Latest purchase blog

Tell us your ongoing tales and experiences with your French car here. Post pictures of your car here as well.
MikeT
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Latest purchase blog

Unread post by MikeT »

In order to save me repeating myself in emails and PM's I've decided it'll be easier to provide the details here.

I sold my white xantia on account of the MOT expiring and the estimated costs involved to have it pass. It went for £350 including 5+months tax.

Citrojim told me I'll get another Xantia one day and he was dead right. I saw it on ebay with a starting bid of £175. It's a 98 Mk2 1.9TD, 116K with tax and mot about to expire. Advertised as a non-starter that was running fine before. The seller told me Green Flag tried jump leads on it but suspected a fuel pump fault after flattening his booster pack.

I had to call the AA as I didn't have any jump leads and the battery was flat. We fired it up on the third attempt using easystart and I drove it 130 odd miles home without stopping or turning the engine off. It'll restart fine when hot so, following other members advice (cheers Jim) I found two glow plugs were dead - not removed the other two yet but have bought four replacements anyway.

Image

To be continued :lol:
ellevie
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Unread post by ellevie »

Well ware Mike, it looks like you've got yourself a nice motor there. :lol:
It should be easy to remember the number.
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CitroJim
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Unread post by CitroJim »

Good on 'yer Mike :D Looks like a result there. You certainly had a result shifting the white one for as much as you did :lol:

That picture makes it look very menacing. It looks like a dog about to pounce. Are you sure it's not a dog you've got there? It smells like one :lol: :lol: :P

A bit of fettling and it'll be a great car. For my money, that shade of red is the best and nicest colour for a Xantia.

Funnily, speaking of colours, Xantias look good in silver as well which is strange as most cars look dreadfully drab in silver.
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
admiral51
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Unread post by admiral51 »

Hi Mike it does look good bet your glad to see the back of the white one :D :D
mind you it was a good training vehicle for your new project :) :)
citrojim wrote:

Funnily, speaking of colours, Xantias look good in silver as well which is strange as most cars look dreadfully drab in silver.
Im glad you said that last bit Jim :lol: :lol: :lol:

Colin
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CitroJim
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Unread post by CitroJim »

admiral51 wrote:
citrojim wrote:

Funnily, speaking of colours, Xantias look good in silver as well which is strange as most cars look dreadfully drab in silver.
Im glad you said that last bit Jim :lol: :lol: :lol:

Colin
Even stranger Colin, I wrote that before seeing the pictures of yours in another thread :lol:
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
MikeT
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Unread post by MikeT »

Thank you ellevie though it's not as nice as it can be. But I'm not complaining as it's far better than the white Xantia I had in many respects, not least the looks although I do prefer the MK1 front to the Mk2. Red is my favourite colour for cars/bikes and I was pleased to notice this one is a metallic red 8)

So today, I think I've found and fixed the non-starting issue after removing the glowplugs - every one was dead. I should know for sure tomorrow because there is also a fuel leak - the grenade is far softer and takes many more pumps to get pressure up than my old Xantia.

Whilst working at the glow plugs, I also noticed some baked on goo around the base of one of the injectors and another injector appears slightly damp from top to bottom. However, I intend to fix the obvious and then jetwash the engine bay before hunting for real leaks.

When I first looked under the bonnet on Sunday I was disheartened to see oily dirt covering the HP pump. (Today, however, I noticed a nearby fuel line connector damp on one side.) Also, the top cambelt cover is missing and the pulleys and nuts look new (though I guess the latter could be due to having the former fitted for most of the car's use?). The turbo pipe is cracking where it sits over the spigot on the IP. A few occasional bracket nuts and bolts are missing. I suspect the fans are not working and it was declared as having non-working A/C.

As mentioned in another thread, the interior stinks of dog and needs a good clean. One of the rear seats is frayed the entire length of one seam running front to back but it's not readily noticeable. Some minor chunks are missing from the foam underneath - bad Tramp! A rear interior grab handle has come adrift and the front passenger footwell has a tell-tale stain but is dry to the touch. The boot carpet is also badly stained and distorted, although it too is bone-dry. The parcel shelf cord is broken and the sunblind grab tab missing (Picky or what? :lol: ). One brake light has failed and a wheeltrim is missing.

