Xantia oil change litres required

[addo]

C'est facile. Buy a new dealer-correct dipstick as per the part number on SC. Drain oil and remove filter to complete the draining. Replace filter and refill oil to just above minimum mark. Run engine for five minutes, stand fifteen. Check oil level and top up to full. Note total amount used, for future reference.

[charentejohn]

A fair point but I might just have the correct dipstick, possible but seems unlikely, so a bit of a waste of time and money. I have already done the oil change and that is what is confusing me.

In the absence of anyone with an HDI Xantia who has a dipstick they can measure what about the oil level sensor ?

How does this work and how accurate is it ? I assume it has a set of contacts at the end which should rest at just above minimum oil level, when oil 'shorts them out' the light stays off.
When I first had the car I did get the 15 flashes check oil warning (oil was about 1/3 way up dipstick) twice but it went away with no oil being added. Since the oil change it has not flashed normally but did when I put an air line down the dipstick tube to clear it, flashed once then ok, so I guess the air blew oil off the contacts ? If so the sensor fits into the dipstick tube somewhere.

If these are accurate then I can go with that, as I know mine works, as a level check. I will remove 400ml in to a bottle which I can use to re-fill if necessary. Once removed I can see what the sensor / dipstick say.

Fastest and easiest way to check oil is correct is to have someone measure a dipstick for me though, go on you know you want to.

I just used a bit of wire to se how deep the dipstick tube was and i think it is at max anyway, so a longer dipstick would not help as it would bottom out ? Have asked a helpful UK garage for info as they may have had this before.

[411514]

John if i get the chance i will measure mine later however as its a c5 110 it may be different. As it is though john the engine is only designed to have around 4.7l of oil in it and from what you have said previously iirc you seem to have put in around half a litre more which could potentially damage it if you use it. The only real possibilities for the error in reading are wrong dipstick, or dipstick routing damaged or obstructed



should you decide to purchase a new stick part number is 1176 42

ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xantia-Dipsti ... _798wt_648" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citroen: £10.70 inc vat

also shows possible obstruction (part number 5) so maybe an airline down the diptube may be a good idea to try, other than that out of ideas as to what it could be however as i said the recommended amount of oil is sub 5 litres, hope you figure it out

[charentejohn]

Thanks for the thoughts, could be obstructed routing, I did use an air line on it but that doesn't mean to say it shifted it all. Probably just moved it down the line a bit.
I see what you mean about the part no 5, I can't picture how it all goes together, I assume part 5 is attached to the engine block and part 6 fixes into it.

I have a constant oil level now but will remove 400ml just to be sure. When I can I will remove the dipstick part no 6 and see where the other bit goes, maybe I can then clean it out.
Strange that the straight piece of wire only goes in the same length as the dipstick. Still wondering if they used a different sump for some reason, ran out of Xantia ones for a while towards the end and found a few 2.1s in a cupboard ?

[Citroenmad]

The 2.0 8v HDi should only take around 4.8L, when I do ours there is always a little left in the new oil drum after a service. Something funny is going on with yours!

The later 16v 2.0 HDis do take about 5.5L but not the 8vs like yours.

[CitroJim]

The 2.0 8v HDi should only take around 4.8L, when I do ours there is always a little left in the new oil drum after a service. Something funny is going on with yours!

Correct. Always just under 5 litres.

It may have been said already so sorry if it has but running a diesel with too much oil can be dangerous as if grossly overfilled it can start consuming its own oil as fuel this can lead to a runaway.

I'd drain and refill 4.75 litres and be safe. I always err on the side of caution and run mine slightly under the max mark.

[Citroenmad]

I'd drain and refill 4.75 litres and be safe. I always err on the side of caution and run mine slightly under the max mark.

Yes, sounds like the best idea. Put in the right amount of oil and then see what your dipstick reads.

I too run mine very slightly under the full level.

[charentejohn]

I will take your advice and drain the 400ml tomorrow before using the car. I put in 5.2L (max.) and haven't used it since then so this should do it. I will carry the 400ml in the car and top up only if the low level dash warning flashes at me.

Later I will drain it all and replace 4.5L, having left 0.3L in the filter so 4.8 in all.
Why me eh ? Just a simple oil change and suddenly into dismantling the dipstcik system..............

My boss's Renault Trafic (new one) only a year old burned chankcase oil through the turbo once, nasty, just revved until it siezed.

[CitroJim]

Be careful of the low level warning light John. It has a terrible habit of crying wolf and telling porkies. I'd not trust it at all. Best to measure in 4.75 l, note the level on the dispstick and use that as your reference.

There was a case once of somebody repeatedly topping up a 1.9TD because the low oil light flashed. It ended up so overfilled it committed suicide by consuming its own oil...

[Citroenmad]

As Jim says, the electronic oil warnings are not to be believed all of the time.

Many cars also give you an indication of how much oil there is in the sump with a sequence of dots on the dash on start up. They are not always reliable. It does bring a worry for cars without a dipstick as they have to rely on the onboard computer to warn of the oil level. Cars such as the BMW X6 for example, mind you would have to be a dipstick to buy of of those hideous things.

[RichardW]

It looks like all HDi's use the same dipstick (1.9TD is different) - I will try and measure mine, but it might be the weekend.

I alwasy found HDi needed more oil than 1.9TD - I used to use only 3.5-4l on TD, but HDi takes nearer the full 5.

[Chris570]

i'd just drain and put 4 litres back in then see where you are....

[charentejohn]

Thanks everybody - the story so far..............
I drained 500ml out this morning before a 70 mile run, figured this would easily leave less than 4.8L as I had put in a max of 5.2L. Dipstick read 3/4 full before removal and just touching min when drained.
Went for a run 35 mls at 70mph and returned to the car after it had been standing for 30 mins and 'surprise' now reading half way.
Returned home 35 mls at 70mph and checked again, just below half way, and that is where it is staying. Not touching it again unless warning comes on or I change the oil again, in about 3 months I think.

I can only guess the twisted bit of tubing in the sump was / is a bit gummed up, so when warm enough it lets oil through but in cold weather it bungs up. Still confused a bit but happier now that oil is not too high. When it had 5.2L in I could hear a tick tick noise when idling that wasn't there before (only ran it for 2 mins) which was probably the crank hitting the oil so glad to have removed some.

Next oil change I will 'rod out' and put an air line down the dipstick tube when hot to see what I can clear out. Then measure exactly 4.8L and run it for a few days then see where it ends up. Until then I will just keep checking that it stays above min as it seems happy there, when I got the car it was just above min (and had been there for 8 months) so suppose that was right.

Thanks again for the quick replies and good suggestions, especially to make sure not overfull.

[myglaren]

I think that here is the application of the engine oil additives that you raised.
A dose of Forte Engine Flush, a change of oil and filter, run it for 500 miles and another oil change might be beneficial if there is crud in your engine.

[myglaren]

MOTORISTS. Dont waste money buying oil for your car. Simply invest in a longer dipstick.