ACE pipe.

Hello, is there anyone who can help? The rear ACE pipes had corroded on my discovery 2, I have had them made up with hydraulic pipes but I have now come to another problem. Where they go into the valve block I have found out that where the flange is on both pipes the end is still in the valve block, I can get them out but the next thing is that can anyone tell me where I could get another flange made onto the pipe or has anyone got an old pipe which has still got this piece intact that I could join onto mine with a compression fitting? I’m in Birmingham and because I am disabled my sons have been doing it for me, I’ve been without my car now for nearly 2 weeks and the mot has now expired. We have got the new collets and other parts but my son never realised that the ends were like this until earlier when they came to put it together and discovered this problem. If anyone can help me urgently so I can get it back on the road ASAP please. I am housebound without it and I have had to cancel drs appointments and hospitals. If anyone has got the two pipes with good ends which my son could pick up this evening or tomorrow morning I would be so grateful. ThankYou.

May be best to get block machined to take hydraulic fittings.

Hi,as above or you can buy pattern replacement pipes. Getting the old pipes/seals out of the valve block can be/is a PITA & when you refit with new collets & seal make sure you get every & I mean every bit of the white powder corrosion stuff out of the block or you won't get the seals/pipes back in & risk damaging the expensive seals. Pics of the new seals & the valve block with the corrosion round the old white plastic seals that all have to come out without damaging the alloy block so be careful when removing the old seals, best of luck.

Or!! Get rid of it!

When mine went Tits-Up? I looked at the price of replacement/Repairs

Cheaper to buy replacement bits and become Non-Ace Td5!!

Feels no different than before!!

Kev

Badger688 said:

Or!! Get rid of it!

When mine went Tits-Up? I looked at the price of replacement/Repairs

Cheaper to buy replacement bits and become Non-Ace Td5!!

Feels no different than before!!

Kev

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+1^

I have had some interesting comments about ACE recently. Mentioned it discussing issues with a chassis swap and ACE is often a easiest to remove due to block connectors.

When I said hose conversion, they were happy and want to see it.

Sometimes ready converted blocks are on Ebay.

Suggest buying a second hand block, strip it down, and find a local machine shop happy to modify to fit hydraulic fittings.

I think that will be based on your location! Access to those types of services and costings??

Kev

Buy a block off Ebay, get it converted (1/4" BSP holes), for each ram I used

1/4" BSP male-female adaptor in block
1/4" BSP swivel
1/4" BSP 2m of hose with 1/4" BSP 14mm banjo crimped on

Pump
1/4" BSP male-female adaptor in block
3/8" BSP 1m hose with correct end
3/8" BSP compression fitting onto pump pipes somewhere under wheelarch

ThankYou all for the advice. My son is sorting this for me and has managed to get two compression joints and was wondering whether anyone has got the two pipes which go into the block. As long as they are about 8 inches long and the ends are in good condition, he could then connect them to the pipes we have had made and I will once again be able to get out again and drive wherever I need to go, I’ve had to cancel 2 Hospital appointments for my Cancer already and I really need to be able too attend within the next 2 weeks. This is why he is going for this other option just to get it done quickly and as cheap as possible because it has cost so much already and I can’t afford to spend much more to get it sorted. If anyone can help with these two pieces of pipe as in the picture and be able to post them to me I will pay for them and the postage. Please? David.

Discovery dave. said:

I will once again be able to get out again and drive wherever I need to go,

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I dont know the exact size of the banjo on the hose attached to the ACE pump's outlet but you can measure it, go to a specialised shop and buy a same dimension hose barb banjo which should be available, attach a piece of hose to it as to be able to connect that piece between the pump's outlet and the fluid reservoir's return port, top up the fluid and you can drive it that way cos the fluid will be recirculated so the pump will not run dry as that's the main concern, the vehicle will be a bit "floppy" while cornering hard or breaking hard but not dangerous, when mine leaked i drove it so for a week without probs untill the new pipe arrived.

a proper dimension fitting like this and a piece of hose is all you need for this emergency fix... i carry mine in the boot just in case, my son took the D2 in the mountains untill next week otherwise i would have measured it for you

Mine were all rusty, or cracked, so had to scrap.

P.S. for the above cos i just realised, if only the rear pipes are disconnected, remove the ACE relay, start the engine and watch if there is any leak cos with removed relay it's "locked bars" default mode so the dc valves toward the rams should be closed in the block as to recirculate the fluid without letting it into the HP pipes but on such old system they can not close 100% so worth a check and if it's not leaking you can drive it that way without any other improvisation... if you lost all the fluid you'll have to refill and prime the pump by undoing the banjo untill it's good flow there with engine at idle...that's VERY important

Hello, my hoses leaked the lot in about 15 minutes, the pipes were rotten! My sons took the pipes off and took the to a place that made them from hydraulic pipe, and had a compression joint to join these ends, they attached them and put it together but it started leaking from the valve block. When they checked closely, the pipes had fractures just around where the collar is because rust had eaten it. All I need now are two pieces of pipe with that fitting which aren’t too rusty, as long as the collar isn’t rusty and they have about 6inches of pipe it will be enough to join up with the new hose and fittings. I don’t think it will matter which side of the valve block they come from as long as they are not too rusty, the pipe can be cleaned up. I feel like when we had covid and I had to stay in, it drove me mad, if the car is working I can go for a drive and see the kids. I can’t even sit in it because it’s up on ramps and I would need a ladder to get in, plus all their tools are in it. I appreciate all the help and advice. ThankYou, David.

Hi, sorry to hear of your predicament & hope you can get this sorted sooner rather than later. I'd be amazed if, even with new pipes, (which are £50) you'd get them to seal with the old seals in as the o-rings in the valve block normally get damaged when you remove the old pipes so I would have some of the new seals handy (unless you're converting it to threaded fittings) or do as @sierrafery says, all the best.

Andy Warren said:

even with new pipes, (which are £50) you'd get them to seal with the old seals in as the o-rings in the valve block normally get damaged when you remove the old pipes so I would have some of the new seals handy

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A big +1 for that ^^^... those seals are compulsory cos old ones are not reusable, that's a fact