Xantia Hydraulic Tips

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jonnyboy
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Xantia Hydraulic Tips

Post by jonnyboy »

As many of you may know about my prolonged Suspension / Braking problem, I thought I would pass this on.
After changing all spheres , ride height adjusters , flushing , cleaning lhm filters in petrol etc, etc. My car behaved better but not 100%.
MIRACLE CURE :- Brand new LHM Filters (£20 per set from Citroen)
Unbeleivable results.
Suspension reacts very quickly to all changes in loads.
Braking sharp as when first new.
I hope this helps any of the Hydraulic problems that may arise, & I'm no longer looking for another Xantia for a while yet !!!!
Jon
D.Slatford
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Post by D.Slatford »

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
MIRACLE CURE :- Brand new LHM Filters (£20 per set from Citroen)
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Well how the heck does that make a difference?
Mines not quite as it should be, sometimes I can feel rough road surfaces just a bit too much through the car, (it doesn't bounce around like it did before I changed the spheres though), lhm new, height adusters apparantly working properly (although I dont believe this; it goes right to the top on intermediate setting - how easy is it for a novice to chance these units?) but there is a little rip in one of the filters, and some very fine swarf in them that wont come out...
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dan
Dave Burns
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Post by Dave Burns »

I would have to see it to believe it, can't imagine it making any difference at all, except in cases where the wrong hydraulic oil may have been used, or some other contaminant had caused the mesh in the filter to swell thus restricting it.
Very unlikely though since it is recomended they be cleaned with petrol, would'nt think anything more vicious than petrol could come into contact with them.
A filter with a rip in it isn't much of a filter, if it's in the conical pump intake filter it could be fatal to parts of the hydraulic system, the other filter catche's particles on the return to the reservoir.
Dave
D.Slatford
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Post by D.Slatford »

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
A filter with a rip in it isn't much of a filter, if it's in the conical pump intake filter it could be fatal to parts of the hydraulic system, the other filter catche's particles on the return to the reservoir.
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It's not, it's in the return filter, and it's miniscule. I think I'll wait a bit longer till I splash out 20 quid on something which as far as I can see won't make much or any difference. I'd sooner replace those height correctors, it never used to go all the way up on intermediate setting (and when it didn't, it gave a smoother ride..) despite the independant citroen garage assuring me it's fine. Although as I don't have any access to ramps or a pit I'll just have to sleep on that for now.
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dan
Dave Burns
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Post by Dave Burns »

Dan, is the ride height correct, I know it's down a bit on my car and it also goes all the way to the top on intermediate setting, it did'nt use to.
Height corrector's are prone to wear like all other components, don't forget that the linkage's were set with the correctors in new condition, all that may be required is some adjustment.
Regardless of wether the corrector's are worn or not wont make any difference to the quality of the ride, what will make some difference is the angle the trailing arm's and track controll arm's are at when the car encounters bumps and undulation's in the road surface.
Once the ride height has been achieved, suspension movement is accounted for by the sphere's, the hydraulic pressure in the suspension will be more or less the same over a fair distance of travel, only increasing as the weight of the car increase's due to loading, are you sure the gas pressure and damper size in the sphere's is correct for your model.
Dave
D.Slatford
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Post by D.Slatford »

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Dan, is the ride height correct, I know it's down a bit on my car and it also goes all the way to the top on intermediate setting, it did'nt use to.
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How do I check again? I do note if I excercise it up and down a bit before driving off, it's smoother for a bit.
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what will make some difference is the angle the trailing arm's and track controll arm's are at when the car encounters bumps and undulation's in the road surface.
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True, and I find it strange that both height adjusters start top go all the way up on intermediate roughly at the same time, which leads me to suspect something common to both. Oh, the rear usually goes up before the front if that indicates anything.
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Once the ride height has been achieved, suspension movement is accounted for by the sphere's, the hydraulic pressure in the suspension will be more or less the same over a fair distance of travel, only increasing as the weight of the car increase's due to loading, are you sure the gas pressure and damper size in the sphere's is correct for your model.
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Hmm well, it was bought from a branch of GS&F so I assume so, however when it's stopped belting down I'll go out and check the model if I can, iirc something was stamped on the side of them. I don't think this is just my imagination, but the car tends to feel a bit smoother under slighly heavier load.
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dan
D.Slatford
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Post by D.Slatford »

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
are you sure the gas pressure and damper size in the sphere's is correct for your model.
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Well, it's a '95 M reg 2.0i, and the spheres say:
XT AV 2.0i 55bar
SP-857 08/01
(these are front spheres; rear's were changed at extradinate cost by a proper citroen garage jan/01)
--
dan
Dave Burns
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Post by Dave Burns »

The rear will go up before the front and the front will come down before the rear, the front weigh's much more so this is the natural order of thing's, and is exactly how it is on mine.
As for determining the correct ride height for a particular model, I was under the impression that you merely measured the distance from a point on the subframes to the ground, apparently not so, wheel radius is taken into consideration, you will have to consult "the book" to see what I mean, without the diagram it would be a long job explaining it, especially after this much red wine, can't believe I can still type this well <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>
Your rear sphere if I'm not wrong should be N45366 volume 400ml pressure 30 bar damper 1.0mm.
I know the gas pressure is stamped on the sphere but as to the volume and damper size I'm not sure.
Dave
alan s
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Post by alan s »

To get the damper size you usually have to screw the sphere off and it is stamped on the base (silver part) near the actual damper hole itself. The volume is generally stencilled in black near the filler plug on the top although normally the sizes aren't all that hard to pick. The 500cc ones are round ball like whilst the 400 seem to be smaller around the girth, almost egg shaped - that make any sense?
Alan S
jonnyboy
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Post by jonnyboy »

[/quote]
How do I check again? I do note if I excercise it up and down a bit before driving off, it's smoother for a bit.
Same symptoms as mine to the letter.
The only thing I can think of is as mentioned by someone else, deteriation of the filters causing a restriction on of the return flow back to the tank slower than the flow into the system.
Cit Aerobics, I can only imagine purges the system of any excess pressure for a while.
I was excercising it at least once a day before changing filters, haven't done it since & still fine.
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