Coincidence or what.

lexi · Unread post by **lexi** » 27 Apr 2009, 19:10

Going round the Xantia 110 today I decided to change the coolant. Usual thing of slackening any bleed screws ,undoing rad plug and pulling the bottom hose from the engine block.

Flushed it all out . Topped it up with 50/50 and opened the only bleed screw I could find ( at the bulkhead matrix spigot).

Once started up and after running about a minute I noticed smoke coming from this Electrovalve?

It is getting so hot it is burning the rubber caps that cover the bridged contacts. Any ideas why? Failed valve? it was working ok till coolant was drained.

I started it up again and put heater on and it was the same....burning!

Turned it off immediately. Tried it with the new rad cap off and after 2minutes the expansion cap bubbled over. Don`t know if that is related ........like an air lock or blockage maybe.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 27 Apr 2009, 19:55

Ahh now I may be mistaken but that's the auxillary water heater and consists of four glowplug-like heaters to heat the coolant up quickly in the winter to give heat to the heater before the engine warms due to the fact that the HDi runs so cool and takes so long to warm up in the cold.

I'll very much suspect teh assembly is overheating because there's no water in there at this time.

What's happening is the same as would happen if you switch on an empty kettle.

I'd disconnect them until you know the system is fully bled and then reconnect.

This is all surmise and I could be completely wrong...

lexi · Unread post by **lexi** » 27 Apr 2009, 20:13

I`m thinking there is no water there too Jim. There is what looks like an Earth connection ......although it may be the feed itself. Should I disconnect that or the two longer cables that go to the bridged connecters?. Do you have this on your Hdi Jim?....or anyone else.

Also is there only one bleed cap on the 110 Xantia?........at the Heater Matrix?

marsalek · Unread post by **marsalek** » 27 Apr 2009, 20:31

Hi Lexi,
CitroJim was right (again), this is the electrical auxillary coolant heater, running dry. There are two bleeding screws on that 110 bhp engine: one is at the thermostat housing and the other nearby your smoking aux. heater - on the waterpipe to the heater matrix - It is accessed from the engine compartment too.

Karel

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 27 Apr 2009, 20:32

lexi wrote:Also is there only one bleed cap on the 110 Xantia?........at the Heater Matrix?

There's another one by the thermostat.

lexi · Unread post by **lexi** » 27 Apr 2009, 20:58

Ok guys will do this on Wed. I will disconnect the leccy feed and bleed it before connecting back up. Will use the old faithfull 1.9 td for the fishing tomorrow.........on Loch Lomond.....somebodys got to do it

lexi · Unread post by **lexi** » 29 Apr 2009, 08:27

Ok . That worked fine. Let it run until top hose and rad were warm all over......... then connected back up and no issues. Let it be a warning to anyone as daft as me?

Still can`t see any bleed cap near thermostat housing or hoses. Anyone got a pic of it for HDI 110?

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 29 Apr 2009, 08:47

The bleed screw should be located sidewards on top of the thermostat "lid" which effectively is the hose stud for the upper radiator hose.
Its a 6mm insex (Allen) screw with a tiny copper washer under the head.
The screwhead is pointing towards the passenger (UK) side front wing.

lexi · Unread post by **lexi** » 29 Apr 2009, 18:12

Thanks Anders.