My dad just bought a 1998 xantia. Very cheap but very well looked after and with all the mod cons! Quite jealous as it reminds me of my old, now dead pug 405!
Anyway, it doesn't have any instruction books or manuals so can anyone offer any insights into its workings!
Firstly, how do the hydraulics work? There is the leaver next to the handbrake which has up, or down pictures on it. The car does go up and down when you move it, but it seems a bit random. I.e. the front went up yesterday but the back took ages to come up, until I started to push the clutch or brake or maybe that was coincidence! Whats the procedure for raising and lowering the car?
When should the car be lifted and lowered? Should you drive with it high, low middle?! Very confused!
lastly. its a 1.8 petrol engine. Where do you fill up the coolant? my old 1.8 pug had it at the front on the radiator, but the citroen has a filler on the left hand side of the engine, is that right? The cap had a "F and O" letters on it and a big caution sticker so couldn't work it out!
Thanks,
David.
Citroen Xantia instructions!
Moderator: RichardW
First of all, it sounds like you are thinking of putting coolant in the LHM (hydraulic fluid) tank. DO NOT! Unless of course you would like to discover the joys of water under pressure in a system designed for oil. I am assuming by left side of the engine you mean left side when the driver is in the car.
If looking from the front of the car into the engine bay, I think the coolant tank in a Xantia is on your left (or right from driver perspective). F and O could be the radiator overflow tank cap.
Your instruction book/car manual should be in a drop down flap to the right of the steering column. Check there. The flap may also be marked as if it is a fuse panel cover.
For normal day to day operation just leave the height adjustment lever alone. There is no need to raise or lower it for normal operation.
If looking from the front of the car into the engine bay, I think the coolant tank in a Xantia is on your left (or right from driver perspective). F and O could be the radiator overflow tank cap.
Your instruction book/car manual should be in a drop down flap to the right of the steering column. Check there. The flap may also be marked as if it is a fuse panel cover.
For normal day to day operation just leave the height adjustment lever alone. There is no need to raise or lower it for normal operation.
Craig Keller
Gerringong
Australia
"A little dab of LHM goes a long way!"
Gerringong
Australia
"A little dab of LHM goes a long way!"
Wow! Great responses! Thanks guys. UFO I could see all the hydraulics stuff in the engine bay and yes what I thought was the coolant expansion bottle is on the left hand side as you look at the engine bay so thats good to know. No fluids have been put in anything yet, I just merely wanted to check all the levels.
Admiral51, that would be great. The car is my dads so I will ask if he wants them. (I am sure he does!) PM will be sent shortly once I get a reply from him!
Thanks again guys!
David.
Admiral51, that would be great. The car is my dads so I will ask if he wants them. (I am sure he does!) PM will be sent shortly once I get a reply from him!
Thanks again guys!
David.
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Xaccers
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O and F are open (ouvrir) and close (fermer) on the expansion bottle cap.
Sounds like your height correctors are a bit stiff. They're the bits which work out how to level the car.
If you look under the car you'll see a long rod going from the underside of the height lever to the front and rear of the car. The rear height corrector is easier to get to.
A good clean with something like WD40 and then lube with spray grease etc (other will probably post better ways to lube them) should get them working fine.
IF YOU EVER DO ANY WORK UNDER THE CAR MAKE SURE IT IS SUPPORTED SECURELY WITH AXLE STANDS IF THE HYDRAULICS FAIL THE CAR WILL DROP AND KILL YOU! (and leave a big squishy mess for others to clean up)
The rear suspension is linked to the rear brakes, so holding your foot on the brake can cause the rear to lift up until you release the brake and it readjusts itself.
Likewise with the front wheels, if you hold the steering on hard lock, the front can rise up.
To check the LHM (hydraulic fluid don't use any other kind!) get the engine running and set the car to the highest setting and let it rise up.
There's a clear inspection bulb with a float in it on the LHM resevoir.
On high, the orange float (disc) should be between the two red lines.
Sounds like your height correctors are a bit stiff. They're the bits which work out how to level the car.
If you look under the car you'll see a long rod going from the underside of the height lever to the front and rear of the car. The rear height corrector is easier to get to.
A good clean with something like WD40 and then lube with spray grease etc (other will probably post better ways to lube them) should get them working fine.
