Sinker woes

[Eddie Nuff]

The sinker has been laid up for about ten months whilst I sourced a NOS rear sphere cylinder. Now that's fitted the suspension works superb and not a leak in sight. Over that ten months I've kicked her up every week without a problem (whilst she's been sat on the floor). Now it comes to MOT time she wants to play silly buggers!

Checked her over Tuesday with an eye on the MOT, everything works fine. Gave her a bloody good wash whilst she ticked over and then when I sat in the car I noticed that the temp gauge was pointing almost straight up. I put the heaters on to relieve some of the heat, the heaters were red hot but the needle stayed put. Switched her off, opened the bonnet and left her to cool. Came back after a pot of tea (got to have tea), to find no coolant in the expansion tank. Curious as I check this every week. Topped her up with coolant - and watched as 2.5l disappeared into the expansion tank without a backward look. Eh?! No leaks from under the car, none of the pipes bust, nothing around the head. Must be an air lock - bloody big air lock!

So I deliberately went through the procedure for re-filling with coolant after draining the radiator. She took another half a can before the coolant ran freely through the drain plugs, started her up and the expected drop in the coolant level in the upside down bottle was minimal. When the needle was bang in the middle I switched the heaters on and noticed water gushing out of the ns vent on the centre console, the one between the ash tray and the gearstick. Twenty seconds later this stopped. The thoughts of this being the heater matrix was now filling me with dread - I can't do another Xantia matrix. The last one aged me 20 years! The carpet in the bottom of the ns well was wet but the carpet that rises up behind the glovebox was dry and there were no drips at all in this region, bone dry - and the heaters were hot all the time.

I left her to cool down for a while and then checked the coolant level which was fine. Started her up, kept her at about 1500rpm for a few minutes, heaters hot and no coolant through the heater vent. Switched off and came back later to check and the level was spot on. Must have been an air lock, yeah?

Came to check her this afternoon after work and the expansion tank is dry, completely empty. No leaks under the car, no pipes burst etc. Gizza clue fellas, what am I missing?

[xantia_v6]

Perhaps one of the joints on the top of the matrix only leaks when cold?

I think that a cold pressure test is the best way to diagnose this.

[chinkostu]

Hate to say it, early signs of matrix. Mine went from a dribble to dead in a days driving, spewed its guts all over the floor and you'd be suprised how much the foam soaks up.

Its a cheap enough part (think i paid £30ish for a nissens) and the job isnt difficult, just time consuming to do and you need about 40 pairs of hands to get it all in and out.

[Stickyfinger]

Yep, the carpet can feel dry to the touch, the foam works wonders in soaking it up and the carpet backing is almost a one way gortex membrane.......lift and check the foam.

[Eddie Nuff]

Oh I know what's coming down the line, I just don't like the answer. If it has to be done it has to be done. Only done one before and I swore . . . literally all day long!

What's stopping me from being convinced fully is there is nothing dripping from behind the glovebox area, and the carpet leading up behind the glovebox is bone dry, the heaters are hot, there's no loss of coolant when running, only when stood, and there's no 'curry' smell.

[chinkostu]

Unless as said if it only leaks when cold? The leakage from the vent is a giveaway as mine did that, but like yours was fairly dry otherwise

[Eddie Nuff]

Well I'm disappointed in you fellas, I thought my inbox would have been full of offers by now. All willing to help a little lost soul who's stood looking at his poorly Xantia thinking 'shall I mend it or just burn it'

Joking aside I've only done one of these, on my HDi a few years ago, and that was completely blind, no info, nothing! So I've had a read through Haynes and a few online reports and a couple of things stand out:

Releasing the handbrake cables to enable the handbrake to raise vertical. I can't remember doing that, is it a necessity?

Raising the suspension to 'maximum' to enable the removal of the centre console. Again can't remember doing this but, more importantly, surely you don't leave it on high the duration of the job? Because of work and having too many other jobs on (my own fault) this is going to have to be done a couple of hours a day after work so surely the suspension needs to be on the floor?!

[CitroJim]

Eddie, the only thing you need to move to high to remove the centre console is the handbrake lever...

Disconnect the cables at the calipers so that lever can be pulled up as high as possible

If you were nearer, I'd be happy to help... I love a heater matrix every now and again and it helps keep my memory afresh for how it is done

Happy to offer any needed advice on the job...

Whatever happens, you must preserve the sinker; they are an endangered species now...

[Eddie Nuff]

I'm not phased by the job, just the amount of time I'll have to allocate to it that I don't bloody have in the first place!

Handbrake seems a fair point, couldn't understand the relevance of the suspension setting.

This sinker's going nowhere Jim, it's too good.

[CitroJim]

This sinker's going nowhere Jim, it's too good.

That's excellent news Neil

I'd say, once you've dropped off the handbrake cables let the car right down on low as it'll make the matrix elbow connector easier to reach...

Definitely no need to have it on high as far as I can tell...

[Eddie Nuff]

See if I can get an hour or two in tonight.

[chinkostu]

I never bothered with the cables, step hard on the brake with the engine running and the lever comes up far enough to wiggle the console over

[CitroJim]

That's a bit cruel on the cables Stu!

[Eddie Nuff]

Managed to get a couple of hours in this evening. Dashboard completely stripped with just the bolts securing the steering column to remove. Hoping to get this done in three sessions. If everything falls right at work on Thursday hoping I have enough time in the evening to get the dash out, matrix swapped and dash back in. Bit of an ask but we'll see.

What's the perceived wisdom on filling back up with coolant? Put the whole damn lot back together and hope there's no leaks or fill up before the dash goes back in?

[CitroJim]

Fill up before the dash goes back in Neil but ensure all instruments are connected up for the initial test... I say that as once there was a thought that if you ran the car up with the instruments disconnected the ABS ECU may be damaged. I have no proof but on an early sinker it's not a risk to take as the ABS is a bit unique on those...

I'd also chuck a can of Forte Stop Leak in too... Valeo recommend you do when replacing the matrix...