New C5 Owner - Few Questions

[cibvr4]

Hey guys

 

We bought a 2002 HDI C5 last week, more by accident than design. We were after a cheap daily driver for my wife to run the kids around in. Had to be diesel, and after looking at the 307's and Golf's, settled on a 2002 C5. Half the price, classy interior, and handles the 30km drive into the city we do daily with such ease. So far we've done 600kms and we still have 1/3 of a tank left!! With that economy it will actually pay for itself in 2 years!

 

A few days after we purchased it the speedo stopped working. No stress, searched on here and found the fix. Removed the cluster, changed the stepper motor with the tacho one, and all is good. Found another cluster on eBay, so I will have another 2 stepper motors or might just swap the whole cluster over.

 

Just a couple of questions. The first is with the auto-box. This is the first diesel I've owned, so I have nothing to compare it to. But the auto seems to shift up through the gears very early. With normal acceleration it will shift around 2200 - 2500 rpm. Shifts aren't silky smooth, but they aren't clunky or noisy either. About what I'd expect for a 9yo auto. Do these boxes adjust to your driving patterns? The previous owner was an elderly gentleman whom I assume drove it very gently. I know these motors make their power earlier in the rev range, but do changes at 2200 - 2500rpm sound right?

 

And lastly, the motor can surge a little at low to moderate cruising speeds. Most noticeable when just coming off acceleration returning the intake to neutral manifold pressure. Best way of describing it would be similar to those last few seconds right before you run out of petrol! I have read other posts where the car loses all power and goes into limp mode, but this is different. If I accelerate again the surging disappears and there is plenty of power. I am yet to check the intake for leaks but that's my first guess. Previous owner suggested fuel regulator but I'm not sure. Would appreciate any suggestions as to what else to check, or if there are common faults that can cause this sort of issue.

 

Other than that the car is a cracker, very happy with our purchase!

[paul.h]

Just a comment on the speedo cluster - if you change the complete unit, the car will take mileage (km) of the greatest of the 2 units. eg your car is on 50000 km, replacement unit on 75000 km. Fit replacement and then car will go to 75000 km, even if you then refit the original one. There are places that can return the car to the original distance at a cost but do not take the risk and only fit the stepper motor.

[cibvr4]

Thanks Paul good to know. The replacement one is 10,000kms less than my original, but not sure u want to force the computer on these things to think too hard!

 

Today my wife was driving and got the "anti-pollution" fault and service light. Car went into limp mode so she called out local roadside assist and the car was towed to our local Euro specialist.

 

Not sure if it is related to the surging we've been experiencing, perhaps? I was tempted to suggest he check EGR system and Intake, but thought better of it. Let him do his own fault finding rather than possibly point him in the wrong direction.

 

Anyway my wife called him late this afternoon and he said he couldn't find anything wrong. No diagnostic errors and everything checking out ok.

 

If he draws a blank tomorrow I'll be asking him to check EGR system as that seems to be the culprit a lot of the time. Will keep this post updated!

[paul.h]

If the car is a 2.2 hdi, check if the ball/socket connection of the diaphragm unit is not broken at the gearbox end of the cylinder head. This is a common failure and can give anti pollution messages.

[cibvr4]

It's the 2.0 HDi. Spoke to the workshop today and they've got the fault to show again, high pressure fuel regulator. Waiting on a cost for this part, but if it has to be done then it has to be done.

 

Cheers