C5 Jacking Question

[demag]

I'm confused about what or what not to do when having the wheels hanging on the C5. Do I always have to undo the lds tank cap? What about if I'm changing a wheel or having a couple of tyres fitted?

[Clogzz]

I raise the suspension to the highest setting, then jack up at a jacking point under the sill.
No opening of the tank … and no problems ever.

[GiveMeABreak]

If you will be having the wheels hanging freely, e.g. the car suspended off the ground using a post lift on the sills, then suspension on high, remove LDS cap. When vehicle is lowered, when back on the ground, replace cap and lower suspension.

Same if you are raising more than one wheel off the ground unsupported, say if you are leaving the back 2 wheels on the ground, but have the front lifted up on a jack or axle stands where the 2 front wheels will be freely hanging.

You are ok with one wheel off the ground hanging freely though.

This is clearly noted in the service docs.

[myglaren]

Isn't it only the X7 that is affected though?

[GiveMeABreak]

No Steve, the C6 has also suffered with ruptured LDS tanks as a result as well as the C5s having burst tanks.

[myglaren]

I meant that earlier C5 didn't suffer from that particular affliction.

[GiveMeABreak]

I believe there were cases of failure on the earlier C5s too Steve.

[Hell Razor5543]

I would go with the assumption that all LDS Citroens could suffer from this issue, and would loosen the cap to the LDS reservoir. I know that the cap on MY C5 does have the breather hole.

[daviemck2006]

I never loosened the cap on any of my c5's and never had a problem. However i always did on the activa before jacking it.

[GiveMeABreak]

It's been noted elsewhere that the breather hole is insufficient to cope with the sort of extra pressure and therefore the volume of fluid that could be expelled as a result from lowering the car suddenly from all wheels hanging and not on 'high'.

The typical bursting of the tanks results around the seam of the tank I believe, where they can weaken over time with the repeated extra pressure caused from not following the guidance. Why they never put it into the manuals is beyond,!although they did see fit to inform some of the larger tyre fitting chains.

[GiveMeABreak]

I never loosened the cap on any of my c5's and never had a problem. However i always did on the activa before jacking it.

Down to the individual I suppose, but I've always erred on the side of caution as I wouldn't want it to leak or burst out in the sticks where I live

[elma]

I'd guess that if an engineer wrote it in the book a business man removed it.

[MikeT]

This is clearly noted in the service docs.

I've read mention of it but not seen the official instructions. Would it be worthy of a "sticky" post for all to reference? Just a thought as I for one would appreciate it.

[GiveMeABreak]

Good point Mike, I know I've mentioned it in various posts, but a separate note might be prudent. I'll sort this out after I've finished hedgecutting and mowing duties

[MikeT]

Interestingly, there's a modified reservoir cap. I looked it up after reading they modified it purely due to this failure.