C5 X7 no start (or only runs for fraction of a second)

[MattBLancs]

Still not relaxed, but two starts today without issue.

Hoping for same again tomorrow, and Wednesday too!

I've just bought a new crank sensor (on Autodoc 41% off, plus £10 off coupon (admittedly most of that swallowed up by the £8.45 postage, though I knocked the £3.95 safeparts thing off)
Will keep that in stock once it arrives, or maybe in the boot!

Diagbox laptop and towing bar both still along for the ride.

[CitroJim]

Fingers remain very much crossed Matt

[MattBLancs]

Got on the motorway and passenger side windscreen trim decided to announce failure of its adhesive by dancing on and off the screen!

A gentle removal in the services took this off and into the car.

Today I shall be playing a game of "how long do I need to hold this to be sure the silicone has a good hold of it? And is it going to rain on me whilst I am stood here like a human statue...

[CitroJim]

Good to see the forum sticker on display Matt

[MattBLancs]

Good to see the forum sticker on display Matt

Yes, nicely in shot too not stuck brilliantly suspect screen needed more of a clean (a warm weather job)

Had a few goes as to where to put it, but "posh" dark tinted windows hid it everywhere else I tried! (Rear quarter, back screen = hardly make it out at all!)


Looks like the silicone has failed miserably. May pull it off rather than risk loose it on my way to work tomorrow morning.

[KennyW]

Matt,

Did you not get the original yellow coloured clips to fit the trim. They are once use only but hold it well to frame. My came off driving home because I reused the old clips.

Lesson learnt. I'll try and find the citroen number

Kenny

PS https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/173856239436 ... BMsu_86LZh

Link to clips Citroen No 8123 98. 10 clips in a pack for £3-95

[MattBLancs]

Matt,

Did you not get the original yellow coloured clips to fit the trim. They are once use only but hold it well to frame. My came off driving home because I reused the old clips.

Lesson learnt. I'll try and find the citroen number

Kenny

PS https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/173856239436

Link to clips Citroen No 8123 98. 10 clips in a pack for £3-95

Thanks for digging that out for me -
Wow, those are funny looking things! No, didn't get any of those. Was two holes in the (actually surprisingly - rubber?) underneath trim. One empty, the other with some sort of flat topped clip visible. Didn't try and dig it out.

Trim is metal (aluminium?) And smooth and flat, featureless underneath. Stuck on its underside was sort of black sealant - not silicone, a stiffer substance. Peeled off in one complete piece. Also random fragments of what looked like masking tape, suspect actually some long since degraded double sided tape.
One area had some clear double sided adhesive plastic tape, that was only bit with any meaningful attachment to the metal top trim!

A couple of "witness marks" from whatever had stuck whatever the clips in the two holes were. (But only a mark, no actual adhesive? Previously removed?)

Anyway, a very long description! but wanted to describe what seemed to be an attempt upon attempt approach previously deployed to try and keep this simple piece in place!

[myglaren]

May be too cold for it to cure properly.
Perhaps if you warm up the trim indoors and warm the car frame with a hairdryer before applying the (warm) silicone, then covering the repair with some insulating material it might work better.

[MattBLancs]

May be too cold for it to cure properly.
Perhaps if you warm up the trim indoors and warm the car frame with a hairdryer before applying the (warm) silicone, then covering the repair with some insulating material it might work better.

Yes that's likely a big factor in my failure. I've left a couple of pieces of duct tape pulling it down slightly, didn't fly off in a ride to Southport this afternoon thankfully, will see if overnight does it aby good.

If seems at all loose in the morning I'll pull it free and have the next approach already lined up:

• Balls to it, till a warm spring day!

Side note: Southport's Marine Drive is an excellent hydropneumatic test route, if I could of actually got some speed up (some moron in a F Pace have a panic attack about the undulating road surface and seemingly unable to do more than about 35 (on the 50mph road where the speed limit feels slower than the road would take/was designed for)


Generally, the C5 is running ok presently, but I wonder if it's spheres are below par. I might be getting used to it, or else it's suspension performance seems distinctly ordinary of late. Like a "normally suspended" car rather than some sort of magic hovercraft. Hmmm.

[MattBLancs]

Spot the new washer tube!

Spot the overly complex high internal resistance to flow brittle old nonsense!

Bought a washer pump I don't need it seems, but nevermind a fix is a fix!

[KennyW]

Matt,

Got the same problem have cut and insert clear plastic tubing but It just keeps breaking further down the line. Going to replace with plastic tubing to the joint in front wheel arch.

Kenny

[CitroJim]

Mine on the Saxo froze up yesterday and I had to stop and squirt some water from a bottle on the screen to clean it... They thawed out later...

[MattBLancs]

Matt,

Got the same problem have cut and insert clear plastic tubing but It just keeps breaking further down the line. Going to replace with plastic tubing to the joint in front wheel arch.

Kenny

Yes, I thought I might be chasing this problem again and again! I've already done a short length on the rear washer, where it exists the body to the boot lid. Not looking forward to chasing the next leak on that run! (Half the interior out!)

Will have a look in the wheel arch, and may yet change the pump anyway (as was only about £4) the bit I replaced was split but also the very end of the section before (which is the from the wheel arch section) so fit away with a quick fix for the moment.

Not sure what the point of this ridged hose is really, doesn't seem a step up in any way to the normal smooth tube! Will make a decent (small) cable protector though would have to thread through or cut a slot end to end. Bits I took off straight in the bin though!

Jim, I've a washing up liquid bottle with some screenwash and water in it, have been meaning to sort this (and rained off most times I've remembered!) Since before Christmas!

[MattBLancs]

Mine on the Saxo froze up yesterday and I had to stop and squirt some water from a bottle on the screen to clean it... They thawed out later...

Thought mine were just frozen (and MOT man did too as didn't pull me up on it with the test thankfully)

Then was warm enough for that not to be an issue.

No noise, checked the fuse, blown, ah that'll be it!

Ordered a pump then as unusual to blow fuse even if blocked frozen pipework

New (mini) fuse gave me noise but no squirting.

So found 2 leaks yesterday and for the moment it's functional again!

Every problem seems to be about 3 problems when you dig into it at present!

[CitroJim]

Every problem seems to be about 3 problems when you dig into it at present!

I know the feeling Matt But then, it is a Citroen! Delighted it's all good now

Had a problem with the rear washer on the Pixo a few winters ago. Daughter complained the rear washer had failed and she had wet feet...

You'd never think so at first thought but both were connected...

Reason was a little right-angle connector in the pipe were it runs under the dash and up the A pillar had popped apart due to a frost blockage in the jet and flooded the footwell with washer fluid...

I never risk using the rear washer when it's frosty now...