The steering on my Xantia has suddenly developed extreme stiffness just in the first part of turning from straight ahead. After about an eigth of a turn, it is OK again, but then won't straighten up fully after turning. Its so stiff that its difficult to steer at all initially.
When it first happened, I topped up the LHM (it wasn't particularly low) and turned from lock to lock while stationary. This cured the problem for a few days, but now it has come back and refuses to loosen up. All other hydraulics are working fine. I had had a minor leak on the accumulator sphere seal, but have cured it by tightening it up (it had to go very tight to stop the LHM weeping).
Incidentally, I had had both drop links renewed a few days before the problem started.
Any ideas?
Thanks
John
Xantia steering
Moderator: RichardW
I may not be very correct here, but the accumulator, as with the other spheres, is good enough by hand tightening. I would advise (but wait for a more knowledgeabel opinion) to unscrew the acc sphere, put the rubber sealant on the mating surface of the acc block/FDV, then, and only then, thighten the sphere on it.
I would also do some cleaning of the system with hydraclean, and make sure the wheels are properly aligned.
Cheers!
I would also do some cleaning of the system with hydraclean, and make sure the wheels are properly aligned.
Cheers!
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by 406 V6</i>
I may not be very correct here, but the accumulator, as with the other spheres, is good enough by hand tightening. I would advise (but wait for a more knowledgeabel opinion) to unscrew the acc sphere, put the rubber sealant on the mating surface of the acc block/FDV, then, and only then, thighten the sphere on it.
I would also do some cleaning of the system with hydraclean, and make sure the wheels are properly aligned.
Cheers!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Firmly tightened by hand is tight enough, the reason being as soon as there is pressure on the system it binds the threads as the thread is fairly fine and shallow. (Which makes it almost impossible to turn a sphere with pressure on it, except with a very strong chain spanner)
If it has to be tightened more than by hand to stop it leaking, either the seal is faulty or not properly fitted (most likely) or there is a bit of gunk on the faces stopping them from meeting dead flat.
I definately wouldn't put any rubber sealant or anything like that on, thats only hiding the real problem.
My advice would be to get a NEW o-ring seal, and make sure it's the square section type, not a round section conventional o-ring type, (they aren't very reliable in this application, even though some people use them with spheres...) remove the sphere (after depressurizing the system of course) and check the outer flat face on the pressure regulator body where the sphere screws on - because it's steel it can rust, whereas the cylinders on the suspension are alloy.
If there is any rust or any sign of gunk clean it off and possibly use a bit of fine wet and dry (emery) paper to clean off any surface rust from the flat face.
Make sure the o-ring is fitted into the recess in the pressure regulator housing, NOT slipped over the neck of the sphere, as this is the mistake people usually make that causes leaks, as the o-ring is guarenteed to get pinched instead of sitting in the right place.
With the square section o-rings they will stay in place in the recess while you screw on the sphere, even on the accumulator which is at right angles.
To make it easier to remove next time and avoid it rusting together, you can apply a little bit of Lithium L2 grease to the face (which is compatible with LHM and LHM style seals) and then screw the sphere on being careful not to dislodge the o-ring from the recess.
Tighten it up firmly by hand, and DON'T use a strap spanner. (It's fine to use a strap spanner for undoing though, and usually necessary)
Voila. There should be NO leaks, and years later when you come to replace the sphere next time you should be able to undo it relatively easy with a strap spanner thanks to the grease helping to prevent the faces rusting, and not overtightening it in the first place...
Regards,
Simon
I may not be very correct here, but the accumulator, as with the other spheres, is good enough by hand tightening. I would advise (but wait for a more knowledgeabel opinion) to unscrew the acc sphere, put the rubber sealant on the mating surface of the acc block/FDV, then, and only then, thighten the sphere on it.
I would also do some cleaning of the system with hydraclean, and make sure the wheels are properly aligned.
Cheers!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Firmly tightened by hand is tight enough, the reason being as soon as there is pressure on the system it binds the threads as the thread is fairly fine and shallow. (Which makes it almost impossible to turn a sphere with pressure on it, except with a very strong chain spanner)
If it has to be tightened more than by hand to stop it leaking, either the seal is faulty or not properly fitted (most likely) or there is a bit of gunk on the faces stopping them from meeting dead flat.
I definately wouldn't put any rubber sealant or anything like that on, thats only hiding the real problem.
