Citroen Xsara 1999 Over heating rapidly

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d3xt0r
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Citroen Xsara 1999 Over heating rapidly

Post by d3xt0r »

Since getting this car 2 months ago its been problem after problem.

1, The airbag intermittently flashes. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesnt.

2, Blowers only blow warm/hot air.

3, The car gets to 120oc(RED) within about 10 mins of driving it. and thats when it starts jerking and miss-fireing.

3rd issue is my main concern. Could it be possible that air in the coolant system could cause this over heating?

My dad said if i have doubts that there is air in the system that i should leave the blowers on HOT?

Any suggestions much appreciated.

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Post by myglaren »

Disregarding point 1 for the moment.

2) Is most likely stuch heater flaps - a common problem

3) Have you checked that there is adequate coolant in the system?
Have you tried bleeding any air out of the cooling system?
Is there any antifreeze in it? (increases the coolant effectivity).
Have you looked for bubbles in the radiator (warming up the engine with the cap off.

I think the most likely thing is that the thermostat is stuck - check the radiator and hoses to see which ones warm up and which don't. With a stuck thermostat you will find that the heater matrix supply and return will get very hot but the radiator and hoses won't.

There is also a possibility of a blocked or collapsed hose or a failed water pump but the thermostat is more likely and easier to eliminate.

Leaving the blowers on hot will help a bit but nowhere near adequately. The heater matrix is always fed hot water, there is no shutoff valve as in earlier cars. You need to resolve this as soon as you are able as you risk a blown head gasket or worse if it continues.
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Post by pugbus »

:( Hi , doesn't sound to good , from what you've said I take it that it's a petrol , when you start the car from cold can you tell if the coolant is flowing ? = should be a small hose going to the header bottle ( there is on the diesel ones ) it should flow into the header bottle when the stats shut ,

not sure of the water pump on them but I've found on a couple of diesels that the impeller is plastic with a steel insert then mounted onto the pump shaft , if a bad antifreeze/coolant additive or non is used then the steel insert can rust causing the plastic impeller to shatter , symptoms = boiling up within three quarters of a mile
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Post by d3xt0r »

Thanks for your replies.

My main thought was the thermostat was jammed shut as i had this problem on my old Punto. However i havent checked that yet.

Also i thought you were supposed to pour coolant into the radiator bottle? (Note: i havent done this, just presumed.) so there is a possiblilty that there is no coolant at all in ths system.

I drained the water out a couple of weeks ago to the minimum line and topped up with fresh water(from the tap). The water that was already in was brown ish.

Also found a thread from back in May 08(should have searched first)

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=23877

Ive never checked to see if the radiator fan actually works so will check this tomorrow leaving the car running for a bit until it gets to about 90 degrees

The Stop light comes on at aprox 110-115 the Gauge goes upto 120.

Will investigate the routes suggested so far in the morning,

Cheers guys

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Post by d3xt0r »

Well left the engine running for 15 mins this morning with the water bottle cap off.

Surely enough there was alot of bubbles. I kept topping the bottle up while the car was running. I addded just short of 4 ltrs of water. in the 15mins of the car running the fan never cut in but at the same time the temp never went upto 90 so thats a plus.

So im guessing the problem could be a couple of things.

Air in water and the fans not kicking in (any one know the most common faults on fans)

cheers
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Post by d3xt0r »

Took the car for a 15 minute drive and when i got back the water was back down to minimum so thats what ever was in minus about 3 ltrs. Were is it all going as there is no water leaking from anywere so it must be going somewere.

Do i need to bleed the system to remove the air or just run the engine with the cap off until the bubbles stop?

If i need to bleed can someone give me a short guide in what order to do things.
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Post by HDI Dave »

Have you checked your oil filler cap for mayo? Might rule out the more serious diagnosis..or hard/pressurized hoses etc.

I might be miles off,but i've had 2 h/g's go years ago and similar water loss.
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Post by myglaren »

Have a read through this thread, there are a lot of pointers that will help. Sorry, I can't remember with any certainty as to the location of the Xantia bleed vents but they are easy enough to spot as they look like tyre valve caps - and probably are !
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Post by d3xt0r »

There was no gunk in the oil cap and no other sign's of HG issue's

The car seems to run fine without the radiator cap on(while sitting still idleing) but if i leave the engine running with the cap on after a short while the engine starts to rev upto 1200rpm(normal idle is 850-900) and starts getting faster revs. There is alot of preasure in the expansion tank and the water comes back upto the brim, if i take off the cap it goes back down.

Any pointers?

I think i may attempt a full system flush (could someone post me a short guide?) as theres s**t in the water bottle, but my main issue is i think there is an air lock somewere and i cannot release it.

Ive pumped the top pipe which does get hot so eliminating a thermostat issue.

Also the radiator fans do kick in there just very quiet so i have never noticed ithem kick in before.

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Post by myglaren »

It's looking like the water pump failure I think.

Perhaps this can be tested by removing one of the hoses and checking for a flow - I imagine the hose before the thermostat or if there isn't one, as I suspect, then removing the thermostat would be the way to go. The impellers have been known to let go, especially on the cheaper pump.
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Post by d3xt0r »

Balls, I've just sheered the bleed bolt on the thermostat housing. Trip to the scrap yard is in order. (the one that is an allen key)

Managed to get a tiny bit of air out of it then fastned it up n sheered it. Just stuck a tine drill bit into it and wound it out.

How exactly could i test the pump? is it safe to disconnect a pipe while the engine is running?

When the radiator bleed screw is out i can see the water flowing into the pipe that runs into the thermostat so im guessing the pump is ok.

cheers guys
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Post by myglaren »

d3xt0r wrote:Balls, I've just sheered the bleed bolt on the thermostat housing. Trip to the scrap yard is in order. (the one that is an allen key)

Managed to get a tiny bit of air out of it then fastned it up n sheered it. Just stuck a tine drill bit into it and wound it out.
:(
d3xt0r wrote: How exactly could i test the pump? is it safe to disconnect a pipe while the engine is running?
Have an assistant there, disconnect the pipe then start the engine briefly and see if the flow of water is significantly increased when the engine is running - keep the time down though and replenish quickly, the head gets very hot very fast.
d3xt0r wrote: When the radiator bleed screw is out i can see the water flowing into the pipe that runs into the thermostat so im guessing the pump is ok.

cheers guys
Is that with the engine running? Is it faster or slower with it off?
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Post by d3xt0r »

you can see it flowing fast when engine running, Cant see it flowing with engine off tho

Cheers,
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Post by myglaren »

Would appear that the pump is OK then. Must be a blockage or air lock somewhere.
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Post by d3xt0r »

Well i took the cap of the heater matrix and the bleed nipple out of the thing that the thermostat connects to and used an external header bottle and its worked a treat. seems there was air in there somewere as could hear it coming out of the nipples when filling the header bottle.

Other issue is the Air bag light flashes sometimes then other times it doesnt.

But my main issue it the Fuel Gauge. It just sits on the red with the orange light on constantly and never moves when filling up. Is this a relay or sensor, maybe a fuel sensor in the fuel tank?

cheers for your help on the heating issue

d3xt0r
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