My Xantia HDi

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 20 Dec 2008, 21:55

Indeed, I may have to sneak over and witness the grand moment!

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 21 Dec 2008, 01:34

Might be tomorrow if I'm lucky. Feel free to pop over if you need an extra pair of hands to bleed yours.

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 14 Jan 2009, 19:21

As many of you are aware I've been having monumental problems with my car. It would seem the cambelt slipped (possibly due to an error by myself when tensioning) and I actually had a piston hit a valve and ended up with a broken rocker (very lucky I must be to get away with one)

So, I've had the head cover off and replaced the broken rocker. I also managed to retrieve all the bolts/nuts/washers I dropped down the back of the engine

Everything is now replaced, including a new timing belt as the other one was contaminated with oil after removing the oil seal. It has taken me a while as I have limited time, I usually work every afternoon/evening and so therefore only manage about 2 full hours of work before I have to pack up and be off to work.

I have however had today off, a very productive day indeed

I popped on the new belt and tensioned everything up, replaced all I needed to be able to start the engine and went for the start....

....battery flat. I'm thinking the battery is on its last legs anyway and so will something else I need to purchase but it hasn't helped with the car having sat for so long. So I got the jump starter out (a very good Clarke charger/starter) and boosted it from that.....

....and she started, is firing cleanly on all 4 cylinders

I left it running for an hour and rechecked the tension of the belt when hot, it was slightly tighter and seemed fine, there was no squealing so it seems its not too tight.

I reassembled everything and took it to town and back a couple of times and all seems well. Though I do need to replace the rubber bushing inside the RH engine mount that bolt to the lower casting. I assume it is pressed in/out so not too sure how I'm going to achieve that but I did replace the mounting that bolts the wing as the rubber in this had broken completely and cannot be renewed separately. I have the bushing awaiting to go on so thats a job lined up along with new tyres and brakes.

I did have a peek at my strut tops while I was doing the work and am sad to say it looks like they'll need doing soon too. Hopefully it'll be a nice job. I am certainly getting accustomed to working on a Xantia and the HDi engine! Will also need to sort that injector plug too.

Only thing that remains is the EM light is lit. This doesn't surprise me but that'll need to be cleared too.

Overall though, I am very happy as I write this

Post by **CitroJim** » 14 Jan 2009, 19:44

Toby_HDi wrote: Overall though, I am very happy as I write this

I can quite catagorically assure you Toby, you're not the only one

brilliant news and a big well done

$\:D/$

Made my evening that has 8)

Strut tops after what you've just done will be a genuine walk in the park

Top effort Toby! Proud of you

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 14 Jan 2009, 23:04

Thanks Jim. I am proud of myself. I vowed not to let it beat me and while it's taken a while I got there.

Like I say a few little jobs to sort, EM light, strut tops and that injector clip.

Just so happy to have the car back

......hasn't stopped me thinking about that Activa though

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 15 Jan 2009, 14:02

Bravo Toby, I knew you'd come good in the end! Feels good, doesn't it?

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 15 Jan 2009, 20:58

It certainly does Mike

Just like to say Thanks to everyone who helped with the various issues I had. Helped no end I can tell you

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 18 Jan 2009, 16:44

Just a quick one to say that I took the car on a slightly longer run to Christchurch today, including some dual carriagways.

All seems fine, even the injector plug seems to be staying on. Want it sorted before I go to Farnham next month though.

Have also spotted a Lexia for sale that I might go for, if only to clear the EM light I have for the time being.

Post by **red_dwarfers** » 18 Jan 2009, 16:53

If it's the same Lexia I spotted, it looks in good nick and not a bad price

Go for it Toby, then I won't have to travel all the way up to Milton Keynes to get my fault codes read

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 18 Jan 2009, 16:54

Toby_HDi wrote:All seems fine, even the injector plug seems to be staying on. Want it sorted before I go to Farnham next month though.

Have also spotted a Lexia for sale that I might go for, if only to clear the EM light I have for the time being.

If want to venture a little further up the M3 you're welcome to pop into my place to use my Lexia.

Post by **CitroJim** » 18 Jan 2009, 16:58

Great to hear it's all looking good Toby

Just an idea for a temporary "fix" for your injector plug: Get some big heatshrink sleeving just a tad bigger than the plug. Slip it over the plug and shrink it. It'll curl up around the edges and hold the plug a treat. I need to get some for my needle lift sensor plug that has the same problem.

