Clicking/whirring

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 03 Jun 2009, 21:11

The noise is more than likely coming from the interior temperature sensor fan at the end of the dash, try blowing though compressed air or take it out clean and use thin oil on the bearing.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 03 Jun 2009, 23:49

superloopy1 wrote:Thanks Richard ... the noise is back tonight, will try that. Easy to remove?

Err no

you have to remove the radio and its carrier and you may then be lucky to dislodge it from its clip, failing that you have to remove the steering wheel, steering column shroud, the top of the fuse box lid and the panel just above it to gain access a number of Torx 20 screws to release the panel below the instruments then remove the panel where the motor sits which includes the two central air vents, not forgetting the Torx 10 screws located inside the vents, about ten minutes all in then, well maybe not

Stempy · Unread post by **Stempy** » 03 Jun 2009, 23:49

Silly question from a seasoned Xantia owner

dieseldoggy · Unread post by **dieseldoggy** » 04 Jun 2009, 13:25

superloopy1 wrote:Right guys ....

Switched engine on this morning (Xantia TD, 97 R Reg with aircon) to be greeted by a constant clicking/whirring noise which 'seemed' to be coming from the radio cassette. Drove 8 miles, still hammering away with this noise, being driven to distraction. Switching radio off made no difference. With the engine off and radio on, no noise, so I eliminated the radio cassete and did some 'pressing' around the front panel. When I depressed the '18degrees' bottom panel on the temperature slider, the nosie disapperaed and hasn't returned yet. Question is ... what is likely to be the cause, any relays immediately below that area of the dash that could be making this racket? Everthing IS working aok but when the noise returns i'll need to switch out of this car until I sort it out as it is almost impossible to drive with the constant clicking and whirring that goes on

Does it sound like it's rewinding a cheap cassete tape? ifso had on mine &no amount of whooping the RC will stop it!.i was told thats it's something to do with? can't think of name!but it stabilises the instruments ie fuel temp etc and only hear when its first started And quite cold till warmed up? does drive you up the wall! sounds something like a hamster on its wheel stuck in super twin turbo after burner mode.
There is a quick cure? Just turn the radio UP!!lol

Unread post by **RichardW** » 04 Jun 2009, 14:49

"appears to be somewhere in the region of the alarm LED ie above radio cassette panel to the left hand side. "

That's exactly it - the temperature sensor for the climate is in behind the alarm LED. Is your's a Mk1 or Mk2? On Mk1s it can be taken out as DickieG describes - although it can be tough to get it unclipped. On Mk2's it's part of the fascia panel and the only way in is to start at the steering wheel

. You may be able to quieten it down for a bit by lubing it, but eventually the electronics give way (it's a brushless DC motor) and it stops going round - which makes all sorts of fun with the climate temperature control!

Oh, and new one is somewhere in region of £90 and difficult to find on the parts database

XantiaMan · Unread post by **XantiaMan** » 04 Jun 2009, 16:08

It did this on and off for nearly 2 years, known problem. I lived with it as it usually stopped and didnt return for weeks or months.

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 04 Jun 2009, 18:05

If you're careful, you can wiggle it out from the front without removing anything else - though I only learnt this once I'd taken my radio out.

Alternatively, for a temp fix, first blow compressed (not powerfully) air into the vent to clean away any accumulation of dust (or even blow sharply into the vent). Then squirt a bit of light lube - probably not WD40 but something similar - into it and see if that quietens it down.

If you want to replace the fan, look in Maplins/Ebay etc for a small size fan that will fit, remove the old one and stick it in place. HTH.

lexi · Unread post by **lexi** » 04 Jun 2009, 23:45

I`ve got it on my 1.9td . Frequent but not constant. Sometimes it seems to rev in time with engine speed. It`s like a bloody Frog or a Cigale stuck in there!!

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 05 Jun 2009, 09:40

Here, it's usually eucalyptus leaves in the main fan cage. You put the fan on manual full speed for a few seconds, and it just crumbles the leaf.

Unread post by **RichardW** » 05 Jun 2009, 10:06

Wrong fan Addo....we're talking about the tiny fan that sits behind the alarm LED and draws air in over the sensor for the climate control.

"If you want to replace the fan, look in Maplins/Ebay etc for a small size fan that will fit, remove the old one and stick it in place. HTH."

Unfortunately I doubt this is possible. The fan is axial-to-radial flow and mounted in / as part of the end of the sensor. I did look to see if there was anything suitable, but couldn't easily find anything. Whilst £90 seems expensive, it does last 10 years or so, and it's a right PITA when it's not working - and can be a git to change. My previous Xantia ran with the sensor hanging out of the dash where it works OK, if a bit unsightly - passed it on to a friend 2 years ago and it's still working like that! I tink some one else blu tacked a 12V CPU cooling fan onto the front of the LED grille - again, not pretty, but pretty effective!

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 05 Jun 2009, 10:16

I know the fan you're talking about (mine is covered in a thick coating of dust and needs removal/cleaning), but have also noticed the leaf noise seems to come from the centre vent area - despite actually occurring under/behind the glovebox.

Surely it won't hurt the OP to check this one out?

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 05 Jun 2009, 11:25

RichardW wrote:"If you want to replace the fan, look in Maplins/Ebay etc for a small size fan that will fit, remove the old one and stick it in place. HTH."

Unfortunately I doubt this is possible. The fan is axial-to-radial flow and mounted in / as part of the end of the sensor.

When I was looking for a replacement candidate I couldn't find one small enough anywhere but since then I've noticed some very small square fans in Maplins that I am certain will fit in the housing but will need to be glued/bodged in place. It only has to draw air in doesn't? Though I admit to not understanding what axial-to-radial flow means

Unread post by **RichardW** » 05 Jun 2009, 14:51

MikeT wrote:Though I admit to not understanding what axial-to-radial flow means

Sucks in the middle, blows out the side

Yep, only needs to move air, a small axial flow fan (sucks in the middle, blows out the middle) like a CPU fan would do OK if you can seal it to the sensor tube. I guess the type used (bushless DC, axial-to-radial) is to keep the noise down. Till it gives up the ghost

Addo wrote:Surely it won't hurt the OP to check this one out?

Not al all

Easy to check which one it is - the climate fan starts when the ignition is turned on, the blower doesn't start till the engine is running.

VertVega · Unread post by **VertVega** » 05 Jun 2009, 15:32

This thread is also becoming quite interesting

Does anybody have a picture of this device, fan, propeller or whatever it is ...
I didn't have to open these parts in my Xantia so far but who knows ...

never say never.

May be spare part for this will also start traveling in the glove box

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 05 Jun 2009, 18:29

RichardW wrote: Sucks in the middle, blows out the side

Yep, only needs to move air, a small axial flow fan (sucks in the middle, blows out the middle) like a CPU fan would do OK if you can seal it to the sensor tube.

I thought that's what you meant Richard, but I couldn't remember what they might look like

Fortunately, VertVega jogged my memory....

VertVega wrote: Does anybody have a picture of this device, fan, propeller or whatever it is

Sort of - should have made a better job of it at the time but perhaps this can help.

Far left and just about in view, on the end of a thin strip of board, is the temp sensor that sits just inside the vent. The fan on the bottom right slots into the black plastic tube.

And this is the fan motor seperated from the controller (which is what had died on mine).

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Clicking/whirring

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