Air in suspension system c5 x7

[nomad123]

Hi Marc,
I have found some posts on the forum.
Should i check here?

Or somewhere else underneath the car?
Thanks!

[GiveMeABreak]

Yes, that's the place. This one above looks ok, but many of us when we had the rack replaced used a rubber boot to put over the pinion to help prevent water from sitting in the pinion well, after putting lots of marine grade grease over the pinion.

[nomad123]

Okay Marc,
I will check it today or tomorow.
This picture is not mine, I found it on the forum.
I will take a picture and post it here.
Thanks

[nomad123]

Hi Marc.
Here are the pictures.
There is some rust. Do you think this can brung air in the suspension system?
Thanks

[GiveMeABreak]

You really need to see where the pinion goes into the steering rack. Look at this picture:

viewtopic.php?p=708014#p708014

You should be able to lift the rubber bung up to see where it goes into the rack itself.

[nomad123]

Like this?

[KennyW]

There is no HF leak at the Pinion in those photos. But I don't know how you can tell if air is entering.

Nothing obvious

Kenny

[nomad123]

When i depressurise the system, lds is foamy and has bubbles in it. After 2-3 times of system bleeding lds is clear.
I drive the car doe 1-2 days and when i check it again foam and bubbles are back.
I can feel it while driving. Car is more crashy and drive is not so smooth.

[KennyW]

There is leak some where in your system. It will be very small.

It is needs a complete check of the whole system to find it.

Has any of the system been renew or moved ?

I can suggest looking at the front to rear supply pipe where several of us had a leak near to where the pipe goes over the full tank.

But otherwise can't suggest anywhere else.

Kenny

[nomad123]

Nothing has been moved or renewed.
I haven't noticed any lds leaking in my garage.
I will check for the leaks one more time.
Can hydraulic pump bring air in the system?
If pump is in bad state.

[Jay-Bruce]

I'm wondering if the "air" is actually nitrogen from a failing sphere?

It's unlikely to be a split/leaking pressure line as simple physics tells us that high pressure flows to low pressure, and the system is ~90bar vs ~1bar for atmosphere meaning a leaking pressure line will push fluid out rather than suck air in.

The only place that fluid movement would draw air in would be a split on the suction/feed hose between the tank and the BHI, more specifically the pump contained therein, or on the hose that runs to the power steering pump. I've actually had that on my Jaguar, a small crack on the power steering pump supply hose was allowing the pump to draw in air as well as fluid.

[osx]

Or a leaking strut.

[nomad123]

So a little update...

I took a suspension pump from a friends x7 and replaced mine.
Result - no more air in suspension system! Yeeeey!
So conclusion is that my pump is causing air in the suspension system.
Does these pumps have some sort of seal that can be replaced?
My pump is working fine so if I could just replace this seal it would be great!

[Stickyfinger]

Marc...how would air get into the system via the pinion seal...it is positive pressure on the inner side.... (IF) it is getting in via the rack would/could it not be via corroded pipe fitting on the inlet pipe (dragging air in) ?

[nomad123]

Does anyone have an answer?
Thanks!