C3 Sump Plug Size

[crooner]

Hi, i just joined this club, i have a C3 LX14 2004.  & i would like to do a oil change & filter, i have the 27mm for the filter

but don't know the sump plug size , biggest i have is a 22mm which is just to small , anyone done a C3 recently who remembers what the sump plug size is .

thanks in advance

[paul.h]

Welcome to the forum.

The sump plug on our 2003 1.4 sx petrol uses an 8mm square section and torque 30 Nm (except you can not get a torque wrench in the space), just a ring spanner around the 8mm plug body. When you lift out the filter, oil will get everywhere so a few rags around the filter body on the engine will help.

 

If using Haynes, note that it has the wrong oil volume and use the amount in your car handbook. The 1.4 petrol is 3 litres, so add 2.5, check the level, then gradually top up to the dip stick max mark.

[crooner]

thanks moderator for reply , i'm still a bit confused about unscrewing sump plug, i thought a socket about 23 mm might fit ,

but now i'm wondering is there a hole in the centre of the plug ,which i would need some kind of 8mm tool to put in the hole to get it off

could you give me more info about getting that sump plug off ,

[crooner]

Welcome to the forum.

The sump plug on our 2003 1.4 sx petrol uses an 8mm square section and torque 30 Nm (except you can not get a torque wrench in the space), just a ring spanner around the 8mm plug body. When you lift out the filter, oil will get everywhere so a few rags around the filter body on the engine will help.

 

If using Haynes, note that it has the wrong oil volume and use the amount in your car handbook. The 1.4 petrol is 3 litres, so add 2.5, check the level, then gradually top up to the dip stick max mark.

  

I understand now what you mean by 8mm square plug key, ebay has them i will order one thanks again

[paul.h]

The one I use is part of a set and looks like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RENAULT-CITROEN-PEUGEOT-SUMP-PLUG-REMOVAL-TOOL-8mm-13mm-/190893506853?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2c7223c125

From memory, the 8 mm also fits the hole in the gearbox level plug.

[crooner]

The one I use is part of a set and looks like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RENAULT-CITROEN-PEUGEOT-SUMP-PLUG-REMOVAL-TOOL-8mm-13mm-/190893506853?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2c7223c125

From memory, the 8 mm also fits the hole in the gearbox level plug.

should i change the washer on the sump plug  in case it leaks

[paul.h]

Yes, the Citroen one is a metal washer with a rubber insert. It may survive a second use but if not thats about £25 of good oil wasted, and possibly the previous owner may have done the same. The cheapest place for one is a dealer at about £1. For oil, I have used Castrol Magnatec 5w30 A1, about £25 to £30 from supermarkets and other places for 4 litres.

[crooner]

Yes, the Citroen one is a metal washer with a rubber insert. It may survive a second use but if not thats about £25 of good oil wasted, and possibly the previous owner may have done the same. The cheapest place for one is a dealer at about £1. For oil, I have used Castrol Magnatec 5w30 A1, about £25 to £30 from supermarkets and other places for 4 litres.

 

Yes, the Citroen one is a metal washer with a rubber insert. It may survive a second use but if not thats about £25 of good oil wasted, and possibly the previous owner may have done the same. The cheapest place for one is a dealer at about £1. For oil, I have used Castrol Magnatec 5w30 A1, about £25 to £30 from supermarkets and other places for 4 litres.

 

Yes, the Citroen one is a metal washer with a rubber insert. It may survive a second use but if not thats about £25 of good oil wasted, and possibly the previous owner may have done the same. The cheapest place for one is a dealer at about £1. For oil, I have used Castrol Magnatec 5w30 A1, about £25 to £30 from supermarkets and other places for 4 litres.

earlier on i bought  3. 1.Ltr bottles of castrol magnatec 10W-40 semi synthetic at £5 a Ltr from asda , which i think should be okay, 

when i look for a suitable washer on ebay , i did'nt see a washer with rubber inset there seems to be at least 3 washers for the C3,

i don't know which one will suit my C3 14CC LX 2004 , do you think that particular washer with insert is what is on my car,

want to have everything ready when i start the job

[paul.h]

The oil I used was to follow the spec in the car maintenance book and since it is a 2 year or 20k mile service interval I preferred a full synthetic. The 5w30 viscosity was that previously used by the dealer so I stuck with it for the better fuel economy. In the maintenance book for our 2007 C5, it gives an A3 spec for the oil so maybe there has been a change.

 

The sump plug washer is this one and also shows the Citroen part no. 016488 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sump-plug-washer-for-multiple-Peugeot-and-Citroen-models-16488-/140865757427 The ebay price though is more than at my Citroen dealer and did not have a postage cost on top. Only the diesel C3 engines use a different part no. 031340

 

You can check your own part nos if you register on the service.citroen website, as another professional, member of the Citroen Owners Club.

