HELP-- LDS fluid all overthe place!

[rmunns]

The saga continues!

URGENT

2009 excl X7 tourer.

I just raised all four wheels off ground using jack + axle stands.

Lifted bonnet and could hear 'hissing' at suspension fluid tank.

Gently took off cap, but as soon as the pressure was realeased fluid started p*****g out.

I shut cap and came in to write this.

What should I now do? Car still up, all 4 wheels off ground, cap is back on.

[GiveMeABreak]

Did you read the warnings:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=62058

A bit late - but did you raise the suspension to the highest setting first and then remove the cap?

So what has happened? The fluid will normally rush back in the case where the guidance has not been followed when the car is lowered, causing the fluid to rush back into the tank.

[rmunns]

I followed this:

Here's the procedure for a MK II Drain and Refill:

Start the engine.
Place the suspension height control in the "LOW" position.
Stop the engine.
Raise the vehicle and support on axle stands, wheels free.

Open the LDS fluid reservoir cap.

which I found on here.

[rmunns]

What should I do now then? Put car down onto wheels, start and raise to highest setting, then start again?

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, so you are doing a drain and refill procedure - that's different. The notes should also say CAUTION: The LDS fluid reservoir is pressurised. If this is not the case, can you point me to the post so I can check it?

As system is pressurised I would loosen the cap slightly and be prepared to recover any excess fluid before your proceed. You may have too much fluid in the system. Remember to always check levels on low when refilling.

[rmunns]

Marc, so grateful for help.

I have got the car back onto the floor, on all four wheels, then taken off cap. No pressure, fluid about half way up the neck.

Car is still at lowest setting, cap back on. So can I now raise to highest setting, then take off cap? Or should I take cap off before raising car up to high? Then can you point me to what I should do?

I aim to change the fluid. But do you think that perhaps the bouncy ride has been because the cap has been taken off / put on at some stage when it should not have been? For example by tyre fitters?

[rmunns]

This is the post I followed:

by GiveMeABreak » Sat Jan 13, 2018 6:41 pm

I see now it says Mark II...................... it is surprising that Mk.II and Mk.III are so different.

[GiveMeABreak]

Just give me sec to answer your questions before you do anything - I’m away from my system for 2 minutes....

[GiveMeABreak]

The MK III system is a slightly different system to the MK I and MK IIs - extra spheres and different piping etc.

Ignore what I said about raising the car up in my other post - I wasn't aware of what operation you were trying to perform. That procedure is for only when you are raising the car up for other operations where the wheels will be unsupported and hanging freely as in for mechanical work or changing a tyre - not for when you are actually draining and refilling the LDS fluid.

You only need to put the car in HIGH mode as part of the bleeding the system instructions (see procedure below) - you cannot do this when draining and refilling

This is the procedure for the X7 - probably the same, but put here again for completeness

[1] clip pliers CLIC 4121-T	[2] set of two hose clamps 4153-T.

Drain and refill

• Start the engine.
• Lower the vehicle to the low position.
• Stop the engine.
• Raise the vehicle and support on axle stands, wheels free.

CAUTION: The LDS fluid reservoir is pressurised.

Open the cap of the fluid reservoir LDS.
Remove:

• The front right wheel
• The front right mud guard

Clamp the hose (2); Using tool [2]. Remove the collar (1); Using tool [1]. Uncouple the hose (2) from the LDS fluid reservoir. Drain the LDS fluid reservoir. CAUTION: Recovered LDS fluid must not be reused.

Refilling

• Couple the hose (2) on the LDS fluid reservoir.
• Refit the clip (1).
• Remove the tool [2].

Refit:

• The front right mud guard
• The front right wheel
• The vehicle to its wheels

"b" LDS fluid maximum level. "a" LDS fluid minimum level. Fill the LDS fluid reservoir up to the maximum level of LDS fluid "b".

Bleeding

• Apply a pressure of 0,5 bar in the LDS fluid reservoir (using a FACOM 920 tool).
• Start the engine.
• Wait for the vehicle height to stabilise.
• Place the suspension height control in the "HIGH" position.
• Place the suspension height control in the "LOW" position.
• Turn the steering from lock to lock in each direction.
• Stop the engine.
• Check the LDS fluid level.

Checking and topping up the LDS fluid

N.B.: Checking of the LDS fluid level is done with the vehicle in the forced low position (hydraulic suspension circuit de-pressurised).

"b" LDS fluid maximum level.
"a" LDS fluid minimum level.
Open the cap (3) of the fluid reservoir LDS.
If necessary add LDS fluid up to the maximum level "b".

Don't use reclaimed LDS and dispose of unused LDS bottles once opened after 2 weeks.

[rmunns]

Thanks, Marc., but I am confused.
You say:
Drain and refill

Start the engine.
Lower the vehicle to the low position.
Stop the engine.
Raise the vehicle and support on axle stands, wheels free.

CAUTION: The LDS fluid reservoir is pressurised.

Open the cap of the fluid reservoir LDS.
Remove:

The front right wheel
The front right mud guard

That's just what I did, but the fluid would have poured out if I had done more than slowly crack the top and rapidly screwed it back.

Do you think at some stage in the past maybe the cap has been taken off / put on when the car was not sitting properly?

[rmunns]

I just read what I wrote in the first entry in this post.

What I didn't say was that I had lowered to low setting:::::::::::::::::

I started engine, lowered to low setting. Jacked up all round, put axle stands under. So car was on low setting, with all 4 wheels off ground.

That's when I realised pressure in tank, confirned when I cracked open the cap.

But this is just what you say I should have done.

[GiveMeABreak]

Yes the instructions are correct - but the system is pressurised Roger. We have no way of knowing what level of LDS was in the system and whether is was filled on the wrong height setting. The important thing is that now you have let the excess pressure out. So follow the guide (official) that I put up to complete the operation and pay special attention to the 'bleeding procedure' (no pun intended)

[rmunns]

Marc. (sorry to make this all public, really perhaps ought to have been PM).

I don't understand what I do from where I am now. The car is sitting on all 4 wheels, still in the 'low' setting. The cap is off. Fluid about half way up neck.

Do I put cap ON before I jack up all 4 wheels off ground, or should I leave cap OFF before I jack car up to all 4 wheels off ground?

[GiveMeABreak]

No Leave the cap off before you raise the car up on the jacks, so any pressure can escape.

[rmunns]

OK, I think I'm good now. I will jack up to all 4 wheels off ground, cap off, watching in case fluid overflows.

Tomorrow.....................