my xantia hates me!!

fangy · Post by **fangy** » 01 Nov 2008, 12:53

Hi, I've not long finished doing a cylinder head and gasket change on my Xantia, but since then, the first start of the day I've got to prime the engine with the priming bulb or it'll not start,once it's primed the car starts almost the second the key is turned, it also starts with a cloud of white smoke which stops once the engine starts to run even. After the first start I can leave the car for hours and it starts fine. It's got new glow plugs and battery. Does anyone know what could be causing this?
Thanks,
Fangy.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 01 Nov 2008, 15:15

Hi fangy

You obviously have air getting in somewhere. It could be the primer itself thats leaking unless its one of those doctors blood pressure types, then you would be able to see it. If it has a Bosch pump it could be the injector leak of pipes, otherwise the fuel filter seals or a leak in the piping somewhere.

If you can park it facing down a steep hill so that the tank is higher than the engine, you should be able to see fuel leaking from the offending joint.

Peter.N.

fangy · Post by **fangy** » 01 Nov 2008, 23:26

I thought about an air leak and tried bleeding it a couple of times but there didn't seem to be any air coming out, I've been bleeding it from the union bolt that goes into the fuel pump, is this the only place to bleed it? Would an air leak not affect the car starting all the time? Once the cars been primed and started for the first time, it starts great after that, even when it's sat for a few hours it starts without any effort and no priming. I replaced the leak off pipes a few months ago but when I done the cylinder head gasket there was no fuel filter housing o-ring in the gasket set so I'll replace that and see if it helps.
Thanks,
Fangy.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 02 Nov 2008, 00:41

If you have to pump the fuel up before it will start that would seem to indicate an air leak, but if you have no air in the system there must be something restricting the fuel, unless the primer thing is a red herring.

I have just re read your post and you mention 'clouds of white smoke' this and uneven cold running would indicate that one or more of your glow plugs is not working. Does the light come on and go off at the appropriate times? can you hear the relay click s few seconds ofter the light goes out?

If you have a meter, connect it between the glow plug connection and earth, any one will do, you should have about 10 volts when the ignition switch is turned to the heat position, if you have more or less the same voltage as across the battery, about 12v, the plugs are open circuit, more than 10 but less than battery voltage, one or more plugs have gone.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 02 Nov 2008, 02:14

You don't bleed a bosch pump.

If it's not already clear, replace the pipe from the fuel filter housing to the pump, and then watch it while squeezing the primer grenade.
You can then look for bubbles.
Check the leak off pipes between the injectors as mentioned, if they're hard then replace them.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 02 Nov 2008, 09:52

may be you damaged some of the glowplugs on tightening up the nut which holds the wire, if you allow the post to move round whilst tightening this nut you will destroy the new glow plug

regards malcolm

fangy · Post by **fangy** » 03 Nov 2008, 14:44

I think I'll start with the cheap options and replace the glow plugs and leak off pipes, both these had been replaced just before the cylinder head went, but the more I think about it, when the head went we took it to a local guy to get it fixed but after many weeks we got the car back in a worse mess, we think the guy's been taken a few bits of our car for his own, the remote locking sensor worked before and now doesn't, he said the sump had a bad leak and changed it, even though the car never left any oil on the drive way, now the oil temp gauge doesn't work and there doesn't seem to be a temp gauge connector on the new sump, the leak off pipe aren't the new ones I put on they where smooth black rubber pipes and the ones on it are the kind of webbing one's so I doubt it's the new glow plugs thats in the car.
Thanks,
Fangy.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 03 Nov 2008, 14:47

Oh dear! Hydropnumatic Citroens and dealers don't mix, that's why I do all my own repairs.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 03 Nov 2008, 14:52

hi fangy, you have an oil temp gauge?

thats nice

must be a S1 VSX thing?

fangy · Post by **fangy** » 03 Nov 2008, 15:45

It wasn't a dealer just a local guy that was supposed to be good with citroen's, I think that's what i'll be doing from now on, just repairing it myself.

had a oil temp gauge,but not any more.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 03 Nov 2008, 16:28

Where on the console was the oil temp guage?

Post by **CitroJim** » 03 Nov 2008, 17:01

Xac wrote:Where on the console was the oil temp guage?

It is in the instrument binnacle, just left of the tacho Xac. It occupies that blank circle you can see if you look closely.

I believe all sumps, even tin ones, have the boss for the temperature gauge sender.. It's around the back, I think, on the 1.9.. Don't quote me though as the sender is on the front on the 2.0 petrol and 2.1TD.

It's all a strange carry-on with your car Fangy and quite why anyone would swap sumps is totally beyond me, especially as it was not leaking.

If only the walls of his workshop could talk....