Suspension leak... and top up?

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kentc5
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Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by kentc5 »

Hello guys,

As the previous owner told me one of the spheres is leaking fluid and this been happening for the last two years lol ...
from what I have been reading it is not that hard to change one of the front spheres.
But until I get around and change it ... I would like to top up the hydralic fluid.
From what I can see it is the power steering fluid tank ... as shown in the manual? just infont of the coolant expansion tank.
I cannot believe this tank is only for the power steering as it is huge and pressurised.... I tried to open it and made a hissing noise, so I tightened it up straight away and came here to do my post before I do something I will regret lol.

Do I only buy the fluid from Citroen? and what shall I ask for my 2002 C5 2.2Hdi (it has the hydractive 3+ suspension if it makes any difference).
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myglaren
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by myglaren »

The fluid you need is LDS, available from Citroen dealers and other sources such as AEP.

Image

Try and obtain Total LDS as there is some doubt that alternative oil blenders will supply the correct spec.

It is highly unlikely that the sphere itself is leaking. More probably the pipe union.
kentc5
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by kentc5 »

I ordered a Haynes manual... for a C5 hopefully I will have it sometime in the week.
When you say pipe union? where would that be?

The leak ... comes at the end of the undertray on the driver side, it is tiny... maybe one drop per couple of hours and if it does...

So is it safe to open the tank? or I need to put the suspension on a specific setting before I do so.
Current Cars:
Citroen Xantia 3.0 V6 Exclusive ('98)
Alfa Romeo 166 2.0TS ('03)
Audi A6 C6 2.4 V6 SE ('05)
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myglaren
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by myglaren »

This swiped from elsewhere and is the one I more or less followed when I topped mine up a few years ago at the Northern Rally in Wetherby.
There is a proceedure to follow when checking the LDS level:-

Lower car suspension to Minimum and switch off engine.
Open bonnet and remove black plastic cover over LHS to expose reservoir cap.
There is an oblong window embossed into the front sloping side of the plastic top half of the reservoir which you are to use as a level indicator.
Use only Citroen LDS fluid, (about £12 per litre).
Remove reservoir cap, this may be quite tight.
If your car is Hydractive 3, the level required is to the top of
the window.
If Hydractive 3+ (you have 3rd sphere mid point at each axel), the level is half way up the window.
Replace the cap loosely but do not tighten yet.
Start engine and raise car suspension to Normal operating level.
Now tighten cap.
Note that there are conflicting instructions and Citroen dealers are not always sure what is the correct procedure.
I got mine from a Citroen service manual pdf but it's anyone's guess where that disappeared to.

As the leak is so little it may well be coming from a return pipe. Not sure about the front but the rear gaiters collect the fluid that leaks past the seals and returns it to the reservoir - by design.
One of my gaiters had a tiny tear in it that leaked a small amount of LDS. A new gaiter was £13. If you are lucky then it could well be a return pipe not properly pushed into place and a minor adjustment will fix it. Worth investigating before embarking on more expensive cures.
kentc5
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by kentc5 »

Sounds a good idea I need to find a free time slot to my friend's garage and put on a ramp and poke around ... and see where this comes from. :)
If it is as you say something loose and retighten ... then it would be a smile in my face :)

By the way is it normal for the shock absorbers to appear (wet) where they move up an down...(in and out the gaiter) not the rest of their body
nothing is running down or any leaks .. just a dump.

I will try to get a pic tomorrow. All 4 are like that so I would think this is how they meant to be. But just checking.
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by citronut »

you shouldnt see any fluid on the outside of any of the components,
what mileage has this car done,

it could if your lucky be the sphere seals leaking,
Regards, malcolm.

current ride a BX 1.7 TZD estate
1986 MK1 BX 1.9na D Auto(in Mothman Andy's stable )
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kentc5
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by kentc5 »

I just seen the reply, I have gonne out and taken some pictures... might be normal as the car has not done more than 20.000 since 2008
At the moment on the speedo it has 86.800 miles.
While I was taking the pictures I realised I have no engine undertray lol ... so will look for a replacement :)
2 pictures... one of each front shock and the last is where the little drop of hydralic fluid coming off ... from the fact it is very thin and yellow I assume it is LDS?
I had a look on the sphere where that sits on top of the driver side shock and seems dry so that cannot be leaking I guess. I do not know where the middle sphere of the 3+ system is ... waiting for the Haynes Manual to shed some light.
Those pictures were taken with the suspension raised all the way up.

