First job when you buy a Xantia Haynes manual . ....... ....

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Jshodgson
Posts: 140
Joined: 18 Oct 2004, 22:59

First job when you buy a Xantia Haynes manual . ....... ....

Unread post by Jshodgson »

Go to the page telling you "what to do" to change the glow plugs and colour in the little spanners telling you how difficult the job is. This must be a printing error so please, rather than taking it back and asking for a refund, just get a black felt tip pen and colour within the outline.

Second job when you buy a Xantia Haynes manual . ..... . . ...

Search on 'frenchcarforum.co.uk' to find out how you actually change the glow plugs and print this page. Get a Prittstick (or similar) and stick the information to the space in the Haynes Manual (another printing error I expect) where this information should have been printed.

All you need to do now is get your self some "bendable" spanners, 4 plugs, something to protect your hand skin, and approximately 5 hours if it's your first time and 4 hours and 56 minutes if it's your second time (like me).

PS. To all you clever buggers who can do the job in an hour or so, please don't pick on me as I can't fight back with these swollen and cut knuckles :evil:
Had (Saxo VTR 1999 (T) LPG converted - do not ask!!!)
Had (Xantia LX TD 1995 (M) 144,000 miles)
Had (Xantia TD Estate (N) 147,000 miles !)
NOW GOT Picasso 2.0HDi (02) 96,000 miles
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andmcit
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Joined: 03 Mar 2005, 17:59
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Unread post by andmcit »

No surprise it's referred to as the Book of Lies or BOL for short then!!

They're not a patch on the originals which had far better illustrations. Compounded ontop this there's the duff black & white EXTREME CLOSEUP [where the hell's that then] pictures just to spice things up a bit...

Andrew
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AndersDK
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Unread post by AndersDK »

Hi JsHodgson -

There are always those guys who thinks best are fastest ... :twisted:
But we know better dont we :lol:
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
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Homer
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Unread post by Homer »

andmcit wrote: They're not a patch on the originals which had far better illustrations.
I wish I had kept my Reliant Regal Haynes manual, it was a goldmine of information, everything down to a cutaway diagram of the gearbox showing how the synchromesh was supposed to work (it never did).

Even the BX manual was useful.

The Xantia manual is a complete waste of space, when it does tell you something it's wrong and the rest of the time it points you to the dealer (as if they know anything).
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JohnD
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Unread post by JohnD »

Having previously had two BX's and a Xantia, I've now got a C5. Sadly there's no Haynes or Russek manuals in print. When I was last in France I bought a C5 Revue Technique manual that looks good from the illustrations and pictures. If only I could read the b***** thing!!!
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DaveW
Posts: 189
Joined: 16 Feb 2004, 21:57

Unread post by DaveW »

Have to agree.

Back in the 1960s I bought the Haynes - Mini manual.
It was excellent with good pictures and loads of line drawings - about twice as many pages as the current series.
When you consider that an early Mini is significantly less sophisticated than modern cars you can understand why todays books are so poor.

The Xantia book is a disgrace.

Dave.
Last edited by DaveW on 30 Apr 2006, 20:21, edited 1 time in total.
Xantia Forte 1.8i, 16v X reg.(09/2000) 93K, aircon
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deian
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Joined: 26 Feb 2006, 10:53

Unread post by deian »

Thats why they teach french at school! Although I remember jack of it anymore, I'm sure i'd work it out if i was desperate.
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andmcit
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Unread post by andmcit »

Just recently reminded myself about the BX Haynes - a hefty affair with good line artwork illustrations. One of the old school of manuals from Mr Haynes.

The Revue Practique and Revue Technique French manuals do a good job of looking like the manufacturers manual and in some cases they actually use the same illustrations too. It spices things up too methinks getting your head about bougies & culasses etc...

Got to be worth adding to anyone's shelf through ebay for a tenner!!

Alternatively, get the pukka job from Citroen that sometimes appears on ebay too...

Andrew
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Sturdybloke
Posts: 191
Joined: 04 Dec 2005, 01:19

Xantia book of lies

Unread post by Sturdybloke »

First thing to do when you get a Haynes manual for a Xantia.....is to chuck the bloody thing into the bin :lol:. Whatever happened to Autodata and the handbooks they use to sell? The latest one made by them seems to be for the Mk 2 Sierra and Mk 2 Carlton (the mid/late 80s) after then they seem to have dissapeared????
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fastandfurryous
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Re: Xantia book of lies

Unread post by fastandfurryous »

Sturdybloke wrote:First thing to do when you get a Haynes manual for a Xantia.....is to chuck the bloody thing into the bin
Exactly what I was going to say!

The only thing I've ever found Haynes useful for is the odd torque wrench setting, Head bolts tightening order, and *maybe* the odd diagram.

Most of which is available elsewhere. In the 80's, Haynes manuals were reasonable. They've gone downhill since then.
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Peter.N.
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Unread post by Peter.N. »

You may find the Xantia manual handy if you've got an XM, theres more information in it about the 2.1 td engine than there is in XM manual and only a few Xantias used it, where as most diesel XMs did! I have a shelf of Haynes manuals going back about 30 years, and as they get newer they get more useless.
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reblack68
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Unread post by reblack68 »

There's a special bent spanner you can buy for glow plugs at around £10. If you ask your favourite tool supplier or search the net for glow plug spanner you should find one. Remember to make the search specific to your country or you'll get loads that you can't buy.

I agree that the Haynes manuals are useless, although one did tell me how to make my own cam timing tools for the diesel Escort.
Richard

No French cars of my own at present.
Care of a 1994 205 D.
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fastandfurryous
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Unread post by fastandfurryous »

reblack68 wrote:There's a special bent spanner you can buy for glow plugs at around £10.
Alternatively you can use a cheap spanner from a £2.99 set, and a vice/hammer. This type actually fit where they need to!
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mezuk04
Posts: 1125
Joined: 03 Sep 2004, 19:15

Unread post by mezuk04 »

I wouldnt put myself through the agony of changing the glow plugs on the Xantia TD again, even with a friends help...that money spent at a Specalist is money VERY WELL spent.
Volkswagen Golf 59' 1.6TD S :(
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dnsey
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Unread post by dnsey »

Perhaps Haynes should introduce 'bent spanner' symbols for jobs which can't be done without a bit of ingenuity (and by ignoring their instructions) :)
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