Hydraulic tank

[C4robot]

Just wondering if anyone can advise if the hydraulic tank cap should have a rubber washer in it. Hydroactive 3+ on 2012 C5 Tourer my cap has the small hole in in the top but there is no LDS fluid on the cap but thete is a build up around the filler neck of the tank it's self, have cleaned it many times and the residue appears again after a few days or so, if left a couple of weeks leaves a LDS build up around the seam on the tank where the lip is, the tank is not over filled at is below the bottom of the basket on the lowest suspension setting on a level surface, just there has never been any fluid residue here before so confused.

[GiveMeABreak]

Has it been raised on a post lift (tyre change at a garage for example), without having the cap removed first? At least it sounds like you have the modified LDS cap with the hole in it to help relieve pressure for those who forget to remove the cap prior to raising off the ground. Some have split their LDS tanks by not doing this.

[C4robot]

Hi , it has recently been to a garrage in for a slave clutch cylinder not a Citroen main dealer, but I goth them to do ballancing, tracking and wheel alignment and realign he steering wheel whist it was in there. :/ if the tank has a breach could this also account for the harder ride I have been experiencing?

[GiveMeABreak]

It is difficult to say, but if you have air in the system because of a leak for example, or air has been sucked in that can lead to hard suspension. All the service operations where a hydraulic Citroen is to be suspended, wheels hanging, has a bold instruction to ensure the LDS cap is removed prior to lifting, and then refitted once the car has been lowered.

You can try lowering the car, turning the wheel full lock left and right a few times, switch the engine off and check the LDS levels that should be between the A and B marks (remember engine off).



Top up if necessary, replace cap, start and raise car to high and low a few times, then go for a drive. If it is still quite hard, it may need a full bleed, which involves depressurisation of the system and applying a pressure of 0.5 bar to the LDS tank, starting engine, stabilise, raise to HIGH, then set to LOW, turn steering left to right several times, stop engine and re-check levels, top up as necessary.

[Stickyfinger]

They also lift the car at MoT tests......does it look like it has been cleaned around the tank AND the bonnet above it ? (a jet of LDS comes out of the cap)

[Mandrake]

Uh, a car that can't be lifted on a hoist without first unscrewing an obscure hydraulic tank cap ? (obscure to non owners manual possessing Citroen owners at least)

What were Citroen thinking...

[white exec]

...and all because the pump wasn't self-priming? Wasn't that the reason?
Almost as incredible as Range Rovers that tear their air suspension bags when wheels are allowed to hang (for a wheel change).
Such craziness ought to bring sales of such vehicles to a sudden halt, one would hope.

[Stickyfinger]

Yep, it is really hard work taking a cap off.

The blame is not the design, it is Citroen "Customer Education" making a non problem into a big one (when it happens) coupled with our unwillingness to fully read any instruction book (me included, I still have nor found the entry in my book).

It is this type of information sharing Forums like this are good at, Citroen do themselves no favours not combining with groups like us..................despite the massive efforts of the "Official Citroen CC" (cough)

[Mandrake]

...and all because the pump wasn't self-priming? Wasn't that the reason?

I think it's because its a sealed system to keep dust and moisture out. But of course this means it will be under pressure or partial vacuum if the quantity of oil in the tank varies greatly from the "norm".

Yep, it is really hard work taking a cap off.

The blame is not the design, it is Citroen "Customer Education" making a non problem into a big one (when it happens) coupled with our unwillingness to fully read any instruction book (me included, I still have nor found the entry in my book).

I think you completely miss the point - nobody said removing a cap was difficult to do. The point is that it is idiotic to design a system where it needs to be done to avoid damage to the system. How many owners (especially if they are not the original owner of the car) would think, "gee you know, if I'm going to get my tyres changed, I better make sure to tell them they better remove the cap off the hydraulic tank before the car is jacked up so it doesn't split and spill oil everywhere and leave me with a visit to the dealers to get it fixed.

Ludicrous. What tyre fitter is going to know this ? None. What MOT testing station is going to know this ? None. Why should either of them be expected to read the owners manual for a simple operation like jacking up a car which doesn't cause any trouble on ANY other car, including green blooded Citroen's ?

What owner who doesn't read their owners manual is going to know this ? None. Why would ANYONE in their right mind even THINK that such a possibility as removing a cap from a hydraulic tank would be necessary to avoid damage before jacking up a car.

You can make light of "it's just removing a cap" all you like, however this is exactly the kind of reason that Citroen suspension died out and nobody will touch it with a barge pole. There were enough legitimate concerns with the older green blooded designs, don't go adding more problems that are going to catch innocent people out unfairly...

CLEARLY a design flaw in a sealed system where not enough expansion area for air has been left in the tank to prevent excessive pressure change with the change in oil volume and/or the material of the tank is not up to the task to withstand the pressure change. Xantia V6 coolant expansion chamber anyone ? Cough cough.

[mickeymoon]

Well said Mandrake!

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

[Hell Razor5543]

One thing that may also cause an issue is that there is a cover over the two tanks (hydraulic and coolant), and to access the hydraulic cap you have to take this cover off (no need for the coolant, there is a hole for it). I wonder how many first time Citroen owners would know about it (if they did not read through the handbook)?

http://parkers.bauercdn.com/Images/Arch ... C05007.JPG

[white exec]

Simon, spot on. The cap should obviously have been vented (in a controlled manner) to allow excess pressure in either direction to be released. Crass, stupid and inexcusable, and almost certainly the basis for a courtroom win by a determined complainant. If Toyota had done this, there would have been several unmissable stickers on the car, and probably a recall of all affected models. PSA work along different lines, especially the P bit.

Right. I shall now be charitable for the rest of the year (until the next bit of idiocy turns up ).

[Stickyfinger]

One thing that may also cause an issue is that there is a cover over the two tanks (hydraulic and coolant), and to access the hydraulic cap you have to take this cover off (no need for the coolant, there is a hole for it). I wonder how many first time Citroen owners would know about it (if they did not read through the handbook)?

http://parkers.bauercdn.com/Images/Arch ... C05007.JPG

that is not an X7

I maintain it is not the "design" that is the problem, but the lack of adequate information from Citroen to the owner.

[Hell Razor5543]

I know it is not an X7, but both my MkI and the facelift have that cover over the hydraulic tank. I do not know if the X7 has, but if it does then that could cause this issue.

[Paul-R]

The covers over the spheres is yet another deleted item on the X7 compared to the MkI/II.