Dam and blast!!!

Sturdybloke · Post by **Sturdybloke** » 23 Aug 2007, 21:39

Went to turn the Xantia around today and the back end would not lift on its own

(so thinking that it needed citarobics)

Set it to high and it lifted up ok.
Next set it to low and it sank down fine.
Back to middle position (normal driving height) and it wont lift.
Set to high and it lifts up.
Back to middle and it sinks down completley (back end).
Up to high and it lifts up.
Next, held the lever between high and intermidate so the back sank slightly, then shoved it into normal driving height.
Left the engine running for a min and when I came back the bugger had gone to the floor (back end only).

So when we got the back end as it should, with the whole car level me and my old man (who is quite heavy) sat on the back end and it would not lift up

at all

Ive sprayed the rear HC and its linkage with WD (that was my first port of call) to loosen it up but no difference. Also the Plastic clip is still connected so I have no idea where to look

I think that the Height corrector has had it. Any ideas boys and girls? Bear in mind we are up against it with the MOT next week

All the best - Craig.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 24 Aug 2007, 03:02

Although I don't know how it might have happened, from the symptoms you describe it just sounds like the height adjustment is out - if it will happily lift up when you set the manual override lever to maximum I doubt you'll find the height corrector faulty.

Perhaps the clamp on the rollbar was not properly tightened in the past and after a while it has "slipped" out of adjustment. (The movement of the suspension and the manual override control apply a lot of force to the clamp, and it could easily slip if it wasn't tight)

I'd just go through a normal height adjustment procedure and see how it goes - with the car safely on a host/pit/ramps, slacken the clamp on the rollbar, use the manual height lever to lift the rear until its at the right height (or near to it) then tighten the clamp again, and check to see if it will correct for height changes with load.

If so just tweak the height adjustment until its right, make sure the clamp is tight, and job done.

If this doesn't help, then you might be looking at other problems...

Edit: another possibility is that the manual override linkage is out of adjustment, but we'll cross that bridge if you get to it... 8)

Regards,
Simon

Sturdybloke · Post by **Sturdybloke** » 25 Aug 2007, 16:42

Ive tried adjusting it like you said Simon but its still the same. What did you say about a manual override linkage being out of adjustment?

deian · Post by **deian** » 25 Aug 2007, 17:47

I'm with Simon on this one if the clip is in place and it's wd40'd.

Personally before any adjustment I'd drive the car over a pit or up a high ramp (not up where the wheels dangle), and have the engine running and check what happens to height corrector mechanisms when an assistant is going through all the manual adjustment stages inside the car. This should show you instantly if the clamp is too loose as you would be able to see it move (or not as the case may be).

If you need to adjust it, I suggest you take your time, as the car takes time to react to any changes, they are not insantaneous, but always be ready for the opposite (as with any citroen) just in case you bang your head on something.

If you look carefully at the height corrector linkages and how they work together when things happen it will all start to make sense and diagnosis will be so much easier. You may even work out how to adjust the manual override rod (look for the thread on the end of the bar attached to the plate kinda thing).

There are posts with procedures and data for setting the height somewhere, i've been through it myself quite thoroughly with many conversations with simon.

Sturdybloke · Post by **Sturdybloke** » 26 Aug 2007, 16:23

Today I took off the HC to get a better look at things. Looking at the pivot spring (the silver one in my picture) one end tensions against the bar that comes out of the front of the HC the other end of it (after its wound round the pivot) is just going nowhere i.e into air -

If you look at the picture I have (as best as I could with a screwdriver) pointed out a hole in the plate, should the straight end of the spring go into this? Looking at it on the car its the only thing that could hold the straight end of the spring with to give it tension. If you have good eyesight you can see the hole at the end of the screwdriver, with the end of the spring right next to it

*EDIT*
This is a better picture -

You can see that the end of the spring in the background is correctly located. The end of the spring in the foregroung is just hanging about. Is it meant to sit in the notch/cutout on in the bracket?

