Chattering sound from hydraulics

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 6:46 am

Curious symptom.

That 'click' you get every 30-odd seconds is nice and normal, I know. But what if, every so often on tickover, the 'click' becomes a chattering noise .......... like lots of clicks one after another?

I can stop it by blipping the throttle - so is it likely to be a poorly seating ball valve and, if so, is it just case of whipping out the valve chest and smiting it on the bench??

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:03 am

may be you havn't tightend the dizzy mounting nuts enough and its that which is chattering TEA HE,

i have never dont the re/seating of the regulater ball bearing as yet, but i belive it is done in situe, i think you just remove the 12mm bleed valve bolt(mind not to loose any bits which might fall out, then with a small copper drift give the ball a shrap tap, then bung the 12mm valve bolt,

regards malcolm

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:32 am

How are your idle revs? If they are too low, especially if they dip when the valve releases. I had the same on my TD. The settings were out, causing the revs to drop. However, that was more of a continued hiss rather than a chattering.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:35 pm

Thanks for the replies gents...........

BX Bandit wrote:How are your idle revs? If they are too low, especially if they dip when the valve releases.
Now that's interesting. That's exactly what happens - but the idle's at 950rpm. I assumed that the engine, being worn, was down on low-speed power and so I had to live with it .............

I had the same on my TD. The settings were out, causing the revs to drop.
So, these settings can be adjusted???

However, that was more of a continued hiss rather than a chattering.

Now you mention it - it does occasionally sound like it's letting off steam - presumably high pressure fluid being dumped to reservoir. I was more concerned with the chatter as it sounded more 'urgent' ....... I really must learn to give ALL the evidence FIRST time round.

So, the thick plottens .......

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 2:03 pm

Well the idle sounds about right (possibly a smidgen high? Don't quote me on that and don't trust the rev counter on the dash!) BUT if it dips when the valve is lifting then that may well be your cause of the prolonged pressure relief. As to what is causing your engine to labour as the valve lifts is of course another matter.

Timing would be my first check along with the ignition HT & LT side.

Poltergeist wrote:I had the same on my TD. The settings were out, causing the revs to drop.
So, these settings can be adjusted???

Sorry, I meant the settings (anti stall) on my diesel pump were out, causing, the revs to drop when the p/r valve lifted.

I'm not that clued up on the hydraulic side tbh. There are others who can help beyond my pointers. Is your LHM topped up properly? (don't just trust the warning light!) I don't suppose it could be startvation to the pump?

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:58 pm

BX Bandit wrote:Well the idle sounds about right (possibly a smidgen high? Don't quote me on that and don't trust the rev counter on the dash!) BUT if it dips when the valve is lifting then that may well be your cause of the prolonged pressure relief. As to what is causing your engine to labour as the valve lifts is of course another matter.

Timing would be my first check along with the ignition HT & LT side.

Checked - all new parts.

Poltergeist wrote:I had the same on my TD. The settings were out, causing the revs to drop.
So, these settings can be adjusted???
Poltergeist..........??

Sorry, I meant the settings (anti stall) on my diesel pump were out, causing, the revs to drop when the p/r valve lifted.

Bugger! I thought I was onto something then ......

I'm not that clued up on the hydraulic side tbh. There are others who can help beyond my pointers. Is your LHM topped up properly? (don't just trust the warning light!) I don't suppose it could be startvation to the pump?

Hmmm. 'Startvation' eh? That'll be the splanging valve's knockoff pintle then, right? Gives the opposite effect to "Ovation' - which is a dose of clap.

LHM ... LHM? The term sounds familar. Now where have I heard that name .......?

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 4:58 pm

LHM - it's Citroen Blood and runs in the veins of hardcore owners!

I've probably given you a big red herring but I may as well continue!

All new bits is good but do the revs fall enough to make the engine labour whilst the hissing is going on?

Is the ignition correctly timed?

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:10 pm

Thank you for the advice ........................ I think at this point I ought to confess (sotto voce) to being an (allegedly) qualified Motor Vehicle Technician (BMC) and, after that an Army Artificer Mechanic.

