Afer belonging to this forum for a couple of years, I have read a lot comments about various faults and idiosyncrocies of this model. imagine my surprise then, when helping a friend to look over a very nice '94 16v 2l Xantia, I find a plastic flap pressing against the inside of the R.H. rear wing wheel arch, just below the filler cap. This little invention was holding a good handful of wet road dirt pressed against the inside of the outer wing. This may not mean much in the UK, but over here in Sweden road dirt contains a high percentage of salt, which is NOT A GOOD THING. It was also very easy, using the blade of my pen knive to unclip the edge and give the whole area a good blasting with the garden hose, followed by drying with the hot air gun and spraying with liquid rust preventer (Tectyl).
Is this construction not a problem in the UK or have just missed any posts on it?
//NiSk
Xantia rust-trap
Moderator: RichardW
This reminds me of a strange Xantia-related incident I had in the summer....
The car had been running with hydraflush in the system for a couple of months and I decided it was time to change it for LHM, and replace some of the spheres at the same time. As I was manoeuvring the reservoir out to drain it I slipped and poured about a third of its contents down the back of the engine bay [:(!][:I] I cleaned the worst of it up, luckily it hadn’t spilt anywhere where it would do any permanent damage.
About 3 days later I noticed to my horror there was a fresh patch of something on the concrete that appeared to be dripping out from under the car about half way along. My first thought was that it was either the hydraulic or fuel pipes had sprung a leak. The fluid did look like LHM, but had a slightly odd smell to it, not like the fresh LHM now in the system. Then I realised it was the hydraflush I had spilled a few days earlier. It wasn’t coming from the pipes at all, but dripping out of two plastic bungs in the floor of the car! Somehow when I spilled it, it must have got into one of the box sections and worked its way back along the car, until it found a way out through the plastic bungs. I still haven’t found how exactly it got in there, but presumably water could find its way in by the same route, perhaps from spray being thrown up by the front wheels when driving in heavy rain.
The car had been running with hydraflush in the system for a couple of months and I decided it was time to change it for LHM, and replace some of the spheres at the same time. As I was manoeuvring the reservoir out to drain it I slipped and poured about a third of its contents down the back of the engine bay [:(!][:I] I cleaned the worst of it up, luckily it hadn’t spilt anywhere where it would do any permanent damage.
About 3 days later I noticed to my horror there was a fresh patch of something on the concrete that appeared to be dripping out from under the car about half way along. My first thought was that it was either the hydraulic or fuel pipes had sprung a leak. The fluid did look like LHM, but had a slightly odd smell to it, not like the fresh LHM now in the system. Then I realised it was the hydraflush I had spilled a few days earlier. It wasn’t coming from the pipes at all, but dripping out of two plastic bungs in the floor of the car! Somehow when I spilled it, it must have got into one of the box sections and worked its way back along the car, until it found a way out through the plastic bungs. I still haven’t found how exactly it got in there, but presumably water could find its way in by the same route, perhaps from spray being thrown up by the front wheels when driving in heavy rain.
Some months back I did post a comment about the crud I found built up around the tank filler tube situated in the right hand rear wheelarch. Even in summer it was damp and the amount of mud collected there was a surprise. I know the Xantia has a good name for anti corrosion but having nearly half the wheelarch constantly wet with mud cannot be a good thing. I will look more closely at the front too after reading the above. Are there any more areas to consider?
I’ve notices a build-up of mud between the front wheel arch lip metal edge, inside and on top of the fold, where it meets a plastic protector/shield also on the inside top of wheel arch. Nice little gap and easy to overlook.
Only noticed it when I first bought my Cit and gave it it’s first wash – coz before I’d owned Brit cars that you only need breath on to start a new rust patch, and I got used to cleaning inside wheel arch.
Only noticed it when I first bought my Cit and gave it it’s first wash – coz before I’d owned Brit cars that you only need breath on to start a new rust patch, and I got used to cleaning inside wheel arch.
The estates seem more rust prone than the hatch. I have a 96 estate and it's quite rusty round both rear arches and some of the panel welding at the back door. Yet most L reg (93ish) hatches still look rust free.
The metal is good quality so it hasn't rotted, yet. When I get chance I'm spending a day with fertan, some hammerite and a pressure washer to keep it in check.
I think I'm right in saying the coach building of the estates was contracted out to a third party plant, that might explain why this happens.
The metal is good quality so it hasn't rotted, yet. When I get chance I'm spending a day with fertan, some hammerite and a pressure washer to keep it in check.
I think I'm right in saying the coach building of the estates was contracted out to a third party plant, that might explain why this happens.
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john alexander
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