Many thanks - Craig.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 26 Aug 2007, 21:16

Sturdybloke wrote:You can see that the end of the spring in the background is correctly located. The end of the spring in the foregroung is just hanging about. Is it meant to sit in the notch/cutout on in the bracket?

Definately shouldn't be hanging about loose. The spring should be symetrical and be able to act in the same fashion in both directions. Does it look like it will stay in if you put it back in the notch, or is the notch worn/damaged ?

Regards,
Simon

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 27 Aug 2007, 22:29

How are you getting on Craig!?

I've got a spare GWO height corrector rolling about in the boot of
my estate if you need a reference/replacement...

I'd rather a tangible fault I can see and repair like your problem
than the near dead diesel engine belching grey/white smoke and
struggling to rev/work properly!!

Are you set for the pending MOT?

Andrew

Sturdybloke · Post by **Sturdybloke** » 28 Aug 2007, 16:45

Think I have It sorted now. Its lifting fine so we shall see. I think that it was due to the spring jumping out of the notch on the cradle and then just flapping about.

andmcit wrote:I'd rather a tangible fault I can see and repair like your problem than the near dead diesel engine belching grey/white smoke and
struggling to rev/work properly!!

Have you got that sorted yet or is it still giving you grief?

andmcit wrote: Are you set for the pending MOT?

and $\:D/$ hopefully. Ive been over the car about half a dozen times checking everything. Its booked in for 8:45 am thursday so I am leaving at about 7:15 to take the car there the scenic route with a nice stretch of quiet fast road to give the car a blast to clean it out as its spent the last 2 1/2 years rumbling up and down the back lane at 6 MPH

Sitting with crossed fingers - Craig.

Post by **admiral51** » 29 Aug 2007, 23:14

hi craig

there comes a time doing an mot prep when you have to say enough is enough and trust yourself to have done everything that can be done

that time is usually 5 secs before you hand the keys over and 5 secs after sit down in the waiting room as you start beating yourself up convinced you forgot something really important

seriously though all the best im sure it will sail through

colin

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 29 Aug 2007, 23:22

Binding brakes (from long layup) or headlamp aim too low...

Nah, you'll be fine, and at least a retest is then a gameplan to follow
rather than pitching into the unknown like you are at the mo!

All the best tomorrow Craig!!
BTW - who's doing the test?

Andrew

Post by **admiral51** » 30 Aug 2007, 18:17

well dont keep us in suspense did it pass

colin

Sturdybloke · Post by **Sturdybloke** » 30 Aug 2007, 20:27

Sorry that its taken this long to reply guys and girls, Ive had one hell of a day....

Left this morning at 7:20 ish and everything was fine. Got about a mile down the road (by the Woodman Inn for andmcit) and something didnt feel right so pulled over. The back end was way to high and thinking that the plastic HC clip might have popped off/or I forgot to put it on I (stupid without supports I know

) shimmied under the back end. The rubber endcap on the HC was bulging, and I mean bulging outwards, and for some stupid reason I lightly poked it. About 1/2 a jamjar of LHM went everywhere. F&%^"#* B@^%")~!!! were my exact words. Back in the car I tried to get it to lower the backend by using the manual height control but it was not going to happen. Limped home in one bouncy car & in a very unhappy mood.

Had to phone the MOT man and apologise (a guy I always use for my MOT's) who was quite understanding and told me that when I had it sorted to give him a ring to get it booked in.

Ive spent the rest of the day re-doing my parents patio & wondering round B&Q for chippings/plants/slabs etc etc.

Andrew you have mail about that HC that you mentioned (and Colin about collection of the wing).

Hope everyone had a better day than me - Craig.

Post by **admiral51** » 30 Aug 2007, 20:31

sorry to hear that craig really did think it was going to pass this moring fingers crossed that it goes smoothly in respect of HC replacement and subsequent MOT

colin