paul.h

If you find your topic has moved from this section of the forum, it may have been moved to the section covering the relevant car.

The tool has arrived, only 1½ days from the order, it still smells of paint so it may have been made to order - this is about the best service I have had on ebay. The tool has a large metal ring which goes over the sphere and 2 bolts which clamp it to the sphere by tightening against the sphere. A 24 cm handle is welded to the ring to give the leverage and if needed I could extend it by putting a pipe over it. I will report back once used but this could be a few months.

The ebay tool is now ordered and the timing was good. After today the seller will not be around for a few weeks so the tool will be temporarily unavailable.

The ebay tool one looks good and at £17.50 may order one whether or not I do the job.

This is an odd one. 2007 2.2 hdi estate. Last summer a rear strut gaiter was weeping lds fluid at the narrow end. It passed the MOT so in October I replaced just the gaiter. The old gaiter and the rod that it fastens over seemed ok and there was not any leakage from the piston seals so the oil being lost was probably just the small amount put in the gaiter when fitting. Now this week the new gaiter has similarly started to weep lds fluid. Regular checks show it has started recently. In both cases, the car had not been used for a few weeks and the weather was warm. To stop it a jubilee clip may work (or just colder weather) but the strut may need replacing long term. Dealer labour cost is only an hour and I may let them do it at the next MOT but if diy I will need a tool to remove the sphere. To help: - is there enough clearance to remove the strut sphere with the car just on axle stands ? - can anyone recommend a sphere removal tool ?

I have moved this topic to the problems and fixes section since it seemed to be getting lost in its previous location.

If you have a code reader that shows live data it will give the coolant sensor temperature. I could not find any values for your car but for our C3 the thermostat should start to open at 89°C, the fan should cut in at 96°C and cut out when back down to 94°C, a high temperature warning at 118°C, the air con is cut out at 115°C, the expansion tank cap should lift at 1.4 barg which is equivalent to steam at 126°C. When running normally it was always about 90ish, the gauge uses 6 bars to show a range of temperatures and did not go above normal when the fan started. Disconnecting the C3 sensor only brought up a fault code of an unbelievable value so I do not know if it would start the C5 fan. Since the sensor has a resistance that reduces as it gets hotter, just disconnecting it would give a greater resistance as though it was getting colder. I also tried bridging the connector to give no resistance and this did not start the fan, So, if your temperature values are similar and a high temperature was indicated by the gauge, then your fan should have been on and there is probably nothing wrong with the sensor. Similarly the thermostat is probably ok, otherwise it would overheat soon after starting. A look at the parts diagrams shows the fan has either a relay or a controller at the fan - maybe this is at fault or has a bad connection/wiring/earth - but if the fan runs when the air con is on then maybe not. If you can get to the fan connector then you could try a 12v supply from the battery direct to the fan to see if it runs (and also check for a 12v supply at the connector). The temp sensor looks to be on an outlet tank at the geabox end of the cylinder head (it may be green). Hoses from the tank go to the radiator. You could also check the fuses but a look in the handbook on service.citroen does not list an obvious one for the engine fan unless it uses a maxi fuse. Until it is sorted, if you see the temp gauge going high, you could open the windows and put the cabin heater on max temp/air flow to help remove the excess heat.

The following guide is taken from the procedures for the latest C5 so may help a bit: Interpretations of the pressures measured in the air conditioning circuit (Vehicle stationary, engine running) High pressure / Low pressure // Symptoms / Possible causes / Solutions - 8 to 10 bars / 3 bars // Does not produce cold air / Excess oil in the loop OR Air or humidity in the loop / Discharge the refrigerant gas. Drain all of the oil from the circuit. Extract a vacuum in the circuit. Refill the circuit with gas. - > 11 bars PRESSURE / > 4,2 bars // The temperature of the intake pipe is lower than the temperature of the evaporator / Opening of the air conditioning pressure control valve too great / Replace the air conditioning pressure control valve. // The high and low pressures become equal when the air conditioning compressor stops and these pressures fluctuate when the air conditioning compressor is operating / Intake or discharge valve jammed open by a particle or broken / Replace : The air-conditioning compressor - Pressure lower than 7 bars / Pressure lower than 2,4 bars // Does not produce cold air / Not enough refrigerant gas / Discharge the refrigerant gas, Test for leaks, Extract a vacuum, Refill the circuit with gas. // The temperature of the intake pipe is lower than the temperature of the evaporator / Obstruction of the circuit on the low pressure side / Replace the pipe. - > 11 bars / > 2,4 bars // Fluid line (Filter drier iced up) / Obstruction of the fluid line / Replace the pipe. // Filter drier iced up / Filter drier blocked /Replace the filter drier

