Leaking rear suspension (looks like a return?)

[BiTurbo228]

Hi there!

New forum member, and relatively recent BX owner

I bought a 1.9 TZD accidentally for £250 a year or so ago (bid £250 to make me feel better about not being able to get it and no-one bid higher!)

A spate of welding and she ran very nicely for a year with no problems. Very impressive given that it was off the road for 5 years previous to that.

Couple of months ago the water pump let go so I replaced that, but while it was sitting a minimal fluid leak (a drip or two every few days) at the rear exacerbated to something that really needs to be sorted.

I'm guessing it's probably on a return pipe as it's bone-dry so long as the suspension's pumped up, but when lowering the suspension right down (especially from full up position) fluid practically gushes out from above the axle.

I've searched and read a couple of posts here on the forum and gathered that there is a flexible return line heading back up the body to the front, but there's two I can see on mine. Is that for the left and right sides of the suspension?

Unfortunately I can't see where the leak's coming from, even with a little camera on a flexible stick.

How tricky is it to drop the rear beam? Any tips or tricks? I've ordered a Haynes Book of Lies but I thought I'd come to the experts first

Simon

[Tinkley]

Most likely the soft return from the ride height corrector to the more semi rigid transparent return piping. It's on the n/s (just) at the rear sub frame. You can use 5mm bore petrol/oil proof tubing from a factor to replace it. It may be the firmer tubing but that seems quite long lasting compared to the black rubber stuff.

Sometimes it can be the attachment to the height corrector and a tweak gently on the pipework attachment can sort a slight weep.

Someone else may have more idea(s). Make sure you really chock the car up really solid on blocks/ramps if you venture underneath and let hte pressure relief valve go...

[BiTurbo228]

Most likely the soft return from the ride height corrector to the more semi rigid transparent return piping. It's on the n/s (just) at the rear sub frame. You can use 5mm bore petrol/oil proof tubing from a factor to replace it. It may be the firmer tubing but that seems quite long lasting compared to the black rubber stuff.

Sometimes it can be the attachment to the height corrector and a tweak gently on the pipework attachment can sort a slight weep.

Someone else may have more idea(s). Make sure you really chock the car up really solid on blocks/ramps if you venture underneath and let hte pressure relief valve go...

Interesting thanks where the fluid is actually coming from is directly above where the O/S trailing arm mounts on the far right hand side (if sitting in the driver's seat).

There was a bead of fluid on what I assume the height corrector is in the centre of the beam/subframe but the pipe from that seems dry...

[tim]

A couple of small points.... if you are going to get involved with doing your own work (essential really unless you've won the lottery AND trust the guy you're paying) you need to get some really good ramps. Once the car is up on them you can stay underneath, clean everything up and get someone to do Citrobics while you watch with a good inspection light. It's all visible from one angle or another. Another is what's causing it. The cheapo green T-piece (same as the one above the main reservoir) often splits from old age and may be the culprit, or any of the return joints, all of which can be seen if you can get your head in there. I have also had two rear suspension rams fail, one blew out on the wife's TXD after a full repipe and mine also went a few months ago; unlike the first, which was a true gusher, this just started dripping, but I recognised the symptoms and fitted a spare (secondhand, new ones are a bit rockin'horsy). So while you are there clean out the whole area around the rams. Lots of dead leaves, goop etc, which you'd think would help protect the alloy bodies. It doesn't....... corrosion awaits. All of mine now have two coats of good polyurethane varnish!

[mat_fenwick]

To me it sounds like the operational return from the height corrector, which is a rigid pipe rather than the leak-off return. The operational return takes the extra volume of fluid when the car is lowered and is high volume but (relatively) low pressure. In normal use there is no flow in this pipe. I think it is usually on the outside edge where the pipes go over the subframe so is the easiest one to do without dropping it!

Regarding the corrosion of the rams, it seems to help to drill a hole in the steel shroud at the lowest point, to allow any water to drain.

[ken newbold]

As Matt has pointed out, that operational return I found was a regular trouble spot because there is also a nylon leak off pipe in VERY close proximity to the two metal ones, this often chaffs against the op return pipe and rubs a hole in it.