Hydraflush/lhm & mud/grit pissing out

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:50 pm

I noticed something a bit strange today, which got me in a panic but it now seems ok??? Before doing the hydraflush change today, i did some citreaobics, & noticed a fair amount of lhm/hydraflush pissing out somewhere.

I couldnt spot where it was coming from, perhaps the front height corrector or near that area (certainly the driver side part of the car)?? But as soon as i stopped doing the citreaobics it stopped peeing out. It wasnt losing litres of the stuff, but a good 100mls approx which was enough to make me think "OH SHIT".

I checked as far as i could see into the engine bay, following the pipes from the lhm tank down as far as they would go & couldnt see any leakage, but underneath it was very wet especially along the subframe where it had moved to.

Anyone got any ideas?

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:14 pm

would a leak in one of the rubber strut return pipes have popped off possibly or be leaking so letting it out when going into low and emptying the struts? I might be stating the obvious but check each front wheel behind the struts for condition of the two small rubber pipes. The seal where they clip (or are cable tied often) onto the strut maybe leaking or they may have popped straight off?

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:16 pm

Thats the 1st place i checked, so thats a no go i'm afraid

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:21 pm

yeah i thought that would be an obvious one, hope you find the source.

I see you're in Derbyshire, My folks live in Nottingham which i'll probably be stopping off at on the way back from the National - are you going? I'm just about to book my ferry.

mountainmanUK · Post by **mountainmanUK** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:22 pm

Worth checking the rubber return pipe just as it comes out of the top of the front HC. It bends quite sharply (usually) and has a tendency to split there. A bit awkward to get at, but with luck you may have enough slack on the pipe to put a "clean" end back on!

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:30 am

Sounds to me like you've got a part split in a hose, which is staying closed up and barely leaking at all under normal conditions, but the moment you ask the car to go from high to low, the large flow of fluid (and hence slightly increased pressure) in the return line is forcing fluid out of the split.

Catch it now before it splits all the way through!

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:58 am

There are 2 returns off the front HC. One is a normal low pressure leak off, the other is an exhaust return, from memory this one returns directly to the reservoir and only comes into play when you release pressure from the HC by lowering the height.

Sounds like that one to me.

demag · Post by **demag** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:19 pm

And what other little plumber's nightmare is in this area? The octopus!!!!

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:03 pm

Max - hopefully going to the national as long as the car works

I can feel a trip upto Wakefield

Thanks for the info guy's, as usual its something gone wrong where i dont have any experience, what a surprise