I have a 1992 Citroen BX19TXD automatic. The suspension has suffered a number of leaks and pipes have been replaced by the main dealer over a period of months On the last occasion they could not get the front and back suspension to work together as self levelling. Either the front remained static while the back rose and fell or the front rose and fell while the back remained static. It was left with the front static and the rear operating normally but at the correct road height.
The car behaved reasonably well for about two months but then the suspension became solid. The rear suspension jolts violently all the time - there is no suspension by the feel of it. The impression is that the system is not working but, when static, the suspension responds to the movement of the height adjustment lever. The front suspension responds in jerks whereas the rear moves smoothly.
Does anyone have any idea what the problem is and, if so, the solution?
BX19 hydraulic suspension
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ken newbold
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First problem sounds like the garage you've been using 
You would have thought that a main dealer would know something about BX's, however.....
It could be one of a few things at fault, the spheres, height correctors or maybe but unlikely the FDV.
I take it the power steering works OK. So I can't see it being the FDV, how old are the spheres? and does your manual height adjuster inside the car move OK?
You would have thought that a main dealer would know something about BX's, however.....It could be one of a few things at fault, the spheres, height correctors or maybe but unlikely the FDV.
I take it the power steering works OK. So I can't see it being the FDV, how old are the spheres? and does your manual height adjuster inside the car move OK?
They think it's all over, it is now!
I agree with Ken.
Some simple tests:
Get the car to normal height and try depressing each corner. If any are rock solid - then the sphere is flat and must be replaced. If they creak - front - struts siezed - look at lubrication - loads on here. Back - rear arm bearings - again loads of info.
The height correctors at both ends need lubrication and are prone to siezure. Lubrication often works - get underneath, have a good look at them (follow ling from anti-roll bar - and make sure that the rod going into the corrector is lubricated as well. Things like brushes, spray grease etc all come in handy - and while engine oil and things work for a while grease is stays there longer.
Spheres wont affect the ride height - the suspension just pumps more LHM in till the height corrector cuts off the supply at the right height. I have suggested them first just to eliminate them.
Air or gas can cause strange problems - but is easily eliminated by doing 'Citroebics' - raising and lowering the car fully several times. It gets in either from sphere leakage (not much of a problem on BX as the things sink overnight and it gets pushed out that way) or from leaks in the hose from the reservoir to the pump - especially if this has been disturbed. The connections both ends must be good and tight.
Finally does the regulator cycle at a frequency of about 1/2 minute or more or is it much more frequent?
Health Warning - Make sure the car is properly supported with room for you should it come down before getting underneath. The cars have KILLED.
Height correctors are adjustable but this is pointless unless the linkage is free and working properly. They do not need adjusting as a matter of routine.
Want to learn all about it? Excellent handbook in PDF form on DIY site - follow link in top left of:
http://www.tramontana.co.hu/citroen/
Some simple tests:
Get the car to normal height and try depressing each corner. If any are rock solid - then the sphere is flat and must be replaced. If they creak - front - struts siezed - look at lubrication - loads on here. Back - rear arm bearings - again loads of info.
The height correctors at both ends need lubrication and are prone to siezure. Lubrication often works - get underneath, have a good look at them (follow ling from anti-roll bar - and make sure that the rod going into the corrector is lubricated as well. Things like brushes, spray grease etc all come in handy - and while engine oil and things work for a while grease is stays there longer.
Spheres wont affect the ride height - the suspension just pumps more LHM in till the height corrector cuts off the supply at the right height. I have suggested them first just to eliminate them.
Air or gas can cause strange problems - but is easily eliminated by doing 'Citroebics' - raising and lowering the car fully several times. It gets in either from sphere leakage (not much of a problem on BX as the things sink overnight and it gets pushed out that way) or from leaks in the hose from the reservoir to the pump - especially if this has been disturbed. The connections both ends must be good and tight.
Finally does the regulator cycle at a frequency of about 1/2 minute or more or is it much more frequent?
Health Warning - Make sure the car is properly supported with room for you should it come down before getting underneath. The cars have KILLED.
Height correctors are adjustable but this is pointless unless the linkage is free and working properly. They do not need adjusting as a matter of routine.
Want to learn all about it? Excellent handbook in PDF form on DIY site - follow link in top left of:
http://www.tramontana.co.hu/citroen/
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ken newbold
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tom
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2005 Grolliffe Tizzydee turbo estate and sundry other BXs and Grace, a CX TRD.
2008 to 2023 - all sorts of stuff, some interesting
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)I'd lay odds on the adjustment rods that connect to the front and rear have been screwed around with and set at the wrong settings.
There is a slot almost heart shaped in there and IIRC, it needs to be adjusted 5mm from one end and 7mm from the other.
Our TZi was like that when we bought it; it had been adjusted by a specialist with a supposed big reputation.