My reversing sensors have started giving false alarms again for the central sensors. Removing the plastic towball cover as a test has stopped this again. So I may try one that just covers the ball as opposed to the existing one which covers the towball flange and bolts and appears to be marginally in line with the sensor bumper angles.

It is possible the amount of refrigerant gas may be low, even though the pressure may be ok. As a guess, the high pitched whine if from under the dash area, could be gas blowing through the pressure reducing valve instead of the more normal sound of liquid rushing through. If the gas is not being condensed at the front of the car (engine fan should be running to provide cooling and check the matrix is not blocked up) then only gas will be circulated and it will be heated up by the compressor and its pressure rise. Also worth checking when the pollen filter was last replaced in case it is restricting the air flow. The compressor clutch should be cutting in and out as the pressure goes up. Any work on the system replacing bits that requires the gas to be removed/refilled has to be done with the right equipment to avoid any loss to the atmosphere, so you really have no choice but to go to such as a dealer for it checking/regassing. Cost for this was about £50 a couple of years ago at my dealer (our C5 air con was not cooling the air much at one side of the car, turned out to be low on gas. Car was 7 years old).

I am pleased the fault is sorted and would never have guessed the cause, so your post is important for all of us. Probably just as well it happened before you set off with the caravan, although the replacement car sounds a disaster.

On the anti freeze, they are all based on ethylene glycol to lower the freezing point but there are additives to prevent corrosion of the various metals in the engine. These inhibitors are gradually used up so in time the anti freeze needs replacing, although if it has not been been diluted by topping up with water its freezing point should not be changed. The longer life additives are now organic acid technology (OAT) ones and these are not compatible with the older ones (which may use silicates or phosphates) so would need to be flushed out if you want to use the older ones. The colour of the anti freeze (possibly red, blue, clear, green) is from dyes so is not an indication of the anti freeze type. Citroen anti freeze is Glysantin G33 from BASF which is OAT based. When the car is new the original anti freeze is clear or slightly yellow but when you buy from a dealer it is coloured blue. If you still have the code reader, do them again now the injectors are sorted and post them here again to see if we can help.

Shame about your dealer, contrasts a lot with my local one, they can not do enough for you so over the last 8 years they have had most of our car business. £80 is a lot for what they are, about 50p worth of polypropylene.

I do not understand the dealer since all the separate parts are listed with their own part nos. Have a look at the parts on the service.citroen site and print the relevant page (a right mouse click on the diagram side seems to work ok and then print preview and print). In case you have not registered for this, join as an other professional and a member of the Citroen Owners Club.

If the timing belt change price includes the belt, the tensioner, any pulleys, the water pump, anti freeze (use Citroen long life stuff which is supposed to be OAT based additives), then that is a good price and should include a guarantee. Also consider the auxiliary drive belt since you mentioned a squeal previously and it will need removing to do the timing belt so no extra labour costs. As a guide, the bits from Citroen for our 1.4 petrol C3 2 years ago were belt/tensioner kit £63, water pump £57, 3 litres anti freeze £14. I also replaced the thermostat £14, auxiliary belt £17 and its 2 pulleys £116 since these were due for replacement. I am always a bit unsure about getting the belt tension right but so far have been ok. You can probably get parts cheaper elsewhere but if the quality is not right and the belt/other parts fail the engine could be damaged. Citroen also do fixed price jobs such as timing belts but an internet search indicates £345. If the diesel specialist has a code reader, get him to read the codes to see what the depollution fault is and look at live data before doing the belt, on the pretext so he and you know that his work has not caused any problems.

