Leaky leak of the green kind.

[xantiagreen]

This xantia has given me it's first leak of LHM nearly 2 years since I bought the lovely, found it to be one of the pipes on the front passenger side tyre which was dressed in LHM, had no road side recovery of any sort, so I drove home from Wigan via M6 for 20 miles and got home without any trouble. Xantia's parked up now waiting to be seen on Monday have left ride height in normal driving position, should I change it whilst there's a leak, looking into the LHM tank I can see fluid and about 10-15cm or so of the filter is visible. Located the leak it's on the inside of the rusty pipe in picture, fine spray leak.

Can the pipe be repaired and how long of it will need replacing any ideas on the part that's required.

[RichardW]

Pretty sure that will turn out to be the power steering supply pipe. Repair is a bit of PITA because it runs all the way from the pump the rack pinion in one - via the long way round the engine bay; it needs to have a rubber section to damp out the pulses from the pump; and it's no longer available However, this guy: http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =7&t=49073" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; was offering a repair kit. Plaedies may also be able to repair it if you can get it off and send it to them.

[Lighty]

I have repaired a couple of these using the Pleiades method, which involves tapping out the fitting on the end of the rubber pipe crimp joint. It's a bit messy, but makes a good sturdy repair. Don't think it's a DIY job.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

Martin @ Pleiades did mine twice over the last couple of years he does a very good job.
his number is 01487 831239
Unit 12A Brookside Industrial Estate, Sawtry Cambridgeshire. PE28 5SB.
closed Saturday & Sundays
hope this helps. fortunately my breakdown company will take my car there for me
at no extra charge. but a tip always helps to persuade them. next time.
stick the lever between the seats in the top slot and check the level on the lhm tank to see how much lhm has been lost don't want it affecting your brakes or suspension whilst driving. monitor the level a bit to make sure the leak hasn't got any worse. if it gets bad buy a 5 litre bottle of lhm and stop and check the level regularly every 5 miles top up if needed.
avoid full lock on the steering if possible. until repaired.

regards.
Nigel.

[xantiagreen]

Martin @ Pleiades did mine twice over the last couple of years he does a very good job.
his number is 01487 831239
Unit 12A Brookside Industrial Estate, Sawtry Cambridgeshire. PE28 5SB.
closed Saturday & Sundays
hope this helps. fortunately my breakdown company will take my car there for me
at no extra charge. but a tip always helps to persuade them. next time.
stick the lever between the seats in the top slot and check the level on the lhm tank to see how much lhm has been lost don't want it affecting your brakes or suspension whilst driving. monitor the level a bit to make sure the leak hasn't got any worse. if it gets bad buy a 5 litre bottle of lhm and stop and check the level regularly every 5 miles top up if needed.
avoid full lock on the steering if possible. until repaired.

regards.
Nigel.

Pleadies is a no go as I'm in Lancashire, I'm hoping the citroen specialist will have it sorted same day when I get it recovered to him Monday, a friend has AA recovery through his bank and will get it recovered I have his bank card as ID if the AA chap asks.

[xantiagreen]

I have repaired a couple of these using the Pleiades method, which involves tapping out the fitting on the end of the rubber pipe crimp joint. It's a bit messy, but makes a good sturdy repair. Don't think it's a DIY job.

What's the procedure them matey as I have no glue at all, when you say tap out the pipe, is it the rubber pipe to the right of the rusty pipe in pic. What tools and material will I need, I'm taking the xantia to Citroen garage in morning but if I can have some info so I can confirm that's what the garage chap is going to do then I can relax a bit. Is the leaking area to do with the power steering pipe and should I get any other rusty pipes seen to and repaired or cover them with some sort of protective spray/wax/grease...

