Xantia 1.9TD A/C overheating

ghostrider · Post by **ghostrider** » 13 Oct 2003, 03:20

There I am cruising along not a care in the world when I notice that the temp gauge has moved up from its usual position of about 85c to 90, 100, finally stops short of 110 by a whisker. First thought is corroded connections to the thermo switch or fans, leave engine running get out of car, both fans going flat out, radiator stone cold, thermostat duff thinks I, but both top and bottom hoses are hot as is the side tank of the rad where the hoses are connected so is the rad blocked? is the thermostat duff? The Bitron sensor seems OK; disconnect it, fans run flat out which I think is correct as it fails "safe" reconnect it, fans stop unless the temp is up
suggestions please guys, as of course it has only started to do this when I Actually need to use it[:p][:p]
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Dodge Shadow

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 13 Oct 2003, 03:31

If the top and bottom hoses are getting hot that suggests that there has been flow through the radiator. It does sound as though the thermostat has stuck shut.
Easiest thing to do as a test is to whip the thermostat out and run without it. Give it a good run round and see if the radiator gets warm. If the radiators ok you will be hard pushed to get the car up to 80C - the thermostat stuck open on mine and it never hit 80C on the gauge, it always hung around the 60 mark. Thermostats are cheap enough - hell of a lot cheaper than a new radiator anyway.
If it still runs too hot then you need to try flushing the rad out - leave a hosepipe connected for about half an hour and see if that helps. If not it may be new rad time.
Does the heater work ok? Have you changed the coolant recently? Another possible cause could be an airlock in the system.

ghostrider · Post by **ghostrider** » 13 Oct 2003, 05:26

thanks BB, yeah the heater is HOT

), coolant level was a little low (-3l!) but no level warning light on, not unusual, probably duff, I'll try the stat tomorrow, just hope the lack of coolant and no visible leaks does not mean the dreaded blown head gasket, as I've said on this forum before I've had relatively little Long Term success with fixing that particular problem
Pete
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MAGIC FLIGHT

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 13 Oct 2003, 05:50

If its lost 3L of coolant then theres only 3 places it can go:
Into the cylinders via a knackered head gasket
Through an external leak (it would have to be substantial to lose so much)
Its boiled off when the temp got too high out of the hose on top of the expansion tank
Hopefully its boiled off; if you've lost 3L then I would have thought the engine would run very rough indeed.
A pressure test on the cooling system would be worthwhile - the kit is quite expensive but any garage worth their salt should have it and its straightforward enough to perform the test (minutes rather than hours)

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 13 Oct 2003, 10:27

You may have one problem showing two symptoms.
I just had a similar type problem; overheating, fans only ran when the motor was running & big lack of water in the system when cooled down.
Eventually discovered a big leak in the heater matrix. Being a CX, the soundproofing under the front mats is so thick it holds gallons & gallons without soaking through to the top, but hot hoses & cold core were part of the symptoms. Also, didn't we have this complaint recently on a similar model car as yours that turned out to be one of my old favourite fetishes; a hose under the intake collapsing when revved allowing the car to overheat & push out water, and it almost drove it's owner to distraction too?
Alan S

ghostrider · Post by **ghostrider** » 16 Oct 2003, 01:42

thanks guys, been checking water daily since top up, no further loss most strange!, engine still running sweet, no oil in water no emulsified oil in engine yet:-o). Alan dont mention that F********* heater matrix on the CX it was one of the nightmares of my GTi turbo, not leaking but blocked. I fixed it by removing it along with half the dash, seem to remember something about using a hot knife to cut into the side of the heater housing and pulling it out from there but having done it the proper way I would have some doubts about the hot knife method any one else heard of this method?
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Zombie Fund Forums

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 16 Oct 2003, 02:13

Oh yes [:)] -
Sold one of my spare CX heater panel boxes to a local guy - just to be used for testing the cut-out replacing method of the matrix.
"Interesting" job to remove the whole dash getting the heater box out [:D][:D]

ghostrider · Post by **ghostrider** » 25 Oct 2003, 00:13

now rumour has it Anders that the CX assmbley line started with that heater matrix being carfully supported in position for the whole of the rest of the car to be built round it with just one exception and that was when it came off the line the guy puts the key in turns it and... nothing.... didn't realise all those bits needed connecting toghter with wire:-o)))
Back to the xantia, just been to London and back and used no water, very strange, fuel consumption still only at 39mpg though
Pete
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RC series

ghostrider · Post by **ghostrider** » 25 Oct 2003, 00:18

oh yeah and while we are on the subject of heater Matrixs, I've just done some work at a factory that makes matrixs and air cons for a lot of major manufacturers, the guy there showed me a unit off an Audi A6, it had around a dozen motors and about 70 metres of wiring to control the various functions, can you imagine the problems of trying to fix that lot in ten yeras time:-))
Pete
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Uhwh

Post by **Jon** » 25 Oct 2003, 03:40

Pete
Re Dreaded CX matrix.
We used to cut a rectangular hole in the side of the Centre console to get the thing out!! Given care with the carpet and an air hacksaw it was possible to make a nice job and the owner didn't generally suspect a thing! This was going back to the late 80's when such a thing was quite common. Somewhere I still have a diagram and measurements explaining exactly where to cut to avoid other damage.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 25 Oct 2003, 04:52

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Somewhere I still have a diagram and measurements explaining exactly where to cut to avoid other damage. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
JON [:o)][:o)][:o)]
I'd LOVE to have a (scanned) copy of this diagram [:p][:p]

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 25 Oct 2003, 05:18

I fixed my matrix ever so easily.........I just bypassed it. Should have done it years ago as the car is so much cooler to drive now and if it ever gets cold enough to be needed; I'll drive the BX[:D][:D]
I have a couple of spares here from other cars so if I ever get around to replacing it, I'll post the procedures if I find any shortcuts.[:p][:p]
Alan S

ghostrider · Post by **ghostrider** » 05 Nov 2003, 04:00

Alan you just reminded me of mod that I did to all my Cxs which was to put a 22mm service valve (ex plumbers merchant) in the flow to the heater matrix so I could turn it off in the summer, as you rightly say the car gets just as hot with or without the fan motor running, the service valve means you can turn it on or off dead easy.
Oh yeah the Xantia is still going with no more water used. Another thing I found out the other day when I followed it my N/A Bx 19D is that despite the fact that the Xantia FEELS flat it left me for dead once it got to about 40mph!
Anders I dont know if the CCC site has a library but somewhere I'm sure they also gave dimensions for chopping the heater box
Pete
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Honda VFR**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 05 Nov 2003, 05:34

Pete - wot CCC site - the DK ?

ghostrider · Post by **ghostrider** » 16 Nov 2003, 04:10

Anders,
the CCC site I was thinking of was the UK Citroen Car Club site at http://www.citroencarclub.org.uk/
I dont know if anyone is interested but I have a load of back issues of Citroenian ( the CCC Mag) if any one is interested I will post the details
Pete