[C5 X7] Spec check and parts swapping feasibility?

[the-termin8r]

Just the regular handbook. It's more than twice as thick as the X7s and has a fraction of the info. For example, one of the dome bulbs blew, so I went to the section about changing bulbs and it didn't list the type. The bulb list is 100 pages later and it only states bulb power for some reason, not the actual form factor. Utterly useless.

[wheeler]

I find the Citroen ones are ok - would be better if colour.

Some of the newer PSA diagrams are part colour which does make it a bit easier at a glance.

Personally what i always do when im going to do any fault finding on a circuit is print it out then use different coloured highlighters to trace any wiring I need to follow or check, I find this is what works best for me.

[wurlycorner]

Personally what i always do when im going to do any fault finding on a circuit is print it out then use different coloured highlighters to trace any wiring I need to follow or check, I find this is what works best for me.

Likewise.
And tick off any that I can rule out before starting (because I know that part is working etc.)

It's so rewarding when you do all that homework first, then go to the car with a firm clear plan and full of positivity - only to discover the wiring on the car is nothing like the schematic (mk1 c5 cooling fans I'm looking at you, most recently...)

[the-termin8r]

Well, looks like I won't be doing any swapping of any parts as it would appear I've bought a heap of scrap. The report from Chevronics is below:

- The knock is the front left lower wishbone bush in the hub , they deemed it safe to drive for now.
- Forbidden milkshake in the coolant tank. They're unsure if it's the head gasket, but told me to monitor it over the next week or so. They also flushed it for me. When I looked at it before buying the car it just looked like dirty coolant to me, but I suppose it got worse with driving (the car had sat around for almost a year prior)
- When they were inspecting it, they touched one of the coolant pipes and it disintegrated in the guy's hand because it was so rusty. Luckily they had the parts on hand and did an immediate swap.
- Brake fluid dirty
- Rear brake pads wearing unevenly
- Front right top strut mount breaking up (the foam bit)
- Rear suspension pipes in bad condition, metal ones rusting, rubber ones cracking
- Front outer CV gaiters missing clips and losing grease

This thing's a money pit. I'm going to deal with the bushing, gaiters, pipes and brakes and then I'm getting rid of it. Now I feel dirty for cheating on my 2L which has diligently served my family for over 11 years. LOL

[wurlycorner]

Ah I’m sorry it has quite a list of things that need doing on it. Mine is similar in that I bought it knowing it was faulty at the time (but sure I knew what that was) and it was likely to have a few more things wrong it - but it’s turned out needing a lot more than I expected (I bought it blind, not looking it over beforehand and collected it in pitch black, so I did know I was taking a risk and well… I’d just deal with it!)

For better or worse, I’m persevering with it, because it’s the spec I want (just missing the panoramic roof really) because I do basically everything on it myself and because I’m an idiot like that

[the-termin8r]

I probably would have kept and fixed it if I didn't know and have better. My 2L is in much better condition outside, inside and mechanically. Not to mention I know everything that's happened to it in the last 11 years. We've had it since 8162 miles (one previous owner when we picked it up). Some 16K spent over the years (a lot of it being my dad getting ripped off at main dealers) on annual servicing, tyres, MOTs and repairs and a literal ring binder full of invoices. Hell it's at 111K-and-some-change miles and still on the original factory clutch from 2009. The power and the quieter operation of the 3L is utterly intoxicating, but not at all worth all the other sacrifices. If I wanted a truly fast money pit, I'd buy a big V8 Jag like an S-Type R or XFR LOL.

I've always wondered what the panoramic would be like, but I feel like it's a bit overrated. My dad's CR-V has one and you don't really notice it (even sitting in the back) until the sun starts boiling your eyes. Not to mention, in the X7 it eats into rear headroom significantly, in spite of the indent bit where the passenger heads would be. The only other car I've been in with a panoramic was a Hyundai i40 estate. I was in my mid-teens back then I think and we had a Mk2 C5 at the time. I liked it then, but I think that's because I was a kid. I will say this though, the rear leg room in the i40 was absolutely outrageous. I've never seen that much leg room, especially in a regular car. I would have been ~1.75m tall at the time and I could almost fully stretch my legs out in front of me while sitting behind my dad who would have been about that height too.

Either way, best of luck with yours, I hope it doesn't bite your head off.

[wurlycorner]

Thanks. Currently failing to locate the replacement engine torque mounts that it needs…

[the-termin8r]

You can try reaching out to Chevronics I don't know how they magic up all the parts they use (I know they custom manufacture some BX parts), but they might be able to source and sell you some as they sell parts in general. They don't work weekends though.

