Has anyone ever heard of this? (bosch Diesel Pump)?

[falling-out-with-my-car]

I started to attempt to access the egr & idle switches connected to the vacuum line and I found that the rubber air intake line with the convaluted flexible centre (this one sits beside the LHM tank and comes from the air filter box) it had a massive split in the convaluted section, to repair it I managed to find a length of plastic pipe to fit in either end although I had to cut a slot in the plastic pipe for the oil vapour connection from the oil filler, this air intake pipe is in the way of access to the Vacuum pipes on the S2, I repaired this pipe and figured that if the air filter wasnt connected the engine may run weak and the engine may become hotter idling faster when hot.
as it is this is not the case although the cold idle speed has inprooved significantly it is back to normal parameters ie 950 rpm so the air flow was having an effect on the idle speed of the engine when cold.
but I still have the problem of the engine idle increasing when the engine is warm. I will get around to doing the vacuum test as you advise Xac but with a hole in ones foot (a leg ulcer) it is somewhat hard to stand up for more than a few minutes at a time, progress is being made all be it slowley, the next dry slot that the weather gives me I'll be right back on it. I also have a new halfrauds air filter to fit to the car. I have long suspected these vacuum switches but you are the first Xac to draw some attention to the possibility of them being connected improperly or being faulty, I also read on this forum somewhere about someone sourcing two new switches drilling out the old rivets and replacing them on an Xantia but I can no longer find this thread.
Hopefully I can do the vacuum test this afternoon if the rain leaves off.
regards & Thanks Nigel.

[Xaccers]

Foot ulcer? OWIE!

The breather pipe that goes to the inlet isn't that much from Citroen if memory serves, and unlike 15 year old ones that are rock solid and prone to splitting from age, new ones are flexible and a lot easier to fit!

[falling-out-with-my-car]

Yippee solved for the time being at least Xac,

I put in a nice shiney new air filter and whilst the air filter box was out I checked all the vacuum lines engine cold and engine warm I figured that the engine had already been running long enough without a filter inline so a little longer wouldn't do any harm the vacuum pump performed perfectly a vacuum was present all the time directly from the pump,

I then checked all of the little hoses and found a split at the back of the little short pipe that comes from the tee junction and joins to the idle switch on the left hand side when you are facing the bulkhead, in the absence of a piece of pipe so small I superglued the split and wrapped a piece of insulation tape around the end of the tiny 1.5 inch length of pipe and pushed it back into place. I decided not to tinker to much with the EGR vacuum line as it disapears along the back of the engine and looks as though it runs through a shower head hose pipe to keep the heat off of it.

I also unclipped the plugs to the vacuum switches and cleaned the contacts and applied some switch cleaner as they were both caked in grease.

The engine for the first time in several weeks is idling at 850rpm (cold) and when warmed up idles at about 950rpm but doesnt get any higher than that. I dont think having all of the dashboard taken out has done my dials any good as my speedo doesnt seem to be half as accurate as it was before the matrix was replaced esspecially at low speeds and the rev counter could be suffering from the positionning of the cables/wires as much as the speedo is.

anyway all seems to be slightly more normal than it was, I have even removed the elastic band from the throttle arm put there to close the throttle down, it worked but this the part I dont really understand, anyway the idle speed was so low that the new auxillary belt spring tensioner/ idle damper spring was vibrating badly as it is designed to work at a certain minimum engine speed ie around 850rpm any lower and the vibration is very loud indeed, this noise has dissapeared completely.

Thanks for sticking with me on this one Xac and thanks to Jim and everyone else that has given me advice on things to check.

My Fathers Mk1 VSX is having similar problems with the idle speed racing away to about 1100rpm when the engine is hot so I shall need to check his vacuum pipes to.