When you get a new plug, the heatshrink is easy to cut off with a sharp knife.

red_dwarfers wrote: Go for it Toby, then I won't have to travel all the way up to Milton Keynes to get my fault codes read

Yes, I agree, it's a long hike Kev and if you got one Toby, that's another one strategically placed in the UK.

A Lexia is a purchase you'll never regret and wonder how you managed without it. If you get your Activa Toby, I'd say a Lexia was almost essential!

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 18 Jan 2009, 17:43

Is certainly tempting, as said, would be evry useful. Will keep a close eye on it..

DickieG may I ask whereabouts further up the M3 you are?

That sounds a good idea Jim, I may try that as it seems I may have difficulty sourcing a replacement plug - I emailed a seller on Ebay and they wanted £15.00 + P&P!!!!

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 25 Jan 2009, 18:29

A decent week this week. The car was running fine, using it around town and slightly further runs to Christchurch about 10 miles up the road. I did notice that the engine was more vocal than I remembered and it had a definite booming-like quality to it. All the time the EM light was on.

I went out early this morning and checked all the fluids and gave the car a good going over for its first lengthy trip. I drove up to Buckinghamshire to visit DickieG and his magic machine. I recieved a very warm welcome from him and he got straight to work with thw Lexia, was slightly larger than I expected it to be! Anyway, there were various faults logged which we assume was down to the cambelt failure. On clearing the codes and starting the engine, no more codes were logged and the light stayed off the whole way home

I am absolutely amazed at what this thing can do, I was allowed a play on it and I was in awe, every little detail about the car, right down to what temp setting the heater is on, can be displayed - as well as all sorts of other functions. I reckon I haven't seen half of what that machine can do though.

Dickie even found me the missing clips I was after so I am very happy, I do owe him a pint or two of the good stuff

All that leaves now is the injector plug but worries have been eased now the car has completed nearly 200 miles without it coming off.

I must say that Dickie has a couple of very tidy cars in his HDi estate, and his V6 - lovely colour is the V6 too. A very deep blue that also possibly has a hint of purple to it. They both certainly shamed mine!

I now know what a V6 Xantia sounds like and it is a very nice sound, almost cat like in its purring

I want one!

He even showed me his DS, I've never seen one of these in the flesh before (being only 21

) and I have to say it is absolutely beautiful. I don't know if he noticed but I had a grin on my face when I saw it, a fantastic car.

The drive home was very nice, Sunday afternoon light traffic down the M3, most pleasant. The car seems to go much smoother now the faults have been cleared and it has lost the boom that it had earlier on in the week - not sure if that was the Lexia working its magic or just in my mind.
She even surprised me on the M3 around Southampton when I squeezed the throttle to overtake a car to be met with a nice gentle push back into my seat and the car using its torque to accelarate relentlessly. That pleasantly surprised me.

Again fuel economy is excellent. Have used an indicated 1/4 of a tank and gone nearly 200 miles.

As I say, a decent week and a very good day today to cap it off. Many thanks to DickieG for today, pleasure to meet him and put another face to a name.

I now need to get the HDi a new set of front tyres for its MOT next month, as well as swapping the Hydraflush with LHM and trying to swap this engine mount bush. Brakes need doing too at some point so I have plenty to keep me going and no doubt plenty more material for the blog

Post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jan 2009, 20:33

Excellent stuff Toby

Pleased all is now good on the HDi front. I reckon a Lexia does do something magical because cars always seem to go better after a session on them..

Toby_HDi wrote:I now know what a V6 Xantia sounds like and it is a very nice sound, almost cat like in its purring I want one!

That sums up a V6 perfectly Toby and it was Richard's that gave me a longing for one. Did he take you for a spin in it? I can't wait to be actually able to drive mine rather than just enjoy the sound of the engine

So, when can we expect an Activa and a V6 to join your fleet then

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 25 Jan 2009, 20:38

citrojim wrote:Did he take you for a spin in it?

Alas no, I think he may be wary of doing that after making you want one!

citrojim wrote:So, when can we expect an Activa and a V6 to join your fleet then