Xsara 2002 HDI-110 sudden consumption of water

ebod · Post by **ebod** » 30 Aug 2007, 12:41

Hi all,
I've not visited this forum for ages, which can be attributed to 18 months trouble free running from my Xsara. Its now done 120000 miles

However recently the water light came on . It took a half a kettle of water to top up, and this is the first time its ever need it.

A few weeks later ( last night ) it came on again and this time it took nearly a kettle full.

I watch the temp guage and it never gets hot, it hovers around and just over the 1/4 mark. I occasionally trip on the A/C in traffic just to kick the fan into action.

I can see traces of crystalised fluid around the expensaion tank but now other visible signs of leakage.

Can anyone advise if this particular model is infamous for cooling problems or silly little things like expansion tank caps leaking under pressure ? Alternatively could the thermostat be not opening enough in trafiic and causing a back pressure??

Pls advise
Thx

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 30 Aug 2007, 14:51

Take a careful look around the water pump area - hoses as well as seal leakage. From what you say bit seems unlikey to be head gasket.

Hi all,
I've not visited this forum for ages, which can be attributed to 18 months trouble free running from my Xsara. Its now done 120000 miles

However recently the water light came on . It took a half a kettle of water to top up, and this is the first time its ever need it.

A few weeks later ( last night ) it came on again and this time it took nearly a kettle full.

I watch the temp guage and it never gets hot, it hovers around and just over the 1/4 mark. I occasionally trip on the A/C in traffic just to kick the fan into action.

I can see traces of crystalised fluid around the expensaion tank but now other visible signs of leakage.

Can anyone advise if this particular model is infamous for cooling problems or silly little things like expansion tank caps leaking under pressure ? Alternatively could the thermostat be not opening enough in trafiic and causing a back pressure??

nick · Post by **nick** » 30 Aug 2007, 15:16

Are there any signs of coolant in the footwells? Xsaras can suffer with leaking heater matrixes unfortunately.

ebod · Post by **ebod** » 30 Aug 2007, 17:47

Ive just done the 36mile trip home on the M62 and then checked under the bonnet.

There is definately a trace of water coming from the tank lid. As soon as I open the bonnet there is that whiff of radiator water on the o/s inner wing.

So its back to my original question, i.e could it be that the tank/cap are failing under pressure ?

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 30 Aug 2007, 18:17

Cap is possible... but more likely something else IMHO... if you can smell of Afreeze, I would say you have a leak somewhere. However a very slow head gasket failure should not be excluded.

Good luck!

ve just done the 36mile trip home on the M62 and then checked under the bonnet.

There is definately a trace of water coming from the tank lid. As soon as I open the bonnet there is that whiff of radiator water on the o/s inner wing.

So its back to my original question, i.e could it be that the tank/cap are failing under pressure ?

Post by **RichardW** » 31 Aug 2007, 07:54

Time to do the quick HG tests I'm afraid.....

1. Is it still holding pressure when cold?
2. When cold, release any pressure, refit cap, run engine for 1 minute - is there pressure in the tank?
3. Cap off, engine running - are there bubbles coming up into the header tank?

If the answer to any of the above is yes, then it's probably time to decapitate it

Whilst not as bad as the XUDT the HDi is by no means immune from HG failure.....

Post by **Peter.N.** » 31 Aug 2007, 09:59

Sorry, but it sounds like the head gasket to me.

f00lzz · Post by **f00lzz** » 31 Aug 2007, 19:19

I believe the expansion tank on some variants can split at the 'joint' my V6 has had two tanks in its life, year 2001 ... and if anyone is interested also the last Xantia V6 imported by Citroen UK !!!!

ebod · Post by **ebod** » 31 Aug 2007, 20:46

I'm buying a new cap in the morning and will run it for a few days to see what happens.

Its having its 3rd MOT tomorrow a.m. and the gargae bloke reckons it would be in the ~£400 quid area as he has to send the head off for checking/skimming.

Does £400 seem steep ?

Post by **Peter.N.** » 31 Aug 2007, 21:31

£400.00 Sounds quite reasonable for a head gasket job. They wanted £1,000 to do my XM, so I did it myself and found out why they wanted £1k!

ebod · Post by **ebod** » 01 Sep 2007, 23:05

If the car has done 120k miles and its about to have a big pot of money spend on it, what other things should I get replaced eg pulleys , water pump etc ?

Post by **Peter.N.** » 01 Sep 2007, 23:24

Water pump, idler and tensioner should do it, and cam belt of course!

rossd · Post by **rossd** » 03 Sep 2007, 12:33

Have you made any progress on this? I've replied to my Hdi Head Gasket topic over on the Peugeot forum after you left a reply.

ebod · Post by **ebod** » 03 Sep 2007, 17:05

just to keep it in the Cit forum I've copied your original post below:

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=20928

Yep, although its holding stable temperature commuting to Leeds, it definately gives a big 'pssst' when opening cap when cold. There is a smell of anti-freeze when I get out of the car.

Whilst its in dock I'm going to get as much stuff sorted eg :
belts/pulleys , water pump , p/s pump , clutch kit. It could go into £600+ but I will keep it a few more years to get my money out of it.
( its the potential chances of it getting wrote off in a slam that bugs me, as I spent £500+ on my last car and it got wrote of months later )

I've not owned a 206 , so can't compare. However it was the Parkers web info which made me set my sights on a Xsara HDI-110. Its 0-60 is 10 seconds.Also its brakes are shared with the VTS.
Although its quick, I find it a bit unstable at motorway spends

rossd · Post by **rossd** » 04 Sep 2007, 08:01

Thats odd, mine is as stable as anythingup to highly illegal speeds. At 120k I'd look at the wishbone bushes, they cause exactly those symptoms when worn.... (Following lorry ruts, general fidgiting around at speed)

Let us know how the head gasket saga continues!