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hard suspension at random intervals, Amvar actuators ? |
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kniuk
 
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  Member No: #1287
Location: Kolobrzeg |
Hi, For 3 months now I am dealing with hard suspension problems. First time it happened on a 250km journey and I could feel it right away as much more vibrations from the road. I didnt have my lexia with me at that time so I disconnected CSS ECU to reset it. It helped for 1 day. The next day it got stiff again. From that time I tried: -changing all the 7 spheres (one front was 20bar short, one rear was 10 bar short) -changing CSS ECU -changing LDS -bleeding suspension cicuit several times None of it helped for long. It sometimes gets stiff and sometimes soft. It is hard to say which axis or which side. I might lean towards front left but not reallysure about that. I also checked steering wheel angle sensor - OK with ABS ECU, Did calibration anyway, just to be 100% sure. When checking with Lexia CSS ECU suspension parameters and BHI(ecotech)ECU during driving it all seems OK. Most of the time firmness regulators are at soft position and AMVAR changes to step 7 or 8 on stop and gets to 0 or 1 (dont remember) on driving above 25..30 kmh. When I check stifness regulators thru ecotech ECU actuators test i can feel only slight difference between hard and soft setting and only with forced bleeding on CSS ECU(forcing AMVAR to soft). In contrary on my C5 X7 hard/soft actuator test is clearly feelable. No problems with suspension rising or lowering, so I think stifness regulators work somehow OK (there would be no height regulation according to my knowledge when regualators are in stiff position). When doing bleeding prcedure via CSS ECU I can clearly feel big difference in car softiness. When driving in bleeding mode car is floating all around but I think some stifness is still being felt. Testing AMVAR actuators one by one i can feel softness/stifness same on left/right sides. No errors on CSS ECU. There is an a error on ECOTECH ECU concerning communication with sterring wheel angle sensor incorrect value received, but it has no effect on stifness setting read from that ECU during driving and I read somewhere on that forum that this error is normal. Because reseting CSS ECU by disconnecting it sometimes help, my actual suspects are AMVAR Actuators. I believe that when at least one of them gets signals for ECU and do not change its position then it gets uncalibrated(shifted) until I reset ECU which resets AMVAR actuators positions. Did any of you guys try to put it out from front column/cylinder ? I know that citroen sells only whole column/cylinder with actuator. If it can be removed from cylinder (it looks so) I am going to do it with my mechanic. Also if rear AMVAR actuators are the same as front I might consider buying used rear cylinder to get actuators out as they are less than half price than used front ones. All comments will be much appreciated ! Regards, Jacek |
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smihaialex
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  Member No: #1031
Location: Bucharest |
Hey Jacek, If you suspect the actuators, there is a simple way of diagnosing it - reset the ECU, then remove the cables from the front and rear suspension cilinders... This way, your car will run with a purely hydropneumatic suspension, like a lower spec C6 with no AMVAR. It should still rise and lower because that's done via the HP pump alone, but no variable damping. If it still feels stiff or seem to stiffen over time, it's not the ECU, nor the Actuators but instead it's a hydraulic thing, like a clogged pipe or something similar. If it doesn't then you can suspect the actuators or the ECU, or both  Regards, Sammy |
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CeeKuus
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 Member No: #476
Location: Lounais-Suomi |
Hello Jacec and others, I had at last winter similar problem: jerky, stiff front suspension occassionally. Especially in cold weather, minus 20 - 25 degrees Celsius. Through several tests the cure finally was to replace the AMVAR actuator in the front left strut. Yes, you can remove and replace the actuator. It is hold in place with a large nut. I made two-teeth tool for the purpose. The nut is quite tight, make sure that you hold the strut stationary. I made also a separate puller to lift the actuator after removing the nut. --> the front and rear AMVAR actuators are identical. I agree with Sammy on the previous message: you can test if the symptom is in the actuator by removing the cables from the actuators. Here is also some additional information about the AMVAR actuators: --> in case you end up to removing the actuator you will notice that the shim stack (part of the shock absorber valve) is assembled with a removable nut. This gives huge possibilities to tune or fine tune the shock absorber curves. Exactly and even more than in early DS spheres! I have done this fine tuning of the shock curves for some time already, but it is another story.. |
