Dead Xantia?

XantiaDaveEire · Unread post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 15 Sep 2011, 21:04

I think time may have been called on my green Xantia

Today when i was leaving the motorway and made my way to the exit ramp the whole dashboard lit up and the steering got very heavy and then the car cut out,I then proceeded to try and start her and she eventually turned over ,about 3 miles down the road and again the same thing happened so i pulled in and started again.

When i did get the car going it wouldn't go above 40mph and then it wouldn't go over 30mph luckily enough i made it back to my girlfriends house.

About an hour ago i stupidly decided that i would be able to make it home,which is 8 miles from her house,I hadn't got a mile down the road and it started all again,same process happened at least 15 times before she had no more ...so now the car is parked up in the middle of nowhere

Im going to have to get it trailered away tommorow but i haven't got nor am i prepared to throw anymore money at it

Im open to any suggestions as to what this may be

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 15 Sep 2011, 21:28

Its a 1.9TD, it can't be anything too serious

Not something to do with the fuel filter housing suddenly sucking air?

XantiaDaveEire · Unread post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 15 Sep 2011, 21:39

Citroenmad wrote:Its a 1.9TD, it can't be anything too serious

That's what i thought

On one hand i'm thinking if it's gonna cost me a fortune, whether to go back to my silver car and put a few quid into the front bushes and to fix the leak and to try and salvage what's useable off the green car and then just scrap it

I wouldn't have thought the filter housing would be sucking in air,it all looks to be tip top

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 15 Sep 2011, 21:50

No, Don't scrap it, not after all your time and money has been spent getting it this far. You might be surprised at it being something simple.

Thats the first thing which sprung to my mind as I had very similar results with the 2.1TD XM. It would not keep running unless I kept the revs very high, I had to get it home so forced it there which was very difficult at rush hour in traffic ... 3000rpm is not easy to keep when in stop start traffic and only two feet but 4 pedals! It was getting worse and worse very quickly though did get me home, then failed to start after that.

Had it of been the C5 I might have parked it in a verge and left the keys in it, but being a XUD TD XM I knew it would be a simple fix

Get the fault found and go from there

XantiaDaveEire · Unread post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 15 Sep 2011, 21:57

I'm preparing for the worst

After doing the whole process about 5 times,eventually just letting it tick over and then it would cut out ..so so frustrating

It could be any number of things couldn't it,fuel pump,oil pump,seized engine,split in any number of pipes/hoses

Maybe it's time for a C5

I'm browsing English and Irish sites,so far there has not been one C5 i would touch with a bargepole in Ireland...Im completely undecided as to what to do..i think this car is probably a lemon,it seems to be one thing after another,eventually something has to give...

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 15 Sep 2011, 22:06

Well fuel pump possibly ... but I doubt the rest ...

Has the engine changed in noise at all? I doubt its the oil pump, the engine would have suffered and as it is turning over its certainly not siezed. My bet is its something simple, I wouldn't worry until you know what the cause of the problem is.

As for C5s, I wouldn't swap mine for any other Citroen, its ideal for daily duties and suits what I need from a car perfectly. Like any car there are good and bad ones but overall im a big fan of C5s. They are not the most interesting of Citroens but they are great cars in my opinion, I have enjoyed every one of mine. Even with a XM and Activa I still enjoy getting back into the C5 after.

Stick with your green Xantia, might be time to get a second opinion on its running problem.

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 15 Sep 2011, 22:37

the engine wont have seized or it would stay seized, if it sounds ok when it runs other than hunting and missing a bit then i would say air leak, the fuel pump will be fine too.

So long as the belts are in place and the thing turns over your onto a winner, it has to be something simple like Chris says, its a 1.9XUD

D

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 15 Sep 2011, 23:13

Things to check/change:

Fuel filter
Mesh on the fuel sender under the back seat
Replace the pipe from the primer bulb to the filter housing with clear silicone so you can check for bubbles, likewise with the pipe from the housing to the pump
Check leak off pipes for leaks
Check air filter and replace if dirty

XantiaDaveEire · Unread post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 16 Sep 2011, 00:57

Lying in bed going over everything,i think i have found a cause possibly

The fuel tank gauge doesn't work correctly but i put enough diesel in that should have lasted about another 40miles,I just hope that's it anyway

And if it is hopefully i haven't killed the fuel pump,it seems so obvious now

I'll stick some diesel in it tommorow and see if that was all

I'd imagine i would have to prime the pump manually before i attempt to start it ?

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 16 Sep 2011, 08:37

In order to help eliminate some things, pump the primer bulb until it becomes hard, that will give you some idea that there is some fuel in the tank, it will also remove any air bubbles from the fuel system, if the engine starts and runs for a while then starts playing up you more than likely have an air leak in either the primer bulb, leak off pipes (common and can happen at any time) or the filter housing (normally occurs after changing the fuel filter) or a blocked fuel filter, when was it last changed? If the engine ruins OK until you use large throttle openings for long periods i.e. accelerating using maximum drive through the gears then its likely to be a build up of crud on the fuel pick up mesh in the tank.

Of course if you are running the car on fumes you may have simply got your calculations wrong

davetherave · Unread post by **davetherave** » 16 Sep 2011, 08:39

Yep manual priming would save excessive cranking, does sound like many a similar experience I have had on the xantias/xm.
Get the fuel through and she will be fine!

Mine used to exhibit this behaviour to let me know i needed to change the fuel filter ( on veggy oil), usually conking out on roundabouts.

XantiaDaveEire · Unread post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 16 Sep 2011, 10:08

Thanks for the help fellas

XantiaDaveEire · Unread post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 16 Sep 2011, 13:07

Well i don't know if it's more embarassing or stupid on my behalf

I simply ran out of diesel

I put a 4litres in primed the pump and she fired up

Another lesson learned the hard way

Dave

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 16 Sep 2011, 13:53

Well, I did say it would be something simple, didn't expect it to be that simple though

XantiaDaveEire · Unread post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 16 Sep 2011, 14:04

Citroenmad wrote:Well, I did say it would be something simple, didn't expect it to be that simple though

Simples a nice way of puting it Chris