Suspension sinks on Sundays! C5 X7 that works hard + 206 GTi HDi (and 406 Coupe and 306 HDi). - MattBLancs

[CitroJim]

Love that long, wobbly extension Matt I've done that a few times too...

I remember those from around the time I was using the duracells, (as mentioned the other day here), maybe that had something to do with it.

[moizeau]

That extension reminds me of the one I had to make up to undo the rearmost lowest Epic pump nut, only that went 1/2" to 3/8" half way down. Had to use grease in the socket when refitting, took ages to align it blind.

[MattBLancs]

That extension reminds me of the one I had to make up to undo the rearmost lowest Epic pump nut, only that went 1/2" to 3/8" half way down. Had to use grease in the socket when refitting, took ages to align it blind.

Little bit of paper (most commonly "blue roll" that's to hand for me!) Also helps stick a nut or small bolt into the socket. Obviously don't want it toooo well stuck as then it's more likely to leave socket on bolt than it return with the extensions! (Assuming don't have posh "locking" type extensions)

[CitroJim]

BluTack can be useful in these circumstances too...

But do clean it off carefully as it seems to go all manky if it comes into contact with oil...

[MattBLancs]

This morning's message

Spoiler: show

[bobins]

I'll open the bidding with : "It's a dodgy earth connection causing that".
Am I bid anything better than that ? Anyone care to raise the stakes ?
Do I hear "Low battery voltage" from the floor ?

[MattBLancs]

Engine oil, suitable for:
the (2.2 HDi 173 BHP, FAP equipped) C5 and
the (2.2 HDi 138 BHP, FAP equipped) 406 Coupe and
the (1.6 HDi 110 bhp FAP equipped) 308 SW?

I think the answer to all above is 5W30 fully synthetic to ACEA C2

But I'm looking at this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203509521237
Mannol, 5W30 fully synthetic - listing says ACEA C3 spec, £48.79 for four x 5 litre bottles, free delivery.

but here :
https://www.mannol.de/products/syntheti ... mium-5w-30

States:

Specifications
SAE 5W-30
API SN/CH-4
ACEA C2
ACEA C3
VOLKSWAGEN 505 01
BMW LL-04
MB 229.51
MB 229.52
MB 229.31
MB 226.5
GM dexos2

So seems it's a goer.

Works out at £12.20 per bottle. Can't find much to rival that price, even looking at less convenient to use 20 litre drums. I know some folks prefer "well known" brands but if meets the required specification, all good?

[MattBLancs]

Ok, did find something to rival it, when it tried a search for 25 litres rather than 20 litres - seems there's big drums in both those volumes!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305465965170?
£62.99 down to £47.24 with coupon, 25 litres, specifically mentioning ACEA C2 and C3 on pictures of the label. Works out as £9.49 / 5 litres. As that much cheaper I'll entertain faffing about decanting it!

[bobins]

One bit of advice from a chap I used to know who once worked for a seller of European Car Parts :
Good oil can only be produced down to a certain price. Once you go below that price, you're not paying for good oil. I have a feeling he was referring to their own oil they used to sell

[MattBLancs]

Yes, it's a reasonable argument.

I'm sticking with "meets the specification" as my deciding factor for the moment - it might come and but me on the bum, but equally it's probably going to be hard to determine what's an oil driven failure and what's a >15 year old, >150,000 mile car doing what an old car can do on occasion

[MattBLancs]

Equally, I don't think leaving the same oil in for 20,000 miles is doing any good regardless of brand or specification!

My use case is pretty much ideal (i.e. generally 1 hour motorway trip about 95% of times it's used) but still rather change it more frequently

[bobins]

Yep - there's an extremely good argument for basic oil that meets the spec and very regular / frequent oil changes, rather than using the super-duper very expensive over spec'd oil and going right to the oil change interval limit. If I was driving a car hard then I'd want a known brand good spec oil though !

[MattBLancs]

Quick dump of the C5 fault codes, thinking to follow!

[MattBLancs]

406 Coupe (front struts from the 2.2 HDi)

Part number brings up an air filter housing!

Decidedly tired bump stops. Both sides the same. No sign at all of the missing section so guess crumbled to dust and escape the black dust shield.

As found

Trimmed off and sanded (powerfile neatened the cut edge nicely)

New ones are £5 each from Autodoc, so added to my wish list on there perhaps for next order.

[MattBLancs]

eBay search of part number

Funny looking bump stops!