Is it possible to seal a very small ACE leak?

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rjsdavis

Active Member
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135
Location
Herne, Kent
Hello to all

I do have a very small ACE leak at the moment, very frustrating, as my Landy mechanic found it the other week whilst doing the servicing stuff on it. Gggrrrrr. I'd asked him to check the system, as I'd noticed that the reservoir had dropped below the minimum mark, which I had then topped up, but it had then dropped below min again over the course of a week or so...

Apparently, one of the front pipes has become corroded and there's a leak in one of them. Apparently, I need to replace the front pipes (two in total as I understand it in four parts) that go between the block and the reservoir in the engine bay. I've just looked at the block under the driver's seat, and was confused as I can see that there are four pipes coming out of the front of the block, and two to the rear!

Anywho, I know it's a real pig of a job, and a particularly expensive one, especially if gen pipes are ordered from LR - well over a grand as a job with labour... (from LR)

I can get the pipes for 250 notes, and the labour's probably going to be around 1-150, so still something I could well do without. I've had the problem for a couple of months now, but the leak is small, so it gets topped up every fortnight or so, whenever the alarm starts pinging when a sharp'ish corner sets it off and the reservoir is sufficiently low.

However, I've been wondering if I can at least temporarily deal with it? As the leak is small, I was wondering if anyone had used anything like "Lucas power steering leakstop" fluid in the system to seal a small leak? I've hesitated putting anything other than the correct fluid in the reservoir, as the last thing I want to do is gunk up the pump or the module block with something that shouldn't be in there!

Therefore, I thought I'd put it out there as a thought... Anyone ever tried this? At the moment, I think the leak is actually getting less and less, as the reservoir was last topped up a fortnight ago now, and usually, I'd have expected the ACE alarm to have pinged off through normal usage by now, by the reservoir level is still fine.

(Am well aware that I need to keep the system topped up, and well aware that the pump would be fecked very quickly if the reservoir was allowed to empty and **** out of the pipes)
 
rjsdavis said:
Hello to all

I do have a very small ACE leak at the moment, very frustrating, as my Landy mechanic found it the other week whilst doing the servicing stuff on it. Gggrrrrr. I'd asked him to check the system, as I'd noticed that the reservoir had dropped below the minimum mark, which I had then topped up, but it had then dropped below min again over the course of a week or so...

Apparently, one of the front pipes has become corroded and there's a leak in one of them. Apparently, I need to replace the front pipes (two in total as I understand it in four parts) that go between the block and the reservoir in the engine bay. I've just looked at the block under the driver's seat, and was confused as I can see that there are four pipes coming out of the front of the block, and two to the rear!

Anywho, I know it's a real pig of a job, and a particularly expensive one, especially if gen pipes are ordered from LR - well over a grand as a job with labour... (from LR)

I can get the pipes for 250 notes, and the labour's probably going to be around 1-150, so still something I could well do without. I've had the problem for a couple of months now, but the leak is small, so it gets topped up every fortnight or so, whenever the alarm starts pinging when a sharp'ish corner sets it off and the reservoir is sufficiently low.

However, I've been wondering if I can at least temporarily deal with it? As the leak is small, I was wondering if anyone had used anything like "Lucas power steering leakstop" fluid in the system to seal a small leak? I've hesitated putting anything other than the correct fluid in the reservoir, as the last thing I want to do is gunk up the pump or the module block with something that shouldn't be in there!

Therefore, I thought I'd put it out there as a thought... Anyone ever tried this? At the moment, I think the leak is actually getting less and less, as the reservoir was last topped up a fortnight ago now, and usually, I'd have expected the ACE alarm to have pinged off through normal usage by now, by the reservoir level is still fine.

(Am well aware that I need to keep the system topped up, and well aware that the pump would be fecked very quickly if the reservoir was allowed to empty and **** out of the pipes)
Click to expand...
Or bypass it
 
I may be wrong here but think that the leak stopping stuff only reacts with the rubber seals causing them to swell slightly. Think your problem is different in that the pipe is corroded.
Some people opt to have the system removed and replaced with anti roll bars etc. And some replace the pipework and have the ACE up and running.
I believe hydraulic pipe specialists can make up flexi pipes for you in this respect

I opted for the rip it out and replace with anti roll bars method
 
There is a hydraulic specialist near me, I will be visiting them if I ever get a leak as it will be cheaper than new pipes
 
The system as you currently have it is going to bite you in the ass one day when you need it, either in that the ACE will fail, or you'll have a large fluid loss, and end up knackering the pump.

As mighty Yoda said, either do, or do not, there is no try.

