LHM leaks from regulator overnight

Mike F · Post by **Mike F** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:42 am

On my 1989 BX19RD I'm getting a slow leak, can see drops of LHM coming from somewhwere on the regulator, there does not seem to be much of a leak when its running, but if its standing for several days a patch forms on the ground - it seems like its siphoning out of the reservoir? I don't think its coming from the flow divider which was recently rebuilt. I have checked the pipes and connections.

Can one overhaul the regulator and if so where best to get replacement seals?

Thanks for your help!

Mike.

CitroXim · Post by **CitroXim** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:06 pm

Hi Mike,

I had this on my early Xantia which has an Pressure Regulartor/FDV set-up identical to the BX.

LHM has a geat affinity for leaking from one place and appearing to leak from somewhere else entirely. My leak was caused by a hardened rubber seal on the pipe from the HP pump to the FDV although it looked as if it were coming from the pressure regulator itself.

I'd therefore recommend a systematic replacement of the seals and see if it stops. Another problem I've come across is a cut accumulator sphere seal where care has not been taken to ensure the seal is firmly held in the PR body when replacing the sphere. It can drop down out of the groove and be cut whilst teh sphere is being screwed up.

Mike F · Post by **Mike F** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:52 pm

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your comments.

I have just had another good look at it and the drops of LHM are all around the underside of the regulator, so that does suggest its coming from somewhere above and running down.

What I find odd is that when the engine is running there is no trace of a leak, but a fair bit does seem to be coming out later. This made me think it was likely to be from a return pipe or some part of the regulator itself. I will take off the accumulator sphere and check the seal, although I've had it off before and am usually rather careful with assembling it. The leak has been present for quite a while but has got a lot worse lately.

Mike.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:56 pm

Don't assume it's a union pipe seal that's dripping.

My BX had a severe PR drip about 9 months ago, with LHM escaping from the RH side of the PR while the car was at rest. By the RH side, I mean the opposite end from the accumulator sphere. In this case no pipe unions were involved. It came from under the (11mm?) bolt seen through the centre of the angle bracket holding this end of the PR in place. I came to the conclusion it was a recon job - if at all - probably an internal o-ring failure.

There are PR recon instructions around - a particularly detailed one was posted on one of the Yahoo BX groups a few years back. However I chickened out myself, and fitted a secondhand PR. The old one's stashed somewhere for "reference".

Mike F · Post by **Mike F** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:54 pm

I think mine is doing the same, drops of LHM are on the bottom edge of the bracket, pretty sure none of the unions are leaking. Where did you find your s/h one, not many wreckers here seem to have any BXs. I prefer to swap it and rebuild the other at my leisure, I see GSF list new ones, £98 +VAT.

Mike.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:44 pm

I wrecked my own....

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:38 pm

Mike -

If you have power assist steering, then the PR will have an extra pipeport to the standard one.
The same goes for the very first series of Xantiae medium to high spec (from 1.8L and up) up to and including all '94 models.

If your BX does not have power assist steering, then its the bog standard PR as found on any other green LHM oil hydraulic Citroen : GS, BX, CX, XM and Xantia.

The PR is surprisingly simple to overhaul. Worst part is the strong springs involved which can blow out an eye if you get it wrong

The leak at the mounting end of the PR is an O-ring which must be replaced.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:55 pm

I believe the additional hole for the PAS is present on both regulators, and has a blanking plug in it on non-pas cars.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 11:17 am

I did plan to substitute a Xantia PAS-type regulator when faced with this problem last year, but the geometry was out by 180 degrees on the connections - hence my comments.