Springs - are they different between Petrol & Diesels?

Hi,

Have two C3s in the family. Mine is a 59 plate 1.4HDI diesel, the Mrs' is a 04 plate petrol. The same front right spring went on both cars within a week of each other (driver's side). I replaced the spring on my wife's car & then did mine. The motorfactor supplied the same spring each time. Since the replacement my car has felt horrible when driving especially at around 70 mph or when going over bumps. I had a look at it again yesterday & noticed that the spring was almost touching the wheel arch of the car. On the Mrs' car there is loads of room ech side & also on the one not replaced on my car.

I have checked a couple of motorfactors websites & they list different spring for my car compared with the wifes. The springs fitted are manufactured by KYB. Their website also suggests the springs are different between the two cars. However their entry suggests its for a MK II when mine is not. Have i got the wrong spring?

Hi zebedee2001

zebedee2001 wrote:I have checked a couple of motorfactors websites & they list different spring for my car compared with the wifes. The springs fitted are manufactured by KYB. Their website also suggests the springs are different between the two cars. However their entry suggests its for a MK II when mine is not. Have i got the wrong spring?

The springs look the same, but some are different spring rates and other operating attributes for petrols, diesels, XTRs etc. They all look the same when fitted, although spring design has gone through some changes since 2002 also.

zebedee2001 wrote:

This spring above looks like its fitted incorrectly. Something like 1) its upside down, or 2) you have not aligned the marks at the bottom of the strut to the spring.

This one shows the alignment mark on the strut and the mark on the spring correctly aligned.



And this one is a 2002 diesel spring and damper removed from the car.

You are also possibly missing the spring cup modification from this one?


Spring cup fitted (early models)


Springs should be changed in matched pairs because the spring (number of coils, construction of coils etc) have changed and may differ between manufacturers leading to unwanted changes to the handling for the car.

It can also make sense to change the dampers while you are doing spring and changing springs while you are doing dampers, seeing as you have the parts off anyway. Check the Euro Car Parts.com website (link) for good prices on springs and dampers for your Citroen C3.

Neither my wifes 2004 or my 2009 had the spring cup modification! I aligned the spring to the sloped area with an end so that it butted up to the end. Is this not correct? ANy help appreciated

zebedee2001 wrote:I aligned the spring to the sloped area with an end so that it butted up to the end. Is this not correct? ANy help appreciated

This method doesn't stop you putting the spring upside down, so you need to double check the top of the spring is up. If its not, the spring doesn't sit right and looks like your photos. My photo of the alignment marks are from a KYB spring and Damper.

zebedee2001 wrote:Neither my wifes 2004 or my 2009 had the spring cup modification!

I thought the modification became factory fit from around 2003/2004 and they are also shown on the diagrams of the 2009 version, so I would expect both cars to have them.

They are listed on a 2009 as SPRING SAFETY CUP LEFT 5031.A5 and RIGHT 5031.A4, which is the same part numbers for the early 2002 cars.

Definitely none of the protectors! Also don't have the caps on the top nuts as shown either (wife's car does!). You may have solved my problem in one way but left me with a problem in another! Looked on the spare spring that I haven't fitted & can see marks top & bottom but one end has a more defined mark than the other. Looked on the fitted spring & can only see the mark at the top! Think my spring is upside down, however it's a petrol one on my diesel! Do I turn the spring round & leave it or do I get the right spring?

zebedee2001 wrote:Also don't have the caps on the top nuts as shown either (wife's car does!).

They are about 80p each from Citroen dealers

zebedee2001 wrote:Do I turn the spring round & leave it or do I get the right spring?

I would match the springs across the axle, obviously the right way up (otherwise they just don't sit right). You may have noticed the odd curve to the new spring before you fitted it? Side load springs or banana springs put a side load on the damper to reduce wear. If the side load is wrong because the spring is fitted incorrectly, you could do damage or wear out the damper.

KYB banana spring demo.


If you have 2 diesel springs or 2 petrol springs doesn't make a huge difference, you may find the front is a bit low and you can knock off the rubber strip on the bumper of you have weaker springs. I can't say it enough: fit the springs in pairs, 2 petrols or 2 diesels, don't mix 2 different spring part numbers on the front

This topic has some pictures of Diesels with the wrong front springs and the difference the right ones make citroen-c3-questions/front-strut-replacement-t578.html.

