barrett Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 Nope, but I can't see any reason the handbrake light would come on unless the handbrake was on, so I think French electrics is probably a safe bet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleon-Fonte Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 Nope, but I can't see any reason the handbrake light would come on unless the handbrake was on. Ah, but Frenchness is the cause of many a strange behaviour. To be honest electrics seems to be the only rational cause. It's no Laguna II where a random warning light for a small issue is the car's way of telling me I'm not going to be using it for the next few months. RayMK 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 Are you sure it was handbrake (P) and not general warning (!)? A flicker would have me suspecting a low LHM level. I wouldn't expect P and STOP to illuminate at the same time, but hey, Frenchness is a thing. Cleon-Fonte 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleon-Fonte Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 I've never had a car which used anything but (!) for the parking brake...until now. Just checked the owner's manual (why didn't I do that first?) and it was indeed the general warning light. LHM level should be fine as it was topped up last week, but I'll check again in the light as I know there are leaks (but previously quite slight ones). Got new spheres including the accumulator in the post at the moment. The knackered accumulator seal has been the only big source of hydraulic leaks so that'll be another niggle gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 You've got me questioning my own memory of BX dashboards now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleon-Fonte Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 You were definitely right, the parking brake light is on the other side and is a (P). In my (admittedly rather poor) defence, neither light has illuminated before otherwise I'd have deduced quickly that it wasn't the parking brake light. Think I might need to take the dashboard apart at some point to fix that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 That's always a fun job. If you're lucky, the binnacle will be held in place by thumbscrews, which are comparatively painless to undo. The wonder of a full bank of working lights is worth it though. As long as you don't suddenly end up with rows of warning lights... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat_the_cat Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 It's also hydraulic pressure as well as level, but if the steering was OK while the light was illuminated, you know at least the pressure is OK. Your dash should be thumbscrews being a relatively late car, so there's some good news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleon-Fonte Posted April 16, 2016 Author Share Posted April 16, 2016 The wonder of a full bank of working lights is worth it though. As long as you don't suddenly end up with rows of warning lights... I imagine that may be a possibility. It's also hydraulic pressure as well as level, but if the steering was OK while the light was illuminated, you know at least the pressure is OK. Your dash should be thumbscrews being a relatively late car, so there's some good news! Luckily I've evaded the heavy steering of doom so far (fingers crossed), I reckon it's just that accumulator sphere seal becoming more proficient at pouring out LHM. I've topped it up a bit and all seems well for the moment. Unfortunately something that has gone wrong is communication between the Royal Mail and the Danish postal service, so the front seatbelt stalk I had on its way has now been returned to sender. Does anybody a bit nearer have the right one going spare? It's the later type with 'PRESS' embossed into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 I did have some spare belts at one point. I wonder if they're in the bike BX part stash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangeangel Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 I wonder if they're in the bike BX part stash? 'fraid not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabergé Greggs Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Could anyone send me a scan of the "changing the hydraulic belt" part of the HBOL? I realise mine is for a petrol.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleon-Fonte Posted April 17, 2016 Author Share Posted April 17, 2016 So far as I can see from my diesel engine HBOL, for most hydraulic-related jobs (including belt) it refers you to the main petrol BX manual. If I can make my scanner work I can still scan you over anything hydraulic-related from the diesel manual just in case it ever comes in useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrett Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 I don't think there is a diesel BX HBOL, just a separate manual for the diesel engine. I could be wrong and I'm sure that's totally unhelpful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Indeed. Quite annoying that you have to have both. Belt replacement shouldn't be difficult though. Main thing is you do need it properly tight - far more so than an alternator belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabergé Greggs Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Indeed. Quite annoying that you have to have both. Belt replacement shouldn't be difficult though. Main thing is you do need it properly tight - far more so than an alternator belt.The thing is I actually can't see how it's tensioned... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat_the_cat Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 The pump rotates around a lower bolt - around where the hydraulic outlet pipe is. There's a slotted tensioner above the pump with an 11 mm nut, easier to access on a TD if you slide the oil breather flame trap off the intercooler first. To get enough tension you really need to lever the pump backwards. I use a forked BJ splitter wedged between the pump bracket (bolted to the gearbox) and the pump body. If it screeches or chirrups loudly then it still needs more tension... