xantia mark one heater pipe problems

kevino · Post by **kevino** » 02 Jan 2010, 19:10

Hello everybody,
I have a Xantia turbo diesel 1.9 l reg.
The problem that I have been having is the heater matrix got colder and colder eventually to the point that their was hardly any heat coming out at all so I took the heater pipe off the back of the engine and flushed the matrix by using my vac and sucking water through the matrix which has done the trick to a certain extent, the heater is now blowing warm, but not as hot as it used to be. Whilst getting the pipe off the back of the engine I must have disturbed the pipe union where it goes into the heater matrix at the bulk head and the hard plastic pipe (90 degree bit) has fractured letting water from the engine come out, how difficult is it to replace the pipe, or is it a garage job ?
cheers Kev

Post by **CitroJim** » 02 Jan 2010, 19:37

Hi Kev,

You've found out the hard way how fragile and hard to remove thse pesky elbows are

Easiest by far is to get any elbow and a few inches of pipe from any Xantia or Berlingo van from a breakers (they're easier to get out if the engine bay is free of engine) and then use a couple of 19mm pipe joiners from any good factors to splice the replacement elbow into the existing pipework. I've now done two (one my own) like this with full success.

For the record, on a 1.9TD, one pipe goes to a metal pipe at the back of the block and the other to the water distribution block on the back of the block down by the bottom hose. Both are a devil to get to and the latter is a bit delicate. Best therefore to join/splice a replacement in.

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 02 Jan 2010, 22:10

Jim Not strickly.

The Pipe you refer to on the back of the XUD - the actual circuit is theres a WATER Out let Metal pipe on the back OF THE HEAD gearbox end, which goes to the matric via this pesky pipe, then the other pipe goes to a PLASTIC Junction on the back of the block, Above the Drivers side LOWER Engine mount... viewable from inside the drivers wheel arch..

Ive a couple of these pipes IN STOCK, so if you find the dealer useless - as they useally are, give me a shout..

The idea is they push DIRECTLY into the Matrix inlet pipes, useing a couple of O rings and a single clip.. The metal bit in the middle of the plastic junction if the clip, how ever, coupled with brittleness, they are tight fitting, and useually break upon removal..

Ive another point, if your matrix is getting blocked up, then you may find after cleaning it out and the heat is still bad, you need to find out HOW WELL your water is flowing through the matrix.. this can be done by undoing the BLEED screw on the plastic junction, with the bleed cap off, and the engine running there should be a good flow pooring out the heater pipe - if theres nothing comming out, or a small trickle, this is leading to bad ish news...

Firstly, you need to replace the heater pipes..

Regards
Paul

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 02 Jan 2010, 22:15

Just for the record:

The cooling cuircuit flows as follows: (As far as Heaters are concerned)

From the water pump, through the block.. then from the block passing through the head gasket to the cooling jackets in the cylinder head.. then from here, out the rear pipe on the head to the INLET side of the matrix, and out the other side down to the rear of the block, from here, its split, one pipes goes round the the thermostat house, the other goes round to the bottom of the radiator.

Let me guess, the colour of water in the matrix was Quite brown?? If so, a very good sign of LACK OF ANTI FREEZE?

The problem is, that if your matrix is full of the "Rusty Water" the bad news is VERY LIKeLY that the coolant water ways in the head gasket also get blocked up, and the water ways have a REDUCED free flow.. This is what causes a trickle or NO FLOW from the Heater matrix bleed point, and leads to a CRAP heater, and EVENTUALLY failed Head Gasket.

Paul