My 2000 Xantia takes about 10-15 seconds for the Stop light to go out after an overnight rest, and another 10 seconds to rise to normal height. The rear doesn't sink, I'm just quite heavy. Is this behaviour normal... or okay... or far out?
Intermediate height setting seems to be the same as maximum height. i'm used to the BX's intermediate being intermediate. Is this normal? (I tested a few 3 year old Xantias and they were all like this)
The ride doesn't feel any different to my old ZX, but then again I last drove that a year ago, so it may be...
Suspension queries
Moderator: RichardW
IF there is a problem(sounds to me like a live-with-it-issue) it's likely to be along the lines of:
Tired pump/pump with one of the two susp-brake cylinders sticky or not going through full travel/badly adjusted or loose belt/pinhole in the reservoir-to-pump pipe
You could maybe infer a certain amount by seeing how the PAS behaves during this startup period, as it should be fed independently of the susp-brake through its own 5-piston part of the pump unless there's a problem "upstream" like the belt tension or an aerated feed from the reservoir.
On the other hand, I'm still driving a BX....so my input is purely theoretical.
Tired pump/pump with one of the two susp-brake cylinders sticky or not going through full travel/badly adjusted or loose belt/pinhole in the reservoir-to-pump pipe
You could maybe infer a certain amount by seeing how the PAS behaves during this startup period, as it should be fed independently of the susp-brake through its own 5-piston part of the pump unless there's a problem "upstream" like the belt tension or an aerated feed from the reservoir.
On the other hand, I'm still driving a BX....so my input is purely theoretical.
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Kowalski
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Overnight the pressure reserve in the accumulator leaks away and it takes a couple of seconds for the pump to get the reservoir up to pressure again when you start the engine in the morning.
If your accumulator sphere is getting old it won't be able to store as much pressure as it could when it was new/fully charged so it may be in need of a replacement.
The best way to test an accumulator sphere is to wait for the suspension to level off with the engine running, then stop the engine and sit in the boot. Your weight should make the rear of the car fall and then the pressure in the resevoir should make the car rise to normal height again. If it can't rise to normal height once it needs a new accumulator sphere, If it can do this twice, the accumulator is fully healthy, anything in between is a bit of a grey area.
If your accumulator sphere is getting old it won't be able to store as much pressure as it could when it was new/fully charged so it may be in need of a replacement.
The best way to test an accumulator sphere is to wait for the suspension to level off with the engine running, then stop the engine and sit in the boot. Your weight should make the rear of the car fall and then the pressure in the resevoir should make the car rise to normal height again. If it can't rise to normal height once it needs a new accumulator sphere, If it can do this twice, the accumulator is fully healthy, anything in between is a bit of a grey area.
Hrmm, I tried the test... doesn't look good. The car rose a bit with my weight on, but not to normal height. It rose a bit further when I got off and then settled down to the normal height.
I believe the accumulator and all the other spheres are the original, so they'll be 3 1/2 years old now. The pump clicking interval seems fine when the height has settled, approx. 1 minute, though I don't have a timer to confirm it.
Did a short citrobics as well:
* Normal->High: front end rose first, then the rear after a while
* High->Normal: front dropped rapidly with creaking, rear dropped slowly, after the front
* Normal->Low: rear dropped slowly, front dropped slowly approx 1 minute later
* Low->Normal: front rose slowly after 1-2 minutes, then rear
The front end creaks whenever it drops from the high setting, which is seems to do very quickly.
I believe the accumulator and all the other spheres are the original, so they'll be 3 1/2 years old now. The pump clicking interval seems fine when the height has settled, approx. 1 minute, though I don't have a timer to confirm it.
Did a short citrobics as well:
* Normal->High: front end rose first, then the rear after a while
* High->Normal: front dropped rapidly with creaking, rear dropped slowly, after the front
* Normal->Low: rear dropped slowly, front dropped slowly approx 1 minute later
* Low->Normal: front rose slowly after 1-2 minutes, then rear
The front end creaks whenever it drops from the high setting, which is seems to do very quickly.
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RichardW
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Peter,
Later Xantias are not that fast up and down due to the low ouput pump. First thing I would do is clean the filters in the LHM reservoir and replace the LHM - this is likely to make a big improvement. However, if the accumulator is 3.5 years old, then that is likely to be on its way out - they're cheap though, at only £20 from GSF and relatively easy to change. When the light goes out immediately you start the engine, the accumulator is totally flat - there is no gas to compress so the pressure comes up quickly.
Creaking struts at the top is also well known - you can pull down the gaiters under the wings, and grease the shiny rods, this should improve things.
Later Xantias are not that fast up and down due to the low ouput pump. First thing I would do is clean the filters in the LHM reservoir and replace the LHM - this is likely to make a big improvement. However, if the accumulator is 3.5 years old, then that is likely to be on its way out - they're cheap though, at only £20 from GSF and relatively easy to change. When the light goes out immediately you start the engine, the accumulator is totally flat - there is no gas to compress so the pressure comes up quickly.
Creaking struts at the top is also well known - you can pull down the gaiters under the wings, and grease the shiny rods, this should improve things.
Thanks RichardW. I really don't know how it's "meant" to behave, so I was just reporting the behaviour 
It does seem to be taking a little longer to rise in the morning than when I got it 6 months ago, but it could be my imagination.
While I'm here, how much does the BOL apply to the facelift Xantia? I'd guess that most of it is the same?
On the other hand, how much should I expect to pay for someone to do LHM and accumulator change for me?
It does seem to be taking a little longer to rise in the morning than when I got it 6 months ago, but it could be my imagination.While I'm here, how much does the BOL apply to the facelift Xantia? I'd guess that most of it is the same?
On the other hand, how much should I expect to pay for someone to do LHM and accumulator change for me?
Peter
I had a facelift Xantia but a pre-facelift Haynes manual. Never found any significant difference. There's detail differences with some trim, but it's all fastened on in the same way. The basics don't change.
Accumulator and LHM? Easy peasy - don't pay anyone - it would be moneey for old rope.
Jamie
I had a facelift Xantia but a pre-facelift Haynes manual. Never found any significant difference. There's detail differences with some trim, but it's all fastened on in the same way. The basics don't change.
Accumulator and LHM? Easy peasy - don't pay anyone - it would be moneey for old rope.
Jamie