BX will not get up!!! HELP!

bsgutkin · Post by **bsgutkin** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 12:53 pm

Walked out the other morning to drive my mom to the airport and my BX did not rise. Lever is in the normal driving position, the car lowered overnight. There is no clicking that I can tell and the LHM fluid indicator is all the way to the top with the engine running.

Any advice on what to do?

Cheers

B

bill o · Post by **bill o** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 3:02 pm

is the pump drive belt still intact ?
fluid level is read with engine running in high position,so may in fact be too low.
check under car for any puddles of green liquid------l h m. i hope some of these may be of help,on my old tzd which was a slow riser it helped to rev the engine slightly and press the prake pedal firmly

richardd1652 · Post by **richardd1652** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 4:59 pm

I had a 19Rd which didnt have correct grade of LHM in,i think some nob had been using engine oil to top up.It could take 5 minutes to lift and no power steering.It used to help turning steering on full lock to kick start the pump.Try using manual height lever inside car by moving it up to top notch for a while and this may start the pump also.As you can tell ive had some ruff old nails in my time !Can you hear pump working?Does it have brake pressure on the pedal?
Richard.

bsgutkin · Post by **bsgutkin** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 6:12 pm

richardd1652 wrote:I had a 19Rd which didnt have correct grade of LHM in,i think some nob had been using engine oil to top up.It could take 5 minutes to lift and no power steering.It used to help turning steering on full lock to kick start the pump.Try using manual height lever inside car by moving it up to top notch for a while and this may start the pump also.As you can tell ive had some ruff old nails in my time !Can you hear pump working?Does it have brake pressure on the pedal?
Richard.

So -- pump belt is in tact, the pump seems to be "working", the LHM level indicator is all the way to the top, but the level appears a bit low in the tank. Te car does not rise at all - no matter what I do with lever or with the break pedal. In fact there is not break assist. Oh, and I do not hear any clicking sounds....no puddles anywhere that I can see....hmmmm.....

Post by **Defender110** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 9:06 pm

top uo the LHM (level indicators often stick) and try bleeding it on the 12mm (spanner size) bleed screw next to the actuator.

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:29 am

Just thinking about it in basic terms... either the pump is not working (bit of muck jamming a valve open or air in the pump etc) or whatever is being pumped is getting past a blown seal somewhere straight back to the reservoir.

Finding out which of those 2 it is could be a good starting point.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:26 pm

how long ago was the car last up and running, and how long did/dose it usualy take to get her up, are the filters in the tank clogged up,

as has been sudgested open the 12mm bleed valve on the front of the regulator, set lever ti its highest, let the engine idle for a couple of minuites, then hold the revs at around 2.5K whilst tightenning the bleed valve, do not slacken the 12mm valve more that about 3/4 of a turn,

regards malcolm

Gibbo2286 · Post by **Gibbo2286** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 5:14 pm

Maybe a practical joker has been out with his 12 mm spanner and opened the bleed screw in the night.

Gibbo.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:22 pm

Could be a height corrector thats stuck

bsgutkin · Post by **bsgutkin** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 5:04 pm

citronut wrote:how long ago was the car last up and running, and how long did/dose it usualy take to get her up, are the filters in the tank clogged up,

as has been sudgested open the 12mm bleed valve on the front of the regulator, set lever ti its highest, let the engine idle for a couple of minuites, then hold the revs at around 2.5K whilst tightenning the bleed valve, do not slacken the 12mm valve more that about 3/4 of a turn,

regards malcolm

Many thanks for the advise. So I topped up the LHM fluid and checked the filter (seems ok to me). Then as assured by a local mechanic (I live in Paris) I waited to the car to rise - it used to rise right off with no problem -- nothing....no cuting in sounds or clicks, no breaks, nothing....

I actually believe that there was plenty of LHM fluid -- now when I pump the break pedal with the engine running (still no breaks) - the LHM tank overflows. Otherwise I cannot see any large external leaks (no puddles) .... HELP!!!!

