Accumulator Health Testing

[Citroënbender]

Trying to sort something by remote control here...

With a healthy accumulator, if the car has not run, but ignition is on and the driver's door just opened, how many gears should one be able to row through (with just a brief pause, forward gears only) before the pump kicks in?

[bazzbazz]

2-3 gear changes.

If the pump runs at every change Accumulator is on its way out.

[Citroënbender]

Ta. SWMBO is complaining she has to manually shift, the car won't go from 2-3 (etc) as normal in City mode - so I'm presuming it's delaying the upshift due to lack of stored pressure. No fault messages or warning lights. Being three weeks away I'm trying to diagnose so the neighbour can repair under instruction.

[bazzbazz]

More than likely it is a loose "Pinch Bolt" (bolt that connects the Selespeed Actuator to the gear box selector shaft)

When it comes loose it starts to cause the gear changes to fumble & stumble. Make sure it is tight, check the clutch rod length and then give it a calibration and hopefully all will be good.

[Citroënbender]

Struth, I guess better to be prepared than caught off guard. The actuator bloc was dealer-new about 110K (mostly highway) ago, circa 2012.

[Citroënbender]

OK, accumulator passes the rough test; 1-2-3-4-5 shift without hesitation when just opened up and keyed on, motor off.

I'm almost wondering if it's a dying crank sensor; age is about right. 

[bazzbazz]

If it is loose pinch bolt it will only do it when driving.

Usual symptoms is that as the car is driving in City Mode, as it goes to shift from say 2nd to 3rd, it's like it can't find the gear, hunts for it for a moment, buggers around then skips to 4th, or until the driver intervenes and does a manual command of some sort.

Does this sound like the trouble in hand?

[Citroënbender]

I cut and pasted your description, apparently it was spot on, had also neglected to tell me that when it was not upshifting the "2" was flashing... 

Can the pinch bolt be practically re-used with threadlock or is it a stretch bolt? Also, can it be got at through the nearside wheelarch with the splash shield off?

[bazzbazz]

Always use a new Pinch bolt, the are a couple of dollars from any specialist bolt supplier. (Bolt King ect)

Yes, you access it through the wheel arch, to make lining up on it easier drop the gearbox down slightly by undoing the main mount bolt.

[Citroënbender]

Apparently the pinch bolt was solid as; a trusted mate (Renault repairer) had a good look.  The other relief was no Sele oil in the void, so the O-rings are OK. (Phew!)

So - ignoring oddities like shift fork/detent/damaged syncro problems, I'm back to NFI. 

I did find this (not really related), had a good laugh at Fleabay auto-translating listing number 152906764204...

[bazzbazz]

I assume you are not at the same location as the vehicle?

[Citroënbender]

No, 1400km away!

[bazzbazz]

Great, so I am doing "The Great Swami" impersonation via a 1400km relay . . . . . you DO make things difficult don't you! 

[Citroënbender]

Well, if it was easy, you'd surely hope I didn't need any help. 

[Citroënbender]

OK, had a chance to observe some of the Sele mischief first hand. It is only doing even gears.