Springs options on a 2009 C3 Diesel (2006 to 2009)

5002.LT (Quantity 02);
- 15 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING AND FIXED ROOF LOCATION
IDENTIFICATION: 1 ORANGE + 2 WHITES


5002.LJ (Quantity 02);
- 14 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING AND FIXED ROOF
IDENTIFICATION: 1 GREEN + 2 WHITE


5002.LN (Quantity 02);
- 15 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND SINGLE AIR CONDITIONING AND FIXED ROOF OR 15 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITIONING AND FIXED ROOF
IDENTIFICATION: 3 YELLOW

- 15 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND AIR CONDITIONING AND SUNROOF SEQUENTIAL ASSISTED CONTROL + ANTI PINCH
IDENTIFICATION: 3 YELLOW


5002.LS (Quantity 02);
- 16 INCH TYRE FITMENT
IDENTIFICATION: 1 BLUE + 2 WHITE


5002.LX (Quantity 02);
- 14 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND SUNROOF SEQUENTIAL ASSISTED CONTROL + ANTI PINCH
IDENTIFICATION: 1 GREEN + 2 YELLOW

- 14 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND AIR CONDITIONING
IDENTIFICATION: 1 GREEN + 2 YELLOW




Petrol 1.1 2006 to 2009 front springs


5002.LQ (Quantity 02);

- 15 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING
IDENTIFICATION:1 YELLOW + 2 GREEN

- 15 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND FIXED ROOF
IDENTIFICATION:YELLOW + 2 GREEN


5002.LL (Quantity 02);

- 14 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING
IDENTIFICATION: 3 GREEN

- 14 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND FIXED ROOF
IDENTIFICATION: 3 GREEN


5002.LT (Quantity 02);

- 15 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND AIR CONDITIONING AND SUNROOF SEQUENTIAL ASSISTED CONTROL + ANTI PINCH
IDENTIFICATION: 1 ORANGE + 2 WHITES


5002.LJ (Quantity 02);

- 14 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND AIR CONDITIONING AND SUNROOF SEQUENTIAL ASSISTED CONTROL + ANTI PINCH
IDENTIFICATION: 1 GREEN + 2 WHITE


The list is even longer for 1.6 petrol options.

The 'IDENTIFICATION:' marks are paint marks on factory springs and may not be found on after-market springs. Good quality KYB springs can be found easily by using the car reg or engine details by following this link to [url=https://tidd.ly/4e8d907d]Euro Car Parts[ur/].

The broken spring has 2 blue 1 yellow mark! Now I am confused!

zebedee2001 wrote:The broken spring has 2 blue 1 yellow mark! Now I am confused!

Found on the late model 1.6 HDi 92 (DV6ATED4) diesel

5002.LK (Quantity 02);

- WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING UNTIL RPO 10660
REFERENCE: 1 YELLOW + 2 BLUE

- FIXED ROOF UNTIL RPO 10660
REFERENCE: 1 YELLOW + 2 BLUE



and also the automatic 1.4 petrol 75 (TU3JP) and 1.4i 75 (TU3A)

5002.LK (Quantity 02);

- 14 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND AIR CONDITIONING AND SUNROOF SEQUENTIAL ASSISTED CONTROL + ANTI PINCH AND Auto gearbox AL4
REFERENCE: 1 YELLOW + 2 BLUE

and maybe some more, but I can add the others later, which may also be useful for others with C3 spring problems


Citroen C3 II 2006 (on) 1.4i 16v 90

5002.LK (Quantity 02);

- 15 INCH TYRE FITMENT AND AIR CONDITIONING AND FIXED ROOF AND WITH STOP AND START UNTIL RPO 11465
REFERENCE: 1 YELLOW + 2 BLUE

OK, after taking a day off work yesterday I managed to get my car back on the road. The motorfactor I bought the spring off rang KYB technical who claimed that you have to offer compress banana springs to get them to work properly. Tried that still no joy (even took the strut to a garage who used their air driven one). They said that it had to be the wrong spring!

I went to Euro carparts as they had both a Petrol & Diesel spring in stock (Sachs brand). I therfore could compare the springs to my broken one & guess what, both looked almost identical apart from a downwards tuen on the last turn & about an inch longer. Bought the spring & it fitted a treat!

Pics below showing differences. If you are bying a spring, take the old one & make sure it is identical turnfor turn!