Xantia V6 temp gauge

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 26 Feb 2004, 23:23

The temperature gauge on my V6 is flapping about. Sometimes it will read normally, but it will drop to zero for no apparent reason and wave up and down more rapidly than you would expect engine temp to change. I'm suspecting the sender device. Only trouble is I can't find it. I know there's a sender unit on the side of the engine near the air filter but this doesn't affect the gauge so must be for engine management purposes. Anybody know where I might find it?

Richard Gallagher · Post by **Richard Gallagher** » 27 Feb 2004, 00:29

I'm not sure about the V6, but generally you will find the sensor near to where the 'top hose' comes out of the engine. The fluctuating gauge may well be due to a poor connection with the sensor.

David Goddard · Post by **David Goddard** » 27 Feb 2004, 03:27

There are two RTD temp sensors on the engine. They are both on the alloy coolant pipes connecting the two cylinder heads. One, towards the front is green (I think) and transmits the temp. to the engine ECU, not the gauge. The other is further back and is brown. This is related to the A/C and I suspect sends a temp. signal to the gauge. The resistance increases with temperature. The brown one should be 1,500 ohms at 0degC; 1,800 at 20degC and 2,600ohms at 100degC. Could well be the connectors needing a clean, or the sensor is failing. They cost less than £15.

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 27 Feb 2004, 03:42

Thanks David, will check it out at the weekend. Is the thermostat located in the same region as it also seems to take an age to warm up and I'll replace that too if it's not too difficult?
To save me keep asking stoopid questions, is there a workshop manual generally available? Ha*nes don't seem to cover it.[:(]

alexx · Post by **alexx** » 27 Feb 2004, 04:22

On mine (1.8 16v) there are 3 senders on the thermostat housing. Blue one should be for the gauge, brown is for the Bitron unit, which also triggers temperature warning light.

ActivaV6uk · Post by **ActivaV6uk** » 27 Feb 2004, 15:02

there is no manual avalable it seems but over the enxt few months there will be alot of info truning up as i am putting one into my activa.
Andy

David Goddard · Post by **David Goddard** » 28 Feb 2004, 02:38

Replacing the thermostat on the V6 is a couple of hour job! Certainly a slow warm-up is the symptom of a failure. In addition to the thermostat, you need several "o" rings. There are several hoses to remove. One U shaped hose is retained by a bolt to the gear box. It's not obvious, but unless it's removed you can't realy get the hose off without damaging it.
A metal securing plate on a plastic 90deg elbow on another hose covers one of the 'stat housing bolts. This plastic elbow "plugs" into the cylinder head sealed with an "O" ring.
The parts aren't expensive. DIY would save £££ of labour costs!

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 29 Feb 2004, 00:52

Well I had a delve under the V6 airbox today, found the sender unit for the temp gauge and managed to get the plug off and give it a clean, looked ok though, so I guess it's a duff sender rather than just dodgy connections. Changing the stat does look a bit tricky if it's where it looks like it is. Does the manifold have to come off as it seems to be tucked under the throttle body? If it does I'll change the plugs while I'm at it. Too cold to spend too long under the bonnet at the moment though.

David Goddard · Post by **David Goddard** » 29 Feb 2004, 02:04

Alexx is quite right. There are also three temp. sendors on the V6. Whislt the green and brown sendors screw into the coolant outlet manifold, the blue one (p/n 133877) screws into the rear cylinder head in the vacinity of the brown one.
I don't recall removing the inlet manifold, just the black plastic cover over the cruise control gubins.
The upper manifold stays in place. The lower one, which contains the thermostat,is removed.
My thermostat failed at 110k - there is a plastic spider in it which melts. May have been the result of an earlier radiator failure and marginal overheat. I changed the stat. on March 1st '03. It was obviously a lot warmer last year!
I have Citroen drawings of the whole area, with part numbers. I will e-mail you.

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 29 Feb 2004, 03:50

David, you're a gent. I'll look forward to receiving the email. You could be right about the overheat as the radiator is new, replaced shortly before I bought the car. Hopefully this wont throw up any other problems. Seems the stats are hard to come by, not even GSF have them, so it looks like a main dealer job for parts.

David Goddard · Post by **David Goddard** » 02 Mar 2004, 01:08

e-mail sent Feb 28

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 03 Mar 2004, 02:36

Sorry, nothing arrived. Have tried to send myself an email via this site and that hasn't arrived either, so I sent one to you hoping it might work.

David Goddard · Post by **David Goddard** » 04 Mar 2004, 01:24

We aren't having much luck!
E-mail me your address to:
david.goddard@parsonsec.com
I will mail you data.