Xantia 1.8 coolant change problems - Help pls!

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JamesQB
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Xantia 1.8 coolant change problems - Help pls!

Post by JamesQB »

Hi,
Doing a coolant change on my parent's Xantia 1.8 petrol. Never really done this job before and finding it rather tedious now that I've drained and flushed the system and put everything back together.
I haven't got anything to use as an expansion tank "header tank" to raise coolant level in the expansion tank to a level above the highest pipe (heater matrix pipe), so I just filled the expansion tank, left the cap off it, and then started the engine.
Left it running for ages whilst undoing a few of the bleed screws I could find. Got water coming out the heater matrix pipe inlet one and the thermostat housing one. Nothing at all out of the connector from which the other heater matrix pipe comes, though. No pressure, since no air came out either.
Anyway, 15 minutes into it, or so, the engine hit 90 degrees on the dash scale and so, I assume, the thermostat opened. All of a sudden the coolant in the expansion tank started rising and then suddenly started gushing out. I was told this was the thermostat opening temperature and so it was linked with the thermostat opening a bit and then fully opening when the water really gushed out. About 2 to 3 litres of coolant pumped out. Then, just as quick, the coolant level dropped so much the expansion tank was empty, so I quickly filled it to the top again with litres of water. 5 minutes on and the same thing happened, with litres of water gushing out of the expansion tank and still nothing to show at the heater matrix connector outlet bleed screw, but hot liquid leaving the heater matrix pipe input bleed screw.
So, after this happened another 2 times and I obligingly refilled the expansion tank each time, I called it a night. Went and switched off the engine and as soon as I did, it had the effect of causing litres of water to gush out of the expansion tank again! All my precious antifreeze added at the beginning wasted!
So, could someone please explain to me the reason for the coolant suddenly gushing out like that, the mechanics behind the water gushing out (i.e. how it's possible and what parts of the coolant system are causing or allowing it to occur), and, most importantly, how to get this car full of coolant again and happy! Without it kicking litres of coolant back out at me but with the end result being no air in the system. Oh, and as you may have guessed from the lack of water at the heater matrix output bleed screw, the heating wasn't working.
Thank you to all who shed light on this puzzling phenomenon.
James [:)]
citronut
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Post by citronut »

dont bother with complicating things,just remove rad filler cap andplug from top of rad,put heater to hot pour coolant in untill it comes out of plug hole and stops sincking,replace plug,now remove any other bleed valves,keep putting coolant in till it comes out of them,somtimes you might have to have engine running at this point before you get coolant comeing out of these then contiue to run engine for few minns,replace filler cap,now run engine till rad fans cut in,when they cut out gingerly remove filler cap if coolant calm all is well,if not run engine bit longer with cap of keep checking level re/fit cap run again till fans cut back in when they cut back out remove cap again carfully regards malcolm
citronut
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Post by citronut »

ps when you have coolant comeing out of bleed valves re/fit them
roypch
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Post by roypch »

Hi
Last time when i did this (for xantia td), I used a robinson squash bottle with its bottom cut out as the header - as suggested by someone here. you just have to squeeze it in the expansion tank opening.
It was ok to start with that and get most of bubbles out. I think it is worth a try.
Richard Gallagher
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Post by Richard Gallagher »

Easiest way to bleed the system is to fill it as much as possible, opening the bleeding caps to remove as much air as possible along the way.
Then fit the pressure cap and warm the engine up enough to pressurise the system i.e. The top hose becomes harder to compress.
Then stop the engine and open the bleed caps.
The pressure built up within the system will force the air out. Obviously be careful of hot coolant when opening the caps.
Allow the engine to cool then top up as required. Check coolant level over the next couple of days as a final precaution.
citronut
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Post by citronut »

i have allways blead all water cooled citroens the way i have described on this post on mine and my customers cars never had any probs works every time unless there is a fault like head gasket gone or something to cause gas getting in to system,i have never messed around tanks and bottles,allwayes been strait forward quick and easy regards malcolm
Evodad
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Post by Evodad »

Squash bottle with the end removed is the way to go, PTFE tape on neck of bottle if required.
Simple procedure, no waste, cheap & it works.
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JamesQB
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Post by JamesQB »

Thanks for all the advice.
With engine off, I used a bottle with end removed and with PTFE tape around the top pushed into the expansion tank. Then bled bleed screws from lowest up, which worked a treat with the added bottle to raise the coolant level. I then closed last bleed screw, started the car and let it get hot. When the thermostat opened, the level in my bottle went up, lots of air came out and then it went down so I quickly topped it up and repeated this procedure twice more, each time waiting for the temp to rise and cooling fans to cut in.
Seems fine now. Must now get some Radweld since system is clean and fresh and see if it'll stop the rather bad leak in the radiator - water drips out at some rate producing big puddle quickly once system is hot and pressurised.
Thanks again!
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