C5 X7 suspension strut fluid leak - Replacement mini guide page 2

[Xantippa]

I hope not.... were the original struts made by them also? the new one has a June 2017 build date.

I think C5 X7 struts were japanese made from the start. Earlier models with french made struts were much better quality-wise.

[GiveMeABreak]

But we are talking Hydraulic struts - not metal ones and no mention so far any PSA parts being manufactured by Kobe steel that I can see (so far). I think mostly Nissan, Toyota and the like have been affected the most - just like the airbag disaster a while back.

Actually - edit: having done a little more research it seems PSA Citroen have also been affected too!:- I guess regarding what though we won't know....
https://www.redbook.com.au/news/2017/to ... _tnet=true

Ans while we're at it - the Peugeot 4008 (made by Mitsubishi) is also being recalled in Australia....
https://www.redbook.com.au/news/2017/sm ... _tnet=true
https://www.redbook.com.au/car-news/com ... _tnet=true

[EDC5]

Just an update: It's been a week and the C5 is behaving well, touch wood, no more embarrassing oil patches under the car!

Might have to wait a bit for the autopsy on the failed strut however I suspect that the ram seal was the cause.

[tontonjon]

Can you let me know where you got the struts from? I have a Mk1 C5 with both front struts leaking (so I'm told). Supply in the UK is very limited and the price comes to between £680 and £765 - I'd like to get this down a little! If your supplier also does struts for my car it might be worth importing them.

I was looking at the trade in price for my car: currently, with the mechanical problem of the suspension, £50. I spent £360 on tyres at Easter, £670 on a new clutch last year...

Jonathan

[EDC5]

Can you let me know where you got the struts from? I have a Mk1 C5 with both front struts leaking (so I'm told). Supply in the UK is very limited and the price comes to between £680 and £765 - I'd like to get this down a little! If your supplier also does struts for my car it might be worth importing them.

I was looking at the trade in price for my car: currently, with the mechanical problem of the suspension, £50. I spent £360 on tyres at Easter, £670 on a new clutch last year...

Jonathan

When you say "so I'm told" are there puddles of oil beneath the front wheels if the car is left for a period of time?

If not then perhaps your struts aren't leaking?

Also I believe the struts on earlier C5's has return pipes that could be the source of the leak rather than the strut itself.

The best way would be to get the wheel off and compare what you see to the pics and vids in the first page of this thread.

I found the struts by typing the part number into eBay. I believe the German company stocking them was called myparto.

I'm sure someone with more knowledge if the struts will come along and clarify a few points however I have read that it's not unusual to see a slight "misting" of oil on some struts and this isn't a leak proper.

[tontonjon]

"So I'm told" comes from my local mechanic (who has a lot of hydro-pneumatic experince) squashing the gaitors and telling me that there's a fair bit of oil. External leaks - no. There was one once and that was a while ago and possibly because the tank was overful. The level was to the top, but now half way down (on low position). The drop could be due to the oil in the gaitors not having found its way back to the reservoir. I think that I must have inadvertently removed the anti sink valves from the system when I installed a new stereo. The ongoing tale is in my other post, but I solved one of the issues by putting the original radio back in the car: why oh why does the radio have an important part of the electronic suspension system connected through it??!!!

Only Citroën!

Thanks for the tip on searching. It hadn't occured to me to do that. I'll give it a go tomorrow.

[EDC5]

"So I'm told" comes from my local mechanic (who has a lot of hydro-pneumatic experince) squashing the gaitors and telling me that there's a fair bit of oil. External leaks - no. There was one once and that was a while ago and possibly because the tank was overful. The level was to the top, but now half way down (on low position). The drop could be due to the oil in the gaitors not having found its way back to the reservoir. I think that I must have inadvertently removed the anti sink valves from the system when I installed a new stereo. The ongoing tale is in my other post, but I solved one of the issues by putting the original radio back in the car: why oh why does the radio have an important part of the electronic suspension system connected through it??!!!

Only Citroën!

Thanks for the tip on searching. It hadn't occured to me to do that. I'll give it a go tomorrow.

I see, so on the mk1 C5's any leaked oil in the gaiter is transferred back to the reservoir? It seems strange that this isn't the case on the X7. I only asked as the first sign of a leak with my strut was a pool of oil under it

I'll be honest I'm not sure how the radio interfering with the comfort CAN would be able to cause issues on the engine CAN that the suspension ECU operates on.

[GiveMeABreak]

Normally, I'd agree Elis, but on these Mark I's there is a mixture of CAN, VAN, Digital & Analogue wiring on the suspension and related systems - e.g. the request for a change in vehicle height goes through the Comfort VAN, as does the lighting of the height correction faults and warning lamps. But if I've learnt one thing on PSA electrics it's that they are all as clear as mud

[EDC5]

Normally, I'd agree Elis, but on these Mark I's there is a mixture of CAN, VAN, Digital & Analogue wiring on the suspension and related systems - e.g. the request for a change in vehicle height goes through the Comfort VAN, as does the lighting of the height correction faults and warning lamps. But if I've learnt one thing on PSA electrics it's that they are all as clear as mud

I see, so it's even more complicated than on the X7 ?

[Johnno]

Hi, picking up on this old thread as I need to change the OSF strut due to an MOT failure - rats! Certainly looks do-able but I'm curious about which hub puller is used. What make / part number is it? The wheel stud holes are not directly opposite each other so I'm assuming that the standard Draper two-arm type won't do it?

Cheers,

John.

[EDC5]

When I started the job, I thought I would be able to make do without but in the end had to go and get one.

The hub puller used was this: https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cht464- ... ub-puller/

You're right, the hub puller has a few different holes to allow the use on 5 stud hubs.

Good luck if you go ahead, have you managed to get hold of a spare strut?

[GiveMeABreak]

Part 6310-T - Hub Immobilising Tool:

I got mine fitted by Citroen for £186 and bought the strut from Poland for about £140 ish less. But this is the tool they use if you're feeling brave

[EDC5]

Hmm, I'm wondering how they use that to pull the hub off the driveshaft. Do they secure it to the hub and just pull on the end of the long bar? Seems like the hard way of doing it

[GiveMeABreak]

It's used to stop the hub rotating whilst undoing he driveshaft nut.

[bobins]

If you undo the hub nut, remove the brake disc and caliper and associated gubbins, you should be left with this :

Front hub - PSA, fair use

which might allow you to get a 3 legged puller on to the hub flange :

3 legged puller