Octopus Replacement

[Ian_Fearn]

Am well in the middle of major BX mechanical renovation now and have hit a snag with the dreaded Octopus.

I am really struggling to get the 2 plastic pipes that go to the rear of the car attached onto the new Octopus.

Anybody got any tips?

[ken newbold]

Can't offer too much advise on this one I'm afraid, if everything is seated correctly, they should be long enough.
If the pipes have been cut back at some stage, you may need to extend them with some more nylon tubing and some of the old rubber tube to make a joint.
Also a pair of long-nosed pliers might come in handy.

[Mike E (uk)]

I did as Ken has suggested, and extended the pipes a bit so I had some slack to play with.

It made the job far easier.

Mike

[Ian_Fearn]

The pipes are long enough to fit, its just that i cant get my hands in to get enough pressure on them.

Changing the clutch has been a lovely clean job compared to this awful dirty task!

[docchevron]

As said above, long nose pliers with long handles make life easier, or as also suggested above, shoving some plastic pipe with a small length of rubber pipe at the end means you can join the return lines behind the subframe where access is infinitley better!

[Ian_Fearn]

Well, just as I was thinking about buying a mondeo it all came together

I managed it by lying in just the right spot under the car and by squeezing my hands into the tightest spot imaginable!

All fitted now, just have to wait and see if it leaks when it goes back on the road

[Vanny]

that sounds about right ian, last one i did in situ was in a carpark in Salford, pleasant job, and in the case of the pipes in question it took me longer to get my right hand back out from the mess of pipes etc than it did to actually put the pipes in the octopus. A clean floor makes like so much easier i might add!

[kiwi]

I am just about to undertake this mission myself on the second BX we have. Depending on the result of the Local WOF (MOT) as to how much else needs doing.

So far spotted a pin hole in the Middle silencer box that probably get away with a spot weld and another type of leak fro the return hoses that sit above the OS Rear Axle. Yes that plastic T-Piece has virtually disintigrated. Will ask about that in another thread.

What I am wanting to know is if the Pipes that lead into the Strut return pipes on the NS (passenger) are part of the Octopus? If not where do they go to one of them is cracked and leaking so figure that bits old Octo will come in useful.

Cheers

[ken newbold]

Yes these pipes are part of the octopus in a roundabout way. From memory each pipe has a short rubber section to get it round the subframe, the nearside (UK) ones have two long pipes part of the octopus and have usually found these are alway too long and need cutting to length. The offside ones (UK) are two short ones which are directly onto the octopus.

The most difficult bit is the height corrector return pipe, this is the shortest pipe on the thing and can be difficult to re-attach. Use the old clip or have a new one ready.
The nylon pipes that plug into the octopus as mentioned above, are an exact length, they will only reach if the main body of the octopus is sat in the right position.

As car jobs go, it's not that difficult. It's just messy and fiddly.

Regard ken

[kiwi]

Cheers Ken that clears it up a bit, Going to get the steam cleaner underneath before I start work on it to clear the crud a bit more.

One of those challenges thats got to be undertaken, although I am waiting until after its WOF kust incase theres something else more costly to do.

Got the Octopus pippe already if I dont need it got two choices use it for the other BX on plonk it on Trademe. Either way cant lose.

[frog]

Having the same trouble, I cannot seem to get the brute force to shove these blighters in past the nipple. Thoughts? Seeing as I've already got them half way I'm hesitant to take them out and extend them as per Oilyspanner's quote below. I did a little stretching prior to fitting.

TOP TIP there are two plastic pipes running down the chassis member under the drivers footwell area, they are different sizes, they both push into the ctopus on top of the crossmember in a totally inacessible place, cut them at an easily accessible point and once the old octopus is off plug the cut off bits into the new octopus, fit the new octopus and join the pipes where you cut them using some of your leftover rubber pipe, this will save a lot of time. especially as its easy to put the pipes in the wrong hole and get a leak.

On the up side the rest of the octopus is in!


Octopus by tyro.chris, on Flickr

[citronut]

Also a pair of long-nosed pliers might come in handy.

i use two pairs ( no not the fruity type ), or it could go all pear shaped

check the main body of the pussy is not caught up on the engine stabalizer bolt, that pokes up through the sub frame,
as this holds the hole thing to far forward,

i also disconnect the track rod end from the hub, then crank the steering fully to the right,

regards malcolm

[Tinkley]

When I changed the little octopus/squid, getting the pipe on the height regulator was tight. The solution to easing the pipe on was to warm the end of the pipe by heating up a round tapered punch gently with a propane torch, then after checking its not too hot squeeezing the tube over it to heat it and stretch it slightly. If you can fit it fairly sharpish after removing from the punch/mandrel it will slip on much more easily. Try and keep the heat to around 70 degrees and you should not damage the pipe. BTW 70 is too hot to keep your hand on but not enough to burn you without sustained contact. If you can keep your hand on that heat for 3 to 5 seconds it will be close.

I tried hot water but it was not enough (domestic supply normally around 55 deg) so resorted to a bit more. After fighting with it for too long, and then using the heated mandrel trick it took seconds to slide home.

[Defender110]

Having the same trouble, I cannot seem to get the brute force to shove these blighters in past the nipple. Thoughts?

Octopus by tyro.chris, on Flickr

Are you referring to these two plastic returns in this picture? if so they are fully home when they fit upto the nipple not over it. This is just a guide to how far they need to be pushed on?

[citronut]

like he / \ says regarding the nipples

regards malcolm