Citroen beginner - strange Xantia suspension behaviour?

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 15 Jul 2006, 07:59

steelcityuk wrote:Yes it does. Today going to work the rear suspension bottomed out crossing a junction, I wasn't going fast and the junction isn't bad at all, I've crossed this junction many times in my pug and never had anything like it bottoming out. I've noticed that one of the rear bump stops is in bits, just like a small mis shapen piece of foam. Would this indicate a long term problem?

Thanks.

Steve.

Just as another comment on this - whether it will help you or not, I don't know lol

I've just replaced the accumalator sphere on mine, as it was completley flat. This has now stopped the rear end of the car from dropping when pulling away.

Personally, if I was getting all the problems you are getting I'd be tempted to change all the spheres, and hydraflush, refill and bleed the system. That way you know the LHM is good, the spheres are good and there's no air in the system and you can work from there.

Thats what I've done with mine. I bought mine cheap off ebay. All the spheres were flat, and the LHM was mucky so it was doing some slightly strange things. Now with all the above done it's as good as new.

Perhaps something worth thinking about

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 15 Jul 2006, 12:21

Bleed the brakes

On a hydraulic Citroen you dont get the usual warning with a swampy pedal - just a delayed action while you try mash out that pedal thru the floor.
Bleeding hydraulic brakes is about the same procedure on any - just easier : have engine idle, set suspension to high (to give rear brakes pressure) - then bleed at each wheel. Using a good 4-5meters of standard & cheap 6mm PVC tubing you can smartly lead the bleed-out directly to the reservoir.

When bleeding simply clamp a piece of wood between pedal and front seat. There will then be a constant brake pressure to bleed from. No assistent needed to sit there and pump ...

The rear sink issue most likely is a dodgy rear antisink valve - NOT the rear height controller - which already has been replaced 3 times

But please be patient for now and let the cleaning fluid do its magic - things may very well be different after 500-1000 miles.

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 20 Jul 2006, 13:16

Hi Anders,

Thanks for the advice, I'll try to bleed the brakes tonight if I get a chance, that should also get some flushing fluid to them shouldn't it? I may just bleed out into a jar and top up with more flush. I was thinking that before I refill with LHM I should remove and clean the height correctors. Are anti sink valves serviceable or is it a replace only part?

I had the strange indicator ticking yesterday followed by a bit of smoke. I turned off the straightaway waggled the stalk and that seemed to stop the smoking. When I got home I removed the stalk and took it apart, it looked OK except for a strange build up on the contacts, I've cleaned this off, re-assembled and now it seems OK.

I'm catching up on previous posts on any related problems I can find and I've also joined the Citroen Car Club (UK).

Steve.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 20 Jul 2006, 16:35

Yep -

Brakes are dead ends in the hydraulic system. Only the flow you introduce by a bleeding service will flush them.
Hint : purchase some 5m lenght of standard & cheap PVC 6mm hosing (airhorn/fuel hosing). Use this to bleed back directly to the reservoir. You can then bleed as much as you like in one go not worrying about reservoir level.
The first few mL's bled out will of course be mucky - but does not mean a thing to the several Liters in the reservoir.

Its always advantageous to bleed as long as your patience reaches. Sometimes the last tiny bubbles comes out after several seconds of bleeding.

Good luck. You'll soon find out that becoming customary to basic Citroen services you then are more skilled than most garage mechanics around these days -
- just never ever tell them

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 20 Jul 2006, 23:20

Well I bled the brakes, 3 seemed air free but the fluid was murky however the right rear came out like foam at first but then just air free fluid. I reckon I've bled out about a litre of fluid.

After the brakes I thought I'd free up and oil the rear HC valve. So with the rear still on axle stands I disconnected the 'dog bone' and the manual height linkage and oiled every moving part and pivot I could find. Then I started the engine and moved the HC valve by hand. But the bit I don't understand is that the front of the car was rising and falling, why is this? The HC valve only moved a small amount, is that normal? So after this I stopped the engine dried off the oil and sprayed the mechanism with spray grease then re-connected the 'dog bone' and manual height linkage. I dropped the car off the axle stands and started the engine and now the car just drops and raises constantly at the front end if the height control is set to normal. If I set the height control to lowest or heighest position it drops or raises and just stays there. Any ideas what's wrong?

Thanks.

Steve.