Dollywobbler's TZD estate - departure time

[mds141]

IIRC Xantia rear cylinders can be adapted to fit the BX. Perhaps a phone call to Pleiades might be productive. Good luck with it Ian.

[Dollywobbler]

It's losing enough fluid to leave a trail - a constant drip, so at least it isn't a high-pressure pipe or something. It's far more than I'd want on a 600 mile drive though. Not sure about leaking on different heights - certainly does on normal, and I think it did on low (until I got it on the ramps and slammed it, then it stopped - but that might just be because the level is low).

[Dollywobbler]

Any ideas for where I could get a replacement cylinder? Would I need a Xantia estate one?

I've just had it running, still on ramps. On normal height, it starts dripping, but it did then stop. Went through the heights and it didn't really start again apart from the occasional drip. Could just be that it's low on LHM now, but I'm wondering how bad this leak really is. Mind you, I don't fancy trying to drive to London and suffering complete failure of the cylinder at some point. I'm aware that a drip can turn into a gush.

[mat_fenwick]

It won't be the cylinder wall then. Even a tiny pinhole will produce a huge spurt. If it is definitely coming from the cylinder area, my guess would be that the bellows have split where the return pipe joins to them. The state of the piston and seals will determine how much of a leak you have if that is the cause.

[Dollywobbler]

Having had a good nose about under there, the leak does indeed seem to appear about halfway down the bellows. I'm not sure what to do next - I've never done anything at all with the rear suspension of a BX.

[mat_fenwick]

New bellows are still available I'm certain - probably shared with the Xantia. Have you got a set of ramps you could pop it up on to have a look safely whilst under pressure?

[Dollywobbler]

It's on ramps now. Thought I'd better reverse it up a pair while it could still lift itself! So the bellows just catches fluid and presumably somehow guides it to the return pipes then? This is all sounding very "phew!"

EDIT - a search of this forum suggests it had a replacement rear suspension boot in November last year, but it doesn't mention which side. Neither look particularly fresh. Have tried searching the interwebz for these boots, but not having a lot of luck. As ever. Any recommendations?

[mat_fenwick]

There are two seals on the cylinder - the first is designed to leak a certain amount to lubricate itself. Any that passes this seal doesn't enter the concertina part of the bellows but instead goes down the return pipe where it is clamped to the cylinder. There is a second wiper seal to catch any LHM and stop it filling the 'open' part of the bellows. There is a vent pipe attached to the open part which ends inside the axle tube.

If the wiper seal failed you would get LHM collecting in the bellows but from experience it would leak out at the lower end where it contacts the suspension arm.

EDIT - just seen your edit - I'd try a Citroen dealer. The only one I have spare is emergency use only, as it is damaged at the lower end so could let dirt in.

[Dollywobbler]

That's certainly where the dripping is coming from. I need to drag myself underneath for a better look I think. Might be worth me sloshing degreaser over it and removing the accumulated LHM and muck to give me a better idea where the leak is.

EDIT - could be that wind pressure is pushing the LHM backwards along the bottom of the bellow I s'pose. The 'top' (ie highest point) of the bellows is dry. The damp patch starts halfway up, but it is at the axle that it's dripping.

[mat_fenwick]

Ah, this is all sounding familiar - I had a damaged boot last year which let the piston corrode. Hence the wiper seal was not making a proper seal against the piston and allowed some LHM past, filled the boot and dribbled out. So I had to fit a new boot AND piston.

Depending on how long it was running with a spilt boot the piston may also be damaged...

[Dollywobbler]

Knackers. Wish I'd kept a stripey source of spares now! That had a replacement suspension unit nearside rear while it was away from me...

[citsncycles]

The bellows are available from Citroen - I fitted one to Timex last September. I suspect failure of the outlet tubes was a known problem as they are much beefier on the replacement. It was fiddly, but I managed to replace it without any major dismantling, but if more seals are gone I suspect it'll need the cylinder removing to fit them.

[mat_fenwick]

You can actually replace all the seals in situ - just pop the piston out and the two seals are just inside the end of the cylinder. I did the job last year and replaced the seals in case they had been damaged by the corrosion on the piston.

[Dollywobbler]

Rats. I think it might be a high pressure pipe that's gone. Just started it up so I could get it on the ramps again and it was misting just in front of the rear wheel, as well as dripping a fair old stream of LHM over the driveway.

Feeling very despondent about this car at the moment.

[Dollywobbler]

Talk about timing. My Citroen specialist had a new two-post lift installed this week. Ideal!


http://www.sparrowautomotive.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; based in Hereford.