[the-termin8r]

Another thing to add to the list of missing features I'm noticing: this one doesn't have rear footwell lights. The mounts are there, but the light modules aren't. Luckily I'm planning on swapping all the seats between this and my 2L, so I'm hoping it'll just be a plug and pray affair.

[wurlycorner]

Interesting. Another thing I didn’t know about. Any pics and part numbers perhaps?

[the-termin8r]

Part number is 6362N6 apparently, it's the same one that appears in the boot of the saloon. I can't remember what the modules on the seats looked like exactly to confirm whether it's the same as the boot one (which I do remember) as I did my LED conversion a while back. As for what the whole assembly looks like it should be this. Don't know how the wiring would be though. That's why I'm hoping it's all on the same connector and that it'll just work if I plug in an equipped seat (i.e. the ones from the 2L).

[the-termin8r]

Quick update on my money pit. Got it back from Chevronics yesterday after a lot of major work, hefty bill of £2353, but actually quite a reasonable price given how much was done and how quickly. So I'm actually quite happy. Even more "good" news, my coolant issue isn't looking like head gasket. They're pretty sure it's the oil cooler seals. So I'll be getting the oil cooler and thermostat (as that has a small leak apparently) done later this month. So far the total cost of the car + essential repairs is ~£5975, which all things considered isn't too bad. Granted, it's significantly more than the 2.5K I paid for the car itself, but 6K is still less than a clapped out Polo.

As for the work done this week:
- Oil
- Oil filter
- Fuel filter
- Air filter
- Cabin filter
- Whatever else is part of the major service procedure
- Gearbox oil
- Brake fluid
- Timing belt
- Alternator belt
- Water pump
- Coolant flush
- Rear metal LDS pipe
- Driver's weather strip
- Windscreen A-pillar trim needed re-gluing (I think it was actually a recall back in the day)
- Other miscellaneous bits and pieces
- Loan car

[wurlycorner]

There is a lot of work in that, yes. I don’t envy them having done the cambelt and water pump. It’s an easy enough job on the engine itself, but access to it in the x7 is a complete arse.

You and I are into these damn things for near enough the same amount of cash so far (having paid about the same for the car in the first place) - though I suspect yours may be in overall better condition and it is certainly lower miles. You’re also now further along with sorting the issues yourself came with.

Haven’t touched mine any further as yet (other than to confirm that yes, it definitely has a parasitic drain - it won’t last 12 hours after a full charge) due to working on other things.

How big a job is the oil cooler seals, I wonder?

[the-termin8r]

I picked mine up at ~95.1K and it ticked over to 97K the other day so it's probably closer to 97.2K now.

I've still got plenty left to do on mine myself. I managed to get a full set of facelift lights from various breakers (got the front clusters for £54 for the pair). I'm debating whether I want to pull the bumper off myself or get Chevronics to do it. I think one of my horn transducers(?) has gone, so I might take it to them to get the front clusters fitted and have the horn looked at while the bumper is off.

Otherwise my to-do list is still huge:

- Swap the rear clusters myself
- Move my exterior LEDs over from the 2L
- Fit new interior LEDs everywhere
- Swap all the door cards
- Swap all the seats
- Swap the fascia panel and the screen (for some reason the original screen has different polarisation to the Chinese one I fitted to the 2L, so my sunglasses filter it out)
- Swap the panel of trim around the gear stick
- Swap the suspension and parking brake buttons
- Swap the under-radio cubby
- Swap that tiny cubby behind the parking brake button
- Swap / fit the overhang strip lights
- Relocate the USB and TRS sockets
- Swap the central armrest liner
- Swap the armrest lid and leather top
- Swap the left interior A-pillar trim and tweeter
- Swap the rear view mirror
- Swap all the floor mats
- Swap the boot floor
- Re-print new clamps for the boot cubby elastics
- Swap one of the iffy washer nozzle valves
- Find and fix the hole in the washer pipe near the bonnet hinge
- Swap the headlight cluster covers
- Fit the second hand scuttle plate I picked up
- Swap the button membranes on the ignition keys
- Refit my self-incrimination device

There's probably more stuff I'm forgetting, but I have my work cut out for me.

The drain on yours is a weird one, I can leave the 2L for about a week and it needs a few extra cranks to start. I've actually be running it up and letting it idle for a few mins every Sunday. Don't know how long the 3L can last.

As for the job, they couldn't give me a price on the spot because they didn't know component costs off the top of their head, so they said they'll send me a quote later (I plan on getting it done either way). Time-wise they said probably a couple of days again.

[wurlycorner]

- Refit my self-incrimination device

3.0 HDi X7s come with a masochist device as standard equipment - no option or retro fit required.