Now I realise I might come across as a particularly dense Kraut, and being a button or two short of a full dashboard - but I promise all my levels are just fine, my sparks are sparking as they should and rarely if ever do I use the crowbar method of carb adjustment.

It's just these bleedin' drybollick Citroens that confuse the bejabers out of me.

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:56 pm

Then Mr Poltergeist, you need the eggsperts!

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:06 pm

That's the problem though innit? I'm supposed to BE one!

The trouble is, an 'Ex' is a has-been while a 'spurt' is a drip under pressure.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to furtively ask chuffing silly questions of all you BX-heads on here ................ without looking like a total halfwit.

And failing.

Have pity man!

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:55 pm

cracking me up this is

kermit the frog · Post by **kermit the frog** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:07 pm

Having read all these post's i too am most entertained.
I do however think problem is more likely to be a defective accumilator.
I would say that the noise is the pump kicking in and as you say it goes when you rev it this would also point to the pump.
If you replace the accumilator with one for a Xantia it will give you a bit more stored hydraulic pressure.

Regards Kermit

BX Bandit · Post by **BX Bandit** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 4:04 am

Linegeist wrote:That's the problem though innit? I'm supposed to BE one! The trouble is, an 'Ex' is a has-been while a 'spurt' is a drip under pressure.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to furtively ask chuffing silly questions of all you BX-heads on here ................ without looking like a total halfwit.

And failing.

Have pity man!

You can have all the pity you want Mr Poltergeist. But your car will still cluck like a cuckoo clock on speed! also, there aint no silly questions! You sound very well qualified to take on the silliness of a BX so stick with the 'silly' questions. What model have you got anyway? (ignorance and lazyness on my part!)

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:10 am

how long dose it take for you to get it up first thing in the morning,

if it takes quite a while you might have either dirty citro blood tank filters or a perished suction feed pipe to the pump, which is sucking some air,

or maybe your pump belt is not tight enough

regards malcolm

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:39 am

BX Bandit wrote: You can have all the pity you want Mr Poltergeist. But your car will still cluck like a cuckoo clock on speed!

Blimey! By the sounds of that you can stuff the cuckoo thing where the monkey stuffed his nuts - the bloody thing altready sounds like a deathwatch beetle in spring loaded Y-fronts. But I like the speed idea. Would it affect the fuel consumption?

also, there aint no silly questions! You sound very well qualified to take on the silliness of a BX so stick with the 'silly' questions. What model have you got anyway? (ignorance and lazyness on my part!)

I'll remind you of this paragraph when I really get down and dumb. You think you've seen 'silly'? I assure you guv'nor, when I fell out of the stupid tree at birth, I managed to hit pretty much every bleedin' branch on the way down. Twice.

1.6 Athena, petrol. '91. Manual. Would you also like my inside leg measurement sweetie?

citronut wrote:how long dose it take for you to get it up first thing in the morning,

Impertinence! Anyway, if I told you that, you'd die bloody laughing. My days of waking up emulating a randy pogo stick are well past, young man. Move on. Nothing to see here!

if it takes quite a while you might have either dirty citro blood tank filters or a perished suction feed pipe to the pump, which is sucking some air,

Ah! You must mean the car! Sorry old chap. An easy mistake to make, eh?

Well, the BX rises within about 15 seconds (smug bastard - I'm gonna let its tyres down if it keeps doing that. It only does it to wind me up) - and it leaps vigorously into the air with enough firm resolve to make me weep with rage.

This is possibly because I replaced all the spheres as soon as I got it (the suspension was harder than a Turkish wrestler's jockstrap) and I also fettled the hydraulic hoses. On the other hand, the car might just hate me. I'll keep you posted.

I must admit, I'm tempted to get some hydraurinsitswossamestuff from GSF to see if that helps. The LHM's still pretty green - but it sure ain't fluoresecent any more - so an exchange of fluids might be in order (I say nurse! ) Excuse me - I think I need a cold shower.

or maybe your pump belt is not tight enough

regards malcolm

Neither's my truss moosh - but if you think I'm discussing any more intimate details with a complete stranger, then you're even weirder than I am.

Pervy buggers on here, ain't they?

So ner!