Just had a look at the handbook for 2005 year (no earlier ones available) on the service.citroen website and that says the same, dash fuse F22 20amp covers all 4. May still be worth a look in the fusebox in case it was wired differently. Next step is probably to see if the wiring connector at the socket has come off. If access to the back of the socket is not easy, it may be possible to just pull it up and out of the trim. If you have a meter, you could check for 12v at the connector. Do you have a towbar and has the socket worked before ?

Citroen sell the door pockets (door glove box) and I have found plastic bits from them are not too expensive so could be worth asking your dealer for a price. You also need a pin/spring/rubber stop and hinge slide parts that let the pocket pivot out if you are also missing these.

No problem in recommending a good service provider. There is a pinned post in the general discussion and nonsense section where you are able to recommend dealers so you could also post it there. With a bit of luck your running problems may all go now and if your exhaust filter/eolys fluid was serviced at the recommended mileage then this may also be ok for some time yet. I did wonder if somebody who already has ecusafe and knows how to use it, would do a cut price deal to remove the filter from the ecu software but where the filter was knocked out by the car owner.

The following is being applied to members' forum names: 1. The forum language is English so your name should be in English. We recently had somebody trying to join with a name using the Japanese alphabet so it was automatically banned. It also turned out to be a potential spammer so would have been banned anyway. 2. Forum names should not be offensive. Every day we have a continuous stream of people trying to join with offensive names and they could well be the same people with nothing better to do. Such names are again being banned automatically so these people can not become members. It is considered they would not have an interest in cars. 3. Spammers. Like other forums, the site is constantly being attacked by potential spammers and was particularly bad earlier this year. To help stop this, people trying to become members from countries from where most of the spam was being generated are not being allowed to join.

I hope this does not apply to any Citroen dealers. There is an article in the May 2013 Car Mechanics stating that some national dealer groups, regardless of their trading names, farm out routine repair work, MOTs, bodywork, etc. to other workshops. The author had just discovered a main dealer subcontracting their routine repair work to a workshop "more akin to a dismantler's yard than a reputable repair outfit, with no control over the standard of workmanship, nor the quality of the parts being fitted. Indeed, what was being fitted was the cheapest of the cheap, bearing no relation to OE spec. The repair was being booked out at a main dealer repair rate with an OE branded part on the invoice and its accompanying eyewatering price." I do not know how true this deception is but it is reported as being widespread across the country, not confined to any region, franchise or dealership since the dealer groups in question are national companies, regardless of their trading names. I am sure if the customers were to find out they would be upset. Has anyone here come across it ?

According to the Haynes manual, the socket has its own fuse, F5 10amp (red) in the interior fuse box at the right side of the dash (pull off the cover below the headlight leveling switch). It should be listed in the car handbook. Most likely the fuse has failed, possibly due to overloading by something needing more than 10 amps / 120 watts or maybe something being put in the socket. I have read that sometimes this supply has been used for a towbar but this should not be done since it can not supply enough power and risks melting the wires as well as blowing the fuse.

Citroen do a 2 way union part 5280 R3 for the rear suspension where the end of the long pipe joins a coiled pipe. You could consider taking the pipe around the fuel tank so only need 1 extra joint, with the rear end of the pipe joining as now. If the pipes have flared ends (I have not seen them) then a flaring tool is needed to make up the new flare on the cut end on the existing pipe - use the flare nut from the discarded end. Some seals probably will be needed. However, we could do with input from coastline taxis, I am sure he will have come across this before. If not done already, you can see the parts diagrams on service.citroen. Need to register as an other professional, Member of the Citroen Owners Club

There may not be a quick way to do it, if it is the pipe from the pump to the back Citroen quote 4½ hours. However, where is it leaking and is it possible to just replace the leaking part with a union and maybe a short section, as you could with a brake pipe ?

This is a fix for the common problems list. I lived with the same problem on our previous C5 driver's window which I had to inch to the closed position for the 6 years we had it, having not found a fix.

If the rear struts are in good condition, Citroen sell the seals so a complete strut would not be needed. The labour though is not much different to strut replacement and a dealer probably would not be able to guarantee a repair unless a new strut was fitted - so only applies if doing a diy repair. You would also need a new gaiter clip and lds fluid.