Front Driver Side
Image

Front Passenger side
Image

And the little corner where the fluid drops from (I know not easy to see there is a drop there when the pic was taken it is exactly in the middle of the picture)
Image
Current Cars:
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Alfa Romeo 166 2.0TS ('03)
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Lexus GS300SE Navigator ('98)
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citronut
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by citronut »

no its not normal as there should not be any sign of fluid on the out side of any of the hydraulic components,

also these are struts not shock absorbers, basically hydraulic rams
Regards, malcolm.

current ride a BX 1.7 TZD estate
1986 MK1 BX 1.9na D Auto(in Mothman Andy's stable )
layed up roppy 1.9TD XANT estate, now gone to meet her maker
purple and lilac metalic 2CV(VIOLET)registered to her in doors
1972 DS special been layed up aprox 31 years
citronut
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by citronut »

ps.

the breakers yard in my thread below has some C5's in

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 15&t=41716" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

they are very reasonably price for there parts
Regards, malcolm.

current ride a BX 1.7 TZD estate
1986 MK1 BX 1.9na D Auto(in Mothman Andy's stable )
layed up roppy 1.9TD XANT estate, now gone to meet her maker
purple and lilac metalic 2CV(VIOLET)registered to her in doors
1972 DS special been layed up aprox 31 years
kentc5
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by kentc5 »

struts even ... every manufacturer have different names lol forgot this is not just a conventional suspension...
OK so I will need to budget at some point in the near future to replace the struts then? From what I understand what it is shown in the picture should not have been like this?
Current Cars:
Citroen Xantia 3.0 V6 Exclusive ('98)
Alfa Romeo 166 2.0TS ('03)
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citronut
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by citronut »

kentc5 wrote:struts even ... every manufacturer have different names lol
well usually most cars the front shocker is called a strut, but with a hydraulic citroen they are an active hydraulic ram,

so there has always been a debate to whether the strut or the sphere is the shock absorber
Regards, malcolm.

current ride a BX 1.7 TZD estate
1986 MK1 BX 1.9na D Auto(in Mothman Andy's stable )
layed up roppy 1.9TD XANT estate, now gone to meet her maker
purple and lilac metalic 2CV(VIOLET)registered to her in doors
1972 DS special been layed up aprox 31 years
kentc5
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by kentc5 »

I will do a good thorough clean of the front arches and what I can see on the rear as well.. and see how it goes.
I only had the car 4 days so I dont know how ... long this built up has been there :)


PS got the fluid from Citroen today for £15 for the Litre... it works the same price as ordering it online especially since they charge £7.50 for delivery lol
Current Cars:
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Alfa Romeo 166 2.0TS ('03)
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by citroenxm »

Im no expert as most will say, less so on C5's but in honesty, those struts look perfectly fine to me. They look like a little lubrication on the legs rather then a leak..

Judging from what you say, this sounds more like a return leak. A high pressure leak can drain a system in seconds!!!
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kentc5
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by kentc5 »

Sounds good (I think) ... if it is a return leak might be less expensive to fix lol :)
Current Cars:
Citroen Xantia 3.0 V6 Exclusive ('98)
Alfa Romeo 166 2.0TS ('03)
Audi A6 C6 2.4 V6 SE ('05)
BMW 735i Individual M-Pack ('00)
Lexus GS300SE Navigator ('98)
Toyota Prius T-Spirit ('04)
kentc5
Posts: 227
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Re: Suspension leak... and top up?

Post by kentc5 »

Is there a diagram anywhere showing the Hydractive 3+ layout... of pipes and tubes around the C5?
It will be much easier for a novice to start looking about :(

I put in 1lt of oil.... and I think I need 600ml more.
Current Cars:
Citroen Xantia 3.0 V6 Exclusive ('98)
Alfa Romeo 166 2.0TS ('03)
Audi A6 C6 2.4 V6 SE ('05)
BMW 735i Individual M-Pack ('00)
Lexus GS300SE Navigator ('98)
Toyota Prius T-Spirit ('04)
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