Piddly Xantia jobs - your suggestions!?

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 23 Sep 2006, 22:04

These aren't BIG jobs, but I've been putting them off and the MOT looms...

The windscreen washers have stopped working!! I know! Wow, big deal!
Still an MOT fail though!

The motor can be clearly heard and I've done the obvious checks; Yes,
there is plenty of water in the bottle, and the pipework appears to be clear
and unblocked. Now the thing is, the damned bottle is down in the front
right wing behind the bumper and I don't fancy removing the bumper as
Mr Haynes suggests! Is there enough access if the wheelarch liner is
removed? I've scrapped three Xantias now, One ages ago, another I didn't
take the rubbish wings or bumper off and the latest had it all removed by
it's front impact on the M6 before I got hold of it...

Ok, another! The bonnet release cable! With this one Mr Haynes says
remove the dashboard AND heater!!

Oh Joy, pass me the tin
opener instead...! Anyone been here with this one before with some hints?

After the elation of very successfully fixing the seized front height
corrector today (what a pain in the ar5e job that was...!) these jobs have
deflated me a tad.

Andrew

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 23 Sep 2006, 22:07

On rereading this, maybe I should just scrap the car! Just remembered it
needs new wiper blades all round...

Andrew

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 23 Sep 2006, 22:12

With the winscreen washers, is it only the front ones that don't work, or do the rear ones not work as well ? Both run off the same water supply and the same pump....

I'd be checking if the nozzles are blocked first....if you disconnect the hoses at the nozzles (careful as the nozzles are quite delicate!) do you get water then ?

Oh, and to get at the bottle, you have to take the entire bumper off... sorry....

Regards,
Simon

f00lzz · Post by **f00lzz** » 24 Sep 2006, 08:52

Mine exhibited the same and I found that the pipe to the squirts was not connected into the bonnet rubber seal (strange arrangement) just re-connected and all was fine again.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 24 Sep 2006, 10:10

as Simon said
have you checked for screen wash at the pipe with it removed from the jet,if there is not check where the pipe comes up by the bonnet hindge as they get trapped and creased,or some times the pump just stops pumping one side,so for MOT purposes you could just switch the two pipes over where they come off the pump and use the rear switch setting at the MOT,and you can get at the water tank and pumps from under the wing
regards malcolm

slim123 · Post by **slim123** » 24 Sep 2006, 11:33

Not 100% sure, but I think that it was on a Xantia, that I replaced the washer pump by removing the O/S indicator and putting my hand in through the hole.

Try it !!!

But there is no need to remove the bumper, just remove the wheel and pull the inner lining up as far as it will go, the bottle will reveal itself.

Regards
Slim

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 24 Sep 2006, 13:44

If you have to take the bottle out it will come out if you take off the front wheel and remove the liner, fiddly job but not too bad. You should check that the breather pipe is not blocked, access can be gained by removing the indicator pod.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 24 Sep 2006, 19:26

Update!! Thanks all for your suggestions!

I elected to try the 'easy' approach of checking behind the liner first so got
the car all supported up at the front first with the plan to remove the wheel
as well and have a closer look-see!

The fault actually made itself obvious after an intensive 'hit' with it - I ran the
screen washers for absolutely ages until I found a puddle of water forming
at the rear end of the driver's wheelarch area (I hadn't run it this long before
as the wipers weren't too happy juddering over a dry smeary windscreen so
I made sure they were up in the air out of the way today).

Got the car jacked up and removed the wheel and wheelarch liner and found
the problem straight away - there's a joint in the feed pipework that had
popped apart probably due to a well blocked nearside washer jet - the water
was running down the liner and getting absorbed into a massive pile of built
up crud that was BEHIND the liner against the A pillar...

Ok, one job off the list!! Any suggestions about dash out with heater jobs
for the bonnet release cable - I like the idea of string on the end before
pulling the old one out as Mr Haynes suggests, BUT I don't like the dash
out suggestion!

Andrew

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 24 Sep 2006, 23:13

if you realy have got to go that way for the bonnet cable it might be wise to do the matrix whilst your in there,HE HE HE
regards malcolm

steelcityuk · Post by **steelcityuk** » 24 Sep 2006, 23:45

Sorry to jump into your thread but I couldn't believe what I was reading when the Haynes BOL said that to remove the centre console the handbrake cable have to be released from the calipers! I already had the passenger seat out so I chocked the wheels and unbolted the handbrake lever. Only took 5 minutes. Haynes...

Good luck with the other jobs.

Steve.

dnsey · Post by **dnsey** » 27 Sep 2006, 22:58

I've never had to do a Xantia bonnet cable, but can't see what's to stop you leaving the outer in place and threading a new inner through it. OK, you'll have to solder a nipple on the end afterwards, but that has to be a lot easier than removing the dash and heater!

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 27 Sep 2006, 23:16

Interestingly enough, I've just got back from further spannering on a Xantia
estate I've been breaking for spares. Mr Haynes in this instance is talking
more 'off his head' than is usually the case!!

The cable runs along the nearside wing across the bulkhead and enters the
driver's footwell about level with the middle of the car directed towards the
pedals - it emerges into the cabin between the heater and the pedalbox and
then goes a bit skippy, in that it loops upwards through a massive metal
dashboard support armature and back down to the centre of the steering
column. The only pain is a clip the cable is held by in this support, all in the
quest to hold it up away from the pedals.

I think a swap is dooable, although I don't think it needs such a complicated
route once inside the car, and I'll give it a go when the weather is more
condusive to scrabbling about on my hands & knees in the driver's footwell
- next May then...

Things look quite scary once the dash has come out - I should have taken
some piccies showing the fabled heater matrix...

Andrew