Lhm Loss

Hi all

Having a problem with the red estate (sons transport) it keeps running out of LHM but I can see no leaks when on the ramp, admittedly its been raining ever since this started so the underside of the car is wet, but I can see no drips. It obviously must be loosing it when its being driven. I have checked the strut return pipes and they seem to be OK. Any suggestions?

Peter.N.

My next source of leak, after the strut return pipes in the wheel arches, was the high pressure feed pipe as it goes over the top of the rear cross member. You cant see the pipe at this point but you would see a v.large puddle. and not be able to drive the car, but it could be one of the other low pressure pipes in this location.

Is it a slow leak then only while driving, or a suddne loss with immediate failure of steering, suspension, brakes?

Is there any sign of any deluge / muck in any of the following:
under the pump
onto the bonnet lining if a pipe has split
steering rack
around any of the brakes
anywhere under the car along the NS where all the brakes run?

Check around the bottom of the O/S front wing, behind the wheel. If the doseur valve is leaking this is where the LHM ends up - unless the space under the plastic scuttle panel is blocked up with leaves etc, in which case it'll be swimming under there!

Thanks Gav and Neil

The pipe over the axle was replaced just before I bought the car. I think it is a slow leak while driving as the first indication is the fluid level light flashing on and off.

I do have my suspicions about the doseur valve as my daughter in law said she thought she saw a puddle of fluid just under the drivers door, I told her that there were no hydraulic pipes that side but if its running down from the bulkhead, that is presumably where it would run out. I will check as soon as it stops raining. I think Pleiades do an exchange one, is there any other source?

Peter.N.

That is where the fluid ends up. The chances are you won't need to reploace the valve, you can just whip it out and replace the rubbercover over the pushrod. This splits and the fluid that should go to the return pipe ends up on the floor. I've probably got the part number for the rubber somewhere, I'll have a look tonight.

Hi Peter

Yes, there are other sources including the one at Yeovil which is still at less than 3 quid.

John

This then must be the only good thing of having the doseur in the scuttle!

In LHD cars the doseur will leak under the carpet in the driver's feet if the "mushroom" rubber fails!!

G

Thanks for all your comments. Now it has stopped raining and the car has dried out, I see that the fluid is not coming from the front at all but from above the rear sub frame - this will be the third time, last time it was the ABS connector, so at least I'm getting used to doing it now.

Thanks

Peter.N.

Found and fixed the problem now, it was the o/s brake pipe, it had fractured just above the bracket on the suspension tube. It took me longer than the suspension pipe that went on the other one very difficult to get at, I took the exhaust off eventually, made it much easier. I dropped the subframe unnecessaraly as the removing the exhaust gave me the needed space. The Pleiades pipe is much easier to bend than the steel stuff so you can make a reasonably neat job. If anyone would like a help file, please let me know.

Peter.N.

This post has been edited by Peter.N. on November 18, 2008 10:30 pm

wow that looks like an anatomy exam,lol,