Oh no 🤦🏼??? I've just bought another Xantia !

[xantia_v6]

For diagnostic purposes, you could try releasing the pressure by loosening one of the rear strut spheres, and see if the suspension then drops, and then re-tighten it, start the engine and see if it rises again.

If the rear strut seems to be loose and moving around when you attempt to loosen the sphere, it is a sign that the problem is mechanical, not hydraulic. In that case, don't put too much force on the sphere, or you may do further damage.

[CitroJim]

For diagnostic purposes, you could try releasing the pressure by loosening one of the rear strut spheres, and see if the suspension then drops, and then re-tighten it, start the engine and see if it rises again.

Mike, great minds and all that During my run this morning, in the pouring rain I might add, I was thinking about this problem and was going to suggest exactly this!

You beat me to it

Sorry to harp on about this but please do it safely and ensure that if the car sinks as you release a sphere there is no danger of it squashing you... Please be careful as hydraulic Citroens can kill...

Note that a rear suspension sphere under pressure can be VERY tight! You will need a beefy chain wrench, the pukka tool or a hammer and cold chisel if things are really tight

If you need to use a hammer and cold chisel as a last resort, please ask for precise guidance on how to do it before you start raining blows

[zs&tas]

I had considered doing this before . To cheat the system down.
I have that sphere removal tool that someone made up , I used it on the S1 , it works very easily . Thanks guys . It's raining now which sucks but I will try filling the boot with some weight first.
If the weight does work , what does it mean exactly ? The car just needs using after being sat five years ? Or anti sink sphere system or something needs renewing first ?

[CitroJim]

If the weight does work , what does it mean exactly ? The car just needs using after being sat five years ? Or anti sink sphere system or something needs renewing first ?

Nothing really, if from then on it all works as it should

The anti-sink sphere is mis-named. It has nothing whatsoever to do with sinking, anti or otherwise... It is in fact an auxiliary rear brake accumulator to ensure some pressure is available for the rear brakes even if the rear anti-sink valves are closed...

This can happen under some circumstances...

[admiral51]

I refer back to my earlier question, has the system been bled since the pipe was replaced ?
It is easy and cheap to do and will tick a box to say the problem is not that

[zs&tas]

Admiral, no it hasn't tbh. The front pipe broke , the front of the car sank , I had no reason to think it would affect the back especially as the front was moving up and down easily. I had time today , between spending time with my son to fill the boot with 'stuff' I will start it tmrw and see what gives .

[admiral51]

Admiral, no it hasn't tbh. The front pipe broke , the front of the car sank , I had no reason to think it would affect the back especially as the front was moving up and down easily. I had time today , between spending time with my son to fill the boot with 'stuff' I will start it tmrw and see what gives .

I had a VSX Hydractive in the past, wish i still had it, but it took me 2 maybe 3 attempts of bleeding the system to stop the back end acting like a bucking bronco when i pressed the brake pedal. Any air trapped in the system has the possibility of causing the suspension at the rear ( rare on the front ) to sit high. Its just something i learnt a good few years back by asking the family on this Forum.

Colin

[Hell Razor5543]

Whenever I did any work on the hydraulics of my BX and Xantias I would always then bleed the brakes. Any air getting into the system will cause issues, and not necessarily where you would expect them to occur.

[ksanturion10]

With stuck arse, like how you describe, bleeding might not help you a lot, but it is neccessary after any removal/fitting of hydraulic component.

[zs&tas]

Still not right . Next I'm at bleeding brakes ?? Undoing rear suspension spheres ?? Double check location of ARB clamp.

[xantia_v6]

I would suggest drepressurising the rear suspension to confirm that you have a hydraulic fault. Bleeding the brakes is not going to help at this point.

[zs&tas]

thank you , i want sure if the brake bleed would help but it was an idea . the brakes are excellent btw ! . after xmas i will unscrew the spheres on the ramps then .
HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS EVERYONE !

[CitroJim]

HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS EVERYONE !

And you sir!

[zs&tas]

Hey , I've lowered the car a couple of times by letting the corner spheres loose. After that, the back will pump up to a desired height. But it will not come down however.
The wierd issue of pulling a fuse to stop the car has fixed itself by just not putting the fuse in to start with ? The car starts and stops as normal like this hahahaha

[xantia_v6]

Just to be clear, are you saying that after releasing the pressure and re-tightening the sphere, with the height selector set to the normal position, the rear will rise to normal height and stay there without going to the highest position?

If that is the case, it may indicate a problem with the anti-sink valve, or lack of main pressure feed to the anti-sink valve. A blocked return hose from the height corrector valve is another possibility.