I'm back again and this time with a XANTIA!!!

Gnerk · Post by **Gnerk** » 01 Jul 2008, 20:33

Hi All,

Last time I posted here I was running the ZX TD volcane. Great car - shame the metal moth got at it despite me and my Dad's best efforts to weld her up. Went to the scraphead in the sky in Jan and is sorely missed.

6m of owning a 1.2 petrol Fiat Punto bought at auction for buttons. Not a bad car, despite the petrol leak, the failing head gasket, the self locking front door, and the smell of dog juice. Oh, and all the mud in the wheel arches. I mean, just where the F&*$ had the car been. It was only and R reg!

Anyway, the thing kept going for the 6m tax I put on it (and kept going a lot better for a tub of Radweld - seemed to sort the loss of compression due to the head gasket quite nicely....?!?). Then the tax ran out and the MOT was in August, so the car got chopped in for a 98S Xantia 1.9 TD.

Sit rep on the Xantia...

Blower is funny. Only works when car is first started. If set to max, will blow but then slows, quickens, slows, quickens (maybe), slows, stops.

Drivers seat height adj is bust. Will adj, but won't stay locked there if e.g. put foot on hard-ish clutch. So am stuck at driving in lowest position.

Occasional "buzz" from engine bay when immediately after starting engine - prob. starter motor not disengaging quickly enough.

Otherwise seems fine.

Big shout to all of you on the forum. Am glad to be back!

- Ian.

Post by **RichardW** » 01 Jul 2008, 20:47

Welcome back - once a Citroenian, always a Citroenian!

Anyways:

Gnerk wrote:Blower is funny. Only works when car is first started. If set to max, will blow but then slows, quickens, slows, quickens (maybe), slows, stops.

Well known Xantia trouble. Possibly the ignition switch or the contacts on the motor. Do a search, and sit back and read for a few hours!

Gnerk wrote:Drivers seat height adj is bust. Will adj, but won't stay locked there if e.g. put foot on hard-ish clutch. So am stuck at driving in lowest position.

Well known Xantia trouble. The screws will have fallen out of the adjuster. Take the side plastic off the seat, and you will probably find the screws lying under the seat. Refit and away you go. M4 machine screws required if the originals are AWOL.

Gnerk wrote:Occasional "buzz" from engine bay when immediately after starting engine - prob. starter motor not disengaging quickly enough.

Not quite so sure about this one, sometimes the aux belt can make funny noises if the tensioner is about shot. [/quote]

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 02 Jul 2008, 01:28

The buzz upon starting could be a lazy solenoid not returning the starter
dog completely off but enough not to smash teeth of the flywheel!! I'd get
it seen to if there is a chance of damaging the starter ring gear as an
engine out job isn't all that fun for just this to be fixed!! Could just be
the starter though!!!

Andrew

Gnerk · Post by **Gnerk** » 05 Jul 2008, 15:50

Thanks for both your replies.

The blower and seat would seem to be small jobs to solve well known Xantia problems.

I was with Andrew on the "buzz" from engine bay originally. Def. though thought the starter motor wasn't disengaging with the teeth on the flywheel. However, having owned the car for a week now, I'm sure it isn't this afterall. Basically, the noise is actually more of a creak/groan which is associated with the car suspension levelling, but it only does this with the engine cranking or immediately after starting. Even then, this doesn't happen each and evry start - perhaps one in three.

Gnerk · Post by **Gnerk** » 05 Jul 2008, 19:52

Success number one: seat heigh adj now fixed thanks to advice from you guys.

Also amused myself by jacking up the Xantia a la Citroen - i.e. full suspension height, block under the sill, and stick susp to service low. I was laughing my tits off for a full minute afterwards.

Small things, etc...

wrinklet1 · Post by **wrinklet1** » 05 Jul 2008, 22:23

Hi, Before you start messing about with the ignition, have a look at the brushes on the fan motor. It sounds to me like the are worn. Eay job to fix too.

Paul

Gnerk · Post by **Gnerk** » 06 Jul 2008, 08:18

Cheers Paul - will do.

Update on the "groan": am planning to lube the front struts to eliminate suspension groan as the cause (actually, I'm rather hoping this will be the problem solved). Let you all know how I get one.

- Ian.

Post by **CitroJim** » 06 Jul 2008, 08:43

Gnerk wrote: Also amused myself by jacking up the Xantia a la Citroen - i.e. full suspension height, block under the sill, and stick susp to service low. I was laughing my tits off for a full minute afterwards.

