Front to rear HP pipes

artic-steel · Post by **artic-steel** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 6:59 pm

My TGS has developed a high pressure leak (my first ever, it's quite exciting in a strange kind of way).

I've traced it too were the 4 front to rear pipes cross the rear axle & need some advice.

1-I know there are coated & uncoated pipes, of the 4 ,one is definitely alot rustier. (not 100% sure it's the leaker), should i cut my losses & change all 4 when i'm down there.

2-Is it easier to do with subframe out, i seem to remember reading it is.

3-Ball park figure of time to allow for a first timer.

4-GSF part number of pipes i will need.

5-If i change all 4 is it best to do them one at a time or just unclip all 4 at once.

Any other advice would be much appreciated as i taken my maiden voyage into a very gloomy world indeed.

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:52 pm

I've just been through the same experience, although took a different approach. I had someone who knew what they were doing help out first, cos I'd never done pipes of any kind before and they used copper kunifer, which GSF sell in reels. Its amazingly flexible, and will not rust. Together with stainless unions, my pipes will in theory last for the life of the car.

Because its so flexible; the subframe didn't need to be dropped or anything....it was possible to thread it around the subframe. Which was nice

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:21 pm

I have done these a few times over the years, normally using genuine citroen pipes, mind you the kunifer ones sound very good, main points, get the car high as possible on two sets of axle stands or over a pit, drop the exhaust off its rubbers, remove spare wheel and cage, starting at the front of the car all the front to rears get together above the crossmember sort of under the drivers feet, remove ONE of them at a time and follow it back to the union on the rear end fit each in turn and away you go, some of the short ones back there will be fragile too so perhaps kunifer made up on the spot to fit is a good idea. I would help you but thankfully tomorrow I go away for a long time

Stewart

artic-steel · Post by **artic-steel** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:32 pm

Cheers for the offer Stewart, enjoy your break

I'm itching too learn about these things & this has got to be the car to do it on, so i'm ready to take the plunge.
I take it i'll need a standard brake flaring kit if i go the kunifer route?

Keep the tips coming

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:37 pm

I think you'll need the Citroen 3.5mm brake pipe flaring tool

Post by **docchevron** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:14 am

If your car has ABS you'll need the 3.5mm and 4.5mm flaring kit, oh, and the flares are not standard brake pipe flares.

My advice would be:
Get flaring kit (s) from Plaides, along with stainless unions in whatever size you're pipe is, i.e, non ABS all pipes 3.5mm. ABS 3 3.5mm pipes, 1 4.5mm pipe.

Yes, it's much easier to do the job with the subframe dropped, although you dont have to remove it altogether, just undo the front mounts and let it drop.
As Stewart said, get the spare wheel carrier and exhaust out the way, and the whole job becomes quite straight forward.

I really wouldn't use anything other than Kunifer pipe and stainless unions, ok steel pipe is cheaper, but it rusts! Kunifer doesn't, and as Kitch said, do it once, forget about them FOREVER!

All four pipes usually undo ok at the front of the car (infact one of them runs across the back of the front subframe and attaches to a rubber pipe so it's really easy!), but give them all a damn good soak in decent penetrating fluid at the back end for a few days before tackling the job, since they're nearly always corroded in and can be a ba$tard to remove.

It's one of those jobs that everybody thinks is very hard, untill you do it, then it's really simple....

Good luck mate!

Cheers
Chris g

artic-steel · Post by **artic-steel** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:13 pm

Good luck mate!

Cheers Doc, i'll text you just before i start so you know too turn your phone off!!!!!!!!

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:19 pm

Think I'll be on the same job sooner rather than later, after an inspection trip under the silver machine last weekend. I believe 2 are HP and 2 are low-pressure returns. IF you're lucky , the returns go first....

artic-steel · Post by **artic-steel** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:59 pm

right, i've made a good start yesterday, but does the fuel tank need to come off?, the clips behind it seem inaccessable to me

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:14 pm

They are

but you can manage. Unless you fancy loads of grief getting the tank off.

The biggest problem I've found when "doing the pipes" is the rear calipers

or to be more precise, the bleedin bleed nipples.

It's all good clean fun though, except it not clean and it's not much fun either