Slow Front / Odd Pipe Loose

[Zaphod]

I have a 2.0 Sei that I got very cheap (I know)
It has a number of problems, biggest one being the lack of compresion on 2 and 3.
But the front end is relucatnt to rise, although it can be forced to by setting the hight to full, where upon it will belatedly rise to full height. It also seems reluctant to drop. Would this be seized valve?
Also while at full height I noticed the drivers front strut is coverd in oil, on closer inspection I found a small (<1cm dia) rubber pipe dangling with a 2mm dia metal pipe in the end with traces of LHM this appears to have been attached to another pipe that is attached to a rubber 'box' attached to the side of the strut. What is this? how important is it and could it have coverd the drivers suspension in LHM if left loose? The heynes shows it in the pictures but there seems no mention of it.

Stewart

This post has been edited by Zaphod on May 10, 2006 11:33 am

[noz]

Hi Stewart,

The problem with your compression problem between 2 & 3 is most likely to be the metal flame ring(s) on the cylinder head gasket. The island of land between cylinders 2 & 3 is very small and the flame rings for both cylinders are nearly touching. Once the head warps slightly the combustion gases are able to transfer through the gap from one cylinder to the next and vice versa. The more the engine is run in this condition the more the cylinder head matrerial is worn away by the flames and the worse the problem gets. This doesn't happen between the other pairs of cylinders because the island of land between them is much larger. The solution is to remove the head and have it welded at the damage point and then skimmed to make it flat again. This assumes that the damage has happened preferentially to the softer material of the head and not to the top of the cylinder liners which are steel.

The reluctance to rise and fall is very simple and easy to fix. With the car on some ramps (do not get under the car on the ground when playing about with the suspension) locate the front and rear height correctors. These will be shown in your Haynes manual. You will find a linkage connected to the HC with the last linking lever being what looks like a small plastic pair of dumbells. Disconnect the dumbells (the car will fall at this point so be prepared) (the dumbells are just a snap fit over the spherical balls on both the HC and the linkage) and exercise and grease all the joints in the linkage train until they are free to move. Reconnect the dumbells. Hey presto ! problem solved.

The rubber pipe next to the strut is for the return of LHM fluid back to the reservoir. All hydropneumatic struts are designed to leak a little. Its the leaking LHM which keeps the piston and seal inside the strut lubricated. At some time in the car's history the rubber tube has been broken and someone has attempted a repair by trying to joint both halves of the break using a piece of brake pipe. Is it possible just to reconnect or is the joint too close to the rubber block on the strut? If it can't be reconnected then you need to get a new or second hand rubber block complete with attached pipe to replace yours which has broken.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

noz

[Zaphod]

Oh bum (with regards to the head) I was rather hoping it would be the flame rings themselves that had failed. And being less able to transfer heat away had burned away. If the head is damaged as you say the car is scrap . Pity as the rest is in nice order despite the 186K miles on it. anyway will find out soon. If it is scrap there will be a nice Leather interior for sale!

The break in the fluid return pipe is level with the brake pipes bracket on the strut, so looks like there is enough to make teh join again. Will leave the height corretor till the state of the cyl head is known.

Stewart

[Zaphod]

OK my SEi has been saved.. by a xantia.
A xantia appeard at my local scrapyard, it was an auto with what looked to be the same engine a quick search on the RAC websie revealed it to be a Xantia 2litre LX auto. So I have had the head off it total cost of the complet assembly £20 cam, sensors, manifolds and all. There were signs that it was starting to be affected by the same breakdown in the head gasket, but now I don't have to have the car imobile for any more than an afternoon whcih means it can be saved as I can prepare this head to go straight on.

Stewart

This post has been edited by Zaphod on May 14, 2006 08:34 am