Correct LHM level disparity

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:07 pm

I'm a little confused as to the correct level of LHM in the main resorvoir.

The little booklet that came with the car says the yellow disc should be between the two red lines with the suspension on full height, and this is what I topped it up to but I then found the haynes manual for the engine said it was the orange top disc that needs to be between the lines when the suspension is on full height. I sucked some LHM out until this was the case, but now I'm really confused as to which one is correct.

Is it the orange disc when the suspension is on full and the yellow when its on driving height?

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:54 pm

The little booklet that came with the car says the yellow disc should be between the two red lines with the suspension on full height, and this is what I topped it up to

Correct. Always take Haynes with a large pinch of salt.

I tend to rely on observation and the "finger test" and take my cues to check from the way the car is behaving. The finger test is to poke an index finger into the reservoir at normal height - the tip of your finger should come out wet.

If the lhm warning light comes on on a sharp right-hander, then the LHM definitely needs topping up. Check level if there is unexpected hardness to the suspension, or the pump seems to be reluctant to lift on start-up (possibly with a red warning light for quite a while). If level is OK but lift is smooth but reluctant, suspect pump, pump feed line, or even tired lhm.

All of this has to be taken against the baseline of how the car has been behaving over time beforehand. The ride quality thing is quite subjective: you know best how your own car behaves.

Usual rules apply: if the levels go down, it's going somewhere you should be able to identify, even if it's just into the sphere bodies as the pressure leaches out of the nitrogen-filled diaphragm with increasing sphere age (a very slow process normally).

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:02 pm

Okay, I suppose I better fill it back up to what it said in the booklet then.

My LHM is going to need changing soon as its gone a lovely sludgy dull yellowy green colour. Any info on how to change/flush the LHM?

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:13 pm

DLM wrote:
Correct. Always take Haynes with a large pinch of salt.

This info actually varies between different editions of the official BX Handbook and as we found out recently, tyre pressures too.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:37 pm

OK: so take everything with a pinch of salt - as normal?

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:52 pm

the corect method for checking the level is,car at its highest and full up all the way, in the sight lense/dome there is a copper disc in the bottom and at the top there is a yellow/ sometimes looks a bit orange disc, now it is only the topper most yellow/orange disc you go by which should now be between the two red bands, it done not hurt if it is above the top red band, the only thing is it then might seap out of the top of the tank when the susspesion goes right down (sleep mode),

the bottom disc (copper one) is only there to short across the terminals in the very bottom of the dome to put the low level warnning lamp on,

there is no check point for normal susspension hight at all

regards malcolm

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:15 pm

Thanks, I filled it up at full height until the yellow disc was between the red lines and gave it a bit of a drive, and the suspension feels a lot softer for getting the level right

I love that car!

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:11 am

the tank level shouldnt make any noticable differance to the ride unless it was well below the minimum with warnning lights on

regards malcolm

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:27 am

It was quite low beforehand, the ride does seems moother to me now though. Not sure how smooth its sposed to be though cause this is my first BX. I get the feeling my spheres may need changing soon.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 12:54 pm

Boxwolf wrote:.............the ride does seems moother to me now though. ..............I get the feeling my spheres may need changing soon.

You will not be in any doubt when your spheres need replacing

Especially when going over speed bumps!

If your ride is still smooth, there is life in your spheres.

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:12 pm

How smoothly should it travel over speed bumps? it gives a bit of a bump if I go over pot holes or sharp changes in road surface but seems at least as good as another car the most part. As i mentioned this is my first BX so I'm not entirely sure how good the ride should be. If the spheres do need changing I'll have to do them later on as I cant afford to right now.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:32 pm

It is actually smoother over speed bumps than potholes. If the spheres are shot you will get a "bang" that you feel harshly in the car going over these and the car will feel generally "jumpy". Some owners may try to guess a point to change them before this by pushing each corner down to see & judge the loss of response.
The other sure sign that the front spheres are shot is if you find your headlight beams are bouncing up and down on the road at night.

mike st gilles · Post by **mike st gilles** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:44 pm

<The other sure sign that the front spheres are shot is if you find your headlight beams are bouncing up and down on the road at night>

That and the fact that you start to lose your fillings (if you have any)....very, very uncomfortable.....it does sound as if the addition of a fresh lot of LHM has made the ride better......bodes well for the full change I would say.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 7:39 pm

if you consider RR used to use citroen hydraulic then you will know what the ride should be like, it should absourb most road surfaces appart from sudden change like pot holes, as the system cant react quick enough

regards malcolm