not to some unsuspecting private buyer but to a amateur 'trader' via the local Saturday morning auctions?

I'll save a sample and tomorrow see what my tame mechanic thinks it is.

I'll drain as much out as possible, put some new LHM in do a Citearobics session and bleed the brakes anyway.

[addo]

She'll be right; no wukkas. From memory the viscosity is slightly lower at cold temps than LHM+ but otherwise I would not lose sleep. It's a good emergency filler.

[Hell Razor5543]

I wonder if it might be worth running a hydraflush cycle, to clear out the pipework?

[Mandrake]

So the friction modifiers won't cause accelerated wear ?

My previous Xantia came full of red oil in the hydraulic system too Old Guy, that car had a few suspension gremlins but I don't know if there was a connection...

[xantia_v6]

Assuming is is Dextron, it is probably a good flushing agent itself.

Empty the tank, put in a litre or so of LHM and run the engine and turn the steering lock to lock to purge the steering circuit, purge as much of the rest of the system as you can.

Then clean the tank and filters, and fill with nice bright green LHM.

If the suspension is working OK, and not sinking or leaking then it should be fine.

[Old-Guy]

Thanks for the reassurance chaps.

It's odd, holding the first bottle-full sucked out up to the light it looked "like ruby port".

But wiped up with white kitchen towel it looks a familiar greeny-yellow (like tired LHM) so hopefully it's mostly the latter with a bit of Dexron or something else mixed in to give it a red colour with transmitted light. Can't remember enough about reflected and transmitted light 'O' level Physics - too long ago by far - to work out what might be going on.

Anyway, I'll clear as much out of the system as possible in a couple of stages as suggested and re-fill with nice new bright green LHM (it's getting expensive - £23 odd for 5L and that's through a friend in the trade). I've got another litre or so that lived in the back of the green lady for a couple of years, so I'll run that through first. Helpfully the system was already de-pressurised. to do the suspension bush.

[taffy]

mine was redy brown wen i got mine due to it being 'embarrassed' lol! drained it all down and refilled..no probs in 19000 miles so far...and replaced all 8 spheres...looking at the other thread now about reduceing air bubbles getting into hp feed now
the 10 min mod thread have a look

[citronut]

just hope it aint LHS that the early D's ran on, as that is veggy based same as brake fluid, nasty stuff takes paint off, and melts LHM rubbers

[Old-Guy]

Having discovered that some regular, but not obvious, items hadn't been included in the 'servicing' of the last 10 years, I suspect that the LHM hasn't been changed for at least that long. My crude chromatograph didn't reveal anything obviously alien in the old LHM. Seems just to have been antique LHM with the addition of some new as needed to bring the level up.

When a got a bit of time to spare, I'll upload a photo.

[Xaccers]

Really old LHM tends to be a rusty red colour from my experience, and also it along with accumulator spheres is one of the many things missed even on "Full service history" cars.