The "towbar" Test, accumulator check

Guys,

I read on XM-L about that test where you seat at the rear of the car after you've switched engine off, and it has to lift up again at normal height within 20 secs, if not it means accumulator has no pressure to supply! That's a good test indeed, I wouldn't have thought of it myself. However I have the impression the rear of my car just sinks more and more when loading wheights -it nevers lifts back-. Even 10-20 kgs will make it sink and stay there...Plus, I know my acc pshere is at 55 bars at the mo. So, do I have a huge internal leak indeed ???

I'm doing the test tomorrow, it'll be interesting to compare results between us!

George

I always watch when filling up. Mine goes down and up a couple of times during a complete tank fill. Not as weighty (pun intended) a test as the stand on the towbar one, but if it just goes down during filling and not up again I can be sure it needs attention.

When I switch off mine goes down and stays down, but it comes up again when I start it and as long as it continues to do so I wont be bothering it!

Peter.N.

Hhhhhmmmm, that's why you're always nostalgic of the "good days of the CX", your XM has a big leak somewhere, like mine, and your middle spheres don't participate in the game as they should!!

George

So, have done it on mine this evening. I have switched engine off just as the pressure regulator has cut out, so it should be loaded with about 175 bars. Boot open, seat on it, car managed to lift itself back to normal height 2 times, 2 and a half maybe, then no more. Then it was down, and down ,and more down, eventually by seating on it for 5 mins I have floored it (I'm 70kgs). So there is leak there definitely, not saying it's abnormal though, perhaps that's just the normal leak rate. Althoug it seems too much to me...

George

the test i do is stop the car and immediately lift the suspension lever to full height. If the car goes up, theres plenty pressure in the system.

Did it on mine the other day, an accumulator thats been sitting for 2 years, stopped the engine, lifted the lever and it went right to max height at the back.

I was happy with that.

David.

Hi George

Thats about right! I have fitted a new pump, changed the regulator and distribution valve and its still pumping large quantities of LHM back to the reservoir, so I thought fiddlesticks, I will wait until something packs up. That was 30k ago!

Peter.N.

Good test indeed, I ll do it tomorrow on mine.

G

Note that if the car sinks within just a few minutes after stopping, then it's the specific case of a worn seat of the electrovalve(s). Is this your case?

George

Hi George

It doesn't always. But what does happen is that I loose all braking after its been parked a few minutes, as I found nearly to my cost when I ran it down a driveway without starting the engine!

Peter.N.

Tested mine last night. Stopped the engine, lever to high position and............................it wasn't interested Didn't rise or drop, didn't do any thing. It will be soooo nice when its fixed

Hmmm... I must try that on mine.
Lately, with the car off, the rear does sink almost completely within an hour or two. When left for long periods of time, e.g 10 hours while I'm at work, when I come back the back is completely flat, and the front has went a little, but not much.
Gives the car a rather squat BX type look I find

Must stand on the towbar later and see what happens....