Hi all. My M Reg Xantia 1.8i has just failed its MOT on a couple of things and I hope that someone can help me source the parts I need. The failure points are:
1. (front of gearbox) fluid suspension unit leaking.
2. Rear fluid suspension unit leaking.
3. Nearside front steering rack gaiter split.
Please can someone tellme where Ican get the parts cheaply. The garage quoted me around £400 just for parts.
Thanks in advance.
MOT failure help
Moderator: RichardW
MOT failure help
1995 Xantia 1.8i Dimension
UK memebrs will quickly submit here where you can get parts.
Your problems list is very common Xantia issues, and not to panic about. Easy and cheap as DIY projects.
Start out giving the affected areas a good spray over using engine cleaner, then hose down with tap water after an hour or so.
That makes the project so much more friendly to overcome
Your problems list is very common Xantia issues, and not to panic about. Easy and cheap as DIY projects.
Start out giving the affected areas a good spray over using engine cleaner, then hose down with tap water after an hour or so.
That makes the project so much more friendly to overcome
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
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RichardW
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Most parts should be available from GSF or EuroCarParts.
It's a big vague though.....
1. (front of gearbox) fluid suspension unit leaking.
Presumably the regulator is leaking somewhere. might just need a seal, or a pipe nipping up. Should be able to get one of these from a scrap yard - make sure you get the right one though - an M reg is on the fence for single / double output pump
2. Rear fluid suspension unit leaking.
Could be sphere seal or pipe, or could be the height corrector - need to get under it to find out.
3. Nearside front steering rack gaiter split.
Gaiter is cheap - fitting it is a right PITA - you have to force it over the steering ram bush (unless you take the rack out and dismantle it
) Your local factors might be able to supply a stretchy gaiter that will be easier to get on.
It's a big vague though.....
1. (front of gearbox) fluid suspension unit leaking.
Presumably the regulator is leaking somewhere. might just need a seal, or a pipe nipping up. Should be able to get one of these from a scrap yard - make sure you get the right one though - an M reg is on the fence for single / double output pump
2. Rear fluid suspension unit leaking.
Could be sphere seal or pipe, or could be the height corrector - need to get under it to find out.
3. Nearside front steering rack gaiter split.
Gaiter is cheap - fitting it is a right PITA - you have to force it over the steering ram bush (unless you take the rack out and dismantle it
) Your local factors might be able to supply a stretchy gaiter that will be easier to get on.Richard W
As for the front suspension unit, I bet that they mean the regulator, clean it up with brake cleaner, then check all pipes and then if still needed get one from Pleiades.
The rear suspension, will poss be the gaiter split on the rear suspension cylinder, get one poss from Pleiades, GSF, or Citroen, Easy to fit.
N/S rack gaiter, this will be best fixed with a universal gaiter, as the Citroen gaiters are plastic and you cannot stretch them over the end so have to remove the rack and strip it, whilst with a universal gaiter, you can unbolt the ram and stretch the gaiter over the spigot sticking up.
Not very clear but you will see what I mean when you do the job!!
Regards
Slim.
The rear suspension, will poss be the gaiter split on the rear suspension cylinder, get one poss from Pleiades, GSF, or Citroen, Easy to fit.
N/S rack gaiter, this will be best fixed with a universal gaiter, as the Citroen gaiters are plastic and you cannot stretch them over the end so have to remove the rack and strip it, whilst with a universal gaiter, you can unbolt the ram and stretch the gaiter over the spigot sticking up.
Not very clear but you will see what I mean when you do the job!!
Regards
Slim.
I had pretty much the same failures a week ago on my 2.0i VSX auto Xantia.
1: as Richard states, check the tightness of the pipes feeding into the top on
the regulator that the sphere is attached on to - the likely ones are the two
viewed at the top that a leaking downwards onto the main regulator body.
Worth making sure you don't go overtightening them or rounding the edges
of the nuts. The seals are cheap enough but obviously require the system
depressurised first before working on them. I Undid part of the pipe
bracketry that holds the feed to allow better spanner access.
2: It doesn't actually say whether the leak is the height corrector or
ram/corner spheres/middle sphere etc. The end seal rubber cap wasn't
seating well on slightly oxidised rim on the height corrector. With the car
depressurised I prised the cap off and undid the central single nut to pop
the inner end cap - check it's secured properly and doesn't have any splits.
I wasn't sure about the one I had on the car so replaced it with another
removed out of a spare off a scrapped car. The MOT man who knows his
Xantiae told me he nearly always fails them on this unit!!
3: Unfortuantely for you the nearside steering gaiter IS a right git. The end
of the main rack ram iswell in the way. Is it clean torn in a manner where
you can repair what you've got in situ!?
Andrew
1: as Richard states, check the tightness of the pipes feeding into the top on
the regulator that the sphere is attached on to - the likely ones are the two
viewed at the top that a leaking downwards onto the main regulator body.
Worth making sure you don't go overtightening them or rounding the edges
of the nuts. The seals are cheap enough but obviously require the system
depressurised first before working on them. I Undid part of the pipe
bracketry that holds the feed to allow better spanner access.
2: It doesn't actually say whether the leak is the height corrector or
ram/corner spheres/middle sphere etc. The end seal rubber cap wasn't
seating well on slightly oxidised rim on the height corrector. With the car
depressurised I prised the cap off and undid the central single nut to pop
the inner end cap - check it's secured properly and doesn't have any splits.
