Mot failure ...

[superloopy]

The old girl of 22yrs ... 1995 TD Xantia, '2.7.3 shock absorber has a a serious fluid leak offside rear'.

Am i right in thinking that this may be just a leak off pipe as the suspension is going up and down aok? Or could it be more serious?

Whats more worrying is that they'd not seen a xantia in years and didnt have the expertise to fix any problems yet they did feel up for testing (and failing) it .. shame really! Or should that be shameful.

[Eddie Nuff]

I always stay whilst mine are being tested and if there are any problems they always show me what they have found, but as I've been taking my cars to the same MOT station for the past 25 years, and they don't do repairs, we know each other well enough by now.

In fact I'll be paying a visit next week . . .

[CitroJim]

Is it leaking around the sphere Mike?

It may be a bit of corrosion on the top of the suspension cylinder... A Dowty Washer will fix it... There's been posts about it in the past...

[white exec]

Agree - First port of call is leak-off pipe, or a split boot.
Pretty good for a car not fitted with "shock absorbers"!

[superloopy]

Cheers Jim. I've posted a request on FS & WTD in case anyone has a few spares lying around

[Peter.N.]

If it's the leak off pipe you can usually repair it in situ, put the car on high suspension and turn the steering until you can see it, if it's adrift or leaking, snip the last inch off and refit it, just pushes on. At least this certainly applied to the XM.

Peter

[white exec]

Rear, but similar applies - pipework and boot easily accessible with back end on ramps - on XM anyway.
Boot split: clean up thoroughly with alcohol, and then superglue the split.

[superloopy]

Cheers.
Fixed it today, boot had split, not quite perished yet but i think a new boot is needed soon. How hard a job is that? More worryingly my nsr sill has a hole that will accomodate my fist after the tester had done his stuff. It's not just the outer either. The whole back section including inner sill needs looking at. Is the inner sill repairable? I've had the outer patched a couple of times in recent years. Rest of the car is fine.

[lexi]

Could be time to sell and get a cheap C5, while they are still around. Once you start chasing with the welder.....
Try this stuff for split rubbers. Top drawer. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STORMSURE-5g- ... 2749.l2649

[superloopy]

Cheers Lexi.... i've ordered up a 15gm tube just to keep in. Looks like useful stuff. I dont really want another car if this can be kept going. The rust looks bad to me and i'm no welder but is it even possible to weld repair an inner sill? There are pattern outer sills out there which could fix the overall appearance instead of a botched patch but as for the inner sill i've no idea. My V6 is also in need of similar work, must be the sea air and salty roads up here!

[lexi]

I kept many going with the welder over the years mind. I mean you can weld anything really, Inner sills , outer sills. Your car is probably saveable, but you need to be doing it yourself or a mate, to cut the costs.