If you intend DIY it, just make certain the car is either over a pit or up on ramps before you touch anything, as I was playing around underneath (fortunately up on ramps) and I frightened shit outta myself when an internal seizure suddenly let go and the car shot skywards. It could just as easily gone the other way.
Alan S
There is a slot almost heart shaped in there and IIRC, it needs to be adjusted 5mm from one end and 7mm from the other.
Our TZi was like that when we bought it; it had been adjusted by a specialist with a supposed big reputation.
If you intend DIY it, just make certain the car is either over a pit or up on ramps before you touch anything, as I was playing around underneath (fortunately up on ramps) and I frightened shit outta myself when an internal seizure suddenly let go and the car shot skywards. It could just as easily gone the other way.
Alan S
By the time you're old enough to know it all, you can't remember why you were learning.
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citronella
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BX hydraulic suspension
Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. To answer some of the points:-
1. Power steering is OK.
2. Garage have (apparently!) spent a lot of time 'playing' with the height adjusters but cannot get the front and rear to work together.
3. Height adjuster in the car moves OK.
4. Car raises and lowers OK but the front end does so in a series of jerks - the rear is smooth but come up extremely quickly on start up.
5. The front suspension does not sink overnight, only the rear.
6. My location is North Gloucestershire.
Unfortunately I do not have the facilities to do things myself but I am more than willing to give"advice" to the garage!!!
1. Power steering is OK.
2. Garage have (apparently!) spent a lot of time 'playing' with the height adjusters but cannot get the front and rear to work together.
3. Height adjuster in the car moves OK.
4. Car raises and lowers OK but the front end does so in a series of jerks - the rear is smooth but come up extremely quickly on start up.
5. The front suspension does not sink overnight, only the rear.
6. My location is North Gloucestershire.
Unfortunately I do not have the facilities to do things myself but I am more than willing to give"advice" to the garage!!!
I expect the front will drop after the car has been left overnight if you lean on the bonnet (or even when you get in the car) in which case they may be stiff.
Front struts should move smoothly - but get stiff as they wear. Lubrication may help - there are 2 bits - one is to drop some thin oil down through the hole in the sphere mounting visible with the bonnet open - 2 or 3 drops of something like 3 in 1 will do the job - LHM is useless as it evaporates and disappears as does engine oil. The more difficult one is to place some LHM in a container, lower the car, remove the strut return hoses (they pull off at the chasssis end, stick them in the LHM and raise the car. The idea is that as the car rises it sucks in the LHM which may soften things up by lubricating the thing internally.
Adjusting the ride height (height correctors) should never be needed unless the correctors have been changed - so its a fair guess that they've tried to cure a sticky valve by adjusting the linkage then wondered why it didn't work.
Rapid rising of the suspension makes me wonder if you've got some flat spheres. Can the back suspension be compressed? (get to normal height or near but not max or min - and sit in the boot or similar - it should drop a long way (like 6 inches or more - they're very soft)
What happens is that when the car is left the pressurised LHM leaks away through the various valves in the system so for first startup the thing has to pressurise the system. First it pressurises the accumulator - then the light goes off and the valve opens allowing the suspension to pressurise then lift the car. The gas in the spheres expands as the pressure leaks away and has to be re-pressurised and the spheres can hold about 1/4 litre each when they are sound. When a sphere fails the gas leaks away - so no LHM is expelled - so none has to be replaced and the car rises quickly.
Front struts should move smoothly - but get stiff as they wear. Lubrication may help - there are 2 bits - one is to drop some thin oil down through the hole in the sphere mounting visible with the bonnet open - 2 or 3 drops of something like 3 in 1 will do the job - LHM is useless as it evaporates and disappears as does engine oil. The more difficult one is to place some LHM in a container, lower the car, remove the strut return hoses (they pull off at the chasssis end, stick them in the LHM and raise the car. The idea is that as the car rises it sucks in the LHM which may soften things up by lubricating the thing internally.
Adjusting the ride height (height correctors) should never be needed unless the correctors have been changed - so its a fair guess that they've tried to cure a sticky valve by adjusting the linkage then wondered why it didn't work.
Rapid rising of the suspension makes me wonder if you've got some flat spheres. Can the back suspension be compressed? (get to normal height or near but not max or min - and sit in the boot or similar - it should drop a long way (like 6 inches or more - they're very soft)
What happens is that when the car is left the pressurised LHM leaks away through the various valves in the system so for first startup the thing has to pressurise the system. First it pressurises the accumulator - then the light goes off and the valve opens allowing the suspension to pressurise then lift the car. The gas in the spheres expands as the pressure leaks away and has to be re-pressurised and the spheres can hold about 1/4 litre each when they are sound. When a sphere fails the gas leaks away - so no LHM is expelled - so none has to be replaced and the car rises quickly.