New Member With Issues

[oilburner]

Hi all, I have introduced myself in the new member section but I am having some problems with my C5 that I am hoping to get some advice on. A bit of background, its a 2004 Series 1 VTR, 2.0 110bhp manual with 189k miles on the clock and it has had a hard life. Before I could even use it I had to fit new front caliper, pads, radiator, thermostat (bad silicon job was leaking!) drop links (nearside front was MISSING!) fix a return leak on the front strut and god knows what else.

 

Now when the car is running, its great, no smoke and the power its supposed to have. When I changed the fuel filter it was appalling, full of junk and crap but new fitted, some injector cleaner and it runs great, however, I have starting issues. It has had new cam and crank sensors purely because my brother in law had them left over from a previous car but it seems to be a fuel issue, hot or cold it cranks for too long. It cranks very quick and the battery and starter are sound. I do not have anyone local with Lexia and even the RAC man couldn't get live data from it! Any ideas? Are there any sensors I can clean, fuel pressure regulators etc?

 

Also I have a problem with the rear suspension. It wont go up to high, the ride is smooth and soft in normal use it just wont go up, it will go down to service low and will return to normal quickly. However when on normal, it will cycle up and down an inch or 2 every few seconds, engine on or off. Very annoying!

 

If anyone can shed any light I would be very grateful, I like the car alot and I would like to have it as well as it can be for its miles!

[ESL57]

I would think glow plugs need changing anyway, less you have done them.

  The rear suspension may need adjusted on the height correctors on the arb. It may also be a duff sphere, possibly a centre one if you have 6 spheres. Check it out before buying spheres though, and check your LDS level with car on low.

[paul.h]

Just a warning, if you go under the car axle stands should always be used since if a height sensor is caught the suspension can quickly drop to a very low level. If you jack the car up the suspension should first be raised to max height and the ignition turned off to avoid possible suspension problems.

 

Possibly the rear height sensor just needs freeing off and spraying with something like wd40. Then take the car down and up on the suspension a few times.

 

To help starting as a test, when you turn the key in the ignition switch, leave it for longer before starting the engine to give the glow plugs more time. If the fuel filter has a priming pump, you could use this before starting to see if the filter is draining down due to an air leak.

[oilburner]

Thanks both, the rear suspension issue is sorted now, the link rod was installed incorrectly, if you were talking about an old dizzy you would say it was 180 degrees out, now it works fine correctly installed, someone has been in there before who didnt know these cars I think!

 

I dont have a primer bulb I have the bosch system but the prime pump does fill the filter with noticable pressure, it has been behaving itself since I havent been dropping the suspension to low every switch off, as per above issue...weird! I will see how it goes, the only thing I have done since is take off the pressure reg from the hp pump, clean and lube, drop some archoil in to the HP pump and try again, still wont start right on low mode though. God these things are complex I want my Xantia back!!