Rob Draper's White Si 2.0 Automatic J645BYA

[cxprestigeauto]

Knew things were going too well!

Fired her up this afternoon to find a nice big warning light and a steady drip of LHM off the rear O/S suspension. No chance yet to investigate further, just had to put her back in the garage and use the Volvo instead. Poo.

Rob

[cxprestigeauto]

OK, revisited the scene of the crime and no happier.

Found that the front low pressure pipe was loose, result. Grasped firmly with pliers and pushed back into the bellows, all good. Fired the car up and, guess what? LHM dripping again. Seems like it is the rear most pipe. This pipe is impossible to see and not much easier to feel. Gave it a wiggle and it seems to be in the bellows OK but there is still LHM coming out at a rate of knots.

Given the job a good looking at and just cannot see any way of pushing the pipe firmly into the bellows. I am now wondering whether the pipe has slit/worn through or the bellows have become damaged. Since everything is in the confines of the subframe it is impossible to see anything.

I am now starting to have real sympathy for this guy:

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Before I pour a litre of unleaded into the cabin followed by a swan vesta are there any obvious things that I am not doing?

I have even contemplated cutting the bottom of the subframe off, checking the pipes and welding it back on!!!!

Help please!

[Dean]

easy tiger, pull her up on axle stands at the back, pull the giant R clip out the ram, undo the feed pipe from the inboard side and take the strut out, examine the unit and boot, if that too much then full depressurise, jack the back up and lift the road wheel, the strut will (with the high pressure pipe removed) move about to a position where you can re connect the low pressure returns.

High return flow can blow them off, may need new piston seals or strut ass if this is the case but easy enough to swap out.

D

[citroenxm]

As long as the R clip will come out!! Siezure is quite likely!

[Dean]

We should all be fitting these now, not that I want to rub any noses but both my struts are wearing stainless R clips and Roll pins.


D

[cxprestigeauto]

I gave the R clip a waggle. Solid!!

A quick (!) trip over the pit then. Looking at acess to the R clip I dont fancy pulling it out or trying to put it back in!

Not enough time today to depressurise the system, everything set on high and hard.

Are we sure that depressurising will give enough wiggle room?
I cannot belive how rubbish the access is.

Where can I source a new gaiter or fresh lengths of tubing if mine has chaffed through?

Rob

[Dean]

Just sleeve the tubing with silicone if its chaffed although I doubt it is, its well routed and PVC I think. R clip can be driven out from the inboard side with a drift, then grease on reallocation, 2mm dia if memory serves.
We have gaitors, still available from the dealer too I think?
Plenty of wiggle room to be had, the strut slides out forward and down through the access hole in the subframe so move forward as much as you want, just remove high pressure pipe and maybe sphere, you could leave the r clip in if you just want better access.

D

[cxprestigeauto]

We should all be fitting these now, not that I want to rub any noses but both my struts are wearing stainless R clips and Roll pins.

D

Nice shiny bits! Unfortunately mine is not very shiny!

If I have to pull it all out then I agree this is the way to go.

Rob

[cxprestigeauto]

Sphere removal not a problem.

Better buy some more LHM+ fluid.

What diameter silicon tubes?

Rob

[Dean]

Here you go

D