C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by Peter.N. »

I had this problem with my C5 and it turned out to be the pressure regulator on the back of the HP pump but mine wouldn't start when it was hot.

Mine also cuts out when you put your foot down to overtake someone but I think that is an injector problem. I bought a complete set on ebay for £25 but haven't got round to testing/fitting them yet.

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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by citroenxm »

I had the cutting out experience on my xantia hdi.. which was a scarey thing sadly after a lot of injector and pump and regulator swaps it did go away but came back again... a great shame.. id still be useing her if the problem haddnt arose.. I wonder if a lower milage set of injectors of workes... mine were on about 250k ... the replacements came out of 170k ... an interesting post and I read with interest...
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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by Peter.N. »

My first 406 .the one that won't start, has covered 245k as far as I know on the original injectors and will still do 60+mpg, the one I bought has only done 181k and struggles to do 50mpg. I'm hoping its only injectors, changed the MAF and fitted a new thermostat - no difference

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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by BX »

Remove the black connector from the BM34, the engine bay fuse box. Check for signs of heating on pin11 which as far as I can remember a salmon/pink wire. This is the supply to the in tank pump. It is a common problem and causes exactly the symptoms you describe.
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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by citroenxm »

BX wrote:Remove the black connector from the BM34, the engine bay fuse box. Check for signs of heating on pin11 which as far as I can remember a salmon/pink wire. This is the supply to the in tank pump. It is a common problem and causes exactly the symptoms you describe.
Seriously!!??? Yur telling us this now!! LOL... Id have tried anything and everything to have sorted the cutting out, I still wasnt board of the car when I sold it!!

I did though narrow it down to an issue on my Xantia, and nothing else.... but never sorted it. The current owner drives like a great grandad and never races or overtakes, so the cutting out issue wont raise its head for him!
Sharing a pug 207 1.6 hdi Sw 16v.
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L reg XM V6 12v SEi auto .. Light project

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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by BX »

EEK! My reply was to the OP's problem of not starting occasionally. I have never seen it to cause cutting out but looking logically at it it is possible. When the ignition is turned on current may or may no-go through the bad connection to the pump motor. Normally once it gets going it keeps going. As a motor is an inductive load it probably breaks across short interruptions and remakes contact. A quick visual will normally show if there is a problem. One could just listen carefully each time the ignition is turned on to make sure the low pressure in tank pump operates.
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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by citroenxm »

Ahh OK BX... NO worries at all!! Not a problem!
Sharing a pug 207 1.6 hdi Sw 16v.
M reg Xm 2.1 td auto exclusive S2 269k and rising
L reg XM V6 12v SEi auto .. Light project

A very sad...
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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by pabloalfa76 »

OK, I went to the local breakers yard after work today.
pulled out a set of injectors from a 2003 C5, with 90,000 miles on the clock, mine has 176,000 so that's an improvement.(£50 for the injectors, had to haggle, as they wanted £18 each )

The nearest Citroen dealer didn't have any sealing washers in stock, so I've settled for the old ones flipped over for now!

Also decided to change all 4 injectors to see what happens, the car wound over 4 turns and then fired up, nice even tick-over.
Went out for a drive and all seems well, pulls hard and lots of power.

So the real test will come at 5am tomorrow morning, when I need to get to work and its -2 outside, Finger crossed!

Ps, anyone know the correct torque for the injector bolts.
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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by citroenxm »

Nice one Pabloalfa76 .... sounds promising. 18 quid an injector is actually a GOOD price... these arent cheap..

I dont know the torque setting, I just do " thats tight enough " .... without being too silly..
Sharing a pug 207 1.6 hdi Sw 16v.
M reg Xm 2.1 td auto exclusive S2 269k and rising
L reg XM V6 12v SEi auto .. Light project

A very sad...
1994 XM 2.1 d auto
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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by jgra1 »

great news Paul :)
fingers crossed for tomorrow
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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by Peter.N. »

I shall await the outcome with interest, I'm sure the injectors on my C5 are faulty, having eventually got it to start, if you rev it and let it tickover its sometimes uneven other times OK. I only paid £25 for my injectors but there was no mileage guarantee.

The 2.0. 8 valve injectors are very reliable normally which is I think why you see them for sale so cheaply.

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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by pabloalfa76 »

Hi All,
Well, day one since injector replacement has been good and bad.

GOOD, Car started and ran perfectly to and from work, only time will tell if this is a perfect fix, if I make it through next week with no non-starts I'll be happy.
BAD, The Heater fan has packed up! made for a scary drive to work with a frozen-up screen. ( I had a dry soldered joint on the resister pack about a year ago, I re-soldered it and it's been fine since ) I'll do some testing over the weekend.
And on the drive home from work, I noticed I've got a head-light bulb out!

I'm sure these are not related, but there's always something that needs fixing.

Cheers, Paul.

Ps, Have a nice weekend.
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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by Stickyfinger »

GJ on the injectors.

With my cars : Work at the rear and fix, next day something on the front.....Work on oil, then next day something electric, fit radio get a bearing problem :) always unrelated and 180 degrees different.
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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

Citroens (and maybe French cars in general) seem to need there to be a problem (however trivial) for the rest of the car to work properly.
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Re: C5 2.0 HDI intermittent non-start?

Post by myglaren »

Stickyfinger wrote:GJ on the injectors.

With my cars : Work at the rear and fix, next day something on the front.....Work on oil, then next day something electric, fit radio get a bearing problem :) always unrelated and 180 degrees different.
It surprises me how few problems my C5 throws up, especially considering it's age, mileage and general abuse it receives.
On the list now are exhaust, handbrake, a corroded brake pipe and will need a clutch replacement soon. All developed fairly recently (last six months :) )

Actually cleaned it after work today - first time since Malcolm's funeral :(
No doubt something will break on it now.

However, your experiences are identical to my daughter's. Whenever I repair something in her house, two other things break within a day or so,
She gets to embarrassed about it to tell me until there is a long list of fixes required.
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