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleon-Fonte Posted April 23, 2016 Author Share Posted April 23, 2016 That'll explain the puddle of green fluid on the road at the moment then. As for the accumulator sphere, it appears to have seized in place. A chain wrench, hammer and chisel and lots of WD40 have all failed to move it an inch. Bloody car. forddeliveryboy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan_dyane Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Lump hammer and chisel has never failed me but it sometimes takes a canny bit of percussion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Have you got a proper sphere removal tool? They can require several whacks with a hammer, but space is a bit tight around there. I assume the drill is the same as suspension spheres - ie crack it off under pressure then depressurise? Pipe looks like a return pipe of some form. Can you see where it should go? Pipe bodgery is ok on low-pressure lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleon-Fonte Posted April 24, 2016 Author Share Posted April 24, 2016 My first instinct was that it fits in the hole on the end of the pressure regulator from which LHM is also escaping but I'm not 100% sure. It doesn't seem to want to stay in there very much, but I have previously acquired a roll of Britain's strongest* gaffer tape which may solve this problem. I'm going to have another try with the hammer and chisel in the morning, unfortunately I didn't get a sphere removal tool in the week and none of the local motor factors have anything suitable so more rudimentary implements are being used. Procedure is delightfully simple really, loosen pressure regulator release screw slightly for a few minutes, whip sphere off, new one on, then much twirling of the release crew again until the rear suspension rises up to service high. *This may be nothing more than bold marketing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan_dyane Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 That pipe has probably blown off *because* the accumulator sphere is flat. Gaffa tape will not help you in resecuring it; you will need to remove the single use clip and replace it with a Jubiliee-type clip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleon-Fonte Posted April 24, 2016 Author Share Posted April 24, 2016 The BX now has one shiny new accumulator sphere. A pretty major improvement without having even driven anywhere, it now rises smoothly rather than in notches and without the excessive ticking and clacking of before. It's now rather boring timing the tick time as it doesn't happen for a good while. Unfortunately nowhere that sells 6mm jubilee clips seems to be open today so I have done a guilty gaffer tape bodge to that loose pipe just to keep everything fluid tight until tomorrow. Unfortunately the front spheres are as recalcitrant as the accumulator so I'm writing this while they soak in a few gallons of WD40. strangeangel and jonathan_dyane 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangeangel Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Reading this thread with interest... I remember one morning piling into the back seat of Dad's CX to go to school and it didn't rise up as normal; Green Fluid on Driveway = Bus. My BX still has all its LHM on the inside (touch wood) but I bet it's only a matter of time before I need to know about this stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 If you have a length of aluminium bar, give the alloy casting the sphere screws into a good rap with a hammer on tother end of the bar, in the area where the thread is. This is the recognised effective method of shifting a stuck sphere thread, it's never failed for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Also, DO NOT use anything other than hand pressure when doing them up. Like oil filters, one problem is people wanging them on with far too much force. 'Tight by hand' is fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
explosive-cabbage Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Do you grease the threads when changing spheres? Mine is notchy and slow to rise at the back. The ticking from the pump is regular and infrequent and apparently this is a good thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleon-Fonte Posted April 25, 2016 Author Share Posted April 25, 2016 Reading this thread with interest... I remember one morning piling into the back seat of Dad's CX to go to school and it didn't rise up as normal; Green Fluid on Driveway = Bus. My BX still has all its LHM on the inside (touch wood) but I bet it's only a matter of time before I need to know about this stuff. Glad this thread may prove of use in keeping the bike going. It's all pretty simple stuff, miles of pipework aside. If you have a length of aluminium bar, give the alloy casting the sphere screws into a good rap with a hammer on tother end of the bar, in the area where the thread is. This is the recognised effective method of shifting a stuck sphere thread, it's never failed for me. I'll try this technique tonight as the front spheres are still pretty seized. I've managed to strip all the paint off the nearside one with repeated chain wrenching and hammering and it's still not moved an inch. Also, DO NOT use anything other than hand pressure when doing them up. Like oil filters, one problem is people wanging them on with far too much force. 'Tight by hand' is fine. Aye, I think this is what's caused my difficulties. They must have been changed by the same moron who did all those coolant flushes without bleeding the system. Do you grease the threads when changing spheres? Mine is notchy and slow to rise at the back. The ticking from the pump is regular and infrequent and apparently this is a good thing! The seal needs a good coating of grease but the thread itself is fine without. Notchiness may be due to old LHM. The ideal tick time is 15-30 seconds between ticks, so it sounds like your accumulator's fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Do you grease the threads when changing spheres? Mine is notchy and slow to rise at the back. No grease for me. Just LHM on the O ring. Slow to rise - possibly the rear height corrector is gummed up. I flush systems by substituting a litre of kero for LHM in the old, dirty stuff then drive around for a couple of hundred miles, operating the suspension from low to high a few times. Drain, clean the filters in the reservoir and add the special flushing mix. Which is either summit French called hydraurincage and costs a small fortune, or do what I do and mix half kero to half new LHM. Heat to about 60C (careful now), then pour in the required 5 litres or so. Operate the suspension a few times from highest to lowest, then go for a drive over roads with poor foundations with a hundred kilos or so in the boot, making the suspension work as much as poss. Empty the fluid (having collapsed the susp to empty as much as poss from the rams), replace with new LHM and clean the filters. Remember to dispose of the used fluid responsibly (hint - use centrifuge). Perfectly legal in an agricultural vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleon-Fonte Posted April 25, 2016 Author Share Posted April 25, 2016 Had another crack at the front spheres tonight and they're still not moving, no matter what I try. I'm going to buy a better chain wrench tomorrow and see if it helps before my reserves of patience run dry. Alternatively, anyone have a sphere removal tool I can borrow? They're not particularly easy things to find, it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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