Rob's BX is making him ill...help!
Rob's BX is making him ill...help!
Since writing my dissertation on my BX: see http://www.bxclub.co.uk/rob/, I
need to ask the advice of the knowledgeable members.
Mileage of said battleship is now 114,000, with the MoT due this week: GASP! However, there is a major problem that is affecting our relationship:
The POWER STEERING!!! At around 85K, I noticed the steering would sometimes go stiff then free up, usually when negotiating roundabouts. This gradually got worse and worse until when going round corners, I found myself “fighting” with the steering until it suddenly freed itself all of a sudden, making the uninformed driver jerk the steering, with possibly dangerous consequences. It would act stiff in both directions until the hydraulics and pump “kick in” then all would go light(ish) again.
My cure was to put the car an high, release the pressure regulator screw 4 turns, then scream the engine to 4,000 RPM whilst moving the steering lock to lock before retightening said screw and carrying on. The “bodge” would last approx 2000 miles before the steering would retire back to its irritating old self.
18 months ago, I had the system hydrafushed, and the steering was great for 1500 miles. Put LHM back in, and after 1000 miles, it started getting heavy again.
By 110,000 miles, the steering now was heavy at parking speeds, and was really affecting my driving: the BX is horrible without correctly functioning power steering, and my opinion, dangerous.
Service due at 112,500 miles, so I replace the HP pump with a known good second-hand replacement, and the belt is tight! LHM was still clean incidentally. Result: VERY light power steering indeed. Over the next 1000 miles the steering gradually got heavier and heavier, and is close to getting back to the way it was before I replaced the pump: i.e. horrible.
Since replacing the pump, the block at the front of the engine has started to leak LHM slowly. There is a block above the accumulator (is this the FDV??) with two blanks on its left hand side: it is leaking from there, not the pipes that screw in above it.
So the question is: what is the problem and how can I resolve it. I do not want my girlfriend driving the car until this serious problem is resolved: if it can’t be, I shall sell / scrap the car!
Advice gladly received!!
Roberto!
need to ask the advice of the knowledgeable members.
Mileage of said battleship is now 114,000, with the MoT due this week: GASP! However, there is a major problem that is affecting our relationship:
The POWER STEERING!!! At around 85K, I noticed the steering would sometimes go stiff then free up, usually when negotiating roundabouts. This gradually got worse and worse until when going round corners, I found myself “fighting” with the steering until it suddenly freed itself all of a sudden, making the uninformed driver jerk the steering, with possibly dangerous consequences. It would act stiff in both directions until the hydraulics and pump “kick in” then all would go light(ish) again.
My cure was to put the car an high, release the pressure regulator screw 4 turns, then scream the engine to 4,000 RPM whilst moving the steering lock to lock before retightening said screw and carrying on. The “bodge” would last approx 2000 miles before the steering would retire back to its irritating old self.
18 months ago, I had the system hydrafushed, and the steering was great for 1500 miles. Put LHM back in, and after 1000 miles, it started getting heavy again.
By 110,000 miles, the steering now was heavy at parking speeds, and was really affecting my driving: the BX is horrible without correctly functioning power steering, and my opinion, dangerous.
Service due at 112,500 miles, so I replace the HP pump with a known good second-hand replacement, and the belt is tight! LHM was still clean incidentally. Result: VERY light power steering indeed. Over the next 1000 miles the steering gradually got heavier and heavier, and is close to getting back to the way it was before I replaced the pump: i.e. horrible.
Since replacing the pump, the block at the front of the engine has started to leak LHM slowly. There is a block above the accumulator (is this the FDV??) with two blanks on its left hand side: it is leaking from there, not the pipes that screw in above it.
So the question is: what is the problem and how can I resolve it. I do not want my girlfriend driving the car until this serious problem is resolved: if it can’t be, I shall sell / scrap the car!
Advice gladly received!!
Roberto!
- ken newbold
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- ken newbold
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No that sounds fine. I know you've changed the pump once but it was a secondhand one and although it seemed fine it's likely to be 12 years old.
As I say, another pump is the easiest, therefor first option. A keen MOT tester may fail you if he sees a leak from the FDV as it is connected to the braking system but most aren't too familiar with Citroen hydraulics.
Where abouts are you.
As I say, another pump is the easiest, therefor first option. A keen MOT tester may fail you if he sees a leak from the FDV as it is connected to the braking system but most aren't too familiar with Citroen hydraulics.
Where abouts are you.
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I've got exactly the same problem, although mine has dissapeared completely.
I've put a different pump on it (although not a new one I admit)
I've put a different FDV on (again 2nd hand)
I've ruled out the pinion valve because it didn't start dying to one side first....they both went equally. In the stages of it dying it would always go heavy after hard braking too.
Starting to get pissed off with it now, although I have got used to driving it without PAS full time! Haven't checked the ram though?
I've put a different pump on it (although not a new one I admit)
I've put a different FDV on (again 2nd hand)
I've ruled out the pinion valve because it didn't start dying to one side first....they both went equally. In the stages of it dying it would always go heavy after hard braking too.
Starting to get pissed off with it now, although I have got used to driving it without PAS full time! Haven't checked the ram though?
One third of a three-spoke BX columnist team for the Citroenian magazine.
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1983(A) 16TRS (Rouge Valleunga)
1990(H) 16Valve (Rouge Furio)
CCC BX registrar: The national BX register - click to submit a car!
1983(A) 16TRS (Rouge Valleunga)
1990(H) 16Valve (Rouge Furio)
- sleepy0905
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Mine did this a while ago so i replaced the pump with no cure i was then adviced it may the the FDV so it was changed it was fine for the first day then started again in the end i replaced the pinion valve ( what a bugger of a job) and hey presto we are now about 3 years on with no problems if this helps.
2017 Seat Leon ST FR 2.0 150Bhp
Sounds exactly like my current runabout estate. I believe the system will require flushing thoroughly (and don`t forget the Cit-aerobics) and there`s a filter that`ll want cleaning out. I`m not sure if the FDV is `cleanable` but possibly worth checking. Then reassemble and hopefully you`ll have cracked it.
Vauxhall apologist.
- ken newbold
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The FDV diverts LHM fliud around the system, brakes, steering and suspension. The Steering uses the most, so it's the first thing that suffers when things start to go wrong.
My XM also has an FDV which has just started to leak slightly in the same place you describe. There are also two filters in the ports of the valve that can block, but in my experiance when this happens the steering goes off completely.
If you change the FDV make sure NO dirt of any kind gets in the ports or you're wasting your time.
My XM also has an FDV which has just started to leak slightly in the same place you describe. There are also two filters in the ports of the valve that can block, but in my experiance when this happens the steering goes off completely.
If you change the FDV make sure NO dirt of any kind gets in the ports or you're wasting your time.
- ken newbold
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OK; would the FDV be the culprit, as the steering comes back to life when the pump clicks in?
Also, the accumulator sphere is the original, but when the car is standing, the interval between "ticks" (or hisses!) is around 45 secs; however sometimes when accelerating hard, the pump clicks in and out rapidly.
Also I have noticed that in the morning, although the rear suspension doesnt sink totally, it is slow to rise in the morning. rear arm bearings were replaced two years ago!
Over & Out!!
Also, the accumulator sphere is the original, but when the car is standing, the interval between "ticks" (or hisses!) is around 45 secs; however sometimes when accelerating hard, the pump clicks in and out rapidly.
Also I have noticed that in the morning, although the rear suspension doesnt sink totally, it is slow to rise in the morning. rear arm bearings were replaced two years ago!
Over & Out!!
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- ken newbold
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