So, either rip the system out, or fix it properly, but having a system waiting to fail is just asking for a trouble!
 
Thanks for the replies - I'm not "waiting for the system to fail" before I do something about it. I'm trying to amass some cash to have the work done. I've also been warned by the mechanic (as well as two others who have quoted), that the likelihood that this pipe replacement work may well disturb the rear pipes, fecking them up in the process, and requiring their replacement too - turning a very expensive job, into a very, very expensive job...

I take it, that no-one has actually tried what I've suggested?

If not, fair enough. I won't be ripping the system out and replacing it with standard shocks/anti-roll bar etc. It WILL be replaced, with gen parts and be made fully good. I'm simply trying to find a useful stop-gap in the meantime. If she fails with massive fluid loss, we'll obviously take her off the road immediately and take the financial hit there and then.

I would be interested, however, if anyone has used a hydraulic specialist as an alternative and what the costs were? My expectation on this, is that it's probably as broad as it is long on cost, and I'd always pick gen parts as opposed to something that was custom fabricated as an alternative.
 
You can fix the ACE now properly and cheaper than converting it cos the market is full with good used parts(pumps, ECUs and valve blocks) due to that converting hysteria cos in many cases people are removing the whole working systrem due to one pipe leak... the pipes are all doable at quarter of the LR price by somebody who knows what to do except the one supply pipe which has the atenuator in it, follow all the links(and the links in them) starting from here http://forum.lro.com/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=68796#p622854 if you want to fix it for good... if not convert it and forget about it... IMO if you drive alot with loaded car especially with a roof rack too ACE makes a BIG difference.
 
Yes - thanks for these two latest posts.

I'm aware that a load of Disco owners convert their Disco's to remove ACE, and am aware that others bodge their repairs with home-made pipes etc. I won't be doing either of these things, and will only ever put genuine parts on my cars. I know it's more expensive, but I'm happier knowing that a bodge isn't going to let me down when I'm in the middle of Europe or Western Asia when I really need it to be reliable!

I take it, as one final request, that no-one has ever tried plugging a relatively small leak with Power Steering fluid sealant?

I appreciate that an earlier post talks about some sort of reaction with the "loss-stop" fluid reacting with the rubber seals to expand them and hopefully seal the leak, which would clearly be useless in the event of a corroded steel pipe that has actually corroded through!
 
I haven't personally tried using stop leak on these systems - but my understanding is, as others said, that it works by swelling rubber seals.

The other issue is these systems run at several hundred bar of pressure, hence needing decent pipes. If you've got a pinhole, the rest of the pipe wall isn't going to be very thick and could fail suddenly.

Personally, I did see someone who had done a fantastic job retapping the block and fitting inserts to take commercial hydraulic hose fittings. I reckon if done WELL that this would be a higher standard repair than the original 'dodgy olive' seals that LR picked. Don't think they did a fantastic job on the ACE implementation though the design is good.

David
 
David Pye said:
I haven't personally tried using stop leak on these systems - but my understanding is, as others said, that it works by swelling rubber seals.

The other issue is these systems run at several hundred bar of pressure, hence needing decent pipes. If you've got a pinhole, the rest of the pipe wall isn't going to be very thick and could fail suddenly.

Personally, I did see someone who had done a fantastic job retapping the block and fitting inserts to take commercial hydraulic hose fittings. I reckon if done WELL that this would be a higher standard repair than the original 'dodgy olive' seals that LR picked. Don't think they did a fantastic job on the ACE implementation though the design is good.

David
Click to expand...


Thanks for this David - do you happen to know who did the work that you've seen and talked about above?
 
I think Martin Hollings on the d2boysclub forum did the ACE block modifications to take standard hydraulic fittings - with good write-up & photos
 
Pawl said:
I think Martin Hollings on the d2boysclub forum did the ACE block modifications to take standard hydraulic fittings - with good write-up & photos
Click to expand...

Thanks for the name Pawl - I've been googling this for the last 20 mins, and all I can find is mentions of this amazing write-up on this forum in other threads, and other forums! I can't actually find the write-up itself.

Anyone out there got a link to it please?
 
trax said:
non genuine parts is a bodge :rolleyes: i don't think you understand how part suppliers work or what a bodge is.
Click to expand...

Sorry you didn't bother to read what I actually wrote before your sarcastic comment....

"...that others bodge their repairs with home-made pipes etc"

Nowhere does it say in any post I've ever written "non-genuine parts is a bodge". At least have the courtesy and professionalism to quote me accurately, and read what's been written before you critique it.

:cool:

I don't think you understand the English Language my old son.
 
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