2.1 TD Xantia on a budget

[Skull]

Side view showing the latest adjusted height front and rear. Visually much better but the ride is still a little harsh

The ugly spare (rust/steel) wheel was on for a few days but I will have to swap tyres over as the wheel doesn't have the 'spigots' required to sit flush on the hub (makes an awful noise) had the car just over a year now and only just found that out Xantias a life experience ....

An illusive rumbling / rattling sound is still hiding somewhere around the drivers/passengers footwell area, which if anyone remembers was being investigated when SWMBO burst the front suspension pipe earlier on in this thread/blog (probably the hardest thing to describe to anyone reading but I will try )

The sound varies in volume between a bearable but annoying, metallic loose hydraulic pipe in the engine bay to a louder 'driveshaft is about to explode' noise

If it was on full steering lock I would be inclined to think it's driveshaft related but the noise is there even when coasting out of gear / clutch fully dipped / steering straight ahead, which I think eliminates engine mounts / driveshaft and intermediate bearing / gearbox / clutch.

I'm leaning towards roll bar/suspension arm bushes but wouldn't expect to hear the metallic noise from those

I will try to record it on the kids iphone and upload it on here for the more discerning listener and look forward to any opinions / diagnosis you care to offer

[foeism]

Any more updates? I liked reading this thread.

[Skull]

Typed out an update but it's now vanished asking me to log in

foeism - thanks hope your one is running well.

Nothing really to report, the noise is untraceable and doesn't come out on the phone video so I will just have to monitor it.

A small weep from the rear height corrector (mentioned at MOT) doesn't seem to be green but I don't know what else it could be Have attached a small sponge to soak up the fluid in the meantime to try to gauge how severe it's weeping ......

[foeism]

All good thanks

Just a few niggles need to change the spheres, but going to do the anti sink and front accumulator first and next month the rear and front spheres

Glad to hear you haven't given up

I reckon that noise form the passenger well will probably be something really easy......hopefully

[Skull]

After previous attempts to correct the ride height were finished, the ride height was improved but the ride is still on the stiff side. I've now noticed that she's starting to ride a bit higher at the rear again? She also now sinks at the rear within 30 seconds of turning the engine off, to what would probably be the correct ride height level when driving Looks like I'm almost back to square 2

I found myself dreaming which Xantia I would have if I found myself transported back 15 years but they don't do the estate in the colour I would like, so that was also a waste of time

Any advice on the current shed appreciated

[Skull]

Plan was to make one good car out of the two but unfortunately the shopping trolleys were more like baseball bats I know it's all about opinions

So new plan will be to probably run the 2.1 until MOT/insurance is due (July) and then swap some bits over and flog the 2.1

The newer car is a HDi which looks solid underneath and rides well BUT is pretty rough mainly nearside bodywork

If anyone wants a decent low mileage (98K) 2.1 TD engine/box then maybe we could do a deal

[Skull]

Once I've finished swapping parts the 2.1 TD is up for grabs if anyone is interested it will be rougher than rough but the engine / box will have done less than 100K hopefully it will still be driveable if anyone needs it delivered for fuel costs and my return train fare

First job was to swap front passenger door and transfer key lock between them to keep the same key.

Book of Lies made it sound simple with a loom connector just inside the door

So once I discovered that the job was more involved I persevered.... I've swapped both doors over between cars but haven't re-routed the loom yet ...Only problem so far is that the connector for the electric window motor is different from my 1998 to my 2000 models

Hopefully this can be solved by swapping the window regulators back over Anyone had a similar compatibility problem

I'm also contemplating swapping the front seats over from the later ones with side airbags which are quite worn to the earlier ones which are still intact and have the drivers lumber adjustment but not sure if the airbag light will be permanently displayed on the dash / MOT failure

[Skull]

OK first door (NSF) swapped over and all working, note the differences between 98 and 00 models appears to be just the connectors for the electric windows (motors are also mounted at different angles but secured through the same mounting points) and the connectors on the door speakers, it would have been an easier job if I'd realised the electric window connectors were different before I swapped the doors over as I could have wound the window down to get decent access to the gromit clip on the window plus because the regulator was under tension (window fully closed) the threads were hard to disengage through the mounting holes

[Skull]

Steering Wheel and subsequently airbag swapped



For reference a 98 drivers airbag will go into a 99/00 steering wheel but not the other way around

