S2 Xantia starting

[froggy]

Hi, my S2 Xantia: when I turn the key on, the "cold start" light goes out straight away, unlike my S1 Xantia. my question is , is this correct? it does"nt start as well as my S1 Xantia, despite replacing the glow plugs! many thanks in advance Terry.

[CitroJim]

No, that's not quite correct Terry but I have a similar with Gabriel, my S2 1.9TD...

On first (cold) start the light glows for the normal sort of time and the start is instant; warm starts the light goes out very quickly and the start is not so instant.

Before doing anything else, get a voltmeter (or test bulb) on the glowplug rail and see just how long 12v remains on them for. It should be present for about 20 seconds or so and should come back on again when the engine starts - what's called 'Post Heating' - until the coolant reaches 60 degrees or so...

The light going off may not coincide with power being cut to the glowplugs...

[froggy]

cheers Jim

[RichardW]

1.9 TD or HDi? You will rarely if ever see the glow plug light on an HDi. They should start almost instantly regardless. If it's a bit poor, could be that battery or starter is not as good as it could be - they need a good fast spin to start.

[froggy]

it"s a HDI

[CitroJim]

it"s a HDI

Sorry Terry, disregard all I said... I was thinking it was a 1.9TD.. My bad

As Richard says on the HDi.... It doesn't need glowplugs to initially start unless the temperature is really stupidly low and much lower than it ever gets in your locality...

HDi glowplugs do come on for post-heating purposes after initial engine start to assist with emissions and smooth running whilst he engine is cold.

So, bad starring will not be down to bad glowplugs... Poor running when stone-cold might be but not the initial start...

[froggy]

Thanks Jim, yes it's the initial start up, when it runs, it ticks over nicely.

[Gibbo2286]

Just a note about the earlier ones, the light going out doesn't always mean the heat plugs have stopped, it's quite common for the tired old control to put the light out prematurely, disregard the light and try counting to twenty with the ignition on before attempting to start and you'll often find the plugs are up to temp.

[CitroJim]

disregard the light and try counting to twenty with the ignition on before attempting to start and you'll often find the plugs are up to temp.

That's precisely what I do Gibbo With Gabriel I know it's the light by listening to the relay itself... The light goes out long before the relay drops out...

[spider]

Although its not an XUD unit, as far as I'm aware only the turbo ones (XUDT) have any form of post heating. Its not actually absolutely essential though for this "post heating" to function. Its more an anti smoke / emission / slightly better initial 1st minute stone cold running thing as I see it.

As said the plugs will enter a post heating phase in most cases on the HDi / XUDT

You won't see the glowplug light on a HDi unless its erm "crispy cold" or you're very quick watching it.

Please see this topic in Hints/Tips for HDi 'glowplug light and time' specifics > https://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/ ... 11&t=33672

Although unrelated to this, earlier XUD were time not temperature controlled (my 205 was) but most 1.9 units are temperature controlled. The coolant temperature determines how long the heating (light operation really) is on for. A red hot XUD may not even show the light (non turbo ones do not at least in most cases)

For the time controlled ones (early cars or 1.8) its typically 6-8 seconds "light" followed by about another 8 or 10 before the supply it cut.