im leaking from some where above the rear cross tube or behind the fuel tank (94, 2.5) must be a return hose as its taken a week to lose about a liter?? anyone have a clu what to look for (tank out or subframe)???? oh and its started sinking overnight, help,,terry

Hi Terry, I had a BX that had this problem, it started as a slow leak but then ruptured completely rendering the car undrivable... it was a supply pipe that ran over the top of the rear subframe that didn't have enough flex in it to allow for the constant movement and failed due to fatigue rather than corrosion.

My advice would be to get it replaced as soon as poss before it leaves you stranded

Good luck, Colin.P (doommonger extraordinair)

Hi Terry,

I've never dropped the tank fully off the car but have lowered it along with the subframe. It's not too bad a job if you have several axle stands etc. I'd first check the connection on the height corrector and work from there.

There's some photos on my Flickr account if that helps -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7328220@N02/1...57601606596399/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7328220@N02/1206365880/

A small leak in the pressure side could be the cause of the sinking overnight.

Have you thought about putting your car details in your signature?

Good luck with the leak.

Steve.

What he said ^^^^

rust ,,,them pics arnt my car,, mine is nowhere near as rusty as that i just wonderd if there was any return pipes running above the tube???? looking from the back of the car the leak is to the left of the long exhaust pipe ,between the tank and the cross tube, its mostly running down the fuel tank ,,i just cant see where from e

Sorry Terry, it doesn't sound good. From my limited experience in this department, it has always proved to be the high pressure lines that fail above the subframe.

Believe it or not that rusty underside was a S reg.

Steve.

S reg ,must have lived near the seaside?? mines a 94 on an M plate, OH well just have to grinn an bear it ,,drop the tank or sub frame and see whats up,,lol

think i found the leak, it seems to be a slightly thicker pipe that comes from a three way splitter on the rear cross tube , and goes up the front to an inline connector under a plastic cover? just under the passenger seat (not checked the O,D of the pipe yet but it looks about 5to6mm) if it is i can order a lengh of cunifer from pliades and re,rout it so as not to disturb the tank or subframe? i got my silver 2.0 sx up onto its side yestrday hoping to get the pipe of it but it was rusted in the exact same place? where it goes thru a plastic clip on the cross tube ,

Martin Dunn at Pleaides will probably be able to tell you the correct size of pipe, supply you with a length of the pipe, its seals, nuts and connector pieces plus the tool to form the pipe-ends, all for around the £60 mark. A good investment for the future.

joy of joys, mine seems to have sprung a leak too, but at the front-end

Saturday, replaced the seal on the 6mm pipe from FDV to regulator to try cure the weeping at the FDV end of the pipe, but no luck, same again with a new seal, but the weep is slight so figured I'd live with it and source a new pipe as that's the only common denominator left.

Car ran fine sunday, uneventful other that being stuck in traffic for ages, and it's mainly when under pressure that the pipe weeps.

Noted a slight puddle under the car this morning, hard to say if oil or condensation or both as it was quite damp this morning, so topped up LHM approx 1ltr as I figured it was the weep when using the car yesterday stuck in traffic & sitting overnight. From what I could tell (the bit I could reach) the oil seemed not to be green, so figured maybe a drip from the sump plug after changing the oil, but level was good so figured I'd nip that up tonight. Return to car this eve and a another puddle, and it's green! Seems to be coming from the area rear of front sub-frame passenger side

Add LHM, approx .75 ltr and start up, nothing major, just a drip from the sub-frame area and the centre sphere showing a drip on it too, so drove home. Doesn't seem to have lost anything much on the trip back, 22 miles <30 mins.

So, am thinking must be a low pressure return as the most likely candidate - any particular favourites in that region?

I've not worked in or around that area since changing the steering rack, so guess it's possible I disturbed something then (over a month ago) and it's now decided to rear it's little head. Doesn't look to be the rack, though the gaitor looks oily, so will have to check that as a possibility, but expect I'd see the leak at both ends in that case?

Ah the joys of running Cit's !!! A 7-seat merc estate pre '96 is looking very tempting right now.

Thanks
Dave

found my leak its a high pressure pipe that goes from just under the passenger footwell from an inline connector to a three way union on the rear crosstube,, i measured the pipe dia at 5.4 mm but pliades say that is wrong only 3.5 and4.5mm are used so maybee the coating on the pipe is quite thick?

thought all the pipe front-to-back were 3.5mm, but guess 4.5mm may be possible too for the suspension circuit - maybe 3.5mm is the brakes only. Guess one option would be to disconnect the pipe union at the more accessible end and measure - maybe try a 3.5mm & 4.5mm seal to see which is the correct fit?


Sorry to hijack your thread a bit, seemed silly to start another with the same topic.

Just had a look at mine and it's not easy to see where it may be leaking, just a drip from a couple points under the frame, and it's wet in the area behind the centre sphere and steering gear, etc. Some photos attached - anyone any ideas. Circled in red possible suspect area based on the nice green colour, photos not too clear tho, taken on the phone using an LED torch, best I could do tonight.

There's some rubber union arrangement there - expect my luck would make that the culprit. If it is, any alternative repair possible, as I bet the part is going to be nigh-on impossible to get hold of, or ludicrously expensive.

'course it could be one of the steel pressure pipes as Brian's mentionned on XM-L. If so I hope it's a 3.5mm as I've some pipe & flare tool & bits from Plaides so just might be able to make up a repair if it is.

rgds
Dave