IF YOU EVER DO ANY WORK UNDER THE CAR MAKE SURE IT IS SUPPORTED SECURELY WITH AXLE STANDS IF THE HYDRAULICS FAIL THE CAR WILL DROP AND KILL YOU! (and leave a big squishy mess for others to clean up)
The rear suspension is linked to the rear brakes, so holding your foot on the brake can cause the rear to lift up until you release the brake and it readjusts itself.
Likewise with the front wheels, if you hold the steering on hard lock, the front can rise up.
To check the LHM (hydraulic fluid don't use any other kind!) get the engine running and set the car to the highest setting and let it rise up.
There's a clear inspection bulb with a float in it on the LHM resevoir.
On high, the orange float (disc) should be between the two red lines.
1.9TD+ SX Xantia Estate (Cassy) running on 100% veg
1.9TD SX Xantia Hatchback (Jenny) running on 100% veg for sale
Laguna II 2.0dCi Privilege (Monty)
DIY sphere tool
1.9TD SX Xantia Hatchback (Jenny) running on 100% veg for sale
Laguna II 2.0dCi Privilege (Monty)
DIY sphere tool
Hi djheath, welcome
the lever works as follows... from the front to the back... front is lower down, this is for workshop purposes and it will lower the car by releasing the pressure, so the weight of the car will force all the fluid back into the LHM tank (big black one in the corner of the engine bay). The next one is normal driving... the one up to that intermediate height, use only at low speeds and for short periods, the next one is the highest settings, use this to change wheels only.
It may seems a bit random, because you may need to give the suspension some time to do it's thing. for example, from all the way down, the system will need to repressurise itself before it will even start moving.
The manual from colin will give a clearer pictures.
And if the red STOP light comes on... the car means it... STOP!!! Because if your accumulator sphere is dead then you will have no brakes (after the steering goes stiff and the car lowers itself).
the lever works as follows... from the front to the back... front is lower down, this is for workshop purposes and it will lower the car by releasing the pressure, so the weight of the car will force all the fluid back into the LHM tank (big black one in the corner of the engine bay). The next one is normal driving... the one up to that intermediate height, use only at low speeds and for short periods, the next one is the highest settings, use this to change wheels only.
It may seems a bit random, because you may need to give the suspension some time to do it's thing. for example, from all the way down, the system will need to repressurise itself before it will even start moving.
The manual from colin will give a clearer pictures.
And if the red STOP light comes on... the car means it... STOP!!! Because if your accumulator sphere is dead then you will have no brakes (after the steering goes stiff and the car lowers itself).
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admiral51
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hi david
try this link http://www.tramontana.co.hu/citroen/guide/guide.php
download it as it has very good diagrams/explanations of the citroen suspension systems
whatever else you or your dad do DO NOT PUT DOT BRAKE FLUID IN RESEVOIR FOR LHM(hydraulic)FLUID it will 99% write the car off
or anything else thats not LHM/hydraflush
colin
try this link http://www.tramontana.co.hu/citroen/guide/guide.php
download it as it has very good diagrams/explanations of the citroen suspension systems
whatever else you or your dad do DO NOT PUT DOT BRAKE FLUID IN RESEVOIR FOR LHM(hydraulic)FLUID it will 99% write the car off
or anything else thats not LHM/hydraflush
colin
Just wanna say thanks again to everyone. You're all really helpful.
I've used this site myself many years back when I owned a Pug 405 and it was always helpful.
The Xantia is very similar in respects to the inside, but all the fancy gubbins is very new to me!
Glad to know there are brainy people here to help!
Thanks again!
I've used this site myself many years back when I owned a Pug 405 and it was always helpful.
The Xantia is very similar in respects to the inside, but all the fancy gubbins is very new to me!
Glad to know there are brainy people here to help!
Thanks again!
Always check the LHM level with the car at MAXIMUM height. Orange 'hat' not coppper ring should be between the 2 lines.
Loads of downloadable stuff, most in English:
http://xantia.rtkmail.ru/index.php?opti ... emid=50url
http://sitruuna.unk.fi/pub/korjausoppaat/
http://citroeny.cz/servis/servis.htm
Loads of downloadable stuff, most in English:
http://xantia.rtkmail.ru/index.php?opti ... emid=50url
http://sitruuna.unk.fi/pub/korjausoppaat/
http://citroeny.cz/servis/servis.htm
jeremy
