octopus change on bx

chueewowee · Post by **chueewowee** » 30 Jun 2004, 21:43

Hi folks,
I need to change the octopus on my bx turbo diesel 1999.
Any advcice on how to proceed?

ScottFromNZ · Post by **ScottFromNZ** » 30 Jun 2004, 21:47

Do a search on this forum for 'octopus'. My Citroen mechanic removed the right side driveshaft to make access easier - still a painstaking job though apparently - cost me 3 hours labour which I thought was worth it.

ScottFromNZ · Post by **ScottFromNZ** » 30 Jun 2004, 21:48

What year did you say your BX was - can't be 1999

oilyspanner · Post by **oilyspanner** » 30 Jun 2004, 23:11

Make sure you cut the two plastic pipes coming from the rear end under the drivers footwell, they can then be plugged into the new octopus before it is located and joined using bits of the old one, this applies whether the driveshaft is removed, the engine is out or anything. they are pure f*****ers to fit otherwise.
Stewart

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 30 Jun 2004, 23:45

When I ran a BX I didn't remove the driveshaft. Instead I loosened the engine mountings and jacked up the engine. As you remove each pipe, tie a string to it before pulling out. Remove string, and tie to the corresponding pipe on new Octopus and pull through into place.

Post by **philhoward** » 01 Jul 2004, 00:05

Took me something like a couple of good hours, and used the "cut and rejoin" method for the two pipes from the rear.
You will have to remove the two metal plates which protect the pipes from the driveshafts; 10mm nut from the front of the car. They are on the vertical part of the subframe adjacent to the two connections to the front struts.
I didn't remove a driveshaft, or jack the engine up either; it was a bit of a juggle and it will take a couple of goes to get the main "body" of the octopus into exactly the right place, but just get the car up on a set of ramps and put it down to low level (so as not to get any shocks if it sinks whilst you're doing the job). Clean out all the crud first (scredriver and lots of rags in my case), and just take your time.
I've now done 2, and they took about the same time, IIRC

wrinklet1 · Post by **wrinklet1** » 01 Jul 2004, 14:18

Hi chueewowee
I did my octopus on my old bx, I got a pad and drew the octopus showing the different lengths, then what they connected to. Diong the job was really a doddle, took about 1 1/2 hrs, mucky hands, scrapped knuckles, but worthwhile doing.
Paul

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 01 Jul 2004, 16:58

Would this Replacing BX Octopus write up be any help ?

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 01 Jul 2004, 21:46

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">scrapped knuckles<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
You could have sold them on ebay [}:)]

chueewowee · Post by **chueewowee** » 02 Jul 2004, 03:40

Thanks all you people who answered. Clear and funny. Like it.
I'm not sure whether it is the octopus now, or the oil back harness that is leaking, way down low, underneath centre right (D/S) just as it joins a metal pipe. It looks like the oil back harness. I have both harnesses on standby, as I have never seen
them routed'stripped down.
I am a little afraid, not due to inexperience, but the size of the job and time constraints, for what is piping.
I will print this out and have it by me.
So driveshaft or not...I wonder. do you mean the inner drivehsaft as well?

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 02 Jul 2004, 04:15

it IS the inner RHS (long) driveshaft - that is meant to go out for best access.

chueewowee · Post by **chueewowee** » 03 Jul 2004, 17:28

Ok...with much study, but yet to strip down, I suspect the return from the front height corrector: this is reffered to in a 'repalcing BX octopus' documents given above (thankyou AndersDK ) as the Operational Return , and not the Octopus. It too goes back to the reservoir.
A simple repair is suggested as an improvement: replace the pipe with 1.4m length of 3.5mm hydraulic steel pipe, scrweing one end into the height corrector, and taking it up towards the reservoir, where one of the two small take-offS from the operational return (third connection from right) may be cut and pushed over the steel pipe. The return from the HC is prone to going, as it is exposed and makes a sharp turn there onto the joint. Stell is an improvement here.
So I am going to do approch the job with a steel pipe plus a new octopus standing by as well. Hope its the first option: operational return.

Post by **philhoward** » 04 Jul 2004, 03:40

Both the Octopii i've done hav had the same failure point; the small rubber return pipe off the front height corrector. It has a hard life from day one, as it does a 180 degree turn from the main octopus body up to the little stub on the HC, whereas the rest of the pipes are either straight or have nice gentle curves.