My advice would be to get a NEW o-ring seal, and make sure it's the square section type, not a round section conventional o-ring type, (they aren't very reliable in this application, even though some people use them with spheres...) remove the sphere (after depressurizing the system of course) and check the outer flat face on the pressure regulator body where the sphere screws on - because it's steel it can rust, whereas the cylinders on the suspension are alloy.
If there is any rust or any sign of gunk clean it off and possibly use a bit of fine wet and dry (emery) paper to clean off any surface rust from the flat face.
Make sure the o-ring is fitted into the recess in the pressure regulator housing, NOT slipped over the neck of the sphere, as this is the mistake people usually make that causes leaks, as the o-ring is guarenteed to get pinched instead of sitting in the right place.
With the square section o-rings they will stay in place in the recess while you screw on the sphere, even on the accumulator which is at right angles.
To make it easier to remove next time and avoid it rusting together, you can apply a little bit of Lithium L2 grease to the face (which is compatible with LHM and LHM style seals) and then screw the sphere on being careful not to dislodge the o-ring from the recess.
Tighten it up firmly by hand, and DON'T use a strap spanner. (It's fine to use a strap spanner for undoing though, and usually necessary)
Voila. There should be NO leaks, and years later when you come to replace the sphere next time you should be able to undo it relatively easy with a strap spanner thanks to the grease helping to prevent the faces rusting, and not overtightening it in the first place...
Regards,
Simon
Not yet had a Xantia under my hammer - but I believe the later ('95) 2 port pump servosteering would suffer from strange behaviour if for any reason air comes into the hydraulic system.
Air in the system takes time to compress - whereas the fluid does not compress. This could explain why at first splitsecond there is no servohelp when turning - and then suddenly the steering frees up.
It's the same problem if air comes into the brake lines : dead at first splitsecond - then next second you meet your windscreen.
Air would come into the system when a low reservoir level has occurred - or when the large dia pump feed hose is leaking. This hose can not be seen leaking as it is under vacuum from the pump. Often the hose deep crackings on the studs.
This hose is a costly spare part. You can use a suitable diameter oil resistant PVC tubing as a preliminary repair.
Try Citaerobic - and train your Biceps turning the steering wheel lock to lock - while engine is running.
At 100Kmiles I dont believe it is a wear problem - other than a perished pump feed hose.
Air in the system takes time to compress - whereas the fluid does not compress. This could explain why at first splitsecond there is no servohelp when turning - and then suddenly the steering frees up.
It's the same problem if air comes into the brake lines : dead at first splitsecond - then next second you meet your windscreen.
Air would come into the system when a low reservoir level has occurred - or when the large dia pump feed hose is leaking. This hose can not be seen leaking as it is under vacuum from the pump. Often the hose deep crackings on the studs.
This hose is a costly spare part. You can use a suitable diameter oil resistant PVC tubing as a preliminary repair.
Try Citaerobic - and train your Biceps turning the steering wheel lock to lock - while engine is running.
At 100Kmiles I dont believe it is a wear problem - other than a perished pump feed hose.
I know that this may sound obvious, but have you tried cleaning the fluid filters (with petrol). The filters are located in the LHM reservoir. I did this on my Xantia and it made a hell of a diffrence to the suspension, brakes and steering - you wouldent believe how much swarf and gel like rubbish was caught in the filters and floating around the reservoir (I dont think it had been done at any time in the cars life, a 93' sx 1.9td btw). Afterwards it was like a magic carpet.[^]
Thanks again for suggestions. No obvious damage to the feed pipe, but a spell of Citaerobics (strangely pleasant)and lock to lock turning (wheels off ground) has made a big improvement. Rising and sinking not all that fast, so I'll try a filter clean and then possibly a flush through as well.
Many thanks again
John
Many thanks again
John
And as a last resort, if all else fails (because of the cost) it could be the HP pump itself - ours needed replacing at about your mileage after symptoms just like you describe - got a recon (?) one from local independent bloke - about £120 fitted. I seem to remember that some of the older pumps had plastic components which would develop a crack after a while. Though there is hardly any leakage of LHM, it did impair the efficiency of the pump. Unfortunately I also seem to remember that the "plastic" and all metal pumps are not interchangeable - might be worth doing a search for HP pump on here for further information (my memory is not what it was!)