Hello there,

This was my bosses old childhood C5, whilst clearing out our old workshop, we found it sat in the back of a container and instead of loading it into the skip, we loaded it into the boot of the Golf.

I have given it a bit of a clean up, put some new wheel bearings in, fitted some new inner tubes and got it all ready to use for a bit of pedalling. Everything looks like its all there, but don't know what state the motor/ electrics are in.

So in all, I'm joining up to all the forums and getting as much info as I can, my wiring know how is basic at best, so any help in getting this roadworthy would be gratefully received!

Just out of the car


After a clean up, basic parts fitted

Your best bet is to email lancalot he's from manchester mate c if he can help ? Got yourselt a bargain there

Hi John,

Welcome to the forum!

You've done a great job so far, it looks like a completely different C5.

Have you tried to attach a car battery to it to see if the POD lights up?  If everything seems dead there's no easy way to diagnose the problem unless you've got a multimeter?  Having a spare C5 to test the POD and control box on helps.

I've written a couple of threads about restoring the control box which may be useful.  You're in the Manchester area right? There may be someone local who can help? Otherwise I'm happy to test items on my C5 if you post them down.

Hi Dan and Dave

Thanks for the comments, it took me ages to get it as clean as that but I'm still not overly happy with it, there's still a lot of staining on it which I need to attack with something else. Time has been a bit against me at the mo as the wife had friends over last weekend and having an 18 month old daughter she demands a fair bit of my time. But all being well ill attack with various cleaners and scrubbing brushes this weekend.

I have a car battery but have been a bit reluctant to connect it to anything at the mo as I don't want to fry anything, and I read that the circuit boards are delicate, any help as to which wires need to go where would be great fully appreciated. ( I might be a mechanic but I try to pass any wire work to our auto electrician lol) it would be nice to know what works and what doesn't before I go buying battery wiring harnesses etc.

Once that bits sorted I think I'll add some indicators etc ( but not those big orange ones, god they are ugly), thinking maybe some LED ones with clear lenses. I love those pods with the digital screens but I think that's well out of my skill set. Just hope I don't get too annoying asking too many questions lol.

I'll keep my eyes open for Lancelot, would be dead handy if there's someone nearby who knows what to do.

Thanks again
John

I'm so very happy right now!

I have tested the motor and it is a goer
Now just to find out if there's any way of crudely connecting the control box to a battery and to see if it is working also.

Have taken the cover off the pod to look for obvious signs of damage etc and all looks okay I think

If I disconnect the ignition switch ( the blue and brown wires ) and put them across the battery would that power everything up and which wire would go to which terminal? I was guessing at blue being live and brown as earth?

Sorry the reason I ask all these silly questions is because by the looks of things my old boss has been having a play with the wiring in the past! There are some strange battery posts on the right hand side of the seat, which the wiring at the back runs straight to where the ignition switch is located, with what looks like no apparent purpose. So I'm not actually sure what the original wiring should actually look like, so any help is gratefully received

Many thanks

John

As it got black box near rear right wheel if so get wiring kit off ebay ?

[quote=John_E_76;1042]Sorry the reason I ask all these silly questions is because by the looks of things my old boss has been having a play with the wiring in the past! There are some strange battery posts on the right hand side of the seat, which the wiring at the back runs straight to where the ignition switch is located, with what looks like no apparent purpose. So I'm not actually sure what the original wiring should actually look like, so any help is gratefully received

Many thanks

John[/quote]

As someone has modified it I'd be a bit cautious as to what to connect to what. Normally the 2 brown wires go to the battery + and Blue to -.  Have you got any pictures of the inside of the control box?
Sounds like you'd certainly need a wiring harness!

Now I have removed these rogue red and black cables which didn't seem to go anywhere except to these terminal posts fitted to the right hand side, all I am left with is the ignition switch with the wires you said Dan. I will take a photo of the control box when I have a bit better light in the garage tomorrow just so you can have a bit of a look and advise. I was hoping just to check these few parts before I went and bought a harness for a regular battery, more than anything to save the disappointment if it didn't work lol.

So if I connect the blue and brown wires across the battery as you say, it will power up the control box and the pod? (Obviously if they are working) think I shall give that a go possibly at the weekend unless I get too excited and do it tomorrow lol

All being well, I shall get this battery wiring ordered then I'm good to go!

[quote=John_E_76;1046]
So if I connect the blue and brown wires across the battery as you say, it will power up the control box and the pod? (Obviously if they are working) think I shall give that a go possibly at the weekend unless I get too excited and do it tomorrow lol[/quote]

Yep that's right the POD will light up like this if it's all working:



The right set of LEDs is the battery power so that may be different on yours if it needs a charge.  Good luck

Good news!

I have made a temporary connection from the ignition switch to a battery and lo and behold its fired up and running perfectly!
I have a fully operational pod too, so my next thing to do now is source some wiring that's a bit more permanent and I'm completely ready for the road

Total cost so far for C5 and repairs £12
Gotta be bargain of the century

[quote=John_E_76;1048]Good news!

I have made a temporary connection from the ignition switch to a battery and lo and behold its fired up and running perfectly!
I have a fully operational pod too, so my next thing to do now is source some wiring that's a bit more permanent and I'm completely ready for the road

Total cost so far for C5 and repairs £12
Gotta be bargain of the century[/quote]

That's great Chas's safety wiring kits on ebay are the best to get.  You're lucky that everything works first time, the POD is usually the source of many problems

Thanks again Dan for your help with getting it going, I'm grinning from ear to ear here

I got a couple of trips away over the next few weeks so thanks to the rising cost of petrol, the wiring kit might have to wait a few weeks, but never mind I still got lots of cleaning to do, and I'm gonna source some clear LED indicators for the front and rear (maybe work might lose a few! Ssssshh) so ill still be lurking around and getting involved in all things C5