C5 starting / battery issues help !

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zs&tas
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1988 pontiac firebird.
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1999 2.0hdi xantia estate
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C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by zs&tas »

Hi again ! bit late but happy xmas and new year to all, i hope youve had a good start. i havnt .
its a 2004 C5 HDI 138 i think, it had starting problems when i got her, she had a new battery 5 monthsish ago . a good one at that. now the battery seems dead and i have trouble starting her.
the history so far is ive tried a few things thinking the battery is getting drained but nothing seems to work, ive measured the amp drain on the battery when the car sits there, ive measured the alternator all seem fine.

My last thinking session has probally concluded an old starter not spinning the engine quick enough to get going causing prolonged turning over and killing my battery. when i jump the car it starts right up. every thing on the car is fine apart from this problem.

sometimes when its trying to start it will turn over for say 10secs at a X rate then speed up alittle then drop down again, which is very wierd and makes me think its the starter.

anyone herd of this issue ? any comments greatly appreciated.

thanks everyone
Hell Razor5543
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Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

It could be worth checking the battery cables, especially the ones to the starter motor. On the Xantia they are known to age and break down internally, which means the electrical resistance goes up. This mean that the starter motor is not getting enough power to spin fast enough to start the engine (as some of the amps are being wasted as heat). With the more amps from the jump start this doesn't happen.

The simplest way to check is to try and start her normally, and then to feel the battery cables. If they are hot then the cables are likely to be at fault.
James
ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR

C5 2.2HDi VTX+
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zs&tas
Posts: 260
Joined: 18 Mar 2013, 16:07
Location: Cambridgeshire
My Cars: 2004 c5 2.0 hdi 138. *gone*
1988 pontiac firebird.
1996 1.8 8v xantia auto. soon to go .......
1999 2.0hdi xantia estate
x 16

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by zs&tas »

thanks, ive read about them cables on the sticky, havnt herd of this on a C5 though. i have felt hotish cables after trying to start but figured prob normal after the amount of cranking ive been doing and if the starters faulty then it prob dosnt help.
maybe i could check the resistance of the cables to dismiss them.
oh yeah its a 68thou miler so im guessing its seen a lot of starting through the years.
Hell Razor5543
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Posts: 13726
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x 2993

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

68,000 miles! She is barely run in! My Xantia, Gracie, has over 130,000 miles and is less than 14 years old.

The reason I mentioned the cables is that they are an issue on Xantias, and it might be possible the problem has carried over into the C5. The problem with the weird rear brake calliper corrosion certainly has!
James
ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR

C5 2.2HDi VTX+
Yes, I am paranoid, but am I paranoid ENOUGH?
Out amongst the stars, looking for a world of my own!
zs&tas
Posts: 260
Joined: 18 Mar 2013, 16:07
Location: Cambridgeshire
My Cars: 2004 c5 2.0 hdi 138. *gone*
1988 pontiac firebird.
1996 1.8 8v xantia auto. soon to go .......
1999 2.0hdi xantia estate
x 16

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by zs&tas »

thanks for the heads up, the brakes on this car are sweet at the minute. yeah the motor is barelly run in but im thinking that millage over that many years prob means lots of short trips and stop starting.
Hell Razor5543
Donor 2023
Posts: 13726
Joined: 01 Apr 2012, 09:47
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My Cars: C5 Mk2 VTX+ estate.
x 2993

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

I would, at the first possible opportunity, check the rear brake callipers. Due to a weird reaction there can be corrosion between the trailing arm and the calliper, pushing the calliper off alignment (and this can, on a C5, cause damage to the brake disks). I have had this happen on both Xantias I have owned, and been able to resolve it myself (with information gleaned from this forum). The downside is that Citroen appear to have applied thread-lock to the calliper mounting bolts on the C5.

