Suspension Problem Fixed....kind Of!

[jaysams80]

PLEASE READ FOR INFO ON SUSPENSION FAILURE.

Here we go.

Last May in my 2009 C5 Exclusive my 40 amp flat fuse blew cutting all power to the suspension pump.  I replaced the fuse (in a little red box next to the battery) and it worked for a couple of weeks. It blew again so I then rigged up a couple of female spade end connectors and used maxi fuses for fast change, (to change the original flat fuse meant removing the battery) protruding from the fuse box cover.

I lived with this until now as no garage wanted to know about it and I refuse to pay the main stealers rates.  I decided, after a very useful post on here regarding failing pump motors, to inspect the problem (I must have blown 30 fuses in a year) and sort the problem. The motor and pump got noisier in this time.

Heres what happened.

I depressurised the system manually, drained off the reservoir, removed it and then got to work on the pump. I undone the nipples on the pump body and got soaked in LDS fluid.  CAUTION, pressure remains in the high pressure steel pipes even after lowering the vehicle with the buttons. LEXIA is needed to totally depressurise.

I then removed the pump, motor and ECU.  It was here I found the dreaded filth and grease/carbon etc around the brushes. I have seen this issue posted previously and it seems to be quite common.  Thinking this was the problem I cleaned it all up and spun the commutator by hand to check it.  This was sticking every revolution and took some turning.  Not being familiar with pumps and thinking this was normal I put all the parts back on, and re-filled and re-bled the system.  This, on the first raise, blew the fuse....DAMN!!!!

Back to square one and realising the sticking pump wasn't normal I then stripped it all back down, and started again.

This time I inspected the pump/motor etc more in depth. I read somewhere the pump and motor can be separated and this was my aim.   After removing the back of the motor and then the motor body I took a good hold of the commutator and spun it...all of a sudden the pump totally freed up and started running quietly and smoothly.  I still don't know what was causing the jam but quite frankly I don't care right now.

I again put the parts back on and re-bled the system....or so I thought.  This time the pump worked fine and quietly but the car did not raise at all.  Giving up for the night I left it with a view to stripping it all again the following day.. 

The next morning the LDS level had dropped and looked like the system had self bled, which again I have read in here could happen.  I topped up the system, added a bit more pressure, just over half a bar, hit the raise button and voila...the bloody car raised, did not pop a fuse and hasn't through about 12 cycles. 

Previously it took two fuses to raise it to normal ride height.

So to re-cap.......

The system holds pressure even when lowered manually.

The grease around the brushes ISN'T always the cause of blown fuses, mine was a sticking pump.

Adequate priming is needed to get the system working again, or leaving overnight.

OH and LDS fluid doesnt taste very nice.

 

I hope this info is useful to people.  I had never worked on a hydraulic system before but truth be told it was't that bad. It was messy but I think that added to the satisfaction of getting it working. I highly recommend a Citroen service DVD.  It's a god send and made life so much easier, as did advice on here.

 

My only issue now is when raising the car to service height the pump keeps running until the motor starts smoking. 

Anyone got any advice on this issue please?  Overall this isn't bothering me too much as I can now lower the car and raise it from the boot etc, I just can't get it to service height.

Edited April 14, 2017 by jaysams80

[paul.h]

Possibly the lds fluid level is too low or maybe the height sensors are sticking. I have read this before where max height is not being reached but off hand can not remember what the fix was.

 

I am pleased the pump was fixed, I will add links to this topic to the others.