[crooner]

The oil I used was to follow the spec in the car maintenance book and since it is a 2 year or 20k mile service interval I preferred a full synthetic. The 5w30 viscosity was that previously used by the dealer so I stuck with it for the better fuel economy. In the maintenance book for our 2007 C5, it gives an A3 spec for the oil so maybe there has been a change.

 

The sump plug washer is this one and also shows the Citroen part no. 016488 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sump-plug-washer-for-multiple-Peugeot-and-Citroen-models-16488-/140865757427 The ebay price though is more than at my Citroen dealer and did not have a postage cost on top. Only the diesel C3 engines use a different part no. 031340

 

You can check your own part nos if you register on the service.citroen website, as another professional, member of the Citroen Owners Club.

 

The oil I used was to follow the spec in the car maintenance book and since it is a 2 year or 20k mile service interval I preferred a full synthetic. The 5w30 viscosity was that previously used by the dealer so I stuck with it for the better fuel economy. In the maintenance book for our 2007 C5, it gives an A3 spec for the oil so maybe there has been a change.

 

The sump plug washer is this one and also shows the Citroen part no. 016488 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sump-plug-washer-for-multiple-Peugeot-and-Citroen-models-16488-/140865757427 The ebay price though is more than at my Citroen dealer and did not have a postage cost on top. Only the diesel C3 engines use a different part no. 031340

 

You can check your own part nos if you register on the service.citroen website, as another professional, member of the Citroen Owners Club.

 

my citroen book recommends either  TOTAL  QUARTZ 7000 10W-40 Semi Synthetic or TOTAL QUARTZ 9000 5W-40 Fully Synthetic

so it looks like both are suitable,

as for the washer i am just back from citroen dealer & he gave me the type of washer you recommended , so i am just waiting for the 8mm tool to come from ebay, then i'll be all set , will post how i get on

 

 

[crooner]

A big thank you to the moderator for all your help , as i said i will post how i get on 

cheers

[crooner]

I changed theb oil & filter on my C314 LX 04 today

 

used 27mm socket 

8mm sump plug tool

washer

plastic sink basin

oil filter

oil

i jacket up & supported front drivers side , slide a hap or whatever you have under drain plug , rags & basin ready unscrewed plug with 8mmm sq tool, leave to drain , lowered the car to make sure it drained properly 

put rags around filter housing & with something under filter to catch any oil , unscrew filter cover with 27mm socket & lift clear ,

pull old filter from cover, replace the rubber seal around the filter cover ( just above threads on outside of cover)  push new filter into cover

& hand tighten cover onto housing then use 27mm socket to tighten, jack car back up  to give some elbow room , replace washer on sump plug , & tighten using 8mm sq tool ,

i then used  21/2  ltrs  of oil , then kept checking oil level ,using in total 31/4 to get to the maximum level

 

job done 

[paul.h]

Thankyou for posting, if you do any other maintenance on your C3 you will find it is one of the easiest cars to maintain.

 

Just for info, if anyone can get a torque wrench in place, the oil filter cover should be done up to 25 Nm with a smear of oil on the cover O-ring seal..

[crooner]

Moderator ,maybe you can help me with this, i get error code P0300 random misfire  on my C3 had it down to my local garage several times ,

but it keeps coming on every 3 weeks or so, this has been going on for about 9 months now, i changed the plugs thinking i cured it ,

then it came back on , the car is running with no problems when the error comes on , i purchased a OBD11 scanner & as the management light doesn't work when the C3 bleeps &  i plug in the scanner P3000 shows, i delete it & thats me for another few weeks ,

with having a OBD11 & the car running okay i can live with it ,but was wondering with your knowledge of cars have you any idea what could cause this ,

thanks in advance

[paul.h]

From the list of codes on this site on the Petrol Diesel and LPG Injection section gives, P0300 Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected. Common C3 faults are injector failure caused by water dripping on the injectors and possibly ignition cassette failure.

 

I had 2 injectors fail after heavy rain, the light came on (I did not have a code reader then to check it) and these were replaced under the warranty. To prevent it happening again I sealed the washer jet/bonnet holes and replaced the washer jet piping with rubber to give more secure joints. You can check the electrical connectors to the injectors and there are 2 small holes on them which can let in water to the coils and they can rust/fail - I put some sealant on them to prevent this.

 

Last time I replaced the spark plugs I noticed the ignition cassette was corroded on the terminals under the rubber boots where it connects via springs to the spark plugs - I eventually replaced the cassette and noticed the new one had like spark plug top terminals at the springs instead of what looked like the end of brass bars. Prior to this fault code P1327 came up once which an internet search suggested could be the ignition cassette.

 

The following from an internet search gives some things to check:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A code P0300 may mean that one or more of the following has happened:

• Faulty spark plugs or wires
• Faulty coil (pack)
• Faulty oxygen sensor(s)
• Faulty fuel injector(s)
• Burned exhaust valve
• Faulty catalytic converter(s)
• Stuck/blocked EGR valve / passages
• Faulty camshaft position sensor
• Defective computer

Possible Solutions

If there are no symptoms, the simplest thing to do is to reset the code and see if it comes back.