Small things, etc...

You just wait until you start doing Citarobics on a regular basis

That can be very entertaining, especially to casual onlookers

Delighted you're happy with your Xantia Ian!

Post by **RichardW** » 06 Jul 2008, 09:29

Re the noise, see these threads, where similar is being discussed. Might need a new accumulator:

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=24277

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=24362

In fact, since you say it is doing it when cranking, then almost certainly the accumulator is pancake like!

Gnerk · Post by **Gnerk** » 06 Jul 2008, 11:13

re: noise. Yes, Richard. These posts would seem to indicate the source of the problem. The second post in particular describes the scenario I have quite - although mine doesn't seem to be quite as bad as that one...yet.

New accumulator sphere then. Will do the sit in the boot test today as am still going to grease the front rams. Acc sphere would seem to be about 20 quid from the local GSF (Lyons Farm, Worthing). I'll use the week to research how to do the job from the forum and see if I can't get it done one evening. Gosh, how I love these long summer days...

I'm *guessing* that a flat acc sphere might be related to the ticking noise from under the bonnet (PRV?). This happens every 5s when at rest, which I thought I read somewhere was quite normal. Then I read somewhere else that evrey 30s or more-or-less not at all was normal. Anyway, will do some more research here tonight.

Cheers all.

- Ian

Post by **myglaren** » 06 Jul 2008, 12:38

I'm *guessing* that a flat acc sphere might be related to the ticking noise from under the bonnet (PRV?). This happens every 5s when at rest, which I thought I read somewhere was quite normal. Then I read somewhere else that evrey 30s or more-or-less not at all was normal. Anyway, will do some more research here tonight.

That frequent is very bad and indicates a completely dead accumulater.
Fix is as soon as or more damage to the hydraulics will be along soon.

Gnerk · Post by **Gnerk** » 06 Jul 2008, 15:25

Aumsingly, I commented to SWMBO yesterday that I couldn't imagine anyone being happy with a 5s ticking Xant from new...

Looks like I have found the source of multiple ills, so at least I will be able to kill many birds with one acc. sphere

I'll be searching this site for full destructions of how to change the acc sphere tonight. If anyone gets to this post before then an can point me in the direction of a step-by-step guide, then I'd be most grateful. Otherwise, quite happy to go looking for it. (NB - this is my first hydraulic cit, so very much finding my way...)

Off to GSF tomorrow lunch to buy said sphere, and fit one evening this week, weather permitting.

- Ian.

Post by **CitroJim** » 06 Jul 2008, 15:53

Hi Ian,

It's all rather spread around this forum, how to change an accumulator sphere.

In a nutshell, raise and support the front of the car on axle stands, set low and depressurise by turning the 12mm bleed screw on the pressure regularor no more than half a turn. You should (might) hear a rush of LHM as you do this but with a flat accumulator, maybe not.

Grasp the body of the sphere with a good meaty strap wrench and I mean a good and meaty one as the accumulator can be very, very tight. Due to poor access, a pukka sphere tool is best but look for a Post by Xac who shows how to make a very serviceable alternative from a piece of square tube, a length of M10 studding and a handy lamp post

Some advocate attacking tight spheres with a cold chisel but I don't. I think the risk of accidential damage is too great so use a tool designed for the job.

Undo the sphere and be prepared for some spillage of LHM. Clean up and make sure you recover the old rubber seal.

Take the new rubber seal that came with the new sphere, dip it in clean LHM and place it in the groove on the Pressure Regulator block and not on the sphere itself otherwise it'll get cut as you screw up the new sphere.

Screw the new sphere firmly HAND TIGHT only. They do not need to be done up tightly at all as the seal is effected by hydraulic pressure and not by how tight it is. I know you're going to be wondering why something done up hand tight only can end up so tight they pose a problem. I don't know for sure but often its the rubber seal that is the cause. All I know is some can be the very devil.

Close the bleed valve, start up, allow pressure to come up and do a few rounds of Citarobics and that's it, job done.

At risk of restating it over and over again, make sure the car is very well supported before venturing under and pulling on wrenches to get tight spheres off. These cars can suddenly drop and KILL YOU. Be safe.

GSF Spheres are very good generally.

Post by **CitroJim** » 06 Jul 2008, 16:08

Ian,

Here's the link to Xac's sphere tool. It's the third post down.

It has very much proved it's worth over the years. It works and is cheap and easy to make.