confused about the octopus

[BX Meteor]

I was just reading through MULLEY's thread LHM flowing out again, I don't want to interfere in that thread, so I've started this one.

In his thread, it seems that MULLEY bought 2 octopus pipes, but I thought that the octupus came as one, which is why it's called the octopus.

I have only ever seen the octopus/return pipes in situ on the car, 3 different return systems returning to the 4th/5th/6th locations on the reservoir (going clockwise), and I thought that these 3 return systems came as one. Or do they come separately ? Or am I misunderstanding some other terms of reference in the thread ?

[ken newbold]

The main octopus as you know sits on the front subframe under the engine. The other one sometimes reffered to as the front octopus is found at the front of the engine near the reservoir and is the joint or joints in the pipes responsible for the other main return fluid into the reservoir.

[BX Meteor]

if you look at the top of the reservoir, going clockwise from the pipe furthest from the front of the car:
1st pipe is the supply to the pump
2nd pipe is the main return from from height correctors when height is changed on the lever
3rd is return from brakes
4th/5th/6th are returns from Octopus set (which I always assumed comes as one part joined together)

Which return position are you referring to, the 2nd ?

[ken newbold]

You've lost me here a bit

The small octopus is the set of pipes that come joined together and can be found just above the alternator (diesel models) just to the right of the reservoir.

[MULLEY]

I'm getting more confused as well evertime i ask a question

My understanding is that there are 2 sets of pipes which are bundled together down the cambelt side of the engine which go into the lhm tank, not anything to do with the hydraulic pump which is a seperate pipe.

One is the main octopus & the other one is referred to as the small octopus, however, when you look at both sets neither description seems to do either justice. The main one is simpler & has less pipes, whilst the small one has more pipes coming from it & is of thinner diameter as well. Or have i got this the wrong way round?

Either way, citreon calls them something completely different, one of them is a leak back harness? the other i don't remember.

Good question though, as i'm sure novices would like to actually know which is which.

[BX Meteor]

According to Wikipedia:

All octopuses are venomous, but only one group, the blue-ringed octopuses, is known to be deadly to humans.

I'm sure I've seen blue rings round some of those rubber pipes !!

Also:

There are around 300 recognized octopus species, which is over one-third of the total number of known cephalopod species. The term octopus may also be used to refer only to those creatures in the genus Octopus

That explains it in the same way that we all seem to explain it ...

[Way2go]

One is the main octopus & the other one is referred to as the small octopus, however, when you look at both sets neither description seems to do either justice. The main one is simpler & has less pipes, whilst the small one has more pipes coming from it & is of thinner diameter as well. Or have i got this the wrong way round?

I think you do still have this confused Mulley!

THE Octopus is the one which sits on the subframe under the engine and has a quantity of small pipes attached which go to numerous points in the bay and to the rear. This is the one which takes 3 hours of chargeable garage time to fit. The Citroen trained mechanics have named this the Octopus.

The other thing is not called an octopus except on this site, perhaps people should call this other thing a "squid" to stop this mix-up?

Which one did the garage actually fit for you for 4 hours charge? Surely the tank pipes can be done inside the hour?

[BX Meteor]

For me, the best place of reference is the reservoir tank, only the first pipe on the tank has fluid flowing out (to the pump) and all the rest have fluid returning.

To me, the place where they terminate on the reservoir tank is the best place to begin a terminology. I thought that the last three positions (going clockwise from the first pipe, the out supply to the pump) are in fact three separate return systems that come as one complete unit (the octopus).

Thus the other two postions are "the squid"

[MULLEY]

I'll have a look at the packaging tomorrow which is in the boot of the car, i'll then look it up on the citroen website & report back. TBH i've no idea which one was fitted as i was expecting both sets to be fitted at the same time. All i know is that i'm sure it was the one that i ordered from citroen rather than gsf & paid £72 for the bugger

[rayfenwick]

<steveirwin>Crikey! The Green-ringed octopus is a unpleasant little blighter also. Go anywhere near it mate, and it squirts this oily green goo at you. Strewth! It's a little ripper! (well it was on my car...)<steveirwin>

[BX Meteor]

LOL .... so if a person works under a BX on full suspension and a pipe bursts and the car drops on that person, then that BX from henceforth should be referred to as "Stingray" !!

[citronut]

you can die when wrestling with the green ringed/blooded octapussy if you get under there without the car suportted ,


regards malcolm

[rayfenwick]

LOL .... so if a person works under a BX on full suspension and a pipe bursts and the car drops on that person, then that BX from henceforth should be referred to as "Stingray" !!

I'd rather it didn't 'sting' this Ray, so I'll never go under there unless it is on ramps. If anyone out there hasn't seen one drop, and they think it's the nice controlled gentle descent you get when you move the height control in the cockpit, think again. They slam down to the bump stops.

Don't let it happen to you guys. It scared the crap out of me, and I was only standing next to the XM that did it.

[MULLEY]

Righto, i've had a look on the citroen website & they call these little rubbery devils:

96030258 - Return Piping - Oil Back Harnes, its number 2 on the diagram that someone else posted up recently. This i presume is the one that most people refer to as the small octopus?

95603420 - Return Piping - Oil Back Harnes - This one is for diesel fuel, their is a petrol specific one as well 95603421. What is the difference as the picture indicates that both are no 1 on the diagram that someone posted up recently. Neither of these i believe were the one that i actually had fitted, they didn't leave the bag in the car so i havent got the part number for it. I was told that 95603420 was the wrong one for my car as at the main large block part of it, there were only 2 pipes exiting & my car had 3 pipes exiting. Now i'd assumed that this one must be for the non pas equipped cars, but no, the website says its for power steering until rp 05617 except 4x4. I presume that this is called the main octopus?

On further investigation there appears to be quite a few different main octopus pipes.

95567454 - Same descriptions as above, its called Long 935 & appears to be for petrol 1360 engines until rpo 04192.

96046578 - as above except since rpo 04193.

95638836 - These appear to be for petrol 1905 & 1580 petrols & diesel. All have various rpo details which i wont bore you with.

So perhaps the above one was fitted to my car?

So you can understand the complexity of how many bloody pipes there are & which models they fit & whether they are for diesel or petrol & combine that with what people actually call them.

Anyone know how to clarify all this stuff & whether there are infact any others out there missing from my list above.

What would be handy is to have an expert detail all of this & we can have this as sticky in the tech section, that way perhaps no one will ever have to ask all these same questions again Thats me done, tired now....