Cold idle problem - Xantia 1.9TD following use of BioDiesel

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Xaccers
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Post by Xaccers »

boeingmech wrote:
modxl wrote:where do u get ur svo for 1.01 a litre
Tesco and Asda are selling 3ltr bottles of oil for £2.95 = 98p ltr :D
Will have to check that out, last time I looked they were charging around £3.60 for 3 ltrs
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Post by CitroJim »

This is what we needed for you yesterday Xac...

Image


That was some good stuff you were on :lol: :lol: :lol:
Jim

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Rhothgar
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1995 Citroen Xantia 1.9TD S1 - M728 GDL VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]
1996 Citroen Xantia 1.9TD SX S1 - N707 MGP (Currrently laid up)
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Post by Rhothgar »

Well! What can I say?

Took the old Xantia up to my mates for a block test today.

With engine at normal operating temp, he plonked (technical term) the hygrometer looking thingymabob filled with a blue liquid onto the cooling system expansion tank.

I am told that if it turns yellow then combustion gases are getting into the cooling system and the likelihood is that the head gasket between the cylinder and the water jacket in the block has sprung a leak!

Luckily, it remained blue - GRRREEEAAATTT!

So he attached a bicycle pump to the expansion tank and applied 1 bar (14psi) for an hour and 15 minutes.

The pressure dropped a few times to 0.9 / 0.8 so I pumped it back up. After the initial 25 minutes, it was down to 0.8 so I pumped it up one last time and went away. It remained at 0.9 for the remaining 50 minutes.

At the end of that period, we turned the car on and smoke started coming out of the exhaust as if it had been left overnight standing which is when it issues out the smoke as exhibited in my YouTube clip earlier in the post (least I think I uploaded).

It would therefore seem that there is a tiny leak in the head gasket between a cylinder and the water jacket.

Would this seem a reasonable diagnosis given what I have said above?
Rhothgar
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Posts: 1803
Joined: 22 Nov 2004, 00:21
Location: Nottingham - UK
My Cars: 2013 Peugeot 3008 Allure 1.6HDi - FD63 FWA VF3**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]
1995 Citroen Xantia 1.9TD S1 - M728 GDL VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]
1996 Citroen Xantia 1.9TD SX S1 - N707 MGP (Currrently laid up)
2000 Citroen Xantia 2.0 HDi S2 - X435 JGJ VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff] (Clutch died Dec 2017 - Resurrected Easter Sunday 2021)
1997 Citroen ZX SX TD - P788 AJL
1959 Landrover Defender S2 - Two owners from new
1968 Triumph Vitesse Convertible 2.0
1980 Ford Escort RS2000 Customer - 2nd Owner
1988 Saab 900 T16S - A 1980's exercise in understated Hooliganism...
Oh! and two Harley Davidsons - A 1990 Sportster and a 2003 Fatboy 100th Anniversary (the only vehicle I have owned from new)
x 80

Post by Rhothgar »

UPDATE!

Got around to removing injectors last Saturday.

Took injectors for testing. They proved 100% fine. Fitted new fire arrest washers and copper washers. Had to very carefully cold chisel two copper washers out as they were well and truly wedged in there.

Whilst injectors were out, I switched the ignition on and could clearly observe the glow plugs through the injector holes. No. 4 (furthest away from the cam belt) was dead. No glow whatsoever.

Replaced all 3. Mental note to replace one behind pump when I get a better cranked ring spanner as I wasted a few hours trying with other spanners.

Car started clean as a whistle and cold start idling problem is now no more.

EUREKA! :P
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