A few Activa queries

[andmcit]

Just been trawling into the mists of time in the postings here and one thing
I'd like a clearer idea on is the Activa 'sideways shuffle' when it's sitting at
lights. IIRC, DickieG has a solution!!

Any further info would be helpful as I haven't even removed a wheel yet
to see what an Activa has lurking in it's wheelarches although other Xantiae
don't phase me these days (barring a V6... ).

I've gone and done something 'daft' again on ebay and may actually
live to regret it, but I don't suppose anyone has an Activa Turbo engine
that they'd actually like to see fitted IN an Activa again - it would make
a refreshing change; Hell, maybe I should buy a Peugeot with one fitted
and scrap that for it's mill and have the rest crushed!!

Futher Activa queries will be following shortly...

Incidentally, why does an Xm with the same turbo engine seem to go a
hell of a lot faster than the Activa, it's not the gearing or something, or
is my Activa not in full health, it certainly feels more restrained than the
blood and thunder HEAVIER hang on to your hats here we go Xm..

Andrew

[CitroJim]

Hi Andrew,

Activa Shuffles are caused by stiffness/wear in the roll corrector linkages. You'll see a little plastic pillow-block on the front subframe to guide the linkages up from the wishbones.

Carefully take the guide blocks off, watching for the fact that the linkages are springy, clean them for now, lubricate well and reassemble. Ideally, replace them. They are very cheap.

Also, lubricate the balljoints on the linkages and ensure the balljoint is "square" onto the rod and not tilted.

Carefully get under and lubricate the roll corrector in the same way as you would a height corrector. the two are substantially similar although the roll corrector works instantaneously.

This should stop the shuffles and will also help to stop it leaning at rest. It makes quite a difference.

I'll post later on the other points. Off to work now!!!

[CitroJim]

I've gone and done something 'daft' again on ebay and may actually
live to regret it, but I don't suppose anyone has an Activa Turbo engine
that they'd actually like to see fitted IN an Activa again - it would make
a refreshing change; Hell, maybe I should buy a Peugeot with one fitted
and scrap that for it's mill and have the rest crushed!!

No, but that is where an Active Engine should be Andrew and not in a 205GTi Go on, tell us more. Have you an Activa with a non-standard or bad engine then?

Incidentally, why does an Xm with the same turbo engine seem to go a
hell of a lot faster than the Activa, it's not the gearing or something, or
is my Activa not in full health, it certainly feels more restrained than the
blood and thunder HEAVIER hang on to your hats here we go Xm..
Andrew

Interesting you should say this Andrew, the Activa power delivery is a little different to what may be expected. The engine has a lot of "grunt" and is in fact, specifically tuned for low and mid-range torque rather than all out HP at silly revs. I liken it to a weightlifter rather a than a athlete. Don't be fooled though. The Activa has a habit of lulling you into a belief that it is not going very fast and then you look at the speedo It accelerates more like a high-speed train than a sportscar and delivers huge torque but very smoothly and unfussily. It is very high geared too and behaves more like a very quiet and refined big diesel powered car.

Looking at my earlier Post, another possible cause of shuffles can be a flat Activa Balancing Sphere making the system a little "nervous", with a tendency to overcorrect for the tiniest detected roll.

You can test the Activa system by pulling and pushing on the roll corrector linkages whilst the engine is running and make it dance. It is a great party trick, not only can an Activa go up and down, it can also be made to tilt at will

Keep the questions coming!

[DickieG]

Some useful info re the bushes Jim mentions can be found on the following link http://www.quinophex.org/car/suspension.html

[LeeDJC]

I had to change a front drop link on mine over the weekend. What a palava that was!

I've since realised that you can't just jack it up whip off the wheel and switch the droplink over as I have done previously on my other Xantia...oh no!

The activa ram on the other side does all sorts of weird and wonderful thing to the antiroll bar, moving it up and down, and therefore making it pretty much impossible to get the new drop link in!

I found in the end the best way was to jack the entire front end up

[DickieG]

I had to change a front drop link on mine over the weekend. What a palava that was!

I've since realised that you can't just jack it up whip off the wheel and switch the droplink over as I have done previously on my other Xantia...oh no!

The activa ram on the other side does all sorts of weird and wonderful thing to the antiroll bar, moving it up and down, and therefore making it pretty much impossible to get the new drop link in!

I found in the end the best way was to jack the entire front end up

Oh well at least it shows that the system works

If you wish to do simliar work again, depressurise the system as normal then push/pull the roll corrector linkages to exhaust the residual pressure within the system, you can also achieve the same by bleeding the pressure off via the nipple on the rear 'Activa' Hydractive block.

Did you by any chance try pushing against the hydraulic ram?

[LeeDJC]

I had to change a front drop link on mine over the weekend. What a palava that was!

I've since realised that you can't just jack it up whip off the wheel and switch the droplink over as I have done previously on my other Xantia...oh no!

The activa ram on the other side does all sorts of weird and wonderful thing to the antiroll bar, moving it up and down, and therefore making it pretty much impossible to get the new drop link in!

I found in the end the best way was to jack the entire front end up

Oh well at least it shows that the system works

If you wish to do simliar work again, depressurise the system as normal then push/pull the roll corrector linkages to exhaust the residual pressure within the system, you can also achieve the same by bleeding the pressure off via the nipple on the rear 'Activa' Hydractive block.

Did you by any chance try pushing against the hydraulic ram?