I am so pleased I might even keep the old girl now she has been washed and cleaned for the first time in a few weeks
(there is a building site across the road) and sits nice and shiney on the drive hopefully ready for a trip to the next Citroen rally on Sunday 8th of Sept I feel proud to own an Xantia again .

it is strange that a simple piece of hidden split pipe can cause so much agrevation and confusion to the point that you really do feel like giving up and buying another car with possibly even more unknown troubles.
(I am sill looking for an old allegro 1300 to add to my collection of classics though)

. as for the leg Ulcer OUCH is definately the word you can apparently have a hole in your foot but they still call it a leg ulcer the last one on my shin took seven years to heal over and had me in a wheelchair because it was so painful, whilst digging a hole for a fence post I accidentially stuck the sharpened edge of the spade blade into the ulcer that hurts even more than the ulcer does, this is one good reason why it is so important to have a relaible vechicle to depend on. or a big pot of painkillers Thanks again to everyone I am very grateful for your guidance

regards
Nigel.

[Xaccers]

Would that maggot treatment help?

For anyone else with idle issues that doesn't want to read the thread:
With no vacuum applied to the fast idle at the back of the fuel pump the revs should be around 1100rpm
With vacuum it should be around 850rpm
When the engine is warm idle should be around the 850rpm mark.
If the engine is cold enough to need fast idle, then until it warms up the car should idle at 1100rpm.
So if your engine is hot and idling at 1100rpm, then there's something up with the vacuum getting to the fast idle.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

Maggots are rubbish Xac and they tickle to.
thanks for the summary Xac.

Wot Not,
if your out there somewhere your vacuum pipes have probably rotted during laying up your car and possibly need checking it could be that you throttle is not sticking and the vacuum pipoes need some attention.

Thanks again Xac, the ldle speed seems to be settling down now to about 850 when the engine is warm, I think a brand new air filter helped a lot.

regards Nigel.

[wotwot]

Glad you sorted yours out now, just about to service my old bus so will check all pipe work out during the service.
Going to run some injector cleaner through it as well, it my have build up of waxy deposits so needs something to give it a clear out.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

Wot Not,
My Vacuum pipes were split at the back of the pipes out of view so this is a good excuse to steal the other halfs makeup mirror to have a look using a torch to inspect the rear of the pipes.
I only run 50/50 veg and diesel these days on my S2 Xantia it doesnt make the lift sensor on No 3 Cylinder jam up like neat veg.
Xac doesnt seem to have any of these problems with his idle speeds and as I understand it he runs SVO but buys it new.
I do what you suggested about every three thousand miles with the diesel magic injector cleaner but I also add some to the tank as well, now winter is approaching I shall reduce the veg content in the fuel to 1/3 veg to 2/3 diesel.
good luck with the serrvice in a way I hope you do find out that it is a vacuum pipe at fault because they are easy to get at and fix.
regards Nigel.

[wotwot]

Thanks Nigel, I should say mine dispatch is not as advanced as yours with your lift sensors.
Mine is just a standard non turbo lump and the only bit of technology attached is the electronic bits stuck on the back of the injector pump.
The engine actually came out of a zx with 100,000 miles. Before it was laid up for awhile I had run 4 gallons of diesel through her.
Its almost like the main spring on top of the pump is weak.
I have another pump which I may exchange it with and get this one refurbished. But will be changing pipe work when I service it.
Thanks to the local "FARM FOODS" store 10 litres cooking oil for £9.95 its been running almost 100% veggie during the summer.
But during colder weather run it similar to you 1/3 to 2/3.
Regards Andy.

[falling-out-with-my-car]

Andy,

My Father has the MK1 Xantia which is the basic XUD9 lump he doesnt have the lift sensors but he still has the vacuum pipes
if you look back in this thread you will see that I to believed it was pump fault and I did mention that the top spring might be weak
so I added an elastic band which for some weird reason does seem to make the throttle close down slightly more very weird that is.

But after fixing the slpit Vacuum pipes I removed the elastic band completely and the throttle closes down anyway, it seems that it is not a mechanical issue rather more an electrical issue. the Mk1 still has a computer and the Vacuum switching valves on the bulkhead next to the LHM tank. but no lift sensor.
regards Nigel.