Code P1637?

[myglaren]

This is becoming a bit of a blog
To make it even more so I have a bit of waffle.

When I go to my local car parts place it is usually a protracted visit ( I was there two hours yesterday, good job he hardly has any customers) as the guy who runs it is a very clever and interesting character and very much like you Jim, with a long history of thermionic device electronics.

He wants my old MAF as he is incensed at the prices charged for such a simple and cheap to manufacture device - I got off lightly, he mentioned the prices that F*** and V******* extract from their clients. He reckons that they could be rebuild for buttons as the moulded plastic part is the costliest to manufacture.

He was telling me yesterday that he used to make Lambda sensors for the ICI stacks on Teesside*, 6' tall and lasted for years in a very harsh environment, only £2000 with an unlimited warranty.

While there I bought a heavy duty 16mm socket to remove my rear calipers. Won't be buying a huge torque wrench to go with it, just a scaffold pole will have to suffice.
When I told him of the dissimilar metal corrosion and the current methods of combating it he suggested a zinc primer as a sacrificial anode, which sounds like a viable option.
One thing that hadn't occurred to me until then was that surely the trailing arms are painted and the paint should suffice as an insulator and barrier to the emf causing the corrosion. As I haven't personally had my calipers off yet I haven't seen if they are bare metal contact surfaces.


*It was these that inspired the opening sequence of Blade Runner. Ridley Scott (from South Shields) used to see them frequently from the Tees flyover.

[wheeler]

He wants my old MAF as he is incensed at the prices charged for such a simple and cheap to manufacture device - I got off lightly, he mentioned the prices that F*** and V******* extract from their clients. He reckons that they could be rebuild for buttons as the moulded plastic part is the costliest to manufacture.

On a Merc A-class the MAF comes as part of the throttle body/ECU and comes in at around £1100 + vat. The unit has to be coded to the car also meaning no use of second hand ones. Even BBA reman take £220.00 to rebuild your old one.

[myglaren]

Fitted the MAF and air filter and it seemed much improved on a test run although slow to start still - due no doubt to the duff injector - and rather noisy - until I remembered failing to put the hose back on the intercooler - much quieter after replacing that.

[myglaren]

Just had to leave work due to excess amounts of deodorant and second hand smoke.
On the upside the C5 is performing brilliantly. I'm not saying it will out-drag my daughters 2.3L SAAB but it feels as though it would.
Still slow to fire first thing but then full power is available right away, no waiting 5~10 minutes or driving 3~5 miles at 15~20 miles an hour.
Going to work is largely downhill so naturally coming home is the converse. Pulling away from the lights and turning left on a fairly steep upgrade is generally something I don't look forward to as it is on the point of stalling all the way through.
Shot off like a wild stallion today though.
Remains to see what new injectors and MAP will add to the experience.
I was going to sell it but based on today's performance I will be hanging on to it I think, was a pleasure to drive.

I did get pulled by the police though, first time in many years.
I approached a police car from behind, doing 70 on a dual carriageway and followed him down an off-ramp then round a roundabout and down a single carriageway, where he drove quite slowly and eventually pulled in, the followed me when I passed him (still legal speeds) and turned off the next roundabout, when he stuck the blue flashers on.
Pulled in and he came up and asked what I wanted.
"Nothing that I know of officer"

"Why were you flashing your lights at me then - you seemed to want my attention"

Bloody automatic lights coming on when I accelerate or make reasonably energetic turns, innit?

He saw I was unwell so let it drop, said he had had two Citroens and both plagued with electrical faults.
I mentioned that his police car didn't seem too bright either and he agreed - new Mondeo, seemed to have a strong reluctance to negotiate the roundabouts and maintain lane discipline - he said it was a complete cow and all the battering rams etc. in the back didn't help one bit.

I refrained from advising him to replace it with an hydro-pneumatically suspended vehicle. Pointless aggravating him, although he was a perfectly nice chap just doing his job.

[KennyW]

Steve,

Phoned Lawson diesel in Edinburgh, they agree the numbers look odd but the measurements used are different from their calculations.

They said in order to confirm it was a faulty injector/s they would need to bench test them.A total refurb costs £99-50 + vat per injector.

He said that ws everything from testing, complete overhaul of injector retesting etc.

He also said the price you were quoted for new injectors was slightly dear but no over the top.

He also said he would require the injector part number to quote the correct price.

I'll scan their business card and put it on.

Kenny

P.S. Sorry for the delay but shifts have prevented me phoning earlier.

[KennyW]

Steve,

Business card details below



Kenny

[steelcityuk]

Going back to the bi-metal corrosion I remember reading somewhere that an owner had used butyl rubber pond liner as an insulator which he claimed worked just fine.

Steve.

[myglaren]

Thanks Kenny. I will attempt to get the injector numbers.

Won't go for a refurb though as the dud one was done about - in fact exactly - 4th September '09 - so I'm not convinced that it is an economical option, I would be happier with new despite the extra cost.

Going very well - when I leave work there is a fairly blind exit from the estate at the foot of a bank and traffic comes haring down the bank well in excess of the posted speed limit so one has to be fairly sharp getting out of there, which has been impossible for some months now.
Shot out of there with a reassuring squeal of tyres this evening. Hasn't been able to do more than crawl out for ages with the imminent prospect of it stalling while doing so.

As a reward it received an oil and filter change this evening.

[myglaren]

Going back to the bi-metal corrosion I remember reading somewhere that an owner had used butyl rubber pond liner as an insulator which he claimed worked just fine.

Steve.

Worth a try.

[boristhespie]

I am getting a geezer to Lexia my C5. What do we need to do to check injectors. He knows about as much as me.

I did have an airflow fult last time I checked but garage said they tried a MAF they had "lying around" (I assume from anothe C5 like mine they service, a taxi)

They sais this made no difference to the problem which is same as Myglarens.

I need to check vacumn too.

Anyway injextor/lexia advice would be scooby.

[myglaren]

Paul (citroenxm) did mine so will know if no one else replies first.
PM him and alert him as he may not see these posts.

[myglaren]

Finally got the car seen to, last weekend, after attempting it for ten weekends in a row.

New rear callipers+pads, old ones corroded beyond redemption, one cracked.
New serpentine belt and tensioner - still singing, seems to be the aircon compressor pulley.
New exhaust.
Drop links.
New rear suspension gaiter, slight weep on it.
Some other bits.

Injectors taken to a diesel specialist with a good reputation.
Tested, refurbished and calibrated.

He reckoned that only one (#3) was out of kilter and only at idle
£300 just for that and it doesn't seem improved at all.

Starting veeeeery slowly first time again, possibly starter motor, which seems to be a problem with HDis.

Needs a new tyre, worn by defective drop links. No knocking from them though. I thought there was a while back but it was just junk floating around in the glovebox.

Needs new headlights - they look awful, yellowed and something growing inside them

[addo]

Drop links causing tyre wear? Seems rather odd.

[myglaren]

Drop links causing tyre wear? Seems rather odd.

Not sure what else it could be - nothing else on the front suspension indicated.

[addo]

Outer balljoint, lower balljoint, LCA bushes.

Because (with exception of outer steering ball joint) they're loaded well unless fully depressurised, it's very hard to detect free play. 0.25mm of slack in the outer tie rod end, represents a good mm of shimmy at the tread.