I wasn't sure about the one I had on the car so replaced it with another
removed out of a spare off a scrapped car. The MOT man who knows his
Xantiae told me he nearly always fails them on this unit!!
3: Unfortuantely for you the nearside steering gaiter IS a right git. The end
of the main rack ram iswell in the way. Is it clean torn in a manner where
you can repair what you've got in situ!?
Andrew
Hi Mallyg.
The unit at the front with the pipes and sphere is the regulator, these are quite common for leakage, especialy if run with a "flat" main accumulator sphere, (constant ticking)
Give Pleiades a call on 01487 831239, you need to speak to Martin or Phil and give them my regards.
Or try the web, www.citroen-hydraulics.com
Regards
Slim.
The unit at the front with the pipes and sphere is the regulator, these are quite common for leakage, especialy if run with a "flat" main accumulator sphere, (constant ticking)
Give Pleiades a call on 01487 831239, you need to speak to Martin or Phil and give them my regards.
Or try the web, www.citroen-hydraulics.com
Regards
Slim.
Flow distributor valve
This is bolted onto the front of the gearbox in the area being discussed.
As Richard has pointed out already the tell tale to which type you have will
be the number of high pressure steel outlet pipes you have running out of
the hydraulic pump. The older pump that's stitched to a FDV will only have
the single HP feed.
BTW, I've found the single feed pipe pumps are REALLY hard to find...
<<edit>> though I'm told the Bx one's are the same!
Andrew
This is bolted onto the front of the gearbox in the area being discussed.
As Richard has pointed out already the tell tale to which type you have will
be the number of high pressure steel outlet pipes you have running out of
the hydraulic pump. The older pump that's stitched to a FDV will only have
the single HP feed.
BTW, I've found the single feed pipe pumps are REALLY hard to find...
<<edit>> though I'm told the Bx one's are the same!
Andrew
Last edited by andmcit on 15 Jun 2007, 15:39, edited 1 time in total.
Right here we go. I have established that the unit I am looking at at the front of the car is the regulator but what is the unit at the rear in the middle of the car. Sorry if I seem a little confused but I'm not all that mechanically minded and haven't had anything to do with Cit hydraulic systems before I got this car.
1995 Xantia 1.8i Dimension
It's either the anti sink sphere IF your car is young enough,
or more likely the height corrector.
When the guy showed you the faulty part did you see a lever off
the FRONT face and a long rod running to it from the front of the car?
Andrew
<<edit>> revised question to help clarify matters!!
or more likely the height corrector.
When the guy showed you the faulty part did you see a lever off
the FRONT face and a long rod running to it from the front of the car?
Andrew
<<edit>> revised question to help clarify matters!!
Last edited by andmcit on 15 Jun 2007, 15:58, edited 1 time in total.
The general idea is that anti-sink cars don't sink when left for a while. Some without it will stay up for many hours - particularly if the accumulator is good. My BX with a good accumulator drops quite quickly.
Cars with anti-sink use a 2 outlet pump, with the majority of the pump (6 pistons) supplying the steering and 2 only for the suspension and brakes. This is why the pump has 2 outlets. Non-anti-sink cars have an additional valve (the flow divider valve) which taps off a supply for the power steering.
The accumulator sphere is attached to the regulator. On an anti-sink car this will be the first component in the hydraulic circuit after the pump. If there is another small component with many pipes - this will be the flow divider valve.
One cause of regulator leaks can be a flat accumulator - usually recognisable as the system can be heard cycling very rapidly - like about every 5 seconds. The accumulator can simply be tested by getting the car to normal height and letting it idle for a couple of minutes. Then turn off the engine and sit in the boot. The car should sink a very long way then after about 309 seconds rise to its original height - powered by the accumulator.
The reason for the leaks with a flat accumulator is that one of its functions is to damp pulses from the pump - and when its flat sometimes these pulses can cause leaks.
A sound accumulator is vital for the proper functioning of the system and provides the reserve for the ABS - and the brakes themselves for that matter - which is more important with the twin outlet pump.
Cars with anti-sink use a 2 outlet pump, with the majority of the pump (6 pistons) supplying the steering and 2 only for the suspension and brakes. This is why the pump has 2 outlets. Non-anti-sink cars have an additional valve (the flow divider valve) which taps off a supply for the power steering.
The accumulator sphere is attached to the regulator. On an anti-sink car this will be the first component in the hydraulic circuit after the pump. If there is another small component with many pipes - this will be the flow divider valve.
One cause of regulator leaks can be a flat accumulator - usually recognisable as the system can be heard cycling very rapidly - like about every 5 seconds. The accumulator can simply be tested by getting the car to normal height and letting it idle for a couple of minutes. Then turn off the engine and sit in the boot. The car should sink a very long way then after about 309 seconds rise to its original height - powered by the accumulator.
The reason for the leaks with a flat accumulator is that one of its functions is to damp pulses from the pump - and when its flat sometimes these pulses can cause leaks.
A sound accumulator is vital for the proper functioning of the system and provides the reserve for the ABS - and the brakes themselves for that matter - which is more important with the twin outlet pump.
jeremy
So I have established that I now need the regulator and a rear height corrector. What else do I need, spheres maybe?. Sorry for all the questions but I need to make sure I have everything before I hand the car over to someone who is going to do the car for me.
Thanks everyone for all your help
Thanks everyone for all your help
1995 Xantia 1.8i Dimension