Xantia supension issues

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Xaccers
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Post by Xaccers »

Great to meet you on Saturday Phil :)

Now, Phil's Xantia was still riding high despite his specialist's efforts.
As Little Horwood is reasonably close to Finmere, we headed off and made use of the ramps there, expecting to have to manually adjust the clamp on the rear ARB.

Up on the ramps, we had a gander and I spotted the manual linkage was pushing against the edge of the square hole it sits in, in the arm on the end of the actual height corrector.
This can have the effect of holding the suspension too high or too low depending on which side of the square hole it's up against.

The manual linkage is held onto the control rods, which run forward and back from the lever in the cabin, by a clamp tightened with an 8mm bolt.
Slackened this and adjusted the manual linkage so it's in the middle of the square hole.
Viola! The car settled down to just 1 finger height at the rear.

Here's a photo of the linkage in the right position, the square hole is outlined in red and the pip on the side of the manual linkage is outlined in blue.

Image


Juliet had the same issue, with identical symptoms of the rear feeling hard and high, then after a *thunk* dropping and being soft, but returning to hard and high after going over a speed bump etc.
What happens is the two linkages fight against each other, forcing the pip on the side of the manual linkage to pop out allowing the ARB linkage to do it's job.
Going over a bump reseats the pip and the fight starts again.
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citroenesque
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Post by citroenesque »

Me again! Still having a few problems, with the rear still feeling - now and then - like its on firm setting or more accurately it feels like it's on the high setting, (which it's not as the ride height's OK). The spheres are good and I do notice the difference between it in normal and in sport.

I feel we're 'getting there' but I know it's still not right.

So, next thing to do would be a flush as Jim suggests. But I have one question: the mention of 'flushing loo' sounds alerted me to such a thing tonight (no I didn't have a dodgy vindaloo yesterday!). When switching the ignition on (short of engaging the starter) I get a distinct flushing/gurgling sound from the rear. It doesn't last long (a short flush if you like) and it doesn't make such a sound when I stop the car. Just when I turn the key and key in the code...

Any thoughts?
1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Diesel hatch, white, 92k
*SOLD* 1998 Citroen Xantia Ser.1 Turbo Diesel manual, Desire Limited Edition hatch, Mauritius Blue, 118k
2003 Rover 75 CDTi Connoisseur SE Tourer auto, BRG, 135k
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CitroJim
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Post by CitroJim »

Hi Phil,

That's not the suspension making that noise, it's the fuel system priming. The sound is the fuel pump starting up to pressurise up the fuel rail...

A very normal sound to hear. And good too, at least you know the pump is alive and well every time you go for a start!

As your LHM looked more like molasses, a flush has got to be a good idea!!!
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
citroenesque
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Post by citroenesque »

There's me getting fixated on the suspension :roll: #-o #-o :oops:
1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Diesel hatch, white, 92k
*SOLD* 1998 Citroen Xantia Ser.1 Turbo Diesel manual, Desire Limited Edition hatch, Mauritius Blue, 118k
2003 Rover 75 CDTi Connoisseur SE Tourer auto, BRG, 135k
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