LHM leak - driver side rear strut return

bllewellyn · Post by **bllewellyn** » Tue May 22, 2007 2:30 pm

Hello. I own a metallic blue 1989 1.9 TZD (and am very fond of it) but a couple of weeks ago I noticed a 'puddle' of LHM in the garage by the driver's side rear wheel. I jacked the car up and took the wheel off to have a look and worked out that LHM is dripping down from one of the strut return pipes - I think the leak may well be coming from the T joint where the returns for driver side and passenger side meet.

I took it into my local garage (the mechanic owns a BX) and he got it up on the ramp to have a look but said that to get at it he'd have to drop the rear subframe. I dropped it off this morning for him to sort it out but he's just phoned to say that he can't budge the bolts for the subframe (they did look pretty corroded when I took the seats out).

Has anyone got any idea how I might resolve the problem without the 'subframe dropping' stage? At the moment I'm getting through about half a litre of LHM a week and leaving little green puddles everywhere I stop so I'd like to get it sorted if possible. Thanks

Kingswell · Post by **Kingswell** » Tue May 22, 2007 5:10 pm

I had a leak back there, it turned out that it was a leaking height corrector but the droplets of LHM were coming off one of the rear struts so I couldn't tell it was it.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:43 pm

RED ALERT, RED ALERT.

Like Jon says, unlikely the need to drop the rear subframe. I've been round all or certainly most rear pipes on a BX wothout dropping the rear subframe.

If it were a joint joining the rears to the front that couldn't be got at. Get some more thin nylon pipe and do a re-route.

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:43 pm

No technical help from here, but may I say

We like tizzy dees round here - any pics of your car would be welcome!

mountainmanUK · Post by **mountainmanUK** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:46 pm

We like tizzy dees round here

Oi Stewart!! What about tixy dees? Do we like them too? ( I do!)

stuart_hedges · Post by **stuart_hedges** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:49 pm

I liked my old tixy d yes

But my general feeling from the chat on here is that the TZD is "our" favourite model.

Poll? It's been ages since I did a poll...

bllewellyn · Post by **bllewellyn** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:51 pm

Thanks for the advice. I don't have the right equipment to get properly under the car at the moment so haven't done a proper inspection myself. The guy at the garage lifted it up to have a look underneath but said he couldn't really see where the leak originated - hence his assertion that he needed to drop the subframe for a proper inspection. He had a feel around the pipes and said he thought that the problem was probably at the T joint (on the return circuit). The LHM is most evident on the plastic pipe which goes into/comes out of the rear strut (which then disappears up the side by the fuel tank) and most of the drips are from the lowest parts of the rear strut assembly.

I'm beginning to think that it might be something to do with the height corrector as Kingswell suggested - for a while now the back end only sits in either normal or high position (not intermediate or low).

The rear subframe bolts inside the car have indeed got some corrosion unfortunately. Water has obviously been getting in somewhere at the rear (not from the sunroof drains though - I've checked them and water runs through them and out the back by the lights). I think it might be from one of the hooks from which the exhaust hangs - there looks to be some corrosion there as well.

I guess I need to get a trolley jack or something and get under there for a proper look. I've got 6 months to the next MOT but having to keep topping up the LHM is a bit of a drain on resources so I'd better try and do something soon!

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Tue May 22, 2007 10:30 pm

I smell something very fishy here.... dropping the subframe just for an inspection? No no no.

All that's needed is to remove the spare wheel (for some access) and then wipe everything clean and dry. Any leak can then be located.

You don't even need to drop the subframe to change the front-rear pipes (it does make it a bit easier though)

Post by **docchevron** » Wed May 23, 2007 2:35 am

Where abouts are you in the country mate? If your anywhere near Bristol I'll have a look for ya if you want? If you're nowhere near Bristol maybe someone else on here could have a ganders.

Dropping Subframes to check?? As David said, so fishy it's a like being on a bloody trawler!

bllewellyn · Post by **bllewellyn** » Wed May 23, 2007 11:36 am

Thanks for the offer docchevron1472. I live in Hereford - which is an hour and a half from Bristol and thus probably a bit far. One of my brothers used to have a BX and he and I are going to have a look under there this weekend to try and work out what's going on. My other brother lives in Bristol actually - and currently owns two XMs.

The 'drop the subframe' mechanic has been servicing my BX (and my father's and brother's Xantias) for many years at a reasonable cost - I don't think he'd deliberately try and rip me off. Like I said in my original post he himself has a BX (a dark green J Reg TZD Turbo) - which he's about to (in his own words) 'get rid of'. He was moaning about the speedo not working, but I can't think that would be too difficult for him to fix. Hopefully he's not going to scrap it because (externally at least) it looks in good nick.

I'll try and post some pictures of my TZD when I've got it cleaned up stuart_hedges. It's a very nice colour - metallic sky blue. I've only ever seen one other BX in the same shade in fact. It's done 186000 miles but still drives and rides smoothly - and very economically. I've just put new front spheres and an accumulator on so I'm hoping to get a few more years out of her yet - if I can sort out this leak and stop the water getting in the back!

Post by **docchevron** » Wed May 23, 2007 11:42 am

hhmm, well if you get stuck let me know mate, I'm up around Hereford surprisingly often! Although I shant be around for the next couple of weekends..

Hopefully it should be easy enough for you to sort out without hassle.

So your mechanic has a drak green BX..hhmm, Sounds like Triton green maybe?? (Devious mind see!)

Dont see too many XM's in Brizzle these days, shame, they're lovely cars..

Best of luck mate, and yeah, get some piccies up! We like piccies!!

bllewellyn · Post by **bllewellyn** » Fri May 25, 2007 12:35 pm

Well I did some further investigations yesterday and it is indeed the return pipe from the rear driver side strut which is cracked/perforated at one point. It's in the most awkward of places of course - I've got scrapes and scratches all over my hands as a result. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to a temporary fix - the obvious solution would either a splice (very difficult given the situation) or some kind of tape or sealant, but with LHM seeping out getting anything to stick is a bit of a problem. I could find no sign of the T joint (where it joins with the return pipe from the other side), otherwise obviously I'd just get a new bit of pipe.

Post by **docchevron** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:47 am

I assume you are refering to the plastic return pipe??

In which case the easiest temp fix is to get some rubber pipe thats a nice snug fit, cut the plastic pipe where it's split and slide the rubeer pipe over, then clip with a couple of zip clips.

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Sun May 27, 2007 11:41 pm

There is a Tee that the return plastic pipe goes into. It sits on top of the subframe, sometimes held in place with long cable ties.
Dont touch it unless you have to. It gets very brittle. Just splicing in a piece of rubber pipe in the damaged plastic one - as Doc suggests is the obvious and easy solution.