Cheers

[Lighty]

The thin steel pipe goes into the rubber one just by the radiator at the front, if you cut the thin pipe off, there is plenty of steel in the crimp joint to run a drill through & tap it out to accept a standard Citroen flare nut. Once this is done you can replace the whole thin part of the pipe with the replacement copper style stuff that most Citroen specialists will have.
It a even be done with the pope on the car if you are determined enough

[falling-out-with-my-car]

The pope! I think he means Pipe:) Why not print this thread off so you can show it to the Garage?

[xantiagreen]

The pope! I think he means Pipe:) Why not print this thread off so you can show it to the Garage?

Printed out and ready to take, going in tomorrow as he was very busy today.

[xantiagreen]

The thin steel pipe goes into the rubber one just by the radiator at the front, if you cut the thin pipe off, there is plenty of steel in the crimp joint to run a drill through & tap it out to accept a standard Citroen flare nut. Once this is done you can replace the whole thin part of the pipe with the replacement copper style stuff that most Citroen specialists will have.
It a even be done with the pope on the car if you are determined enough

Thanks for the info Lighty, should I get any other rusty pipes attended to before they start leaking or is there no need until they leak and any particular protective coating to cover the pipes with.

[rory_perrett]

This is the power steering supply pipe that I think is what is leaking on your car.



This is the where the metal pipe is joined to the rubber pipe as mentioned by Lighty above.



This is the end of the pipe that connects to the steering rack



Getting the pipe on and off the car is not as bad as it looks.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

Have just spent the morning at Pleiades in Sawtry whilst Martin fitted my new alternator for me I wax oiled the rear of the car whilst it was up on his ramps which was very good of him.
I always clean and wax oil the crowns of the suspension pipe nuts as any corrosion of them can be picked up at an MOT as excessive corrosion, one simple brush of wax oil gets the car through several MOTs without any pipe problems.
Look after that Large gauge pipe that joins the accumulator to the power steering they are becoming very rare to get hold of I have one spare one in case mine goes in the future, they are non-existent for the Xantia VSX. They have specific sized Jets inside the rubber tube for your particular model car largely dependant upon how many spheres the car has and what type of suspension i.e. hydra active or not, they are not interchangeable between the LX, Sx and VSX models.
Be careful not to get wax oil on rubber components if you can help it.

[xantiagreen]

This is the power steering supply pipe that I think is what is leaking on your car.

This is the where the metal pipe is joined to the rubber pipe as mentioned by Lighty above.

This is the end of the pipe that connects to the steering rack

Getting the pipe on and off the car is not as bad as it looks.

Cheers Rory photos are a great help, I've been left in a bit of bother as The mechanic that I use is on holiday and back Monday, the other Citroën specialists I've previously used said they could look at it today when I phoned yesterday, but when I turned up they said can't do anything till middle of next week, not sure what to do whether to leave it till Monday or get it done, looks like I'll have to throw money at a hire car.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

That's a shame the independents are usually a bit more accommodating than that, Pleiades usually squeezes you in as long as you can get the car in early in the mornings. sorry to hear your having problems like this.
shame the independent hasn't got a loan car this would push him to get on with it because he would need the loan car back for other customers. Did you think to ask if he has a loan car until the job is done?
This is partly why I got a 2cv it has been a real life saver this year. £80 fully comp insurance.

It has been more and more difficult to book at independents mainly because over the recession they started to work on all makes of cars to make ends meet.

[rory_perrett]

It depends on how corroded your pipe is and where. I had one fail where the metal pipe goes into the flexible one (as per photo above) and the pipe in the photo was changed because it was picked up by the MOT man as corroded in the same place as yours. The MOT man thought it was a brake pipe and as there was a fail for some welding as well I decided not to argue and just change it. In the end the rust is not that bad, just needs a clean up and paint hence why I have kept it.

Anyway back to the point in hand. If it is only the middle section that is corroded and the pipe into the flexy is OK one of these hydraulic pipe repair places might be able to sort out a repair, whether they can/ are prepared to do it with the pipe on the car is another matter. If the bad bit can be cut out and the ends on the pipe flared then a new piece of pipe can be let in.