Xantia leak around engine

Fox · Post by **Fox** » 12 Oct 2002, 03:02

Hiya,
Noticed a smell of diesel coming from my 1994 Citroen Xantia TD SX the other day. It's done 147,414 miles. Investigated last night - flipped the bonnet and the smell got a lot worse. I then noticed the engine block was covered in what I can only assume is diesel.
<img src="http://www.covenant.co.uk/vallis/problem.jpg" border=0>
Same story at the other end of the engine - you can actually see the pools of clear liquid.
It has been suggested to me that the problem is related to cracked piping. This sounds like a plausable explanaiton, but pesemistic me is wondering if perhaps its something else

Does anyone here have any ideas what the problem could be? The liquid is spread about a bit, on the top etc..
I think I heard a sound from the engine as well as the usual diesel clatter. Odd, but it seemed like a faster clicking noise (Not the suspension pump). Perhaps its my paranoia

Edited by - Fox on 11 Oct 2002 22:19:36

B_Draper · Post by **B_Draper** » 12 Oct 2002, 04:26

Carefully inspect the low-pressure circuit feeding excess fuel back into the system from the injectors. The circuit is made up of the plastic tubes, which connect each injector to each other. I had a similar situation where there was a heavy smell of diesel from my TD. Consequently the engine became to very difficult to fire up once it had been left for a while.
The plastic between the injectors can perish but is very easy to replace. You may need to remove the intercooler for closer inspection as I suspect you have done for the photo.
Apologies if any terminology is wrong!
Hopes this helps
Regards
Ben

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 12 Oct 2002, 14:55

Spray the engine with engine cleaner and hose down. Having got everywhere clean and dry, it should be fairly simple to see which pipe is leaking when you start up.

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 12 Oct 2002, 20:17

The braided rubber leak off pipe in the picture coming from the back of number four injector is not an original pipe, so its already had a problem here before, I have replaced this type of pipe many times, it is basicaly crap and not really up to the job long term, but its all that most folk in the trade seem to have, because its dirt cheap I suspect, a product this poor can't be worth much.
Check these pipes for splitting where it pushes on to the injector nipple and also the blanking off cap on no.1 injector.
A leak at the number four position will be worse than at any of the others because all the leaked off fuel from the rest of the injectors has to pass through this pipe on its way back to the tank.
A leak on any of these pipes should be easey to spot while the engine is running, or can sometimes be seen by just pumping the priming bulb with the engine stopped.
Dave
P.s no.1 at flywheel end.

Fox · Post by **Fox** » 15 Oct 2002, 22:43

Hi again.
I've been having a good luck but just cannot locate where its leaking from. I'm getting quite worried now becuase I need to use the car - I've used it a bit, but I've had to put the vent on Recirc becuase the diesel fumes come in through the vents if I don't.
I've given the thing a cleanup, and driven about 5 miles, stopped, opened the bonnet and there we go again, liquid everywhere and a nice oilly/dieselly smell.

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 16 Oct 2002, 12:18

Your leak must be on the pressure side of the injection pump, otherwise you would never get it started (such a large leak on the suction side would prevent fuel ever reaching the pump). It must be either the injection pump itself or the pipes coming from it, or the injectors, or the return tubes from the injectors.
//NiSk

Fox · Post by **Fox** » 22 Oct 2002, 21:16

I think I've found it!
However you are going to have to bear with me on this becuase I'm going to try and describe the location

Basically - the stickyupy things in the picture, I'm going to assume they are the injectors. At the other end of the engine, ie not photographed, there are more. The very end one has a pipe going into one side, and a small bung-type-thing the other side where there would be a pipe if it was one of the others. The bung looks very brittle and has cracks all over it. It looks wet. Below the pipe area, the injector itself is covered in clear liquid, much more noticeably than the others.
Does this sound like it could be it? What could be the problem and what needs replacing?
Cheers.
1994 Citroen Xantia SX 1.9 Turbo Diesel
147,500 miles

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 23 Oct 2002, 01:25

Definately, get a new blanking cap from a fuel injection specialist or Citroen dealer or the like, or just push another piece of pipe on with something stuffed down it to seal it to get you going without it leaking.
Dave

Fox · Post by **Fox** » 23 Oct 2002, 01:50

Apologies for being thick here.
You recommend either replacing the bung with a bit of blocked pipe, or buying the 'blanking cap' (I assume thats what it is?)?
How much are blanking caps and do I just ask Citroen for a 'blanking cap'?
Is it 100% likely that this blanking cap is the issue here?
Also...
As can be seen from the dates I first noticed this a week ago. When we noticed it, we cleaned the engine up with some kitchen paper and I've been on my way ever since. Today though the smell was very strong, and when I lifted the bonnet I could see what I can only imagine was steam coming from the general engine area.
Will cleaning it up with kitchen paper be good enough to use the car tommorrow or is it bus time until the whole thing is fixed? The diesel appears to have spilled right the way down the engine all the way to the plastic tray below.
1994 Citroen Xantia SX 1.9 Turbo Diesel
147,500 miles

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 24 Oct 2002, 13:18

Had a similar smell from my XM TD12, the pipe from the last (first?) injector return hadn't been terminated (or the termination had dropped off) and was dripping very small amounts of diesel onto the gearbox. You don't need much diesel for it to smell really off! The fix was very simple, just plug the plastic pipe.
//NiSk

B_Draper · Post by **B_Draper** » 24 Oct 2002, 16:15

I had to buy a blanking cap from Citroen for my Turbo Diesal engine as it went brittle- It only cost approx 70 GB pence!
Hope this solves your problem!

Fox · Post by **Fox** » 25 Oct 2002, 00:42

Got the cap today - it was 70p. Fitting it tommorrow, probably.
How did you realise you needed a new cap, was your engine covered in diesel and a nasty smell? Hope so - this is what I'm getting. The cap looks very brittle - I do hope it turns out to be the problem.
Only issue now is the diesel - its all over the engine, how best to clean it off?
1994 Citroen Xantia SX 1.9 Turbo Diesel
147,500 miles