In desperate need of a Doseur valve

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 2:36 pm

Basically I'm without a car until I can find a replacement Doseur valve.

Mine is leaking, rather badly, and the car is in bits at my local Citroen specialist... So I'm screwed.

He has tried, and can't get one anywhere.

Does anyone have one in good working order that can buy, sooner rather than later?

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 2:43 pm

If your guy has taken the doseur off the car, why not buy the seals etc and refurbish it as detailed in one of the forum threads on here? It shouldn't take long to do whilst its already off the car and probably more certain than an unknown s/h one.

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:10 pm

That's not a bad idea...

Failing that though, I would probably buy a new one, but he says Citroen don't stock them any more.

How much would a new one cost, if one could be found that is?

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:31 pm

They are around the £100 mark, last one i bought came (new) from GSF. Have you tried AEP, GSF, Euro Car Parts? its not something they would normally stock but that doesn't mean they don't have one in. I'm surprised Citroen dont have them though!

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:43 pm

Blimey... the way people go on, I thought it would be nearer the £300 mark.

Not as bad as I thought then!

It does seem a bit odd that Citroen don't have any in, so I'm going to double check myself, and have a proper ring around.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 5:45 pm

100 quid seems rather cheap. Last time I asked at Citroen about a year ago they were €400 here. Don't know if they're still available though. Also I seem to recall that one of the seals for the refurb set had also been discontinued by Citroen. That's not to say you won't find them elsewhere. My yellow one needs a doseur ( or a re-build) too. Hope you get it sorted Matt.

jacksun1987 · Post by **jacksun1987** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:12 pm

i know this semms a bit thick but whats a Doseur valve.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:14 pm

I just looked on the service Citroen website and it seems that doseurs are still available new. Depending on whether it is the two or three valve version the seals are probably available. The re-build detailed here on the 'technical sticky' is a two valve and one of those seals has been discontinued but I would have thought your 16v though it's an early one would have the later three valve type doseur.

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:18 pm

jacksun1987 wrote:i know this semms a bit thick but whats a Doseur valve.

- It's the name given to the hydraulic slide valve that BXes (and other Hydraulic Citroens) use to control the brakes. The pedal operates it directly and the 'Doseur' valve is fitted onto the bulkhead on the other side of the brake pedal.

They can leak into the driver's foot well due to the little diaphragm splitting. On the other side they can leak due to the rubber return pipe splitting.

Matt H, is yours leaking internally (i.e. not working properly or letting back suspension sink) or is it an external leak?

I have a spare S1 CX doseur but not sure if the fitments are the same.

citro-geoff · Post by **citro-geoff** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:32 pm

I spoke to Chris Jacobs on the problem of my BX sinking on the rear,and he said it could be the doseur,and thought that a Xantia one would be interchangeable.Workings are the same.Anyone tried it?

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:41 pm

I'm reasonably certain that it is a three valve doseur. It is an '89 car, one of the last Phase 1s.

Of course I'll check before I order anything.

Well, the car sinks down very quickly at the back, and I always suspected the Doseur, but the car developed an LHM leak about a week ago. It was the return pipe that had split. Fixed that, but it is also leaking into the car now. I think the best thing is to change the valve because I don't really fancy brake failure. (I know that's in the extreme... but still)

And Geoff... If the Xantia one is interchangeable that would make my life a lot easier, as they are off the shelf for £99.00

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 10:48 pm

There were 3 types: old, intermediate (very short-lived), and newer. From what I remember the changeover date was in late '88 so an RP/ORGA number should tell all.

A Xantia doseur transplant does seem to have been done: a quick dogpile search finds a 2007 thread on on a French BX site about the old doseur rear sink problem. http://www.yaronet.com/posts.php?s=94650

One reply reads

"Mais il est en revanche assez facile de trouver pour des prix raisonnables un doseur de xantia peu kilométré en casse, il est à priori identique et se monte sans problèmes. "

A very rough translation: "It's quite easy to find a reasonably-priced doseur from a low-mileage xantia at a breakers, which is a priori identical and fits without problems"

There's various discussion - including a reference to Rob Smith's BX pdf archive (!), and someone argues that for 250 Euros (new BX doseur price) the problem can be fixed. The poster above ends with

".... personellement, un doseur de xantia de 80 000km à 10 euros à toujours résolu mes problèmes de doseur."

Personally, a xantia doseur from an 80k-kilometre car has always resolved my doseur problems.

Nobody contradicted that - so it looks promising.

Jaba · Post by **Jaba** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 12:25 am

Pleiades can supply reconned ones. They may however have to have your old valve first.
Worth a try as they are in your neck of the woods.

I have probably got a spare one. It does not leak but does sink a bit as they all do as they age.

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:55 am

Have you bought anything from Pleiades recently? For the last year odd they have rarely had any stock, don't generally answer the phone and when i've tried to lay money down just to order something they have been far less than interested. I can't help but think it would be better to cast a new valve and machine up your own replacement parts then bank on Pleiades!

Post by **docchevron** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:31 am

/\ that.

Xanty or CX or XM valves are all interchangable.
Phoenix has an XM valve.
The valver has a recon CX valve.