C5 X7 08 dumped LDS, no apparent leak

[davoxx]

C5 X7 '08 dumped all its LDS, but I can't see the leak.

It dumped some over the week, and then dumped a load with the front suspension dropping to bottom.
The leak seems to be near front drivers wheel.
I refilled it with 3l of LDS, drove it 140 miles, and parked it over night.
Other than 2 drops, no leaks.

Took off drivers wheel, strut looks relatively dry. It might have a weep, but could not see any wet fluid.
I think it might be the steering rack, but I would have thought that it would have lost the fluid in 4hrs of 140 miles of driving.

Any ideas?

[GiveMeABreak]

Check the LDS tank seal - returning the vehicle to the floor after it has been on a post lift without removing the cap from the tank first can result in pressure on the LDS tank seals over time, ultimately leading to a leak.

The struts on the X7 are bonded rubber to metal - there are no return pipes for weeps unlike older models, so if it's leaking anywhere from the strut, it will need replacing as it will only get worse.

If the steering rack, you should be able to see it by looking through the steering column hole in the floor after removing the plug. If the pinion looks rusty with fluid in the surrounding area, then that will likely be the start of the rack seals going.

Other than that, check the suspension and power steering pipes and seals for leaks.

[davoxx]

Yeah will have to check all those. I was just hoping I'd see a leak and know immediately where dumped the LDS. I raised it to high and low several times.

Is the LDS tank seal the seal joining the top and bottom parts of the tank? The tank is holding pressure and is dry looking at it in situ.

Could the pump dump LDS under any conditions? Like if pressure was to high, air lock or something?

I have cardboard under it to catch any drips so will try and figure it out from that.

[Stickyfinger]

My bet is the rack, struts tend to leak "a bit" for a long time and the wheel arch gets wet, tanks normally just do not let go unless the car has been jacked up/worked on....

The racks leak onto the under-tray and run/blown down/across to drip inside/rear by the drivers side wheel. It can collect there for some time in small drips but when they go they start to flow a lot more.

[davoxx]

It's 100% steering rack.

I guess it wasn't leaking that badly before so that when it was parked up there was no visible marks on ground as the under tray caught it and driving must have emptied the pool.

Now to figure out what to do, if it's time to call it a day and get rid of it or try a reconditioned rack.

[Stickyfinger]

Some LONG threads on here about them....and what to do to stop it happening.

Why ?....simple = because it is a really S@@t design from Citroen using equally sh@t materials for the shaft.

A LONG thread but worth a read https://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/ ... ering+rack

.....there are specialists who will do the work...
NOTE: It is IMPORTANT that the feed pipes are NOT DAMAGED when swapping racks.

[davoxx]

I checked the rack about 2 years ago, and it was bone dry and no major corrosion.
I still covered it in grease as a precaution. Guess the salt and snow on the roads got to it in the end.

I'm thinking it may be time to ditch all the C5s.
The three I have, all have steering leaks, though this one is the worst by far of the lot.
And if it's going to happen again regardless, is there even a point in fixing it?

I'm in ROI and quite limited here in term of specialists.

[Stickyfinger]

Steering Specialists Ltd / SSL Autoparts,
Units 2 & 3, 97 Bridge Rd,
Horbury,
Wakefield
WF4 5NW

It needs doing every year (grease,,, however I switched to Bilt & Hamber underseal and a boot)....or a boot needs to be fitted....as done by a number of people in that thread.

The cost is well worth it .... IMHO....as without it being fixed the car is worth scrap value

[aerodynamica]

Ah, yes many of us have been here. In the short term you can save the amount of LDS lost by putting the car on high suspension and leaving it parked during the day. The leak in the steering is at the lowest point in the system and causes the LDS tank to leak out vie the steering leak but if the car is left on high there is a lot less LDS left in the tank to drip out - it's all stored in the suspension. I did this for a few weeks until I got the steering rack swapped. I went to the place in Wakefield - they've done lots of C5s. very quick turn around and they replace the pipe too with a modified Berlingo pipe. Only complaint was a couple of weeks later I noticed the flexi part of the steering pipe you can see above the track rod gaiter on the near side, was routed and rubbing heavily on the steering gaiter. Glad i noticed it. I don't know if this was caused by the use of the berlingo pipe or not but I used a thick zip tie to holt up up a bit and it has been fine ever since. I was not going to take the car back to Wakefield because I live in Glasgow and it wasn't practical. It is still holding out now after 19 months. My first refurb rack lasted less than a year and leaked again. I did fit a rubber gaiter to that over the shaft but it didn't help for me. Others have had better success. I am now just regreasing this annually so hopefully will hold out.

[davoxx]

I also have this sound - - and that's with the battery disconnected.

If I do get it fixed, I will make a note of creasing once a year and will get a boot, don't want to be changing it again and again.

I like the highest position trick, never thought of that.

[Stickyfinger]

WTF is that !!!!!!!!

[aerodynamica]

Buzzing with the battery disconnected? Where is it coming from? That's bonkers. Is it something that holds charge? But what. Ghost in the machine?

[GiveMeABreak]

If this is your DW10BTED4 engine we can rule out Stop & Start with energy accumulator as being the power source.