C5 HDI engine problem - anti pollution

graysclassics · Post by **graysclassics** » 21 Apr 2010, 18:21

Hi guys, Really looking to get into a C5 and found an affordable one with a fault. The engine runs as normal when set to "limp home" mode but the fault as reported by the seller is this:

Basically the engine conks out in mid-drive after anti pollution warning light comes on. If you leave it to cool down for a couple of hours it will run again (but will conk again after an hour or two!) car is drivable in limp home mode and is taxed mot until end June.Antipollution fault that has been diagnoised at garage as Fuel Pressure Regulator and Fuel Pressure Sensor but they say it might be the Injector pump thats faulty and causing the regulator to fail.

I'm no expert on the HDI but it sounds like it needs a new cat to me! Cant see that any of the parts mentioned would need to "cool down" - I will give it a miss if the pump is stuffed, dont have time or inclination to do it.

Any pointers would be very welcome. Cheers fellow french fans...

cachaciero · Post by **cachaciero** » 21 Apr 2010, 22:38

O.K Basics first.

Which HDi engine are we talking about? and what year?

cachaciero

graysclassics · Post by **graysclassics** » 21 Apr 2010, 22:42

Thanks, all I know is it is the 2.0 HDI 2003, HPI exclusive.

There appears to be a lot of suspects for this fault...

jonathan_dyane · Post by **jonathan_dyane** » 22 Apr 2010, 01:18

Unless it is in the couple of hundred pounds price bracket, my advise would be avoid...

cachaciero · Post by **cachaciero** » 22 Apr 2010, 08:11

graysclassics wrote:Thanks, all I know is it is the 2.0 HDI 2003, HPI exclusive.

There appears to be a lot of suspects for this fault...

O.k which is it an HDi diesel or HPI petrol.?

Frankly unless you are prepared to spend a couple of hundred quid on a Lexia which is what is required to accurately diagnose problems on these cars I would leave it.

However if you are prepared to make the investment in a Lexia depending on the overall condition of the car and the price and your diy abilities it might not be a bad deal.

cachaciero

Post by **RichardW** » 22 Apr 2010, 09:15

Find out the cost of the fixed car, deduct an HP pump (best part of £1k), New set of injectors (<£1k), diag equipment, time to fix it, and that's what it's worth. Less than scrap value I expect.... Cheap is not always a bargain!

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 22 Apr 2010, 10:25

If it's the 2.0 HPi petrol avoid like the plague.

I really cant see the cat causing the problem you have described.
Might be worth it if it's a couple of hundred quid & your doing the work yourself.

cachaciero · Post by **cachaciero** » 22 Apr 2010, 10:41

Well that's a petty unanimous view from the cognoscenti

cachaciero

graysclassics · Post by **graysclassics** » 22 Apr 2010, 11:06

I guess thats why Citroens are cheap, especially the C5. I have snap-on diagnostics but diagnostics are not always the be all and end all, I usually rely on common sense & experience. If it runs ok without the exhaust it tells me where the fault lies, I am guessing at the particulate filter? I can always scrap it! easy fix see...lol

The older HDI's in the 406 etc do not seem to have the same problems, I pressume they do not have the same emission set-up's to go wrong.

A customer also wants a C5, thats why I am researching so much; they wanted an Audi C4/C6 but I told them to avoid on the basis of comfort, especially as they have to deal with freight loads of speed humps every day. Its the suspension I love and am not frightened to fix it, the older high spec citiroens are too old in the tooth now or are sat on springs which defeats the object.

Good advice though,.... I wonder if they fancy a traction avant - I love those too!

Post by **Paul-R** » 22 Apr 2010, 11:34

Petrol HPis don't have a particulate filter and neither do Ph1 C5 2.0l HDis in the UK.

And if it DID have a particulate filter simply removing it would throw up another bunch of errors. There are threads discussing this in detail!

It appears, from the way you are talking, that the HPi was a misprint and the car IS an HDi.

cachaciero · Post by **cachaciero** » 22 Apr 2010, 11:36

graysclassics wrote:I guess thats why Citroens are cheap, especially the C5. I have snap-on diagnostics but diagnostics are not always the be all and end all, I usually rely on common sense & experience. If it runs ok without the exhaust it tells me where the fault lies, I am guessing at the particulate filter? I can always scrap it! easy fix see...lol

The older HDI's in the 406 etc do not seem to have the same problems, I pressume they do not have the same emission set-up's to go wrong.

A customer also wants a C5, thats why I am researching so much; they wanted an Audi C4/C6 but I told them to avoid on the basis of comfort, especially as they have to deal with freight loads of speed humps every day. Its the suspension I love and am not frightened to fix it, the older high spec citiroens are too old in the tooth now or are sat on springs which defeats the object.

Good advice though,.... I wonder if they fancy a traction avant - I love those too!

2003 2.0 Hdi's don't have particulate filters and a cat is practically speaking an irrelevance on a diesel.

You are correct in that just reading error codes is only half the battle the beauty of a Lexia is that you can read many of the parameters in real time e.g you can see what it believes the rail pressure to be you can also see how much current it's stuffing into the pressure regulator from these two values alone you can make a much more accurate assessment if you have a regulator problem or a pump problem.
Error codes only really tell you what to go and look at NOT what to change further, measurement and elimination will tell you what to change.

cachaciero

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 22 Apr 2010, 11:40

RichardW wrote:Find out the cost of the fixed car, deduct an HP pump (best part of £1k), New set of injectors (<£1k), diag equipment, time to fix it, and that's what it's worth. Less than scrap value I expect.... Cheap is not always a bargain!

Doing the maths on that one means it does not appear to add up, so looks like one to avoid!

You will take on the problems that someone else could not be bothered to/or afford to fix!