LHM everywhere - mini-octopus

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 6:29 pm

Oh well. It's been a while. Looks like a high pressure return line has failed near the reservoir - LHM all over the place. It's the small one that comes from the bulkhead and joins the 'big fat one which goes to the accumulator. There's a bit of copper pipe in there, so I presume it's failed before - in which case, I don't know why it's now peeing out everywhere! Tried fitting it all back together again but as soon as you try forcing a return (ie dropping the suspension) fluid sprays everywhere.

Any thoughts? Is it easy enough to change the faulty pipe? And where's the best (ie cheapest) place to get LHM? I've used up my emergency bottle...

Stinkwheel · Post by **Stinkwheel** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:09 pm

Hmmm got a pic of the area in question Ian? I cant picture it.

if its a 3.5mm pipe then ive got the flaring tool etc to make you a new one. If its that type, im unsure till i see it.

as for LHM. I buy the 5 litre big fellas from my local wilco car master. 21 quid ish.

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:27 pm

If its the pipe I think it is then it is not a hard job to do.

I am assuming you mean the pipe that goes from the pump to the accumulator? The pipes to the reserviour are generally low pressure?

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:35 pm

kiwi wrote:If its the pipe I think it is then it is not a hard job to do.

I am assuming you mean the pipe that goes from the pump to the accumulator? The pipes to the reserviour are generally low pressure?

Hmmm. If that's low pressure, that's some spray! S'pose it's less than 200psi or whatever it runs at...(lost enough fluid for the warning light to come on within about 100 metres of driving). I'll get some pics tomorrow.

Stinkwheel · Post by **Stinkwheel** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:41 pm

If its emptied that quick, its hige pressure, as i understand it all return lines are low pressure, although i may be wrong, so i definitely need to see thos epics 'yan

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 10:29 pm

Of course, could have been that it leaked all the way to the office, and gawd knows how long before...

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:26 am

Right, here's the pic.

The arrow shows (well, underneath that big pipe) where the LHM is coming from. There's two small return pipes joining the bigger pipe. Neither connection looks clever. The main pipe then runs down to the accumulator.

From the front of the engine, it all looks nice and easy to replace the pipe. However, I can't see where the two small pipes run off to - are they really part of the same pipe? Could be fun...

JayW · Post by **JayW** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:41 am

I believe that's the return pipe from the Steering Rack & FDV at the far end. The 2 small returns could be from the rear suspension???

I've just removed part of it from my valver as i've changed to manual rack.

Gibbo2286 · Post by **Gibbo2286** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 3:29 pm

This any help?

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 6:11 pm

Thanks but that doesn't seem to be helping. Can't spot what hose I'm after amongst that lot.

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 6:35 pm

I think it might be the return(s) from the front and(or) rear corrector valves (No.1 on the second diagram)

Only thing I can think is to have an assistant make hydraulic bits move in succession and observe which one causes it to piss?

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 6:38 pm

Aerodynamica wrote:I think it might be the return(s) from the front and(or) rear corrector valves (No.1 on the second diagram)

Only thing I can think is to have an assistant make hydraulic bits move in succession and observe which one causes it to piss?

Ah, that could well be it. So are the small pipes part of the bigger pipe? There's so much copper-pipe-bodgery that I'm not sure what it's actually meant to look like. One or both of those small pipes are clearly leaking where they join the big pipe.

Gibbo2286 · Post by **Gibbo2286** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:01 pm

I think the one you've marked in red is number 1 in my lower drawing, it goes from the regulator back to the reservoir, it has two thinner offshoots that come from the height correctors (via the octopus) and join into it (behind your arrow) and if you have power steering I think there's also a connection near the regulator to the directional valve.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:53 pm

Could be it - certainly, as soon as you drop the ride height, LHM comes out with some force. So, do I need to replace the main big pipe or can the small ones be replaced/bodged?

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:31 pm

Its always best to replace with new where these hoses are concerned. especially as its been bodged before. They get brittle with age and with diesel around.

This hose is known as the mini octopus- 95 603 420 It handles the returns from both height correctors via the 2 side branches and from the flow distributor and the power steering via the fatter tube.

If you have a post RP 5167 model with 3 instead of 2 side branches then the routing and functions are a bit different.