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

[moizeau]

Although those terminals really need a clean I would confirm the starter and starter solenoid aren't at fault. As Richard mentioned, bridge the ballery feed on the solenoid to the starter feed on the solenoid with a screwdriver or long nose pliers thus bypassing the solenoid. If it spins bridge the same battery feed to the 'ignition' feed on the solenoid. If it spins the fault is upstream.

[RichardW]

I think the OEM BPGA comes with a couple of fuses missing. If you're going to buy a Chinese knockoffs off, you might as well get it direct from AliExpress and not pay the middle man!

[CitroJim]

I'd love to have a look at a duff one and try to see what goes wrong in them...

[CitroJim]

The last post in this thread may be useful Matt..

viewtopic.php?t=82017

[Huskyxantia]

How's it going Matt ? I've just read this this Morning, hope you get the result you well deserve

[MattBLancs]

Although those terminals really need a clean I would confirm the starter and starter solenoid aren't at fault. As Richard mentioned, bridge the ballery feed on the solenoid to the starter feed on the solenoid with a screwdriver or long nose pliers thus bypassing the solenoid. If it spins bridge the same battery feed to the 'ignition' feed on the solenoid. If it spins the fault is upstream.

Yes, agree need a clean (but think unlikely the issue itself - more of need to spend the time cleaning them up when doing the swap)

Given more time, agree I'd be better testing starter properly.

I think the OEM BPGA comes with a couple of fuses missing. If you're going to buy a Chinese knockoffs off, you might as well get it direct from AliExpress and not pay the middle man!

Agree, cheapest source of cheapest tat not likely any worse than buying the same thing at a more inflated price.

I've never used AliExpress (nor the new "Temu" thing either) but think delivery times are a bit longer??

As I could do with the car functional ASAP (i.e. it should be the substitute for a 37 mile each way walk to the office on Tuesday) I've bitten the bullet and ordered a new BPGA off eBay.

This one:
https://ebay.us/m/k4lb4m
Listed now at £170 but was £155 when I hit buy it now!?

It should arrive Monday - gone for the "collection from your local convenience store".

As should I, as with typical timing on the issue, as of this morning we're the other side of the country on a little holiday. So the Grey 308 has been our transport instead

[MattBLancs]

I'd love to have a look at a duff one and try to see what goes wrong in them...

Likewise, is on the cards once I've got the car going again,

The last post in this thread may be useful Matt..

viewtopic.php?t=82017

Interesting, thank you. At present two failure modes have been raised:
- the relay as per that thread.
- the "link through contact" mentioned in the other thread above.

Searching online, some of the results appear to be just the relay rather than complete BPGA assembly.
Eg
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008405017741.html
(£50, AliExpress, just relay)

[MattBLancs]

Just done an "image search" on the AliExpress subcomponent, maybe I should have chucked my money at one of these instead:
https://ebay.us/m/f4kcAZ

Second hand, £37+£9p&p

Or

https://ebay.us/m/qzUDUW
£44.99 earlier type but appears to have the same subcomponent????

[MattBLancs]

And searching the same number (as listed on the first eBay link to the subcomponent above) there's an AliExpress earlier BPGA that is so cheap as to wonder if it is just the plastic lid!?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005 ... d_source=1
£9!

And the subcomponent:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008 ... OIQAvD_BwE
£34.19

[CitroJim]

Watching all of this with great interest Matt

[MattBLancs]

Brief updates will add more words later

New item collected, a break in the weather so see if I can get this on the go...

Genuine parts!

And it says Valeo on the case of the unit.

Meter on continuity old fuses in the old unit appear to be intact.

Here comes the rain....

[MattBLancs]

Rain isn't giving up yet so a few more words whilst I cross my fingers it'll stop.

Battery on charge was showing 12.2 volts (not atrociously flat but worth topping up) also removed it from the car to get more room.

All the little M6 bolts removed are fairly crusty so into the phosphoric acid. When I get a break in the weather I will loosen off some of the terminals clean up each one with wire brush or wire wool, then back on the old unit loosely so as to keep the order/arrangement.

Relay within the centre of the unit appears to have two terminals that don't do anything!

Starter motor has a remanufactured sticker. Service history consists only numerous dealer stamps so no clue when that motor was changed. As far as I can see there is no starter fuse: what I think is the heavy starter cable comes into the BPGA and doesn't appear to be fused.

[MattBLancs]

Images of old BPGA

1

2

3

And starter motor sticker

Starter sticker

Had a go to hotwire it but clearly not enough of my youth was "misspent"
No action but equally not too convinced I was doing the right action.
Tried wire between big starter motor cable and the (only visible) little pin on the motor.
Also tried battery positive to same small terminal.

Expected clunk of solenoid but nothing.

Also no significant spark when making connection (at battery end) - expected fairly heavy jolt as making connection. Nope.

Used a fairly low cross section piece of mains cable (to hopefully give some level of crude fuse!) but all in all undramatic.

Leading me to give up hopes of new joyriding career opportunity

[MattBLancs]

With another starter motor (formerly of C5, ruled out as rubbish, but wasn't!) different battery and some fresh motivation: I confirm that I should indeed have heard the solenoid clicking hot wiring as I was. Ie I was doing it correctly!!

Which suggests dead starter motor on the blue 308.

Oh look it's raining again. Bugger

[CitroJim]

Genuine Chinese Matt

Fingers crossed it does the job