Hydraulic woes - latest

lhm_leak · Post by **lhm_leak** » 10 Jan 2004, 22:01

Having had a good look at what's going on with my leaky hydraulics, it seems I made a mistake in assuming it was coming from the low pressure side of the system. It's not, it's on the high pressure side and it looks like a real swine.
The 3 litres of LHM I put in on Friday has gone, it probably went fairly quickly too, considering the froth I saw while the engine was running. The old saying that "a picture is worth a thousand words" is probably true in this case, so here it is:

The bubbles of frothy LHM are highly reflective, so the picture isn't great - but it does show where the fluid is coming from.
Is my HP pump knackered, or can this be repaired? Or is it possible that it just looks bad - it's frothing/bubbling around the circumference of what appears to be a join at the point indicated, not from the union itself.
Stu.

edd001 · Post by **edd001** » 10 Jan 2004, 22:10

before you give up on the pump i would clean the area well so there is no fluid around the union then make sure it is not coming from the union. if it is the union bonus for you but if it is not and it is leaking from where you said then it could well be a new pump.
hope yhis helps

DarkendViper · Post by **DarkendViper** » 10 Jan 2004, 22:54

I had this problem with mine. I got a set of seals for it and reselaed it. Cured it. As said above, make sure that the area is clean.
Ste

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 10 Jan 2004, 22:54

I'm in line with Edd -
As the Xantia 1-port pump is slightly modified from the BX pump species I know off - there could well be some odd extra union inserts/bits in the pipe port. Which makes a cleaning & closer look cruicial.
My cards are on either a failed pipe seal - or a crack in the pipe end. The Xantia pump might have an extra O-ring fitted on the bottom to the pipe port - residing under a larger reducer screwed into the port - into which the pipe union itself is screwed in.
- which in fact it exactly looks like according to your snapshot.
- it also looks like someone previously tried to seal up a problem - using any kind of a sealing compound. Could be a fiddly mess to clean out [xx(]

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 10 Jan 2004, 23:11

Allthough this is the later 2 port (2 + 6 pistons) pump - I think it's pretty much the same seal arrangement as found in the 1 port pump type - you can see the O-ring depicted at ref mark 2 upper on the schematic drawing found in the URL below.
Note that removing the reducer insert could mean that the tiny bits making up the one-way valve may pop out - take care !
http://citroeny.cz/servis/bxser/cerpadlo_LHM_6+2.gif
The above URL should show as picture here :

lhm_leak · Post by **lhm_leak** » 11 Jan 2004, 00:43

Thanks for that, Anders. It seems that the top part of my reducer is leaking - I can see it clearly on the cutaway schematic (I originally thought it was an integral part of the pump! ). Now the thorny question - can I get a replacement reducer, or even a repair kit?
Stu.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 11 Jan 2004, 02:55

I may have lost the plot but it looks as though the leak is be between the pump body and the reducer. In which case the first thing to try is to dismantle the whole joint clean it and refit the reducer and tighten it and then fit the outlet pipe with a new seal. Try this and let us know what happens.
Jeremy

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 11 Jan 2004, 03:03

I may have lost the plot but it looks as though the leak is be between the pump body and the reducer. In which case the first thing to try is to dismantle the whole joint clean it and refit the reducer and tighten it and then fit the outlet pipe with a new seal. Try this and let us know what happens.
Jeremy

lhm_leak · Post by **lhm_leak** » 11 Jan 2004, 05:30

No, Jeremy, that's not the case. The leak is exactly where the red line on the photo ends, and extends around the entire circumference of the reducer's top. There is a lot of LHM splatter and dribble all over, but that's where it's actively spraying/bubbling from. In the schematic that Anders pointed to it's the component at the top of the reducer - looks like the seal has gone.
I'll be removing it in the morning/afternoon when there's some daylight, I'll let you know what happens next...
Stu.

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 11 Jan 2004, 05:40

FWIW, I have had a leak at a front sphere on my CX for 35,000klms and I stopped it from pouring LHM out by using plumbers thread tape on the thread.
If the joint or if there's a thread involved at where the leak is, that is definitely worth a try because everytime I take my spheres off, I simply replace the tape & touch wood, so far hasn't leaked a drop.
There isn't anythin scientific in how I found out this worked; I was stuck with a sphere pouring LHM out on a Sunday in outback Oz and about 500 klms from teh nearest supply of LHM so it was a matter of necessity.[B)]
Alan S[:D]

lhm_leak · Post by **lhm_leak** » 11 Jan 2004, 06:44

Simple, brilliant idea! I'll definitely give that one a go in the morning - if I can find my PTFE plumbers tape...

Post by **RichardW** » 11 Jan 2004, 16:48

ISTR we had a discussion about just this a few months ago. For reasons best known to themselves, Citroen fitted the outlet port with a 'double' pipe. The main pipe (with a conventional seal) screws into a reducer which is in turn screwed into the pump body and sealed with an O-ring. I think the O-ring lets go and LHM pours forth. New O-ring that costs pence sorts it out.

lhm_leak · Post by **lhm_leak** » 11 Jan 2004, 19:49

Well, I've tried to undo the union, and it won't budge. Looks like I'm going to be without my Xantia for a while until I can have a chat with the mechanic next door. I'll keep you posted!
Stu.