Red STOP light on the instrument panel

Peugeot/Citroen Mutant · Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:05 pm

I took my BX for a run tonight after putting some diesel in her and after about 20 mins of spirited driving two red lights appeared on the dash, much to my horror!

One was a red circular icon and the other was a a red STOP sign. So i nursed her home at low revs and then realised a slight oil patch on my dads newly cleaned driveway

i will now have to clean the engine somewhere and try and pinpoint the leak. i checked the oil level and if anything it seemed a wee bit high, do you think it may have been slightly overfilled and blew a seal with my spirited driving? the engine still sounds sweet.

ANY ideas guys?

thanks

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:10 pm

Oil level's one thing, but check your LHM level. ASAP.

Look at the indicator on the top of the reservoir on the o/s wing side. The yellow disc should be high up - close (either side) to the upper red ring (run the engine to pressurise the system, put the height setting on max)

Oh, and get some white paper and wipe the patch on the drive. If it's green, then it is LHM. But if it isn't - it could still be LHM - it might be very dirty, that's all.

If the loss was engine oil, the oil warning light would be lit up.

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:13 pm

Is it perhaps a hydraulic leak?

can you tell where it's leaking from?

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:18 pm

Unless i'm very much mistaken, thats the low lhm warning light, perhaps a strut return pipe has blown off? Easy enough to check, put up on high & inspect inside both front wheels where the pipes connect upto. If its off, just re-attach & top up the tank with lhm.

I had this problem, but that was due to a strut that blew out, it had been creaky for a while before imploding, any strange noises on your car that may have caused the pipe to pop off?

Peugeot/Citroen Mutant · Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:34 pm

Thanks for the quick replies

i will check if its engine oil or LHM and have a good look with the car on axel stands.

The pump does seem to tick alot but the car seems to rise/fall and handle well.

I will let you guys know how i get on.

OMG im getting scared thinking about it

if the LHM is really dirty and looks similar to engine oil, is there a simple way to tell the difference?

Cheers

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:51 pm

If in doubt about how clean the lhm is, follow the guide in the diy section on replacing the lhm, probably worth buying some hydraflush & use that for a few thousand miles before re-filling with lhm. That way you can clear out the crud in the system, its amazing how much shit was in my car which supposedly had been well looked after. I dont think in 17 years it had ever been done properly, hence the build up of sludge etc...

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 12:22 am

Yea, I reckon if you can't tell the difference zwischen engine ol and LHM then you have MEGA dirty LHM!!

Anyway, is it possible to have a couple of pics of te leak when you spot it?

Just for some advice from the forum.

Peugeot/Citroen Mutant · Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:10 pm

Yes i will get pics up tomorrow night.

thanks guys

Oh and whats the best way to jack up the BX ? Put it in high and then put axel stands under and then lower the suspension a bit and remove wheels?

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:40 pm

Peugeot/Citroen Mutant wrote:
Oh and whats the best way to jack up the BX ? Put it in high and then put axel stands under and then lower the suspension a bit and remove wheels?

That's wishful thinking!

Start on High then use car jack to take it higher otherwise you will be too low to get stands under the sill points.

Remember to chock wheels that stay on the ground and also that the handbrake is on the front wheels on the BX so always chock the back wheels when the front is raised.

Peugeot/Citroen Mutant · Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:53 pm

Thanks for the advice.

i was hoping on getting the whole car off the ground and get all wheels off at the same time and have a good look under the car.

how exactly do you go about jacking the car up? where would be the best place to jack up the front if both wheels are chock'd

many thanks

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:02 am

Did you get the original Citroen jack with the car? This is the emergancy jack upplied for a roadside wheelchange - but can be used VERY carefully if you're on completely level ground to lift the car onto stands if nothing else is available.

It fits into a jack point on the middle of the sill - but DON'T use this jacking point with any other kind of jack as they will mangle the jack point . This lifts one entire side of the car, so chock/handbrake the other side.

As originally supplied it was strapped inside the spare wheel, though more often found knocking about in the boot - but it may be long gone.

RxBX · Post by **RxBX** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 1:10 pm

DLM wrote:It fits into a jack point on the middle of the sill - but DON'T use this jacking point with any other kind of jack as they will mangle the jack point . This lifts one entire side of the car, so chock/handbrake the other side.

As shown in the driver's Handbook page/thumbnail #21 (P48/P49 of the handbook).

Peugeot/Citroen Mutant · Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:11 pm

Thanks. Yes i have the original jack and i will use this method.

Its what i have always done on the AX's but i had two plates welded on so i could use a trolley jack.

i was just a bit worried about working on such a large car compared to what i am used to. Although i do know it is actually very light for a large-ish estate

and thank you very much for the link

Peugeot/Citroen Mutant · Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:08 pm

OK so i had the car up on axel stands today and i have to say everything is in very good condition. Apart from the leak of coarse.

Well i have found that it is inde4ed a LHM leak and not an engine oil problem.

the leak seems to be coming from just above the front sub-frame. and is a lot worse when the car is rising or falling.

the LHM is like new. bright green and very clean. so at least it has been done recently enough by the previous owner,

i could not pinpoint the leak but think it is coming from one off two pipes running right above the front sub-frame. What are these pipes? is it a common problem?

People are already telling me to break this car for parts. I just laugh at them ha ha ALL will be good again soon i tell them

Boxwolf · Post by **Boxwolf** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:24 pm

I had a very similar problem which turned out to be the return pipe from the height corrector, the pipes between the subframe and engine (including the octopus return pipe/junction which sometimes splits) are quite difficult to get at and from what I have learned from having mine repaired, the engine will probably have to be jacked up.