Xantia Evilness

[MTND]

Well done Jim and Richard it would have been sad to see it go as it is in good condition and sentimental to Tim as well
We are lucky to have your knowledge and kindness on here and in the club

Great stuff

Mark

[Northern_Mike]

Im heading down tomorrow to collect her as she now has an MOT! well done guys and thank you so much

Brilliant news, happy Xantia-ing!

[tim leech]

Next thing on the agenda is getting it taxed, a new radiator fitted (its leaking) and the oil changed when the weather improves, need to get the paint on the nsr 1/4 looked at its been damaged somehow whilst at work, and theres some suspension bushes to change aswell as getting probably a complete lock set for it as the drivers one doesnt work and the remote plip is rather intermittant to say the least!

For now I am looking forward to the 120 mile drive home and hope that a good run will do her good.

[DickieG]

Yes it's finally sorted, Tim's Xantia passed the MOT test this evening

Yesterday Jim and I worked methodically through the basics of ensuring the mechanics of the engine as in the valve timing were correct then we checked through every sensor both in its specification being correct for the particular engine as well as its operation by using breakout boxes, Lexia, pressure gauges, an exhaust gas analyser and a volt/OHM meter.

The conclusion Jim and I have come to as cause effect and remedy is that at some point several years ago when the timing belt was changed the two sections of the bottom pulley had suffered movement so when it was used to time the engine it effectively put the engine out of time. With the mechanical timing incorrectly set the engine understandably ran rather poorly and inefficiently resulting in poor fuel economy and high emissions.

In an effort to remedy the fault a significant number of parts were replaced and in the instance of the fuel pressure regulator an incorrect part was mistakenly fitted which introduced a secondary fault of raising the fuel pressure 50% higher than specification. As fuel injectors are opened electrically for a precise amount of time based upon a set fuel pressure, raising fuel pressure results in excess fuel passing through the injector then into the combustion chamber which in turn means a rich mixture and excessively high emissions.

Observing the engine parameters on Lexia (data stream to and from the ECU from each sensor) revealed that the readings on all sensors other than the lambda were within acceptable limits, the puzzler was why the Lambda sensor wouldn't oscillate, we'd checked that the heating element was being supplied with current yet it wouldn't operate correctly despite being a relatively new genuine Citroen one, it appeared that the ECU was ignoring inputs from sensors and/or the Lambda sensor may be duff.

Another twist in the tale is that Citroen issued a service bulletin on 1.8 Xantia's fitted with Magnetti Marelli engine management systems, it stated that an earth wire was incorrectly fitted which causes the engine to run rich, Jim had previously removed this wire some time ago and when Tim delivered the car to me the engine management 'K' light was illuminated. Countless times we re-fitted then removed this earth wire and found that when it was fitted it the display of the Lambda sensor was no longer displayed on Lexia. The added puzzler was that when the earth was fitted the 'K' light illuminated due to the engine recording the 'Permanent fault' of the ECU being unable to adjust the mixture.

Today I gave the car a quick Italian tune up which got the Lambda sensor oscillating correctly (and the mixture within acceptable limits) but then found that when the car was left idling for several minutes the 'K' light illuminated again, thankfully a longer run blew away the build up of soot which had accumulated on the sensor and the emissions settled within limits.

Following a quick tweak of the front height corrector to lower the front of the car, a swap to lower wattage sidelights on the tailgate and adjustment of the O/S handbrake cable to balance the handbrake the car was ready for it's MOT test. I was initially given a 3.30 appointment but the garage put it back to 5.30, the car sailed through the test and with much relief the car was awarded a pass certificate, happy days

[Deanxm]

Good work gentlemen, it had to be something obvious like fuel pressure or timing, just so happened to be both then, at least it kept you on your toes .
At last the car can be enjoyed again!

D

[CitroJim]

It certainly kept us on out toes Dean but it was an immensely enjoyable day going through it and a lot was learned along the way I'd never been that deep into injection since getting to grips with the old Bosch LE Jetronic on the 205GTi

I'd describe it as a most satisfactory result indeed and went to bed last night, still recovering from the two days of very intensive spannering, a very, very happy person

A nice conclusion to the Christmas holiday. I'd intended to really get the spanners going and I did

[citroenxm]

Your persistance with this one is much admired Tim.. Is amazing what a bit of sentimental attachment will make us do to a car...

the remote plip is rather intermittant to say the least.

Whats intermittent about it? Does the red led flicker or do nothing when the button is pressed?? If so we can sort that out!

Paul

[tim leech]

125 miles later shes back home and all seems well, its still a bit lumpy at idle but drives well and the ride is spot on thanks to the new spheres, the remote plip now seems to work perfectly after Dickie G fiddled with it!.

Plenty still to do but at least the main problem is sorted thanks to Richard and Jim.

[red_dwarfers]

Times like this are a reminder of how there are many who's goal in life is to help others out for the sole reason that they genuinely want to! Nice one chaps!

[tim leech]

Times like this are a reminder of how there are many who's goal in life is to help others out for the sole reason that they genuinely want to! Nice one chaps!

Quite agree, if I can return the favour just ask, although my forte is cleaning more than mending, but I do get VW parts at staff rates which may help some!

[tim leech]

Turns out its not mended after all...................I give up.

A run to Coventry last week showed up a few issues, its starts perfectly from cold and idles fautlessly, but is then very hesitant for the first few minutes which improves but it still seems rather "flat", Arriving at my destination after cruising down the M42 at 75 it stalled as I came to a hault, struggled to restart than ran like a bag of spanners on 3 cylinders whilst making all manners of noises, a good dose of 6500rpm seemed to clear the misfire but its still very lumpy on idle.

Also the economy seems very poor, Im going to get the injectors ultrasoncially but after that I have run out of ideas.....

Give me a carburettor any day!

[tim leech]

The only thing I havent changed is the throttle body itself, Robert Smart very kindly sent me one but it was a different type.

If anyone had one its worth a go? I would do a war dance with my underpants on my head if it would fix it once and for all.

[Stepto1]

I had a 1.8 16v petrol Xantia till recently and I found it a cracking engine. Not bad on fuel and quite gutsy.

The only things I ever had to sort were the coil pack. (£10 EBay) which made it tick over much better and the sensor that measures the tick over speed. Forgot what it's called now. It used to stall all the time before I took it out and soaked it in break cleaner.

[tim leech]

Mines the earlier 8v sort which you would assume would be even more simple as its bascially a BX engine...

Its had a new coil pack from GSF to cure a misfire (which it did), ive cleaned the throttle body itself with carb cleaner more than once and its not changed anything...

[CitroJim]

Richard and I went through everything Tim... A compression check will be useful and also having the flow rate of the injectors checked. That's two things we couldn't do but we did check fuel pressure.

It's a bloody odd one, that's for sure...