Synergie 1.9TD - rear wash/engine ID/fuel filter bleed etc..

[scrappycit]

Hi all,

I'm an owner of an eBay special 97 Synergie "Desire" with air con(not working of course). I'm not a Citroen newbie, having had a few BX'x and XM's in the past (still got an XM though its blown it's head).
I've the Synergie a couple of months and though it's got a couple of little dents, it seems a good driver, sound steering and handling (given it's a van like MPV) and the interior is in good condition. It did have an intermittent problem with the rev counter, and occasional rough running, but I think I traced that to the main plug for the ECU being loose and having slightly cruddy connections (it was a very loose fit, and the lever lock had to be very well seated home).

Wheel arch plastic liners/engine tray ?
Underneath everything seems genuine enough and pretty tidy, though it looks like it might be missing plastic liners for the tops of the inside of the front wheel arches, and also under the engine. The bottom of the front wheel arches have plastic covers but not the tops, and there's some (currently minor surface)corrosion on the underside of the front suspension mounts.

Engine ID/Sluggish
Though the engine seems a bit sluggish, it starts first time and runs well, though a bit thirsty (getting around 32-34 with mixed driving). It does chough and smoke for second when cold - sounds like the engine management takes a second to get started. It isn't smokey at all when underway though.
I can't find the engine ID code - where it looks like it should be on the block is very rusty, and I can't make out any clear figures.... could a garage get the engine ID code via the engine diagnostics service socket?

Belts/Water pump
Given the lack of recent history and state of the oil/filters, I reckoned the cam belt, tensioner assy. ancilliary drive belt and waterpump were up for replacement. I know the belt replacement was likely to be a pig, and just don't have the time (or skill ever) to do these kinds of jobs any more so booked it into a specialist garage who was (is) doing a special offer on cambelt replacements on XUD's, and it looked a bargain even with the water pump and ancilliaries belt. The specialist garage was PTS Developments, near Wokingham, quite a way from where I am (near Cambridge) but looked worth the journey as they sounded very knowledgable and were very friendly, and just as importantly, the price was way below everything I'd been quoted locally. Sod's law says the pump had to go a week before it was due to be replaced, and it just dumped water out at such a rate it wasn't true!
There was no way it was going to make it across the country and round the M25, so I dug out the details of a local one man engine overhaul/repair specialist. He'd stopped advertising, but still does a bit of work now and then, and the price was reasonable. Once off the old cam belt was well worn, and the pump bearing breaking up, so just as well they are out of the way for a couple of years.

Oil/Air filters
Time to look at the other service jobs. I'm certain it hasn't had a service for a couple of years, the oil filter looked well cruddy, and the air filter filthy when I changed those. The sump had what looked like two drain plugs one directly above the other, anyone know what the upper drain plug is for?

Fuel Filter/ Drain
I want to change the fuel filter, but it's not clear if I have to drain it first. Aside from the mess is there any reason? But in any case I will need to be able to drain it so I can bleed for the new fuel filter, and for future servicing. I haven't been able to get at the drain "screw" for the fuel filter though - and I'm not even quite sure I've identified it correctly.
The drain plug is clear enough - someone has kindly left some rubber pipe on it to help drain off the fuel/water.
There is a small whitish plastic plug type thing with a raised plastic bar (like an inversed screw slot) on the off-side of the filter housing, but it is a real sod to get at - is that the drain screw?
I've got a Russek manual, but it's not very clear about this part, and says you need to take the air filter assy off - I can't see how that will help as it doesn't block access at all AFAICS. It looks more like you need to remove the fuel filter housing lid so you can shift the associated fuel pipes out of the way to access (what I think is) the bleed screw - any reason why I shouldn't do this before draining?
Russeks also says you need to disconnect the battery when changing the filter - is that really necessary?

Rear Washer
The other little problem is that the rear washer isn't spraying. Water is getting to it from the pump (sounds like it shares this with the front screen wash). The washer fluid (should) runs through the wiper motor assy and center spindle of the rear wiper arm. The fluid gets as far as the motor assy - when you take the pipe coming from the fluid reservoir off and operate the rear wash wipe control switch, washer fluid is pumped down the hose OK. It just doesn't make it through the motor assy. I've tried to blow it through with an air pump (both ways), and also gently poked some soft wire down, but no joy. There seems to be something blocking the fluid
path through the assy, which looks like it is a sealed unit. There is a hex plug to one side of the body, which I've undone, but I've no idea what that's for. The fluid enters the motor assy via a moulded plastic one piece unit with a "dog leg" just before it disappears into the main body. Is there some control valve for the washer fluid inside the main body of the assy? Am I looking at a replacement unit from a a scrappy or is there something I can do to fix this myself? Would be a shame to scrap it as the wiper motor runs fine.
I need to get this sorted for the MOT this week.

Front headline removal/ tightening radio arial fixing / Clock/Aircon
During very heavy rain recently water began dripping from the clock/light binacle above the windscreen. The clock has been very dim since I got the car, and the front interior light the same (though always works). I'm guessing that water is getting in from under the radio arial, and has got in before, and that there might be some corrosion around this area, which could account for the dim light and clock (poor earth due to corrosion?).
What's the procedure for getting the clock/light binacle off - do you have to remove the headlining first - if so how?
There are what look like small vents in this assy - is this anything to do with temp control for the air con - could this be the reason for the air con not working?

Main Instrument binacle access/bulbs
I know that at least one of the bulbs for the main instrument cluster isn't working (two assuming there's one for sidelights) . How do you get access to replace the bulbs, and what sort of bulbs are they?

Any help gratefully appreciated, as there seems to be bugger all info around about the bodywork of these.

Adrian

[citronut]

the filter drain is the one with the plastic tube on wich is factory fitted,and you dont normaly have to bleed it after fitting the new filter,as all you need to do is pump the rubber bulb primer bulb till it gose hard,also before unscrewing the bolts which hold the lid onto the filter housing,just loosen them slightly just to let a bit of air in,then with a container under the drain tube open the drain nipple and gently squeze the primming bulb till fluel starts flowing,you might need to wigle the lid to let more air in
regards malcolm

[scrappycit]

Thanks Malcolm,
I'm guessing I've identified the bleed screw correctly, and from what you've said I don't guess there's any reason why I shouldn't go straight and remove the filter housing lid.

[citronut]

why i dont just take the lid of first is it makes a mess with diesel all over the place,thats why i try to drain some out first,and your washer prob may be the same as BXs suffer with,which is the metal tube that runs through the wiper spindle rusts up in side so i use a stiff length of wire and pock it trough the spindle with the feed pipe removed
regards malcolm

[scrappycit]

Cheers Malcolm,
I didn't have web access for a couple of days so went ahead and removed the top and diesel went all over the place just as you predicted....never mind.
I'll have a go at clearing that pipe this afternoon.
Adrian

[mezuk04]

It doesnt perticularly bother me not draining the fuel out the filter before hand as its only a small amount of 'old dirty' fuel that the new filter will initially work with.

It makes a mess but at the same time when I didnt soak it up in time it went onto the clutch cable of the Xantia, and removed a dreaded like 'sticky' position near the floor with the pedal, this was before xmas and the 'notch' hasnt come back yet.

I've always just removed the lid, old one out, new one in, being careful not to drop it in, close the lid and start the car (have done this on all the services for the zx and the xantia for about 2yrs worth without problem).

If your very skilled, you can change the filter without spilling a table spoon of fuel.