Rudge ("Rudge" <nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>) gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying:
> I will try replacing the LHM fluid.
What colour is it currently? It _should_ be a violent electric green. If
it's not been done for ages (should be done every couple of years), it'll
be filthy black. If it's bad, it's worth putting some flu****ng fluid in
(available from GSF and others), leaving it in for a thousand miles or
two, then changing for new LHM.
> I believe I will require about 5
> litres of the stuff. I can get a 5 litre can of LHM Plus for about 24.
> Does the Haynes manual describe the best method of draining the old LHM
> fluid out of the system?
It's straightforward.
Start the car.
Put it onto full flat.
Turn it off.
Remove the LHM tank - IIRC a couple of clips - and empty it.
Give it a good rinse out (petrol's as good as anything) to get the old
crap out. Clean the filters on the pipe block, too.
Put the tank back in.
Fill with new.
Start the car.
Full high. Up and down a few times.
Check the level.
What are the spheres like? If the fluid's been that neglected, the
chances are the spheres haven't been touched either. A flat ac***ulator -
click-click-click-click from under the bonnet - will mean you have no
reserve of brakes if the engine stops whilst you're moving. It also risks
damaging other components by not damping the pressure waves from the
pump. Flat front wheel spheres will not only mean you have no suspension,
but will put extra stress on the rubber front strut tops, which can fail
causing the suspension struts to come through the bonnet. There's 8
spheres on a late XM, less than £20 each. Most are easy to change, but
there's a couple of buggers at the back - the anti-sink and rear
hydractive centre. They are worth doing, though, as they make a big
difference to the ride.
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