Post by **Defender110** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:49 pm

have you blead it yet by undoing the bleed screw, you realy need to try this before going any further?

bsgutkin · Post by **bsgutkin** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 2:29 pm

Defender110 wrote:have you blead it yet by undoing the bleed screw, you realy need to try this before going any further?

And so the saga conitnues. Just bled the system as advised - no effect. (no pshiit, no nothing) In fact it seems like the pump is not pumping anything - I cannot see any movement in the fluid level. I guess its the pump then....yickes...expensive!

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 5:28 pm

Before you go chasing for a replacement pump, try this:

Replace the hose from the LHM tank to the pump inlet ( a length of garden hose will suffice). Better still a length of clear hose.

Undo the bleed valve 3/4 turn.

Attach the pump end first, then with a funnel on the other end, fill the tube with lhm, connect the other end of the pipe to the tank.
Start the engine, leave running a couple of minutes, then tighten the bleed bolt.

Report findings.

Good luck.

RxBX · Post by **RxBX** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:00 pm

bsgutkin wrote:Walked out the other morning to drive my mom to the airport and my BX did not rise. Lever is in the normal driving position, the car lowered overnight. There is no clicking that I can tell and the LHM fluid indicator is all the way to the top with the engine running.

Any advice on what to do?

Cheers

B

Gibbo2286 wrote:Maybe a practical joker has been out with his 12 mm spanner and opened the bleed screw in the night. Gibbo.

If no one has tampered with the car or any hydraulic work has been carried since the car worked/raised it self correctly and having carried out some of the checks as suggested above it could possibly be two or three other thing's that are preventing it !

So going down the check list again to re-cap, with the engine running with a HP pump belt which is in good condition and correctly tensioned and the HP pump rotating, as follows :-

1) Did the car rise/work the night before as normal ?

2) If yes, does it look as if it's been tampered with at all around the regulator bleed screw area or feed pipe from the LHM tank to the HP pump ?

3) If no, check for any leaks from the LHM tank to the HP pump (If you have any then the system may have drawn air in) any air locks need purging thro' and eliminated from the system by priming the pump or by being forced thro' by a small/low pressure electric tyre pump connected to the LHM tank vent connections, obviously you need the correct amount of LHM fluid in the LHM tank whilst doing this too !

4) With the Bleed screw opened up 3/4 to 1-1/2 turns max. then tighten up the bleed screw to lock off, then hopefully the car should start to rise up when the height lever is in the normal position or above !

5) If this fails, as you state there's no clicking which means this system is not up to pressure yet when the regulator to accumulator normally trips out (Making the clicking noise) this now may indeed be that some Joker has tampered with you car by removing the bleed screw completely and has removed the ball bearing between the valve seat and the bleed screw and then just replaced the bleed screw only !

6) This needs to be checked out because if this ball bearing is missing you BX will NEVER rise up !

So with the engine switched off carefully place a container under the area of the regulator/bleed screw to catch the ball bearing if indeed it is still in place !

Then remove the bleed screw completely to check if it's there ?

If if is great, just replace the ball bearing into the bleed screw orifice and tighten up the bleed screw, the symptoms are now looking like a failing/failed HP pump

if your 100% positive that there are definitely no air leaks/cracks in the feed pipe from the LHM tank to the inlet side of the HP pump and you have primed and purged any trapped air between these two component's ?

7) If the ball bearing is missing (Between the bleed screw and regulator/valve body) this your problem and all you need to do is get a new/replacement one, fit it and bleed the air in the system with the lever in the normal height position or above and then lock the bleed screw off and then the car should rise up !
___________________________________

I hope this maybe of help to you.

RxBX

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 11:13 pm

i agree with all RxBx says,
but add it has been talked about on other forums of the ball bearing not seatting fully, and requireing the valve screw revoeving and the ball given a sharp whack with a small copper drift and a hammer to re/seat it,

regards malcolm

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