If there are symptoms such as the engine is stumbling or hesitating, check all wiring and connectors that lead to the cylinders (i.e. spark plugs). Depending on how long the ignition components have been in the car, it may be a good idea to replace them as part of your regular maintenance schedule. I would suggest spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap, and rotor (if applicable). Otherwise, check the coils (a.k.a. coil packs). In some cases, the catalytic converter has gone bad. If you smell rotten eggs in the exhaust, your cat converter needs to be replaced. I've also heard in other cases the problems were faulty fuel injectors.

Random misfires that jump around from one cylinder to another (read: P030x codes) also will set a P0300 code. The underlying cause is often a lean fuel condition, which may be due to a vacuum leak in the intake manifold or unmetered air getting past the airflow sensor, or an EGR valve that is stuck open.

[crooner]

From the list of codes on this site on the Petrol Diesel and LPG Injection section gives, P0300 Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected. Common C3 faults are injector failure caused by water dripping on the injectors and possibly ignition cassette failure.

 

I had 2 injectors fail after heavy rain, the light came on (I did not have a code reader then to check it) and these were replaced under the warranty. To prevent it happening again I sealed the washer jet/bonnet holes and replaced the washer jet piping with rubber to give more secure joints. You can check the electrical connectors to the injectors and there are 2 small holes on them which can let in water to the coils and they can rust/fail - I put some sealant on them to prevent this.

 

Last time I replaced the spark plugs I noticed the ignition cassette was corroded on the terminals under the rubber boots where it connects via springs to the spark plugs - I eventually replaced the cassette and noticed the new one had like spark plug top terminals at the springs instead of what looked like the end of brass bars. Prior to this fault code P1327 came up once which an internet search suggested could be the ignition cassette.

 

The following from an internet search gives some things to check:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A code P0300 may mean that one or more of the following has happened:

• Faulty spark plugs or wires
• Faulty coil (pack)
• Faulty oxygen sensor(s)
• Faulty fuel injector(s)
• Burned exhaust valve
• Faulty catalytic converter(s)
• Stuck/blocked EGR valve / passages
• Faulty camshaft position sensor
• Defective computer

Possible Solutions

If there are no symptoms, the simplest thing to do is to reset the code and see if it comes back.

If there are symptoms such as the engine is stumbling or hesitating, check all wiring and connectors that lead to the cylinders (i.e. spark plugs). Depending on how long the ignition components have been in the car, it may be a good idea to replace them as part of your regular maintenance schedule. I would suggest spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap, and rotor (if applicable). Otherwise, check the coils (a.k.a. coil packs). In some cases, the catalytic converter has gone bad. If you smell rotten eggs in the exhaust, your cat converter needs to be replaced. I've also heard in other cases the problems were faulty fuel injectors.

Random misfires that jump around from one cylinder to another (read: P030x codes) also will set a P0300 code. The underlying cause is often a lean fuel condition, which may be due to a vacuum leak in the intake manifold or unmetered air getting past the airflow sensor, or an EGR valve that is stuck open.

Thanks for that , there seems to be too many things that could be causing it , as the car is running well

i will just have to keep deleting error code when it comes back on ,

thanks again

[paul.h]

Seems like a reasonable plan and with a bit of luck it will go away or not get worse - could even be the petrol you are using. Still have a look to see if the bonnet/washer hole is sealed since this route of water on to the injectors is a common cause of injector failure and a bit of silicone sealant wont take long to apply.

[crooner]

did your car run rough when you had the injectors failure ?,  it's just that mine is running as it should , 

[crooner]

did your car run rough when you had the injectors failure ?,  it's just that mine is running as it should , 

 

did your car run rough when you had the injectors failure ?,  it's just that mine is running as it should , 

+ it came on today & it wasn't even raining

[paul.h]

When the injectors failed it hardly ran, the misfire was very bad as you would expect if 2 cylinders were not working, so it is unlikely you have an injector failed. Suggesting to seal the washers was a preventative measure.

 

To find the fault, if there is nothing obvious, (such as checking the ignition cassette terminals, its electrical connector and possibly its flimsy earth wire at its gearbox end fastening, and any air leaks) it would probably need connecting up to a Lexia for a diagnostic check, otherwise it is all guessing on what is at fault. If your code reader does live data you could check the lambda oxygen sensors and catalyst - inlet sensor should be switching and the outlet one should be steady if the catalyst is ok - if not though a different code would come up. If you have live data then you may also have freeze data giving a snapshot of values when the code came up. Probably not relevant but you could check if the air filter is clean and whilst it is off I usually clean the throttle plate.

[crooner]

thanks again , i will check to see if code reader does live data