No I didn't (good thing by the sounds of it!)

It sounds so simple now! Why didn't I think of that

[andmcit]

All interesting stuff and NEW to me. Ok another 'minor' query among a few
before I forget...

What's the deal with the driver's side handbrake cable?

GSF lists a generic Xantia one EXCEPT ACTIVA. Now, as it has it's caliper
and main lever are in the same positions surely an extra Activa ram being
in the driver's side wheelarch doesn't need that much extra length to pass
past it!? Or am I being too simplistic! Can a 'normal' one do the job?

The new ebay item has a dead engine: ebay item 220105320475
No use to anyone really unless you're after wheels leather seats and
Activa specific items.

Couldn't get any sense out of the seller as to whether BIG chunks of the
bottom end had found a route out of the crankcase or whether it's 'simply'
a head gasket. Guess I'd give a HG a go as I've done Cx/Xm petrol and
diesel engines before...

Andrew

[DickieG]

Hmm, you just beat me to that Activa (don't ask ) I was thinking about matching it up with the engine from my spares one, but I've just received a couple of offers for the engine and box themselves.

Did you buy Simon's silver Activa with the black roof?

Can't help with the handbrake cable, the hydraulic ram is on the other side at the front.

[LeeDJC]

No use to anyone really unless you're after wheels leather seats and
Activa specific items.

Couldn't get any sense out of the seller as to whether BIG chunks of the
bottom end had found a route out of the crankcase or whether it's 'simply'
a head gasket. Guess I'd give a HG a go as I've done Cx/Xm petrol and
diesel engines before...

Andrew

If the engine has had it, I don't suppose you fancy selling those wheels do you?

[andmcit]

There was no telling what was going to happen in that auction, the way
it looks, I may need some back up spares; I did buy Simon's silver Activa
- that's the one that feels a tad tame in it's 'go'! Not sure I actually like the
black roof but otherwise a solid car though the ABS seems to be playing a
game of hide and seek with issues at the moment despite efforts...

I know it would be a shame to scrap the blue Activa - they're not thick on
the ground anyhow, and I'd be being as bad as the engine snatchers...

I recall you had one a while back that the man with the lorry took too
early!! I didn't realise you had a spare engine - so, 'had' is the word
by the sound of things. Guess you wouldn't want to sell it to me now
anyway as I've scuppered your plans - sorry! Have you seen:

Citroen Xantia Activa Turbo R-Reg ebay Item number: 290111129083
RARE 1997 CITROEN XANTIA ACTIVA TURBO BLUE ebay Item number: 290110030013

Cables! Did I say right hand side!? Of course the extra ram is on
the left, wasn't thinking!! Does that mean I could use two right hand side
ones - they'll both be longer so the left side then wont be an issue...?

Andrew

[andmcit]

No use to anyone really unless you're after wheels leather seats and
Activa specific items.

Couldn't get any sense out of the seller as to whether BIG chunks of the
bottom end had found a route out of the crankcase or whether it's 'simply'
a head gasket. Guess I'd give a HG a go as I've done Cx/Xm petrol and
diesel engines before...

Andrew

If the engine has had it, I don't suppose you fancy selling those wheels do you?

Hang on Lee, I thought you were swapping yours for a diesel anyhow...

I actually bid on this Activa with the wheels and seats as the main bait and
the chance to park it legally taxed out of my way to sort other issues first!!
I'll know where I stand when it gets collected shortly.

Was talking to a fella last Sunday who weighed in for scrap a fully working
red Activa for 140quid as it needed 'a few of the balls changing'
Apparently the value on scrap is rocketing which begs the question how
much he'd paid for it as he was getting cars for 50 quid on ebay etc and
getting 150+ for them scrapping them - easy money...

- he saved the Activa wheels though and sold them to an ebay addict...

At the moment I'm not sure what full sets or spare wheels I've got as the
new silver purchase has two removed in the boot that may or may not be
damaged.

Andrew

[LeeDJC]

Hang on Lee, I thought you were swapping yours for a diesel anyhow...

I will if I get any interest in it, and will only swap for the right car. But it still needs a new wheel either way

[CitroJim]

Hang on Lee, I thought you were swapping yours for a diesel anyhow...

I will if I get any interest in it, and will only swap for the right car. But it still needs a new wheel either way

Lee,

I guarantee you'll miss it if you do. Activas grow on you. I have a 205GTi but hardly ever drive it now. I take the Activa out whenever I can and the thought of not having it is just too awful to contemplate. The only other car I have such feelings for is my little 205

There is nothing to compare to the fun of throwing an Activa around a series of roundabouts in Milton Keynes late in the evening when there is little traffic around 8)

[CitroJim]

Couldn't get any sense out of the seller as to whether BIG chunks of the
bottom end had found a route out of the crankcase or whether it's 'simply'
a head gasket. Guess I'd give a HG a go as I've done Cx/Xm petrol and
diesel engines before...

Andrew

Gosh Andrew, that one appears to have let go in a big way The engine is a tough old bird too. The 205 lads reckon the bottom end is good for 300BHP. The Engine is essentially an XUD with a petrol head so it's tough.

I'll be most interested to know what happened to the engine.

The car itself looks OK though. You have a golden opportunity now to make a diesel Activa or perhaps even, drop a V6 in there

Seriously, as the Activa shares a lot of transmission bits with the 2.1TD, that would make a very easy swap if the old engine is beyond salvage.