Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

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ashy90
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Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by ashy90 »

I have been a way from this site for a few years now, and it has been even longer since I had my lovely S reg Xantia 1.9 diesel back in 2011.
Despite that car only lasting what seemed like 5 minutes before a suspected failed piston ring or head gasket, I find myself viewing a Xantia tomorrow - this time a 2.0 HDI engine.
What are the common problems or things I need to look out for?
Am I making another mistake?
Are they good on fuel?
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by GiveMeABreak »

The 110 is an extremely nippy and reliable engine (DW10ATED). I never had a an issue in ownership of my 1999 one and I did miss it.
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by Peter.N. »

Just check around the coolant filler cap for any signs of dry antifreeze, this will be white deposit, if there is no evidence of this or maybe a few spots that has dripped off the cap when removed the head gasket should be OK. Its not a common problem as it was on the XUD's but can happen. Otherwise if it drives OK with no extraneous noises it should be good.

Check when the cambelt was changed.

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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

I would also take a very close look at the rear arches (especially near the door shuts), as this is a place where they can rust. It is likely you will need to look at the rear brakes (because of a weird calliper corrosion issue). If you don't know which HDi engine it has got, look to see if there is a second thick pipe heading from the radiator area alongside the pipe from the air filter box. If it has this pipe it will be the 110BHP engine (as this is the intercooler pipe), otherwise it will have the 90BHP engine.
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by Michel »

..... the other way...
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by ashy90 »

So I bought the car. It's a 90bhp model.
No rust
4 new tyres.

Known issue is the fuel gauge not working properly....
The gauge was initially right at the bottom with the light on, on the way up the fuel station it went up to half way. I put about £18 in or so of diesel in anyway, which took it up to just above half.
It took quite a long time to go from just above half to just below half. I assumed this was normal just an economical diesel.
However on the motorway it suddenly started to slowly drop all the way to nothing and it has remained this way since, even after putting some fuel in (only £20)

What is this likely to be? It looks like someone has tried to remove the cluster before as it is damaged
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by Peter.N. »

More likely to be a fault with the in tank sensor I would have thought. These are a very economical engine, I regularly get 60 + mpg on a motorway journey with my 406 estate, but I don't drive very fast, tend to sit in the nearside lane with the lorries unless its moving very slowly.

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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by ashy90 »

Peter.N. wrote: 01 Jul 2019, 10:08 Just check around the coolant filler cap for any signs of dry antifreeze, this will be white deposit,
Peter

Yes, it does have white deposits on the tank. How is this a head gasket symptom thpugh?

Is this black plastic tank which you can't see through the only means of checking coolant level? Seems a stupid design flaw to me
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by ashy90 »

Hell Razor5543 wrote: 01 Jul 2019, 15:51 It is likely you will need to look at the rear brakes (because of a weird calliper corrosion issue).

Funnily enough the brakes have been squeeling terribly today, I think from the rear. Does this caliper corrosion issue you speak of cause this? Is it something that effects all Xantias?
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

There is a weird electrolytic corrosion between the trailing arms and the brake callipers that produces a hard material that forces the callipers off alignment (and can, over time, rot the callipers, so they may need replacing). The following link explains the issue;

https://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/ ... 19&t=38467
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by Huskyxantia »

Get underneath the rear check the ram gaiters , check cambelt and service periods.

Brought a 90 last may was told it was serviced every year and so on only to find out when I serviced it myself it hadn't been touched for a long time the coolant was like bisto gravey I took all pipes off the rad and spent half a day flushing everything it took 20 mins for everything to run clear .

New coolant added a full service plus can kit it went like a dream.

Then next morning how every a small wet patch from ns rear .... Small split in the gaitor... For the life of me I sourced the part from here as the main dealer didn't have much xantia stuff at all.
Thank god for this place or I'd of been off the road for a small rubber part....

So check them gaiters. Also check round the spheres for leakage...

Happy motoring if you have the car already enjoy the ride there lovely.
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by ashy90 »

So far so good, I've changed the front spheres which improved things. The drivers corner was rock hard.
Its avergage mpg is about 42.5.

There is one problem however, I dont find it very comfortable bizarrely! I keep getting an aching right leg or ankle no matter how I adjust the seat.
I may try and put some spacers under the front mounting points to tilt it slightly
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by Skull »

Stiff ankle can be a problem on a long run as I find the accelerator pedal is quite high ....
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by Stewart(oily) »

I have a 99 HDI 110 my fuel gauge is eccentric in the bottom end but not to a point where it causes trouble, it improves after a full tank, the orange light seems normal, re the ankle thing there is a cable adjustment on the underbonnet end of the cable.
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Re: Buying a Xantia with 2.0 HDI engine. What to look?

Post by ashy90 »

Oh the gauge on mine is more than eccentric - the needle is currently right at the bottom but I've just filled up.

Can the acelerator pedal be adjusted down?
I'm going to have a play around with spacers under the front or rear of the seat mounts to adjust the tilt/angle of the base. I feel like the front of the seat needs raising slightly. If this doesn't improve comfort I can't see me keeping the car very long. Shame, but every trip to and from work is causing some aches/pains.
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