Pressure regulator

The pump is cutting in about every 6 seconds, I have changed the pump, regulator and accumulator sphere, to no avail. I have also cleaned out the fluid reservoir and filters and replaced the fluid. When I first did this there was a considerable improvement, cutting in about once a minute, but very shortly it was back to 6 seconds. Setting the suspension to "low" has no effect niether does standing on the brake pedal. any suggestions?

PeterN

Peter,

On the basis that you have a new regulator sphere and regulator then logic says that there's something in your system consuming lots of fluid. Again, logically, if the fluid does not appear as an external leak on the drive then it must be an internal leak form one of the hydraulic components.

If the fluid doesn't appear on the drive there's only one place it can be going to, the reservoir. To discover which component is causing the trouble, remove each of the return pipes on the top of the reservoir one by one. When you find one of them continually passing fluid back to the tank you have identified the source of the return path. Each of the pipes are connected to a particular part of the hydraulic system. When you know which pipe has the fluid coming from it let me know and I'll tell you the components connected to that line.

Once the group of components are identified it's just a matter of going to to each component in turn and disconnecting the return pipes one by one. When you get to the one with lots of return fluid you have identified the cuplrit.

Let us know how you get on.

cheers

noz 8)

Hi again Noz

Didnt realise that it was you that replied to this one as well. I appreciated that there must be excessive fluid flow through the system and had thought of doing what you suggested, but I had forgotten all about it, so thanks for reminding me. Its the memory again (I get my pension this month) I had a similar problem with the wifes BX which was due to a worn front strut, but there are no apparant symptoms of that on mine i.e the suspension stays up for sometime. I cant hear any sign of leakage on the rack although when I fitted the new one I used the old ram. I wonder if it could be the brake valve? Anyway, I will do as you say and let you know the results

Thanks

Peter.

Well
I think you may find it is the BRAKE DOSEUR VALVE around £100 for new one
9x out of 10 it is that
Take the return pipe off if it is returning a lot of lhm them it need replaceing.
It should only be a small amount now and then.
hope this is some use to you

I have a different XM now (same model and year) but it has the same problem except that at tickover speed the regulator is not shutting off at all (continual hiss) and it would seem that practically all the fluid is flowing back through the regulator return pipe. Once you give it some revs the suspension comes up quite rapidly but I have noticed that the pump cuts in much more frequently when breaking so could possibly be the brake valve.

Peter.N.

Hi
Have you tried the front accumalator sphere If that is flat it will hisss more than it should do and it is (the most important sphere of all) If the engine cuts out and this is flat the you have no back up for your breaks and it happens !!!!!!

For the price of one its cheaper than a coffin !!!!
It amazes me how many Citroen owners do not know and ride around with it hissing away.

Once this is hissing like mad 9 out of 10 wil ont re charge so a new one is needed !!

The best thing is have it checked out before you do anything else if it still continues then you know it something else and this is the main cause of the reg to play up

Good luck M8

Already changed the sphere, and the horrible centre ones on the suspension. I have found that if the accumulator sphere is completely U/S the pipe from the pump to the regulator fractures.

Peter.N.

Peter,

I know its a pain with those connectors but have you tried the same thing with this car ie taking off the return hoses to the reservoir one by one?

I can give you a picture of the hose connections and a list of what they all do if you want. It's the most foolproof method. Whichever hose is carrying lots of fluid back to the reservoir is the culprit. From the list you can tell which component is connected to which hose.

OK this doesn't actually solve the problem but it tells you which component is to blame.

I don't want to sound in any way cheeky but do you know the provenance of the regulator sphere? Was it new? Have you any way of testing it to see how much pressure there is left in it? It is not totally unheard of that even new ones leak N2 and go flat on the shelf. New doesn't automatically mean full.

The 3 choices as far as I can tell are:
Flat accumulator sphere
Bust hydraulic component leaking fluid back to the reservoir
Bust regulator, possibly with shuttle valve stuck due to crud. Maybe a wash through with Hydracainage (sp) might help.

Cheers

noz

Hi Peter

Good to hear you found out what the problem is when you change the broken pipe
make sure that the clips that hold it are all on and are fix firmly if not the pipe will go again soon

It is important that you fix all clips back in place
Had this before lots of times were pipe has been done and no clips and soon break off again!!!

Not to bad of a job to do, Fit it first before you tighten the ends up with clips and try not to bend it out of shape just make sure the ends are in place inside pump and regulator then tighten all up slowly to make sure the ends fit correctly.

do this and it should last a long time like the other has done !!!!

Let us know how you get on

Hi Noz and Guest.

There is a large quantity of fluid coming out of the regulator return pipe even when the pump is at full bore (regulator not cutting in) could the regulator be faulty?

What you say about the accu sphere may have some substance as although it is fairly recent it is not brand new, it is the one I took off my other car, and kept as a new replacement made no difference, I will get another next time I go to G&S in Exeter.

I remembered after I sent the last mail that the hydraulic feed pipe problem was on the Mk1, on the Mk2 not only is the pipe considerably easier to get at but they seem to have modified the connection to the pump which is where the pipe usually fractures.

Peter.N.

HI Peter,

mmm... Even if the accumulatior sphere was completely flat you'd still expect the regulator to do what regulators do, just more often. It would click on and off every two or three seconds if there's nowhere to store the pressure (ie no pressurised gas). However, during the 'on' period you shouldn't get anything going back to the tank. Maybe there's some dirt in the system stopping the valve inside the regulator from seating properly. This would tend to have two effects:
1 the fluid would continually be passed back to the regulator
2 the system would take forever to charge since most of the pump's output is returning to the reservoir instead of going to the suspension spheres.

Maybe a good clean out or a flush with Hydracainage would help? I've never had this problem to be honest so I'm guessing.

Hope this helps,

Cheers

noz

Thanks Noz, thats what I thought. The regulator doesn't shut off until you get the revs up and consequently the pressure is very slow in rising until you boot it, then it comes up quite quickly. I went to Exeter today but didn't have time to pick up a sphere but will do next time.

Peter.N.