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cruiserphil
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    Member No: #38
Location: Celbridge |
Jacek, Not to complicate things, but as you have Lexia, check the programming of the height correction sensors. If there is a problem here, the suspension will default to a stiff setting. No fault will display on the in car RT to alert you! Regards, Phil C. |
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travlician
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 Member No: #350
Location: Paradera |
I had a similar problem after replacing a front strut that came with a damaged connector. Fiddling with the connector, shut down engine and restart usually helped for a while. Eventually I used tie-raps to hold the connector in place and since then all is good. It might be a corroded or otherwise bad connection on the AMVAR actuator. To test which one, stop the engine and try to press each corner down, the one with the problem should be significantly stiffer as compared to the other side. | ||
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travlician
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Member No: #350
Location: Paradera |
CeeKuus, could you elaborate on fine tuning the AMVAR actuator, I'd like to get an overall softer feel on the suspension... | ||
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kniuk
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Member No: #1287
Location: Kolobrzeg |
Thank You guys! Reading your replies was a hearth worming experience. I will order rear strut as they are cheap (around 60 euros) to be brepared and to have a look on actuator before dismantling ones on the car. I will try disconnecting amvar connectors. As I wrote before I tried riding with bleeding option activated on CSS AMVAR ECU, which is reset to normal after engine shut down for few seonds, anyway one can not trust what actually CSS ECU does in this mode to AMVAR actuators, so disconnecting the [%*^#@!] would be the direct aproach. I am going to do this after activating bleeding option which sets atuators to softest setting, because as I mentioned before on my CSS ECU actuators are set in middle setting (7 front, 8 rear) on stationary vehicle, co disconnecting in this setting would give me not much feedback, as fully operational system would set it to 1 after reaching about 30kmh on even roads. Added later: Concerning height sensors and adjustment - I did height adjustment via Lexia with measuring in real life for both CSS ECUs I have (orignal and replaced one) |
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smihaialex
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Member No: #1031
Location: Bucharest |
Hey @CeeKuus: could yu please elaborate on the fine-tuning using the strut nut?!? Please share your experiences with us in as much detail as possible Thank you, Sam |
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gmerry
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 Member No: #21
Location: Scotland |
Hi all, these are the AMVAR variable curves that will be modified by shimming. Might be easier to achieve with software? Regards G 
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travlician
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Member No: #350
Location: Paradera |
Gmerry, do you know how to get the software to modify it? | ||
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viorelovidiu
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 Member No: #2684
Location: Bucharest |
Hello, I have a 3.0 hdi with a leaking front strut. Soon, have to replace it. I wonder, can I buy 5271 L6 (c5 x7 - no amvar) and transfer the actuator from my existing strut? Price is twice for amvar version 5271 L8 | ||
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HiPOL
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Member No: #2699
Location: Gorzów |
smihaialex wrote ... Hey Jacek, If you suspect the actuators, there is a simple way of diagnosing it - reset the ECU, then remove the cables from the front and rear suspension cilinders... This way, your car will run with a purely hydropneumatic suspension, like a lower spec C6 with no AMVAR. It should still rise and lower because that's done via the HP pump alone, but no variable damping. If it still feels stiff or seem to stiffen over time, it's not the ECU, nor the Actuators but instead it's a hydraulic thing, like a clogged pipe or something similar. If it doesn't then you can suspect the actuators or the ECU, or both Regards, Sammy Sammy, are you sure it is safe to disconnect AMVAR valves ? In early Lexia versions you have warning poping up when accesing AMVAR ECU about disconnecting ignition or battery. I think disconnecting AMVAR plug is the same... They write it can cause AMVAR valve damage... |
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