Active cornering enhancement (ACE)

In message , nemo2 writes

First things first ....... Check the level of the fluid in the ACE tank.

No point throwing ideas at you. Get it plugged in and find out what the problem is. As long as it has the correct level of ACE fluid in it you will not do any further damage to the system.

Hi Mark,

I've just checked and the fluid is low, only just above the level of the pipes. I'll have to take a slow drive to buy some more fluid in the morning. I've realised that when I went to check the level I've been checking the power steering level not the ACE level in t he past.

You've just reminded me that about 4 weeks ago I thought I noticed an oil leak from what I believed was the ACE unit a box with a number of pipes and a drain plug in the bottom situated under the car on the drivers side about level with the pillar between the front and back doors. I cleaned it down and have been checking it regularly including last weekend and has been no sign of a leak. However, I've just been out to check and it's covered in oil; any idea (guesses) what that means?

Regards

nemo2

Yes.

Thanks

you have a leak obviously from the valve block on the ace system,the pipes have 0 rings on the end were they go into the block there is also a filter on the bottom of the block,dont normally have cracked pipes but i would not rule that out,im afraid it is a specialist job as you have to bleed the ace system through and with the aid of a computor and you need to run a full systems check and clear the fault codes out hope this helps tiga.ps the ace system runs on extreme climate fluid same as for power steering its a greenish/clear color.

In message , nemo2 writes

You will easily see which one is leaking once you have re filled with the correct fluid. But it if the leak is from the front of the block you will need to replace the seals on all the pipes on the side as you can't do one at a time. The seal kits are bloody expensive.

The pipes are prone to cracking around the crimp end. Last one I did you could not see a crack, but the fluid just pored out. A new pipe cured it.

As mentioned before you need diagnostics to bleed it through after re- assembly. There is a sequence to test the response time etc. that makes the vehicle jerk from side to side which can be a little unnerving the first time it is done.

Don't run the pump dry as that will make for a very expensive repair.

Only use the proper ACE fluid...... I have heard of people using LHM (Citroen suspension fluid) as a last resort but would not recommend.

Hi Marc,

Thanks, you're quite right, it's leaking from the pipe at the bottom right (looking from front to rear of car) of the front flange; the pipe is marked "P". The leak is just a slight weep (at least when the engine is idling).

After I got over my panic, I took a very steady drive into work this morning and popped to Pilling's the local Land Rover garage at lunch time and brought some of the proper ACE fluid and filled the reservoir up to the minimum mark. When I checked it back at work about 4 mile drive from the Pilling's it was almost down to the level of the pipes again. I topped it up to the minimum mark for the 21 mile drive home and used just under half of what I had put in. I then cleaned everything down and managed to find the leak that I described above, just my luck to get the expensive front side.

I've got it booked into Pilling's for next Wednesday so till then I'l be driving very steady and keeping a steady eye on the level in the reservoir. Any idea what it's likely to cost me and is it worthwhile changing the pipes at the same time or is that a pointless exercise?

regards

nemo2

Hi tigapiglet,

Thanks, you're quite right, it's leaking from the pipe at the bottom right (looking from front to rear of car) of the front flange; the pipe is marked "P". The leak is just a slight weep (at least when the engine is idling).

After I got over my panic, I took a very steady drive into work this morning and popped to Pilling's the local Land Rover garage at lunch time and brought some of the proper ACE fluid and filled the reservoir up to the minimum mark. When I checked it back at work about 4 mile drive from the Pilling's it was almost down to the level of the pipes again. I topped it up to the minimum mark for the 21 mile drive home and used just under half of what I had put in. I then cleaned everything down and managed to find the leak that I described above, just my luck to get the expensive front side.

I've got it booked into Pilling's for next Wednesday so till then I'l be driving very steady and keeping a steady eye on the level in the reservoir. Any idea what it's likely to cost me and is it worthwhile changing the pipes at the same time or is that a pointless exercise?

regards

nemo2

As you are aware this thread is about problems with the ACE on my disco and the loss of the ACE fluid. I sure that we've all had days like mine started today so I'll share it with you.

During the night I had the brain wave that I could move some of the fluid from the power steering reservoir to the ACE one. I was certain that I had a syringe upstairs that I used for refilling ink cartridges and if not there was one in the utilitity room. Well I searched up stairs and couldn't find the syringe so went to the utility room and you've guessed it that one was also missing. However, I found a piece of pipe that I could use as a pipette. Initially, I tried putting the pipe in the power steering reservoir and putting my finger over the end of the pipe, but didn't manage to pick any fluid up. Another bright idea (oh why do I have them), I know I suck the fluid up the pipe. I can tell you that at 07:00am ACE fluid does not taste very nice!!! NB the taste also lasts for a long time.

Oh and the day just gets better, as I'm spitting the fluid out, I knock the cap of the power steering reservoir, which was balanced on the top of the air filter. You'r quite right there's a gap between the air filter and baulk head just big enough for the cap to slide down. Never mind, I'll just get a screw driver and lift it out. Wrong my screwdrivers are too short so I get two garden candles with long sticks. By now I starting to panic about getting to work and the traffic (remembering that I've got to drive very steady due to lack of ACE fluid). I try to fish the cap out with the sticks, but after 10 minutes only succeed in knocking the cap where I cannot reach it and there no obvious easy way of removing the air filter case. Giving up, I put a piece of plastic over the top of the power steering reservoir and hold it in place with an elastic band and head off to work.

Due top the delay in setting off to work I drive too fast around the first roundabout and boing, boing .. red flashing ACE light. I stop the disco at the side of the road and stop and re-start the engine. To cut a long story short I had to stop twice more in the next mile, but then managed to do the next 20 miles without having to stop; well at least for the ACE alarm going off.

At least my day got better I thought that I would have one more go at recovering the cap from down below the air filter before starting work and within 90 seconds I had my finfger on the cap......only to drop it; the air was only blue for about 30 seconds. However, I another go (glutton for punishment) and with 60 seconds it was not only in my fingers, but I was screwing it in place.

Since then with advice from Marc and tigapiglet I've managed to find out the source of the leak; just got to get it fixed now!

I trust that you've had a good laugh at my misfortune (I am as I sit here with a pint writing this), but I hope that you day has been better than mine, but at least mine did improve as it went on.

regards

nemo2