Xantia front to rear brake pipe MOT failure

[XantiaExclusiveHDI]

So my beloved Xantia has failed its MOT with a corroded offside front to rear brake pipe.

I don't know where exactly, need to get under the car to see if they've marked the failed area(s). The nearside pipe was also an advisory. I've only covered 2,700 miles since the last MOT which she passed with no advisories. Shod with four new Uniroyals at that time.

I'm given to think this is a difficult job, and one I quite frankly can't be bothered to do now. My Dad passed away recently and my enthusiasm for all things has wained somewhat. I'm going to SORN the car for now, and quite possibly sell her as she is. She's been an amazing car, in excellent condition for her age and only covered 73k miles.

Gutted

[Michel]

Condolences for the loss of your father, been there, done that..

Anyway, as for the brake pipe - if the corroded bit is accessible, and you can get a flare tool, a joining piece and a short piece of the correct pipe (will be cheap) it's easy enough to simply replace the corroded section rather than the whole thing. Did this with one of my Xantia V6s on a rusty rear suspension pipe..

[admiral51]

Condolences for the loss of your Dad, not an easy time.

If it was me i would SORN it and keep hold of it, not in a barn to be forgot about but to somewhere you can start it once or twice a week, do citroebics just to keep things in order and when you are ready to tackle the job she is still there for you

[Doo]

Sorry about your dad, lost mine almost 30yrs ago and still trying to make him proud... Funny old world

As for the brake pipe, if it were mine I'd get it done and do the other side at the same time. I'm sure someone could advise a decent garage nearby who won't take the p!ss.

Brakes for me are an absolute must so I have always found them simple to do. Not everyone's cup of tea, but different floats for different boats

Wish you well on whatever you decide

[RichardW]

Sorry to hear about your Dad.

I think this might not (quite as) bad as you think. You say offside and advisory nearside, but in fact all the front-rear pipes run in a conduit on the near side - so I suspect it is one of the wheel feed pipes at fault. The rear ones are not as bad as they look, the front ones probably a bit harder. If they're not leaking, then they're actually probably OK - just give the crusty bit a quick rub down and stick some hammerite on it - should be enough to get it a ticket, then you can replace at leisure. You may even be able to convince a local garage to fit them if you supply the pipes, you can order ready flared lengths from Eurocarcare. Post up the actual words from the fail, or the reg no, and we can see what is required.

[zs&tas]

I did this the other day on the front of mine for mot . Just replaced four inches of pipe . It was easy you just need the flair tool though . They can be pricey, but you only have to buy it once instead of visiting the money pit garage all the time

[van ordinaire]

Let me start by adding my condolences. We all grieve in different ways but I've always found car work to be carthartic or, at very least a form of escapism.
Lots of good advice to which I'd only add, if there's a someone you bond with, preferably with a complimentary skill set, ask them round for a couple of hours & once you explain the situation you may start to believe in magic.

[XantiaExclusiveHDI]

Thanks for the replies, and for the comments regarding my Dad. It's been a tough old year this one, but we have to go on don't we....

I mustered some enthusiasm today and had a look where the hydraulic feed pipes are located in the N/S plastic conduit. I could see where they part removed the conduit toward the rear to expose said defective pipe, chalked in yellow (pic enclosed). I'm surprised this has corroded as much as it has, given the adjacent pipes look quite healthy. Are these kunifer? The corrosion does creep up around the bend and partway onto the vertical section which then disappears over the rear subframe. Looks like access to this will be difficult for replacement.

The MOT certificate states:
Brake pipe excessively corroded Offside (front to rear main) 1.1.11 (c)
Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Nearside (front to rear main) 1.1.11(c)

I haven't removed all of the conduit yet, but I could see some corrosion further forward. I couldn't see anything obvious where the pipes emerge at the forward end, but really I need to get properly under the car to be sure and remove more of the conduit. I also couldn't see where the grease / other material is on the N/S pipe.

Thanks again

[RichardW]

Oooo crusty!! Looks too far gone for a clean up.... I wonder if that might be the low pressure return, given that it has not given up the ghost yet. Usually you have to drop the corner of the subframe to get the new ones in there.

[xantia_v6]

The original Xantia pipes are all steel, and (at least on the mk1) were painted at the factory to prevent corrosion, perhaps the paint nozzle was blocked when that one went through? It does seem that the corrosion protection on mk1 Xantia pipes was much more effective than that on the later cars.

[van ordinaire]

I didn't think "they" were allowed to do anything to improve any visual inspection - but perhaps as well they did, on this occasion.

The "grease" is a generic computer generated term for anything preventing closer inspection, on my red Cherokee it's invariably an amalgam of mud, manure, grass & leaves - which, if they're allowed to wipe off, they don't want to. You'd be surprised how many old LandRovers get driven through a farmyard on the may to the test centre.

[myglaren]

I did an underbody wash on mine before submitting it and had the same - also same last year.
I had new pipes fitted and asked them to grease them, which they did, and the grease is still there.

[Skull]

XantiaExclusiveHDI

It could be someone has tried to protect them with conduit but the metal pipes are not normally covered (except by that tray) I presume they took it off to mark but I've never seen any MOT tester do that That photo looks to show 2 pipes in need of replacement, the worst one looks as though it's the 3.5mm from safety valve (mounted on nsf subframe) through a narrow / restrictive channel that enters the long plastic pipe tray on nearside and goes to rear brake valve via the top of the rear subframe, I have managed to replace mine full length but because I had the pipe made up with the unions already fitted it wouldn't fit through the narrow gap at the front subframe, if you change full length I would suggest running bare pipe through the tight areas and then flaring and fitting unions to the ends.

viewtopic.php?t=60982

Shows my trouble but if I was you I would try to renew from just inside the pipe tray to the rear brake valve - that will be hard enough

I'd also have a look around your osr brake / suspension lines as that may be the different pipe area indicated on the fail sheet

Good Luck

EDIT Having re-read that I think it might just be the 2 pipes in your photo