Can anyone help? The pipe leading to the edge of the bonnet has snapped so I cannot attach a new one. Worse the other end has disappeared and I cannot see how to trace it forward from the washer bottle at all. Everything seems to be hidden. I know this is an MOT failure so I need to fix it a s a p and cannot afford to go to the dealer! Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks.
DGF
Xantia Windscreen washer
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Re: Xantia Windscreen washer
Welcome to the forum DGF 
The top end of the pipe ends in a joint on the bonnet forward sealing runner. In fact the sealing rubber itself is the pipe that leads water to the jets themselves. The one you are after is a white plastic elbow.
The pipe to the washer bottle/pump under the RH wing routes across the top of the wing and is (fairly) easy to get at once you remove the black plastic wing liner. To do this you'll have to have the wheel off, remove the mudshield protecting the auxiliary drive belt and then the wing liner will come away - it's held by a few poppers and sheer bloody-mindedness. best done on a warm day.
Removing the mudshield will expose a good bit of the washer bottle and the pump will be seen. This is on the engine-side of the bottle.
You may find a non-return valve in the pipe run up to the windscreen about half-way along under the wing.
The top end of the pipe ends in a joint on the bonnet forward sealing runner. In fact the sealing rubber itself is the pipe that leads water to the jets themselves. The one you are after is a white plastic elbow.
The pipe to the washer bottle/pump under the RH wing routes across the top of the wing and is (fairly) easy to get at once you remove the black plastic wing liner. To do this you'll have to have the wheel off, remove the mudshield protecting the auxiliary drive belt and then the wing liner will come away - it's held by a few poppers and sheer bloody-mindedness. best done on a warm day.
Removing the mudshield will expose a good bit of the washer bottle and the pump will be seen. This is on the engine-side of the bottle.
You may find a non-return valve in the pipe run up to the windscreen about half-way along under the wing.
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Re: Xantia Windscreen washer
You don't say what year Xantia you have, so I can only tell you from my experience with my 1995 model - I'm unsure if the later Series 2 are similar.
I think you've discovered a relatively common problem with the windscreen washer pipe, which flexes a lot where it bends sharply under the windscreen scuttle, close to the rear edge of the bonnet. When mine first broke there, I found it easiest to run a new length of pipe from the washer pump at the washer bottle (located in/under the offside wing) all the way to the first of the windscreen jets. I routed it in the engine compartment along the top of the inner wing, and IIRC there was a convenient hole to feed it through to where the sharp bend is located. To work within the area of the sharp bend, I cut out a small piece of the plastic scuttle (6" x 2"), which I subsequently rivetted back in position afterwards.
I think this new length of tubing may have by-passed a non-return valve somewhere, but the operation of the washer is just as good.
Several years after replacing the tubing, it broke again at the sharp bend, but it was then easiest just to replace the short broken length with a new 6"-8" length, as the tubing was so much more accessible, with 2 straight connectors, ensuring that the connectors were fitted on straight sections of the tubing.
I think you've discovered a relatively common problem with the windscreen washer pipe, which flexes a lot where it bends sharply under the windscreen scuttle, close to the rear edge of the bonnet. When mine first broke there, I found it easiest to run a new length of pipe from the washer pump at the washer bottle (located in/under the offside wing) all the way to the first of the windscreen jets. I routed it in the engine compartment along the top of the inner wing, and IIRC there was a convenient hole to feed it through to where the sharp bend is located. To work within the area of the sharp bend, I cut out a small piece of the plastic scuttle (6" x 2"), which I subsequently rivetted back in position afterwards.
I think this new length of tubing may have by-passed a non-return valve somewhere, but the operation of the washer is just as good.
Several years after replacing the tubing, it broke again at the sharp bend, but it was then easiest just to replace the short broken length with a new 6"-8" length, as the tubing was so much more accessible, with 2 straight connectors, ensuring that the connectors were fitted on straight sections of the tubing.
Martin
1995 Xantia TDLX (deceased
)
1995 Xantia TDLX (deceased
)Re: Xantia Windscreen washer
Doh,
Jim's beaten me to it - I must learn to type more quickly
Anyway, you should have enough to help you sort it out
Jim's beaten me to it - I must learn to type more quickly
Anyway, you should have enough to help you sort it out
Martin
1995 Xantia TDLX (deceased )
1995 Xantia TDLX (deceased
)