The exterior has many blemishes, a few small dents and scratches with the obligatory scuffed front wraparound bumpers. All glass looks good, unlike my other Xantia :lol: though the wipers are atrocious.

The good bits. Two weeks MOT and TAX, rear spoiler, cd changer, new radiator, good tyres inc spare, new therefore light clutch, new air filter, new pollen filter, good brakes, pulls well, no smoke, good steering, good exhaust, some service history, handbooks in pristine condition (ironic? :lol: ) and it's a MK2 with the standard improvements such as newer radio/cassette, exterior temperature readout, small storage space where the keypad used to be, funky hidden pockets below the interior door handles. Extras include a spares pack of bulbs and fuses, a miniature football, a pink phone charger, a picnic blanket and a very tatty and older version of the Haynes manual that I suspect contains more valuable data and illustrations than my current manual. I haven't decided if it's a pro or a con but it also came with two fitted roof bars.

So far, I'm very pleased with my buy. I was lucky no-one bid against me really and very lucky to have good friends that helped me collect the car and offer support or help me out further if I needed it. Oh... and the AA earnt their money. :P

I forgot to add, the car came with a full tank of diesel so effectively the car cost only £100.
Last edited by MikeT on 24 Jun 2010, 18:11, edited 2 times in total.
MikeT
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Unread post by MikeT »

:shock: Be fair Jim, it had a couple of hundred spent on it as well as the hard work we put in. I was hoping to have more of the MOT related problems fixed but I ran out of time and that fanbelt issue was the last straw. Besides, he bartered me down :wink:

If this one is a dog, the last one was a bitch! :P

Yes, Colin, relieved is more apt I think. I did explain all the known faults to the new owner and gave him a 3-day cooling off period. My luck was that he needed a car that doesn't worry about driving and sitting in a quarry yard 8) He owns a nice RS Escort Turbo so has been (ab)using his girlfriend's car for work.
admiral51
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Unread post by admiral51 »

Not sure what bits will fit from a MK1 to a MK2 but i do have a few interior bits and pieces :wink: from some earlier dismantles so give me a shout if there is anything you need and ill have a shufty

sorry no rear window stickers :lol: :lol: :lol:

Colin
MikeT
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Unread post by MikeT »

Ok Colin, I'll be visiting GSF in the next two weeks, the sooner the better - once I've got the starting issues fully sorted. Can you send me details if you're likely to be around? :)
MikeT
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Unread post by MikeT »

As predicted, I'm suffering a stiff, sore and painful back discouraging me from finishing yesterdays glowplug replacement. The plugs are in but I removed some pipes and brackets for easier access. So I'm going through the service receipts provided.

Oct 2001 @ 58987 miles
Oil + filter, fuel filter, air filter, pollen filter and LHM topup
Advisory:
Coolant top hose slight leak. Front tyres inner edges worn (sounds familiar!). Spare inner & outer worn. Suspension becoming firm. O/S rear discs slight corrosion on inner face.

June 2002 @ 69759
Free off caliper pistons. Fit new rear discs, pads & O/S anti-roll bar link. Fit new front pads.

June 2002 @ 70030
Parts/Service unknown - charge £279.98

Sept 2002 @ 75196
AA recovery. Reported noise from front. Diagnosed as A/C clutch

April 2003 @ 75406
MOT inspection - dipped beam not working

April 2006 @ 107488
Unreadable - like a doctors writing £176.46

May 2007 @ 113237
Full exhaust system

Aug 2007 @ 114088
New clutch & service (seems there's 4 free clutch warranty checks that need to be carried at certain mileages)

:shock: Well, I certainly wouldn't have sold this car for the sake of four glow plugs! Another thing I noticed is the radiator is brand new, datestamped 2004
Last edited by MikeT on 22 Jul 2008, 23:36, edited 1 time in total.
MikeT
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Unread post by MikeT »

