lhm leak on accum thingy

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zorgman
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lhm leak on accum thingy

Post by zorgman »

hi
got a 1.9td and im now onto the second thingy that the front acc sphere goes onto. on the back of the unit where it fastens onto the engine thiers a plate that bolts onto the rear bit and then to the engine. how come i keep getting a leak from thier i asked citroen dealer (might as well asked a lada dealer) and they dont know. looking at the microfiche thiers no seal just metal to metal contact and ive tried all the usual tricks ie silicone ectc but it aleays comes back. any thoughts about this
many thanks
guzzidom
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Post by guzzidom »

That's your regulator valve and feeds the both the main hydraulics and the power steering, there is a seal buried in there but its basically impossible to get to and normally the body is worn anyway. best bet is to source either a recon unit (about £100) or get down the scrappy, if your car is quite early it will share it with power steered BX's so there are plenty out there (I've been quoted £25 from my local breakers). Mine was leaking about an eggcupful a day, but you'll notice, if you clean it up a bit, that it wells up on each click of the valve, since replacing the accumulator sphere mine only clicks occasionally and therefore it hardly drips at all now.
Dom
philhoward

Post by philhoward »

Sounds like where my BX is leaking; it's dripping off the accumulator sphere (which has a worrying chisel mark in it...)
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

Hi Zorg [:)]
You don't inform model & year [?]
- but it does not matter exclusively in this case [;)]
The thingy the front acc sphere goes on to - is the hydraulics system <u>P</u>ressure <u>R</u>egulator - in short referred to as the PR.
The front acc sphere is commonly referred to as the main <u>A</u>ccumulator <u>S</u>phere - in short the AS.
The PR is bolted on to the engine using 2 long bolts thru the PR body - and a rear support braket opposite the AS.
Exactly where this bracket bolts on to the PR - you DO in fact have an internal O-ring. But it can NOT be replaced easy - as under here inside the PR - you have a very heavy spring which must be dislodged to replace the O-ring. By no means a simple job.
I don't believe this O-ring in fact is your problem though [8)]
Rather I think the problem is due to wrong fitting method of the PR [:I]
I'll try explain why :
The rear part of the PR where this bracket is bolted on to - is an end cup retaining the heavy spring in the PR. This end cup in turn is retained by a heavy circlip.
The cavity behind this end cup - containing the compressed heavy spring - is filled with LHM and connected to the large return rubber hose stud on the underside of the PR body.
Because of this - the endcup must be sealed with an O-ring.
Now we know why it <i>may</i> leak in the first place.
Why does it leak then - assuming (I do !) this O-ring is fine ?
This is because the support bracket is straining the PR body - by slightly dislodging the endcup it's bolted on to.
This in turn compress the O-ring one side - then opens it other side - and you have the leak.
How do you solve this problem ?
You have to remove both bolts retaining this support bracket. You will then see that the bolt hole fitting over the PR - thru the bracket - is a much larger diameter than exactly needed for the bolt.
This means the bracket MUST be fitted squarely on to the PR - not to strain the endcup dislodging the O-ring.
The correct fitting method of this support bracket is then :
1) tap the endcup with a small hammer or large screwdriver - to use the heavy spring force inside re-seating the endcup by self-balancing.
2) fit the bracket with bolt on engine side - observing the bracket fits correctly over the bolt hole in the PR - ensuring this bolt will NOT dislodge the endcup again.
3) observe the bracket fits squarely over the face of the endcup. If NOT then remove bracket and straighten it to fit squarely.
4) now fit the bolt in the PR
5) be SURE to use spring (locking) washers under bolt heads - as the PR is vibrating during operation.
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

The situation can be seen on this schematic.
The O-ring is shown to the right of ref 2 on the pic - the black filling on the endcup. Right most black filling is the circlip.
(sorry - found a better PR pic - but could'nt split it from the rest - and my opto mouse then ran dry on battery [8)])
Image
zorgman
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Post by zorgman »

hi
that is abosolutly brill if it wasnt raining ill be out there fixing it ill let u know how i got on many thanks for this info im sure im not the only one to use the info
laurie (zorgman)
guzzidom
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Post by guzzidom »

Anders strikes again!, I'll definitely be giving that a go before I submit to changing mine. Has anyone ever changed the o'ring before? it doesn't look like rocket science in there and surely a bit of imagination and a puller could compress the spring. Is the circlip visible when you remove the bracket?.[:o)]
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AndersDK
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Post by AndersDK »

Hi guys [8D]
You need to remove the AS before the PR is removed. Otherwise the AS is a pig to remove.
First off :
I have to repeat myself - as a well meant warning [B)]
The spring behind the endcup in the PR is VERY strong !
It WILL shoot out the endcup as a bullet - if you're not aware !
You WILL defo also get in trouble during re-fitting - because it's very fiddly compressing this heavy spring while you try locate the endcup and circlip.
As I once read years back visiting UK - passing narrow country road bridges : YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !
My method of removing the PR endcup & spring :
Using a large vice with wide opening jaws - the PR body was clamped with a large nut compressing the endcup & spring.
Then you fiddle the circlip out. And I mean "fiddle" - as it's a wire circlip which keeps slipping off any screwdriver inserted to lift/ease it out [:D][:D]
That'll definately be your first real challenge [8D]
The rest is quite easy. Simply release the vice - and let the nut, endcup & spring press out.
Probably your vice can not open to take off the spring force - but then you wrap a rag round the bits - to protect yourself - and slide the PR & bits out the jaws.
Wipe clean the interior of the PR and the spring & bits - then careful rub down any dirt/rust and clean again. Lube the internals and bits with LHM using a finger.
The O-ring seal I doubt you can find as genuine part - but any machinery shop would stock a range of standard O-rings for use with mineral oils (important !). Pick a suitable size - probably pennies a piece.
Lube well with LHM to ease refitting new seal.
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