My Fantastic new C5

[Northern_Mike]

Well, cooling system pressuring, blowing out coolant, and now to make it even more interesting, I went to start it today so I could get it out of the way of the Berlingo, the dash lit up dimly and it's as dead as a dodo...

[Lighty]

Sorry to hear of your troubles, must be terrible for this to happen on a new purchase. If it helps, I can highly recommend this product http://www.steelseal.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
If you can get the car running, it seems to work more often than not, and whilst expensive , its a whole lot easier than a replacement gasket, at least whilst you think what to do.

[Northern_Mike]

Thanks Lighty. It won't even turn over now though, hydraulic lock I presume. I know I could get the injectors out easily enough, see if water comes out if it turns, refill, whizz some of this in, but I don't have the time due to work commitments and hospital trips. It'll likely sit on the drive for a while while I rip bits off it to sell as and when, cash in the tax, sell the alloys and newish tyres, lights, pump, etc etc. Shame, as it's a good looking car with a load of new parts. Doesn't go though, and doesn't appear it ever will again, without considerable time or money, or both, which means it's no use to me at all.

I've just laid my hands on a Passat TDI Estate on an 03 plate (from a friend who I've known since I was 5, and has told me, in no uncertain terms, what is wrong with it) for less than I gave for the C5. I've been told in no uncertain terms what's wrong with it..

[Stewart(oily)]

I would whip the glow plugs out to empty water from the pots, my local factors have the Steelseal stuff on the shelf, I did enquire and they have sold quite a lot of it with apparently good results, worth a pop I reckon. Chin up !

[Citroenmad]

That is unfortunate to say the least Mike, its not unheard of for HDis to eat through a headgasket but its far from common. Its a problem just about any car can suffer and its often caused by a lack of maintenance in one area or another. Maybe overheating due to the cooling fans being inoperative, water pump failing/leaking or something as simple as the coolant hasn't been changed.

I would be pretty livid having bought a car and it failing immediately afterwards with HGF, however, as is the way with the used car market.

As for dealers, unless they are a specialist and you know them well (like Savoy), I wouldn't touch a used car dealer. Dealers and by that I mean traders who buy in cheap, do nothing to the cars and sell for more money, are only moving on other peoples problem cars.

I hope your next car is a better find Mike, the Passat TDi is known to be a hardy workhorse and generally they cost more than C5s too, so I would say you have found a bargain.

[Northern_Mike]

That is unfortunate to say the least Mike, its not unheard of for HDis to eat through a headgasket but its far from common. Its a problem just about any car can suffer and its often caused by a lack of maintenance in one area or another. Maybe overheating due to the cooling fans being inoperative, water pump failing/leaking or something as simple as the coolant hasn't been changed.

I would be pretty livid having bought a car and it failing immediately afterwards with HGF, however, as is the way with the used car market.

As for dealers, unless they are a specialist and you know them well (like Savoy), I wouldn't touch a used car dealer. Dealers and by that I mean traders who buy in cheap, do nothing to the cars and sell for more money, are only moving on other peoples problem cars.

I hope your next car is a better find Mike

Thanks Chris..

The car has been well maintained. I put it down to not having been bled properly after the latest timing belt and water pump change. It's drank all it's coolant again.

I was wrong about hydraulic lock. The AA man came out after I gave up, and put a lead direct from battery to starter, and it sprung into life. So, I tested all the fuses in both fuse boxes, but they were all fine. Seeing as it was running, I filled it up with water again, bled it, again, which it started to drink and went and took it to another good local Citroen indy to investigate. I suspect the ignition switch or fusebox, going off previous experience.

Once that's fixed, I'll decide what to do about the HGF. Steelseal and use it, or get rid of it asap? It drove ok when I took it to the garage earlier

[Gibbo2286]

You say you checked the fuses, did you check the master fuses?

If you attempted to fit the wrong instrument panel you may have blown one of those so if you haven't checked them best do so before you start looking for ignition switch and other problems, they're located underneath the under bonnet fuse board

[Northern_Mike]

Haven't touched the instruments yet. Haven't touched anything at all electrical.
Tested all visible fuses for continuity with a multimeter without removing them.

Master fuses?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4

[Northern_Mike]

Thanks for your help Gibbo.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4

[Northern_Mike]

You say you checked the fuses, did you check the master fuses?

If you attempted to fit the wrong instrument panel you may have blown one of those so if you haven't checked them best do so before you start looking for ignition switch and other problems, they're located underneath the under bonnet fuse board

It was the starter motor exciter that had failed. Now sorted, they charged me £36 quid.

[CitroJim]

It was the starter motor exciter that had failed. Now sorted, they charged me £36 quid.

How do you excite a starter motor? There modern cars never fail to amaze me with their exotic and bizarre components...

[Mandrake]

It was the starter motor exciter that had failed. Now sorted, they charged me £36 quid.

How do you excite a starter motor?

You don't It's probably mechanic speak for the starter solenoid...

[Gibbo2286]

It was the starter motor exciter that had failed. Now sorted, they charged me £36 quid.

How do you excite a starter motor?

You don't It's probably mechanic speak for the starter solenoid...

You're probably right Mandrake, maybe the mechanic has been reading up on electric motors and picked up the word from there and misused it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excitation_(magnetic" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

[Northern_Mike]

The low current feed from the ignition has been called the exciter ever since I remember. Used to be a common failing on the CX DTRs when I worked for Citroen. Slipped my mind completely.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4