Insert witty title here ...

ben · Post by **ben** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:08 pm

I was guessing as i didn't get right up close ,but it looks like it could be LHM from where it is. If you're lucky it'll just be one of the return hoses or joints going into the reservoir or what you said and should be a cheap and easy fix .
You can get proper citroen LHM from GSF in Letchworth on Works Road round the corner from halfrauds at probably half the price

Good job i saw this thread, i was going to knock the door and ask "how much do you want for that old motor"

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 3:05 am

ben wrote: You can get proper Citroën LHM from GSF in Letchworth on Works Road round the corner from halfrauds at probably half the price

If you buy LHM from halfrauds you'll need to take out a mortgage on something first!

GSF is a good call but also worth ringing up the other local motor factors too as it can be found even at a better price than GSF.

Post by **Defender110** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:26 am

I've bought cheaper LHM in the past and it was very pale green in colour so didn't instill any confidence in it's quality. I always insist on Total LHM now which is still available at GFS and at the very least more asthetically pleasing

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 2:45 pm

Defender110 wrote:I've bought cheaper LHM in the past and it was very pale green in colour so didn't instill any confidence in it's quality.

The colour is surely added dye and has nothing to do with the specification of the LHM?

What do you think is unique about Total that other manufacturers cannot produce?

sdelasal · Post by **sdelasal** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 5:15 pm

'Total' does sound very french - that might make it unique I suppose, but then I have a can of it with Bendix on the label - and they are french too.

This link, http://www.citroen-ds-id.com/gen/Hydrau ... ids_3.html, has a comment ...

'
Such was the case with LHM and Citroën. Citroën wrote the LHM specifications to meet the requirements of their hydropneumatic suspension, Citromatic, brake, and steering systems. As I understand the story, Citroën worked with Total, the French petrochemical company, to develop the specifications, but after that the specs were available for all oil companies to produce. '

So that makes Total the 'master brewer' then for LHM.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:09 pm

The article sums it up nicely with:

Citroën worked with Total, the French petrochemical company, to develop the specifications, but after that the specs were available for all oil companies to produce.

So, unless the spec is deviated from, (in which case it would not be LHM) then other manufacturers LHM is equivalent.

Interesting comment in the article about the possibility of Dexron 2 as that is Citroen's fluid of choice for the BX auto transmission. Maybe that is what was the starting point of their design for LHM? While LHM is available though, there is no need to use anything other than LHM but it does not have to be Total.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:29 pm

I've used Total & Morris, i believe that the morris lhm looks slightly more flourescent green in colour, but if it works i just bung it in tbh

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:45 pm

I've used Total, Halfords & Morris. Morris in preference as it's about a third of the price of halfords. Total was even more expensive, don't know about lately though.

Post by **Defender110** » Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:52 pm

Way2go wrote: What do you think is unique about Total that other manufacturers cannot produce?

I didn't say there was anything unique about Total I just said

Defender110 wrote:at the very least more asthetically pleasing.

Caffiend · Post by **Caffiend** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:09 pm

Well, Rob doesn't think I've bought a citron as opposed to a Citroen, so that's good news.

The bad news is that the sticky steering - which I had put down to the hydraulic fluid still being filthy after emergency oil top up late last year (despite flush/refill at the time) - is in fact driveshafts >.< Rear exhaust mount will also want welding, but hopefully not tooooo much.

Ow.

I'm going over to have a good look underneath tomorrow, and collect the snagging list. A few other bits that will need to be done before September MOT, but hey, it's a 21 year old car, things wear out.

Unfortunately, the link ^^ isn't working for me. However, Rob has suggested that he fills hydraulic system with something else to clean it, then refill with LHM after 1500 miles - that wouldn't be the Dexron 2 (presumably more expensive) by any chance? Should have asked him, will tomorrow now I'm not reeling from driveshaft shock!

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:48 pm

Dexron is gearbox oil, so no he won't be using that. More likely hydraflush or rmatilla uses diesel (so might be that?), but the Fins do things differently

Daisy · Post by **Daisy** » Mon Mar 12, 2012 10:10 pm

Hi, had a nosey at your car this afternoon when I took mine over to Robs'.Looks very nice. A grand total of four there today - yours, mine, a white 19tgd estate and a lovely black GTi

We also spotted your car in Letchworth last monday, followed a few minutes later by a dark grey estate near the A505/A1M junction (Ben ?).
Hope you will be very happy with your new car

All the best

Anne Marie

Mickey taker · Post by **Mickey taker** » Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:59 pm

nice that theres a few more BX's in the Beds/Bucks area

Caffiend · Post by **Caffiend** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 6:48 pm

OK, so I can run, but I can't hide

I didn't get over to Rob's until quite late to pick up the green machine (and thanks Anne Marie!). Must make sure I get there earlier next time so I can have a good poke around. I did have a bit of lust over the gorgeous white CX that was parked along the side.

It'll be back over there a few times more before the MOT is due in September I suspect - exhaust weld next up I think.

Caffiend · Post by **Caffiend** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 2:46 pm

Well, that was annoying ... one of my classmates had a car that kept cutting out, so that was in the workshop last night, not mine. I've got dibs for next week (as an aside, I found it most bizarre that the owner showed no apparent interest in the tutor kindly trying to sort his car out for him but was 'over there' doing ... I dunno what... while the rest of us were clustered round his Honda pointing and laughing at the air filter that was probably the original that came with the - T-reg - car. I shall be truly getting in the way of anyone who tries to do anything to mine! Oh well.)

Really getting used to the TZD again now - driving home last night was a joy, how could I have forgotten how much fun it is that you put your right foot down and it like, goes. Instead of thinking about it before grumpily deciding to grudgingly give you a bit more powah (yes Xsara, I'm looking at YOU). Smitten all over again with that turbo kick, vroom vroom.

I will have to restore the duct tape on the air intake hose that Rob and the crew kindly cleaned up and re-clipped for me - it's still leaking air a bit. Will try for a Pug breaker and if I wasn't up for a 60+ hour week at work on top of college commitments I might have done something more about that :S - really must try to do so this weekend instead of talking crap on here. There'll be more many hours next week, but the overtime will put ticks against several of the 'ADs' on the workshop sheet I got from Chevronics!

V5 (or whatever it is they call the new-fangled War & Peace registration doc) arrived yesterday!