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... =3&t=38467" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
James
ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR

C5 2.2HDi VTX+
Yes, I am paranoid, but am I paranoid ENOUGH?
Out amongst the stars, looking for a world of my own!
zs&tas
Posts: 260
Joined: 18 Mar 2013, 16:07
Location: Cambridgeshire
My Cars: 2004 c5 2.0 hdi 138. *gone*
1988 pontiac firebird.
1996 1.8 8v xantia auto. soon to go .......
1999 2.0hdi xantia estate
x 16

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by zs&tas »

thought i would add that i have tried dissconecting the battery overnight but dosnt always help, but like i said my amp drain all locked up sitting there is .02amps
zs&tas
Posts: 260
Joined: 18 Mar 2013, 16:07
Location: Cambridgeshire
My Cars: 2004 c5 2.0 hdi 138. *gone*
1988 pontiac firebird.
1996 1.8 8v xantia auto. soon to go .......
1999 2.0hdi xantia estate
x 16

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by zs&tas »

another update, had battery recharged tnite, started eventually, tbh didnt take too long minus 2 here so drive safe people, checked engine earth with dmm in various places and all good. think im going ahead and buying a starter today.
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Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by SaabC5 »

Is the battery the correct one for a C5? The HDi takes a bit of turning over from cold so a "lesser" battery could fail prematurely if made to work too hard.
09 C5 X7 2.0Hdi Exclusive in Perla Nera black (the best colour) :wink:
zs&tas
Posts: 260
Joined: 18 Mar 2013, 16:07
Location: Cambridgeshire
My Cars: 2004 c5 2.0 hdi 138. *gone*
1988 pontiac firebird.
1996 1.8 8v xantia auto. soon to go .......
1999 2.0hdi xantia estate
x 16

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by zs&tas »

yeah i bought a nice one when i changed it. its a bosch. just went to start it at a friends house and it was turning over fast ( i thought ) but didnt want to fire eventually after so much turning the battery was going in the end my friend pushed it back of his drive and we bumped it in reverse ?
ive just had the computer tell me there is water in the filter too ?
zs&tas
Posts: 260
Joined: 18 Mar 2013, 16:07
Location: Cambridgeshire
My Cars: 2004 c5 2.0 hdi 138. *gone*
1988 pontiac firebird.
1996 1.8 8v xantia auto. soon to go .......
1999 2.0hdi xantia estate
x 16

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by zs&tas »

i was on a slight backward slope ( engine up ass down ) as well ? duno if thats an issue or not
jgra1
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Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by jgra1 »

I do have a brand new HDi 2.0 110 battery zs.. although another forum member has asked about it
john
zs&tas
Posts: 260
Joined: 18 Mar 2013, 16:07
Location: Cambridgeshire
My Cars: 2004 c5 2.0 hdi 138. *gone*
1988 pontiac firebird.
1996 1.8 8v xantia auto. soon to go .......
1999 2.0hdi xantia estate
x 16

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by zs&tas »

thanks, my battery is only 5 months old, im sure its not that. ive just ordered a new filter.
zs&tas
Posts: 260
Joined: 18 Mar 2013, 16:07
Location: Cambridgeshire
My Cars: 2004 c5 2.0 hdi 138. *gone*
1988 pontiac firebird.
1996 1.8 8v xantia auto. soon to go .......
1999 2.0hdi xantia estate
x 16

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by zs&tas »

anyone know why the computer would tell me theres moisture in the filter ? is this something to worry about ? it hasnt said it often just popped up occasionally.
new starters on its way, i think its dead it really didnt want to turn my motor today - buma working 25 miles from home.
zs&tas
Posts: 260
Joined: 18 Mar 2013, 16:07
Location: Cambridgeshire
My Cars: 2004 c5 2.0 hdi 138. *gone*
1988 pontiac firebird.
1996 1.8 8v xantia auto. soon to go .......
1999 2.0hdi xantia estate
x 16

Re: C5 starting / battery issues help !

Post by zs&tas »

hi, found the issue, i replaced my starter ( after being told there were two options for my car a 1.4kw and a 1.7kw - bear that in mind when ordering )
the old starter was 'made in italy ' - well there you go nough said eh ? :rofl2:

anyways the whole casing was falling apart and shorting out the battery and engine / explains the long cranking but no fire !

all working good now starts super fast no hassle, battery back up to where it should be, bring on the snow .........
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