C5 HDi90 rear passenger side sphere leak - Strut failure !!

[KP]

Cheers Rich

Thanks Citronut, as i need the car first thing next week im trying to get my hands on the part today

Will an estate one fit the hatch at all? I don't mind swapping both units while im under there to make them both even as im guessing the bore diameter is slightly larger on the estate?

[KP]

Well found a local scrapper with an SX model hatch in of the same age so tried to get it off in vain as i didn't take any tools with me as all recent scrappers don't like you wandering about their yards

Anyway in the end the pass side one was ceased in the balljoint slot into the frame, and the other side the torx bolts holding the clamp in were starting to round off so i threw the towel in as im hoping to get it off with the sphere and remove the sphere in the vice.

I did however agree that i'd go back tuesday evening for them and they will have, removed both struts AND the alloys with nearly new Federal tyres on them all for £100

Considering the current tyres are near the wear markers i think i did well!

Then i may just hand the new struts and 2 new spheres to Paris autos if i fail to get it off but i think piercing the sphere will get the desired result.

The newer ones look in decent nick and i will be giving them a rub down and paint before fitting them to mine and then a liberal grease around the sphere to strut interface on the outer part to help keep muck out.

[KP]

Well tonight was fun!!!

Low and behold they got the struts off with the spheres on so got them both off.

One now has a hole in thru the diaphragm as well I may add!

The second came off with a very light hacksawing around the strut to sphere interface as they are different metals they suffer the same issue as the rear caliper a on a xantia

Fingers crossed tomorrow goes well for getting the old one off but I may now have a new method for stick sphere removal offcar!!

Though I think a thin grease proof paper to help prevent it again though it may need a few layers

Why Citroen never did this or made the struts out of poor quality alu is beyond me!!

Pics to follow!
Ps trying to repture/pierce a C5 sphere to then spin it off like a xantia one WILL NOT WORK as I tried with a considerable breaker bar after a long time drilling and battering to pierce it as the metal is a lot thicker

[KP]

Well the old strut is now off and the old sphere as well!

New strut and the sphere fitted and not leaking!!

Took 2 litres of fluid to top it up and a few mintues of running for it to self bleed, which was worrying as i thought for a few minutes it was dead! but eventually it just started rising!!

Down side is the engine management light now comes on when fullboost is hit for a short while, ie, 4th/5th when joining a motorway

[KP]

Well after a short while with the lexia and finding some stupid faults i have no cleared and resolved the EMS light!!

Turns out it was the fuel filter being clogged even though it wasn't that old, and the rubber seal on the top was shot and allowing air into the filter housing.

No choice but a halfords jobby so £13 was a bit rich but new filter and o ring fitted and it runs like a dream!

Big thank you to Robert for some of his time with his lexia to read the fault code P1198 IIRC which was low pressure sensed/Out of range.

Also the Lexia thought there should be some door control models and heated mirrors as well, although this C5 is an LX it doesn't have any of these options and was reporting a radio fault as well.

One strange thing was that it kept asking for a customer service mileage of some sort and after the 3rd entry it wouldnt allow anymore even though it said there were 47 or more left...

Very strange!

Anyway the strut is working great! the car has had 2 brick runs of 450kg+ each in her with 1/2 tank of fuel on board as well!
More news in my blog

[jgra1]

good stuff KP

interesting that 500 kg of bricks :O seemed to have caused this upset,.
I am often carrying that sort of weight,..c5 about the same age..

will grab a look at my rear spheres/corrosion soon I thinks..

John

[KP]

I dont think it was the weight more than the fact it had already started to weep a little from the spots on the floor and then the extra pressure finally blew a chunk of the strut out and the rubber seal with it.

The metal is just too soft IMO and stainless steel ones with a good lick of paint would have been much better and be able to take more weight though i reckon i could push the car to 700kg in the boot as the rear axle looks plenty beefy and the boot floor would just need a decent bit of ply across it as the floor is a soft material that flexes when you get past 3 bricks deep

[myglaren]

I've had way more than 500Kg in my estate and it improved the suspension - for a while.

[KP]

Thing is it makes the ride softer but I think cargo class tyres are really needed above 500kg in the rear as road tyres in the normal sizes get very soft on towing pressures and under pressure!!

[KP]

Well submitted for its MOT and its weeping a little still on the rear... Strange bit is its not running down the strut(IE from the sphere!) but seems to be coming from the top of the bellow...

Now i did reuse the funny clip that holds that on so im wondering if thats the likely cause and if Halfrauds or such stock those kind of wire jubilee clips that would be a suitable replacement at all or does anyone near Manchester have one at all?

This is the only thing thats been put on the MOT!

The advisories are things like headlight lense's have a product on them but dont seriously reduce output.
Front position lamp deteriorated but visible from a good distance still
rear brake pad thickness
front nearside tyre low on tread but not illegal( strange as it has 4mm on it but there are two sets of depth marker bars..
NSR backing plate missing...

not bad for an 11yr old car thats doing 60+mpg most of the time

[KP]

Well according to that its possible so I'll give GSF a buzz tomorrow and see if they can source one and if not then i'll try citroen and another tub of LDS as well