NOTE 4 horns on rear of airbag (2 indicated) although it only seemed to be the lower horns that prevented flush fitting - airbag clip on connector is similar and fitted OK

[Skull]

Been busy swapping bits ...
Clock back-light replaced
Steering wheel and airbag swapped, radio buttons and ribbon removed (the remaining connectors fit together so that the horn still works )
NSF wing swapped
Front bumpers swapped various parts while they were off for the wing swap and made one reasonable bumper with fog lights with unbroken fixings and a dull but smooth chrome insert, corners to be re-fitted (might respray)
Rear bumper corner pieces swapped and stickyfingers has agreed to send me a corner bumper piece NSR ...
NSR door swapped OK and strangely enough the electric window loom connectors were very similar and fit OK so no need to swap the window regulators back. Speaker connector was different though (early speaker is a lot heavier but audio quality to my ear is similar)
All the doors that I've swapped have previously had something replaced internally and consequently the door cards / fixings have become a little damaged between the 2 cars it seems the long clip 96139474 (rear door clip 66p) is impossible to remove intact and seems incorrectly identified on the front doors on Citroen service (696647 Hog ring)
Door external trims to refit
Drivers door B pillar trim to swap
Interior to swap rear seats and centre belt
Boot carpet to swap
Tempted to swap bonnet and investigate swapping front seats as better condition and lumbar adjustment on drivers seat as well (lose side airbags )
Then it will be time to either sell what's left of the 2.1 TD or weigh her in ....

[Skull]

Grim Reaper is calling on Friday 21 July 2015 got 2 years almost total reliability out of her ....was meant to be 3 years but she will cost too much to get through the 3rd MoT so I will be robbing some more bits prior to her final trip .... and will tot up the final costs for those interested

Going to keep the Xantia HDi SORN for now and run my Daughter's Renault Clio whilst she's trying to sell her .....

[Old-Guy]

Sorry to hear the 2.1 is a scrapper. From the photo, it looks to have a sunroof - I need a complete working sunroof motor/gearbox assembly plus electrical connector with a foot of cable attached - ideally removed with the roof in the closed position. Although various different (French) motor/gearbox designs were fitted, they are interchangeable as there was only ever one part number for the (Webasto) operating mechanism over the entire life of the Xantia.

[Skull]

Sorry Old Guy no sunroof on mine

[Old-Guy]

Thanks, no worries, worth asking.

[Skull]

£399.13 Purchase (£330 delivered) and repair (osf brake pipe £47.34 (4886 70) (5 Ltr LHM £21.79)
£30.15 24Hrs Insurance (for MOT and retest)
£70 2x MOT fee
£3.54 bulb (ventilation panel / illumination) (611260)
£17.50 sphere tool (ebay)
£52.67 2 x rear suspension spheres (527234) (plus ltr of LHM always handy)
£31.91 1 x accumulator sphere (95 666 763)
£46.80 2 x front suspension spheres (95 666 857)
£24.11 1 x rear anti-sink sphere (529303)
£2.85 (.95p) 3 x 4.5mm seal for above (from GSFcarparts.com)
£19.85 (5270 Z4) (Custom made) NSF suspension pipe
£10.00 Spare tyre swap
£20.00 Oil & Filter change
£8 Drivers mirror glass (copy)
+£67.10 scrapped @ 99,240 miles

£669.41 It's not easy to do these on the cheap
£1,427.82 (Including + £327.16 For 22 months & 12 days Insurance + £431.25 for 23 Months Road Tax)

SUMMARY Farewell

Nearly 50% of the costs of running the Xantia 2.1 TD (ignoring fuel) is in the associated costs of Insurance and road tax.
Without the initial repair costs involved including spheres then the actual 'upkeep' costs were minimal so if you could buy a better cared for runner example at a good price that ideally runs on vegetable oil they can make very cheap transport

Miles 11,775 in nearly 2 years on the road, fuel cost £859.58 = 13.7p mile

£2,287.40 = 19.5p mile all in costs

After another change of plans the HDi is going back on the road next week as the car dealer has now decided they now want my Daughter's Clio (which we were going to run) as part of the deal for her new car, an 11 plate Ford Ka 1.3 TDCi

Thanks to all who have appeared on the thread with help, advice and humor to help me in my journey on a budget (cut short by a year)