To Octopus or not to Octopus

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Fri May 30, 2008 6:44 pm

Stuart is currently on his way to me, with a view to me fitting a replacement octopus.... which arrived in the post this morning. Except. It sortof didn't. Not the bit I need anyway. I clearly didn't fully understand which bit the Octopus is.

The leak on Stu's car is on the rubber pipe that is part of the height corrector returns. Specifically the leak is part of the rear height corrector return, but that appears to be one piece with the front height corrector return and the return from the PR.

Should I have ordered the "large" Octopus for that part? I sort-of had the impression that you got all the small diameter pipes with the normal Octopus, but clearly not....

Also, where on earth am I going to get the bit I need before Sunday?!

kermit the frog · Post by **kermit the frog** » Fri May 30, 2008 7:56 pm

David

Its a bit of a long shot but try a place called Going Spare in littlehampton
They keep lots of obscure parts for all sorts of cars.
I am not saying they will have what you are looking for but needs must as they say.

Their telephone number is 01903 731571
Hope this is helpful as i am not sure where you are in the country so i may be WAY OFF.

Regards Kermit

kermit the frog · Post by **kermit the frog** » Fri May 30, 2008 8:16 pm

David

Just looked on Todd's post about a heater unit and found that you are in Dorset so my suggestion of littlehampton was wide of the mark then.

Reagrds Kermit

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sat May 31, 2008 12:07 am

It's usually the very short leak-off pipe from the HC that either splits where it joins the HC or where it joins the main body of the octopus.

The other rubber pipe that comes from the HC is the "HC exhaust" pipe. I seem to recall it joins the front returns very close to the reservoir, if this is the one that's gone, it should be a fairly easy fix with some rubber tubing of the right size and joint it higher up.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Sat May 31, 2008 2:54 am

The pipe that has gone is the large diameter pipe that is the flow return from the HC and has all the return when the PR is out. That has two small diameter pipes connect to it, which appear to be the front and rear height corrector returns. The large diameter pipe is clipped together with the suction line to the HP pump, and the small diameter ones join it between the engine clamp and the LHM tank.

The problem is that the pipe from the rear height corrector has sheared off right at the connection with the large-diameter pipe, and as such isn't repairable. There's no question it needs a new one, but I don't know what this pipe is called so am clearly struggling to get a replacemet.

I assume this is the "little" octopus?

I may actually have an old one from a Broken BX, but if I'm honest I'd rather change it for a new one rather than a used one.

Post by **docchevron** » Sat May 31, 2008 3:29 am

If I've read that right then yes it sounds like the little octopus.
Alas I dont have a new one in stock, but I do have a brand new large octopus in stock.

I also doubt I have a little octopus of the used variety that is any good I'm afraid....

But I shall look.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Sat May 31, 2008 8:24 am

docchevron1472 wrote:I do have a brand new large octopus in stock.

Snap.

That said, we may end up changing Stu's large octopus anyway, as most of the return pipes look rather cracky and nasty.

Thanks for having a look Doc. I don't suppose you know of anywhere we might get a little octopus in Brizzle on Monday? I'm also wondering if Main Stealers normally keep that part, as it would be good to get a new one on Stu's car before too much longer.

There's a good chance I may have a second hand small octopus somewhere, and it'll probably be in better condition than what's on the car, but I do dislike fitting second-hand rubber components... you just know you're going to break it just as you finish fitting it.

Post by **docchevron** » Sat May 31, 2008 11:46 am

You're not wrong...

I dont think the main stealer keeps them, but I can do some ringing round.
I know Bristol 2CV's dont have any left on the shelf, I had the last one some time ago!

GSF *might* have one, but dont hold your breath I'm afraid...

Baldbazza · Post by **Baldbazza** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 12:04 am

DavidRutherford wrote:I don't suppose you know of anywhere we might get a little octopus in Brizzle on Monday? I'm also wondering if Main Stealers normally keep that part, as it would be good to get a new one on Stu's car before too much longer.

David,

I got one of these from a main dealer (Solent Citroen, Portsmouth) a couple of years back, along with the main 'octopus' and return pipe from the doseur valve. The octopus (Cit part no 96030258, £30) was in stock in Portsmouth; the return pipe from rear height correctors & PAS (Cit part 95603421, £63

), which I think is the part you're referring to) was in stock at a neighbouring dealer (Yeomans in Fareham) and was delivered to Solent same day, and the doseur return pipe (Cit part 96056235 £25) was ordered from Citroen UK and arrived next day.

