C5 height sensors

[Hell Razor5543]

Barring fitting them to a car to see if they work, is there an easy way to test the height sensors on a C5? I know that the Mk1 and the Facelift use the same sensors, and they are interchangeable between front and rear.

I was running through a Citrobics session earlier, and she stopped moving during them. According to the Lexia it is because the rear sensor was not working. I was lucky enough to have grabbed a couple from a C5 at the scrappy some time back, but I don't know if they work. I did swap one over, but there has been no change.

[citroenguy]

It is a 3 wire sensor, they all might be white if you are unlucky.
One will be ECU ground, one will be 5v reference and the last is signal.

-First support the vehicle well
Disconnect the height sensor, with ign on you should have 4.8-4.9V on the ref wire.
Might be able to measure the ground too..
If 5V ref and ground is present, change to your last sensor.

-If the problem still persists you most likely have a damaged wire

[Hell Razor5543]

DRAT!

Well, eventually I found she had blown the 60A Maxi fuse. Because of the way it appears I considered it likely that the tarnish on the blades had led to a hot spot, which then then increased the resistance, and when I ran the Citrobics that was the final straw. I got a replacement fuse, popped it in, and it has also blown. I realise that the fuse holder is damaged (in the same way as the fuse blade is), as well as the probability that the pump is unwell. I will have to visit the scrappy when I can, and see if I can get both parts. If I can get the right pump I will either get it re-conditioned or do the job myself.

I am now on holiday, and due to visit my Mum tomorrow (in Ellesmere). Fortunately a good friend is lending me a car for a fortnight, and I am really grateful for this (as is Mum.).

[Gibbo2286]

I wonder if your Citrobics has finished off an already tired pump, I'd guess you have already seen the posts on pump problems caused by oil/water ingress mixing with the carbon brush dust.

[Hell Razor5543]

I have indeed.

Getting hold of 60A Maxi fuses is somewhat tricky. I finally found ONE at ECP (I know, but needs must). MDC will be getting one in tomorrow (they only have 5 in the whole company!), which I will get but not fit until I have replaced the fuse box at the minimum. I will check all of the fuses (for hot spots), and if it is 'clean' I will fit it and see what happens. If any Maxi fuse shows heat damage I will investigate the possibility of taking it apart, to see if I can make one good fuse box out of two faulty ones.

I think it is likely the 'burnt' holder will be after the fusible part of the fuse. This would mean that (with the damaged 'gripper') the resistance would be enough to take the load over 60A.

[Hell Razor5543]

Please can somebody confirm that the correct fuse strength for the suspension pump motor IS 60A?

[GiveMeABreak]

I have Maxi Fuse MF8 (central Electronic Block Motor) listed as 40A.
For the Power Steering MF7, it is listed as 70A (but only listed as being for (EW10A (RFJ) - DW10BTED4 (RHR)) vehicles.

So not very reliable.

[Hell Razor5543]

Drat! The maxi fuse box I got from the scrap yard had a 40A fuse in the relevant position, but was from a saloon C5 (same age and spec as my estate C5), while MY C5 had a 60A fuse there.

[GiveMeABreak]

The info I posted was for your engine (and estate and build number).

[Hell Razor5543]

I do know the pump is different between the estate and the saloon C5 (appears to be different part numbers). This is a shame, as the scrap yard has a saloon C5 (57 reg, as opposed to 07 reg) with the same engine and spec range. If they were the same I would grab that motor from the scrap yard and fit it into my C5.

[Hell Razor5543]

Thanks for the information, Marc. Because of the different fuse 'weights' I thought that the pump system was 'heavier' for a C5 estate, because of the added weight. Now that I know the pumps are the same amperage I am considering it likely the difference between them is the controller board (with the on-board program being different between the saloon and estate versions). If it is still there I will be grabbing the one from that C5 at the scrap yard (it is probably in good working order, as the 40A fuse was intact). It was a 57 reg VTX+, 2.2l with the 'Sport' button. Then get a load of cleaning up done, and swap the boards over. Finally I will get on with repairing the Maxi fuse box.

The numbers I have for pumps are 5277 A5 (to A8) for the saloon, and 5277 C5 (to C8) for the estate.

[citroenguy]

Please can somebody confirm that the correct fuse strength for the suspension pump motor IS 60A?

The hydraulic pump on any C5 always has a 40 amp fuse from factory!!!
If that fuse blows the pump is on its way out, you can temporarily fit a 50A fuse.
Fitting a 60A as some muppet previous owner of your car has done is just dumb.
You should be glad it didn't catch fire

[Hell Razor5543]

That is good to know. I am now hoping that the 'burnt' contact in the maxi fuse box is on the busbar side, as that will be an easy (and proper) fix. If it is on the output side I will have to get a heavy duty soldering iron into the mix.

As the fuse box is different from the one shown elsewhere on the forum I will take photographs and document it.

[Hell Razor5543]

Yay!!! That C5 VTX+ was still there. It no longer has a suspension pump (or reversing sensors; one on my C5 is playing up), and all for £55! However, I need to ask the Moderators two (related) questions. There are basically two types of pump (ignoring the configuration details); normal and heavy duty. What type of pump is fitted to MY C5, and what type of pump is this; 966128510348?

I am hoping they are both the same (and, if not, my C5 has a normal pump and the one I have just got is heavy duty), as this would mean I should be able to get her back on the road soon. I am also hoping that I can get the motor off the pump without having to disconnect any of the pipes (although I am less hopeful of this).

Thanks!

[myglaren]

Marc and Wheeler are the two most likely to know what you need James.