Mystery Drip

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toddao
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Mystery Drip

Post by toddao »

It's diesel and it emerges from somewhere under the engine on my 1.9D n/a.

I've changed the fuel lines - they don't leak, the diesel heater has been removed. I have scrutinised the pump carefully - it's dry. There was a problem with one of the injectors 'weeping' but this seems to have stopped.

When I start the car up there are no drips, it's only after a bit of a drive that it drips slightly. When I look underneath there's a drop of diesel hanging off the bottom engine mount.

I cannot work out where this is coming from, unless it is still the injector which pushes it out under load then runs down? But it always looks dry. It's dripping on the paving outside our house which is rather unsightly in our heritage town.

Also, when starting first thing in the morning I'm aware that the vacuum is lost and have to crank to bring diesel to the pump, so somewhere there's a leak. I feel like an idiot but I just can't find it. Any ideas? Anyone else had such a mysterious leak?

Cheers for any ideas
Todd


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ken newbold
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Post by ken newbold »

I'd be tempted to pull the timing belt covers off and take a look under there, if nothing else make sure none is getting on the belt.

I did see something similar once before, where the seal in the end of the pump had gone and the diesel was running down the block, round the sump and down via the engine mount. :(
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toddao
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Post by toddao »

Thanks Ken, I thought you might have a suggestion! If it is the pump ( don't know how to check?), then that's the second one I've buggered running on bio diesel ( no longer available in the local petrol station) though I haven't used it for a year. I'm changing the cambelt this week so I'll have a look re contamination there.
Todd


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ken newbold
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Post by ken newbold »

Another thought, take a look with a torch and try to see if it's wet on the block under the pump, down behind the alternator.
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toddao
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Post by toddao »

I had a look at the timing belt today - nothing to report there. Also, as you suggested Ken, looked behind the alternator on the block and it's dry.

Also had a look at my other Bosch pump that I removed last year. If it is the seal in the end - how the devil do you change it? Looks as though you'd have to take the whole thing apart and as I'm not CitroXim ( king of pumps!) I think I'd rather fit a replacement.

As I can't say what is causing this leak I'm just going to drip'n'drive for a while til I find a replacement pump.
Todd


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ken newbold
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Post by ken newbold »

Can't see it being the pump then, which is good news. I'll go away and think about it. :?
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Post by DLM »

Are you sure the injector seals are good? I once observed very slight bubbling around one on a previous (now defunct) BX.

Almost enything that can leak seems to drip off that particular lower-BX engine area at some time or another.
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Post by velosolex50 »

Not sure if this applies to the BX, but I once had a similar startup problem with a ZX 1.9d which turned out to be a tiny split in the rubber fuel return pipe at the pump letting air in when stopped. It didn't seem to leak though.
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toddao
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Post by toddao »

Thanks for replies everyone. When I looked again yesterday it did seem a little bit wet behind the alternator. I'm going to change the injector seals, injector leak offs, fuel return too I think as well as the pump when I get my hands on one ( it does seems to be that). Does anyone know how to change that seal in the pump drive shaft by the way? I've got one on my worktop but it's getting it into the thing that hurts.

No wonder there's hardly any Mk.1 BXs left - this is a well looked after low mileage example and heavens it's needy! I've got a long list of 'to dos' but at least it's still running! :D
Todd


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Post by Geoffrey Gould »

Hi I was caught out by a leak from the max fuel setting screw which was all but invisible, there is a 'O' ring on the screw which had gone hard and no longer sealed. Although there is a washer and nut, the fuel was escaping up the thread and running down the pump and down the bracket, the sump flange, round the block to the rear of the engine etc. The other leak was from the throttle spindle, it was spraying in a very fine mist that was being caught by the bracket and was doing the same as above, round the sump etc.
Cheers.
Geoff.
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toddao
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Post by toddao »

Just re-activated this thread as the mystery drip has been cured. Firstly a few weeks ago swapped the diesel pump for a supposed good one - couldn't get the engine to run for more than 2-3 seconds, so had to swap back to the old leaking pump as I was going on a long journey the next day! ( a day's wasted efforts)

On this journey the pump increased its dripping activity but kept pumping. When I got back I scoured the internet til I found an extremely good pictorial description of a Bosch pump strip and rebuild ( all done by some French bloke in one evening!). From this I ascertained it was possible to replace the drive shaft lip seal which I hadn't previously thought possible.
Using my spare pump I worked out it was possible to remove this seal from the outside by punching it with a screwdriver and levering it out ( the French bloke had removed his from the inside - but I don't have the stomach to strip the whole pump). So I went to the local Bosch service and bought the new seal.

This morning I removed the pump again, successfully removed the old seal then seated the new one using a small piece of tube which pressed the seal down as I tightened the pump sprocket nut onto it.
Put it all back together and it seems fine - runs better now that the vacuum has been restored to the fuel system and it's stopped dripping!
Hooray!
I report this because maybe someone will find it useful if they have a diesel pump dripping from the drive shaft.
Todd


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Post by MULLEY »

Might be an idea to post a link to the info you found on the web, that might help anyone else with this particular issue, its amazing whats out there.
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1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
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1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
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cauchoiskev
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Post by cauchoiskev »

toddao wrote:I found an extremely good pictorial description of a Bosch pump strip and rebuild ( all done by some French bloke in one evening!)
Now I wonder who that might have been then :) ?

Congratulations, I also saw that description and the mind-boggling number of bits that spewed out of the pump put me off any "preventative maintenence".
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