LHM leak!

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:33 pm

I was driving to college today, and noticed a grinding noise from the front left wheel while driving through a 30. it seemed a lot more noisy than the previous noise it had been making so I stopped the car to have a look. To my surprise, something was dripping down from the engine. After a moment of paranoia that it was oil leaking from the block, i moved the car backwards and had a closer look. It was LHM fluid, and my car was making a puddle whenever i stopped it. I drove the rest of the way to college (the grinding noise seemed to stop when I started driving again), and someone gave me a margerine tub to catch the leaked LHM in (will put whatever i can save back in the resovoir)

It seems to be dripping down from the subframe at the right, near the right wheel. At first I thought it was a high pressure pipe, but after taking the car down to its lowest setting, a larger amount dripped out and then it seemed to stop so I think it's a return pipe that's ruptured or come loose.

I'm in college now, and I have left the tub under where the leak is. I dont know what to do about this, as it seems to be losing LHM all the time.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:52 pm

Sounds like your Octopus! At the rear & on top of the subframe on the right with many pipes as the name suggests. About £30 from GSF but a pig of a job to do and takes 3 hours to the initiated.

If it is then it's not practical to drive until fixed (but you may get it home OK on intermediate height)

I wouldn't pour ejected LHM back in otherwise you are introducing whatever it washed off the subframe to block your workings!

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:10 pm

I sincerely hope it isnt that, theres no way I can do that myself nor afford to have it replaced by a garage... What usually 'goes' on the octopus, is it plastic and prone to cracks?

pitman · Post by **pitman** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:16 pm

It can be the octopus but it can be the so-called small octopus as well.

It's difficult to check with certainty but there are two rubber pipes on the front height corrector: the leak return is part of the (real) octopus, the functional return with somewhat pressure is part of the small octopus.

The small octupus is 61 quid at Citroen (got mine today after 5 working days ...) and actually more expensive than the real octopus with much more pipes ...

A real need to buy a new octopus is only when the centerpiece is broken. But it's less fuzzy and makes sense to buy a new octopus if you want to keep the car longer.

In theory, it could be the membranes from the front height corrector, too. But best bet is those rubber pipes from the height corrector.
It's possible that the rubber hoses don't show any signs of being split or worn but the bubbles test in water gives the ultimate clue.

pitman · Post by **pitman** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:22 pm

Boxwolf wrote:I sincerely hope it isnt that, theres no way I can do that myself nor afford to have it replaced by a garage... What usually 'goes' on the octopus, is it plastic and prone to cracks?

It's only a tedious and dirty work but the octopus has no screws or clips at all.
The small octopus has jubilee clips.

The important thing is to get a good view from underneath. Certain parts can be done from the side with wheel off.

It helps much if you would have some idea about the whole. There are some technical drawings and some info in the threads.

If you have a clue what you're doing it's quite easy. Otherwise it's a real pain because everything is squeezed into a whole mess.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:09 pm

Given that there was increased flow when the car height was lowered, I would definitely suspect the small octopus. It has far higher flows than the large octopus, and given that it includes the return from the PR, means that any leak in it will be constant.

Chances are that it's the connection between the small octopus and the metal return pipe from the rear height corrector. You may be lucky and be able to repair it with a bit of LHM (or indeed fuel) spec hose (Diesel injector leak-off pipe works remarkably well).

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:10 pm

Okay, home now. A friend who lives near the college brought his trolley jack over and we lifted the car up at the front. He found the leak, apparently the pipes coming from the right hand strut return are split as they converge. I stuck my head under too and i could see the pipes, the two joined to one larger pipe. The leak seems to be getting worse, as i parked the car at home it was dripping out all over the place.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:14 pm

Boxwolf wrote:trolley jack

later in his paragraph, Boxwolf also wrote:I stuck my head under

You fool.

Have we not put enough warnings up all over the site about venturing ANY PART of your person under a vehicle that is not supported properly?

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:33 pm

I recommend investing in some axle stands

rhv100 · Post by **rhv100** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:51 pm

He"s got some!! I cant believe he did that after all the warnings I gave
him last weekend. Especially after I explained quite graphically how a
Mini once fell on me!!
You usually learn by your mistakes,but with a BX you may not get another
chance.

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:15 pm

DavidRutherford wrote:
Boxwolf wrote:trolley jack
later in his paragraph, Boxwolf also wrote:I stuck my head under
You fool.

Have we not put enough warnings up all over the site about venturing ANY PART of your person under a vehicle that is not supported properly?

rhv100 wrote:He"s got some!! I cant believe he did that after all the warnings I gave

It was supported on my axle stands, using a big plank of wood accross the subframe and the jack was left in place also. I would not have put any part of my body underneath otherwise, I'm nervous enough putting my head under a properly supported car.

I might be foolish, but I'm not that foolish.

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:24 pm

Anyway, it seems to be leaking from where the return pipes converge, my friend described it as a split in the pipe. does that make sense? are these pipes easy to obtain and replace?

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:33 pm

You may be able to cut the split out of the flexible pipe, and insert a length of metal pipe into it to fix it for the time being.

It will eventually split again though... the rubber has a finite life, and that pipe is clearly just about at the end of it..

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:38 pm

How would I connect it all together once the metal was in? I think the pipe is split as it joins the other, which would mean the end of the pipe is split? does the flexible pipe push onto where they converge (like the pipes from the strut)? I would rather replace the pipe if possible so that it doesn't split again, because as you said, its at the end of its life.

pitman · Post by **pitman** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:58 am

To botch these rubber hoses I used those metal clips with a screw that are used for fuel lines (fuel line clips or so ?). 8 mm diameter as 9 mm doesn't work well.

I'm not sure if the returns from a suspension strut can leak enough to produce a major puddle in a short time but I hope you're right as in this case you would have less work and trouble.

I add two links here. Hope this helps to get an idea how the whole thing fits together.

http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~ynar/bxorg_a ... /m15e.html

http://www.rwbsmith.plus.com/citroen2/Hydraulics/