Xantia- Oil in water

reblack68 · Unread post by **reblack68** » 16 Sep 2009, 18:44

Is there anything other than the head gasket that can allow the engine oil to enter the coolant?

There is no water in the oil, just oil in the water. The hoses to the oil filter have been bypassed and there was no evidence of oil down there. The car is running perfectly well, temperature and exhaust are normal, it's just putting oil into the coolant.

The car is a 1997 Xantia 1.9TD.

Any ideas?

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 16 Sep 2009, 19:20

CAN NOT be the turbo either, XUD Turbo D units are that efficient the coolant DOES NOT run through the turbo to cool it, unlike the petrol engine sisters,

So it can ONLY be the head gasket! Not necesserally on a bore, but possibly between a water and oil way in the gasket??

Paul

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 17 Sep 2009, 14:53

..or it could be a crack, either in the block or head - had the same problem with an XM. I used to periodically slowly overfill the header tank which allowed the oil to float off and out, ran it for miles like that.

Peter

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 17 Sep 2009, 15:03

Couldn't really see an XUd Block crack, dry liner cast is one of the hardest - BUT I guess theres a first for anything, Ive never seen a failed XUD block, but head could well be the problem..

As Ive said, you've ruled out the only culprait, disconnecting the oil cooler pipes, which we would have all said have been your problem.. with that out of the equation, then it HAS to be HEAD OFF job

Sorry, can not be anything else.

Paul

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 17 Sep 2009, 15:57

Hi Paul

This was a Mk1, changed the head gasket, bypassed the oil cooler, made no difference, but must admit its the only one I have heard of. Probably the head then.

Peter

hobblerian · Unread post by **hobblerian** » 17 Sep 2009, 19:38

I'm with Peter N, my 2.1SD had the same fault. Flaw in the engine casting, it gradually formed white/creamy emulsified gunk in the expansion tank. Ran it like that for 1000's of miles though.

reblack68 · Unread post by **reblack68** » 17 Sep 2009, 20:06

Ah. This isn't gradual though.

If it's all the same I'll wait for somebody to tell me it isn't the head gasket.

KP · Unread post by KP » 17 Sep 2009, 20:53

Could it no be the oil/water cooler that sits on the oil filter mounting thingy(technical term)??

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 17 Sep 2009, 20:55

Nope, he HAS already disconnected it... hence it being nothing else but between the two blocks of metal

Paul

Xantidote · Unread post by **Xantidote** » 17 Sep 2009, 21:21

Richard,

Could this problem oil leak be what Fred1 referred to recently in reply to a posting by Vince, regarding oil leaking around crankshaft pulley area?

Fred1 was referring to problem on early Xantias, where the oil feed passing through the head gasket found it's way into coolant system. Not sure if yours considered an early car in this context. Has your car had new head gasket at some stage, perhaps gasket of questionable quality?

Martin

KP · Unread post by KP » 18 Sep 2009, 08:18

my bad for not reading it all

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 18 Sep 2009, 10:17

I may be sticking my neck out a bit, but aside from Gasket Quality, and fuel system upgrades etc, I dont think the XUD EVER changed design what so ever and remaind the same right through production INTERNALLY...

Its the Gasket - HAS to be! Or the head itself...

Paul

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 18 Sep 2009, 12:34

citroenxm wrote: I dont think the XUD EVER changed design what so ever and remaind the same right through production INTERNALLY...

Yes, it stayed pretty static Paul, there were small detail changes like the exhaust ports changing from square to round and valve sizes upped a bit but fundamentally, the earliest XUDs fitted to the Talbot Horizon is very, very similar to the last ones made.

After all, how can one improve diesel perfection in an engine designed by Ricardo?

The thing about the XUD is that it's not French at all; it's British

This is in part given away by finding some items in it were designed using imperial measures. The valve shims are one such. Put a metrioc micrometer on them and they're nominally the size. Measure them with an imperial micrometer and the truth emerges!!!!

reblack68 · Unread post by **reblack68** » 18 Sep 2009, 18:51

Still waiting for somebody to tell me it's a rubber seal that costs 79p and takes 2 minutes to fit.

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 18 Sep 2009, 20:36

Sorry VERY SORRY Richard, they wont, because it wont be...

I keep a stock of XUD's and useually, the Very delicate head gasket needs changing first..

Paul