There's a posting somewhere about these; this is the diagram that accompanied that cry for help - I think you're referring to the pipes in blue (the length from 1 to 2 is where mine split at both ends):

GSF don't do them, only the main octopus. Pleiades will sell suitable rubber (petrol) pipe, but pricewise that's just as expensive as the genuine part and you'll have the added fun of bodging it all together. OK, you might enjoy that bit...

Might well be worth phoning a few main stealers. The guy in Solent said that Yeomans had (at that time) quite a lot of BX stuff so might be worth a try.

PS, did you still want the door locks from Stuart's old BX, Snoopy? If so, PM me your addy and I'll pop them in the post.

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:58 am

I can confirm that p/no 95603421. I bought one in France last year for 62.17EUR.

Be aware that from RP 5168 this pipe harness was changed to a 3 branch style. The returns from the steering PV and FD were given separate return connections instead of joining at a T near the PR.
The p/no for this is 96119048. I bought one of these 4 years ago for 36.66GBP.

Lets hope Cit keep supplying these for a few more years.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:21 pm

Baldbazza's had much more prompt service from Solent Citroen than I've ever experienced there! Yeomans are very helpful so long as you get the "elder" partsman (the one who doesn't groan audibly when you say "It's for a Citroen BX").

Baldbazza · Post by **Baldbazza** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:26 pm

DLM wrote:Baldbazza's had much more prompt service from Solent Citroen than I've ever experienced there! Yeomans are very helpful so long as you get the "elder" partsman (the one who doesn't groan audibly when you say "It's for a Citroen BX").

I may have been lucky. I was served by a very helpful older guy at Solent who seemed to be genuinely interested in the GT, and appreciated that I'd come armed with diagrams, part numbers etc. He was very thorough; may have been reminiscing...

Mixed feelings about Yeomans - they were ok when we bought cars from them but had a major problem when it came to fixing one particular fault. Not been back since.

But the good thing is that parts are (at least were) still available for a 21-year-old car. Bet you wouldn't get that with a Mundano...

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:36 am

Bet you wouldn't get that with a Mundano...

AND you can still get individual bushes for a BX where they're used - rather than having to buy a whole sub-assembly (a typical Fix Or Repair Daily parts profit ploy) or having to buy a much cheaper non-OE assembly to then extract the bush and fit it to the old part. I've not been there myself, but I've talked to those who have....

I may have been lucky. I was served by a very helpful older guy at Solent who seemed to be genuinely interested in the GT, and appreciated that I'd come armed with diagrams, part numbers etc. He was very thorough; may have been reminiscing...

I may have been unlucky: I was looking for a part there last year for a BX which had an RP number right on the cusp of a series of brief but significant changes to the spec of the coolant system. A variety of parts got ordered in and I realise (in retrospect) that I should have taken up the implied offer of some antifreeze as a sweetener for my troubles (no pun intended). Instead, I told them I already had some (though carrying containers of coolant in a rucsac on a bike for several miles doesn't often appeal).

Mixed feelings about Yeomans

I believe they have some vested interest in supporting older Cits: I understand they may have some customers up the Meon Valley who own DSs or CXs and still take them to Yeomans for service. They do have the decency to inform you when your parts order comes in, unlike another garage mentioned in this thread.

There is a very reliable and business-like friendly ex-Citroen mechanic who runs his own show in Fareham who I'd recommend. Most of his business comes by word of mouth. I used him to repair/maintain my BXs when I didn't know how, and he still looks after a few BXs for his customers (he's been doing long-term work on a GTi 4x4 in his garage in recent months). If his details would be of any use, please PM me.

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Post by **docchevron** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 12:40 pm

Baldbazza wrote: Bet you wouldn't get that with a Mundano...

Dont ever mention that word again! Even thinking about those bloody awful cars still makes me ill... evil evil cars.

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 12:57 pm

Though, strangely enough, the older M*****s are now bought on the same prescription that was used by a certain sort of person used for buying BXs when they were more plentiful and younger. In a nutshell, it's:

"Buy cheap, apply to road mercilessly until tax, ticket or anything else expires. Dispose of for scrap, then repeat treatment (ad infinitum)."