High Pressure Pump Xantia Sinker

[cc101]

Hi all, have been thinking about the HP pump, when I start the car even from cold after a day or so the pressure light on the dash goes out near instantaneously, as I'm still getting a hardish ride cloud the HP pump be the wrong one and is throwing out too much pressure!? According to the paper work it was replaced a few years back.

Is there anyway of checking if it is the right pump for the LX sinker?

Cheers, Chris.

[CitroJim]

Chris, on a sinker the stop light behaviour is normal. This indicates good hydraulics actually! The sinker pump is very high output as it has to do everything and if all spheres are good and holding a bit of residual pressure then the stop light won't be on for long at all. Sometimes it can indicate a flat accumulator but in your case you know it's good.

How quickly does the car start to rise after starting up?

[cc101]

Thanks Jim, from warm the car rises immediately and after sitting overnight it normally takes around 10 seconds before it starts rising. Would internal leakage cause or worn cylinders cause a hard ride? Thanks again, Chris.

[CitroJim]

No, not normally Chris. Worn cylinders would cause the car to rapidly sink after switchoff. How long does it stay up for, or begin to sink, after you switch off.

It's quite usual for the rear to sink first.

I'm intrigued by the fact the ride is still not good. How soft does it feel when bounced and does all the height correction work exactly as it should?

Ride height is very critical for good ride and if this varies when in motion due to lazy height correctors then this could be the cause...

Test height correction with the engine idling by sitting in the tailgate and observing the suspension sinking. I should respond back to normal height after no more than 15-20s. Get out and the suspension should rise very high and then after the same period fall back to normal ride height. The same should happen at the front but it will be firmer and it'll be harder to compress it. Take care sitting on the slam panel for this test. It's not strong...

If the height correctors are very lazy this could cause the problem.

Normal ride height is three fingers at the front and one small one at the rear. That's fingers on end from the top of the tyre to the wheel arch...

[cc101]

Hi Jim, it is an intriguing one this as I know the ride should be substantially better as the HDI non hydractive rode considerably better! Being a sinker I presumed the ride would be even better!

The car will sink at the back (alot slower now new doseur fitted) in about an hour or so it will start to drop, rear first. The height correctors seem ok as the car does rise quite quickly when sat on the boot sill and front panel, normally around 5+ seconds. When you get out the car rises but settles back to ride height in around 5+ seconds.

FDV seems to be working correctly, once the car has warmed up and sat in traffic you normally hear a short hiss once a minute or so.

I'm just baffled now as I've removed both height corrector linkages and cleansed/greased, all spheres changed, new fluid, brakes fully bled, replaced main hydraulic pump feed pipe! The car bounces nice and smooth if you push it up and down.

Pretty frustrated with the ride as I'm sure it should be much more plush!

Cheers, Chris.

[Xaccers]

Is there 4 fingers space above the front wheels and 1 finger above the rear?

[cc101]

Hi Xac, just over 3 fingers at the front and about 1 and a half at the rear!

Cheers, Chris.

[CitroJim]

Hi Xac, just over 3 fingers at the front and about 1 and a half at the rear!

Cheers, Chris.

I'd say it was a tadette high now Chris... Drop both ends by about half an inch and see how that helps...

[cc101]

Cheers Jim, I'll give that a go when the weather clears up.