I've booked it in for it's MOT on Tuesday. It's still starting fine, no bubbles appearing in the fuel line and whatever oil was dripping from the sump it has stopped dripping. The rev counter is working again, as is the O/S brake light. The washers work evenly and accurately again. Now the not-so-good. Citroen don't have my car listed on their database and are unable to assist me with the radio code. I discovered sodden carpet in the drivers footwell. The rear end looks a little too high and there's a light knocking or thudding seemingly coming from the front near side. I also discovered why the A/C isn't working and it looks expensive.
MikeT
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Unread post by MikeT »

Day three and she's still starting first time :D along with the squealing aux belt :( though that noise soon disappears. The more I drive it the more noises I'm beginning to notice and there appears to be something loose in the front, sounds like a sort of knocking but it's very quiet and not heard at higher speeds.

Also the brakes have begun to act like my old Xantia - grabbing at the end or biting then fading then biting again when slowing down, regardless of speed and despite applying constant pressure. It can be unnerving at times.

While I'm bitching, I also think the clutch is starting to judder just like the previous Xantia only not so bad. Maybe it's my driving style - I try to use minimum revs - often idle is enough in slow moving traffic.

I'm convinced the rear height is too high and checked the plastic link was still in place. The receipts for work done show a new link was fitted once upon time so I assume it wasn't done by specialist and set properly. :( The LHM tank has been overfilled so I bought a turkey baster and syphoned a litre before regaining the right level. The fluid that came out was a disgusting brown colour though it wasn't cloudy. (see other thread in CITROEN forum)

I also drained the fuel filter housing and filled it with half a bottle of injector cleaner. The rest went in the half tank of diesel that's left and I went for a blast. The expected clouds of smoke didn't materialise and it ran fine as if the cleaner has good cetane value. I must say, this car is quite quick when it wants to be! I can hear the turbo whine at 1100rpm and it pulls well all the way to the redline. :P I don't think there's any need to increase the fuelling but I'd love to see how much quicker this car can be! 8)
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CitroJim
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Unread post by CitroJim »

The knocking will be a drop link Mike..

the surging brakes will be air in the brake lines. Give them a good bleed whey you put the hydraflush in and you'll notice a difference. No amount of Citarobics will purge air from the hydraulic "dead ends" that are the brake lines. It can also be aggrivated by a near-flat accumulator. Did you say you were ticking rather frequently Mike?

Clutch Judder is often nothing more than worn nylon bushes on the clutch release shaft. The top one can be replaced in-situ but to do the bottom one the 'box has to come off.

Get that brown LHM changed soonest Mike. I didn't say in the other thread but there's no way of saving it. It has come to the end of its days.

An easy rear height test is to see if the tops of the rear tyres are just and just clear of the wheelarches on normal or even very slightly under. The plastic link replacement should not have affected the ride height. A bit of stiffness in the linkages may not be helping. If you have not already, give the HC linkages a good clean and re-lubricate.

The list of problems you are uncovering remain reassuringly small Mike :D
Jim

Runner, cyclist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
MikeT
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Unread post by MikeT »

citrojim wrote:The list of problems you are uncovering remain reassuringly small Mike :D
:lol: This blog also serves a purpose as a sort of diary to remind of what to tackle next - if at all - as I've got a memory like a rusty sieve. The clutch is brand new and was supposed to have been checked 600 miles ago to maintain the warranty. I'll take it for the second check in 400 miles and mention the judder.

I'm waiting for the results of the MOT before deciding what jobs to do so forgive me if I don't heed your advise and change the LHM tomorrow etc.

p.s. Did you get my PM about May?
MikeT
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MOT

Unread post by MikeT »

I'm very pleased to announce the car passed the MOT with flying colours - i.e no advisories. Typically, as I got in the car to take it away from the station, the radio was displaying CODE IN :shock: so I promptly entered the next code I'd previously calculated only to get locked out again :? At least I know it can be reset for future attempts, previously I was not using the right sequence of buttons apparently.

So let the games commence. I've noted several jobs that need doing to this car and will be asking questions in the Citroen forum shortly as I've never attemtped some of them before and it's always good to recap on what I do know, just in case. I think first up has to be the accu sphere (it ticks almost constantly), LHM flush (though I'd prefer I had some of that Hydronet2000 first) and droplink (whatever that is).