Xantia V6 cat / exhaust query

Dave V6 · Post by **Dave V6** » 23 Apr 2009, 21:45

Hi All,

thanks for the help I got from the forum last summer with a wiring query I had. I aim to keep my xantia V6 on the road as long as possible, and it looks like theres some major work to be done soon.

Can anyone tell me if the cat on the exhaust (in front of the mid box) is supposed to hang down? I had it in with one of the exhaust/tyres/batteries chains today and the bloke there said it was supposed to hang down below the car as it was bigger than the usual cat on a xantia. As in because it has the big engine, it has a bigger cat and the bigger cat wont fit into the cavity where the usual ones go, and so it hangs down a bit.

Now, is that really the case? I'm not sure to be honest, and the mid box needs replacing. If the car has the wrong cat I may as well get the right one put on, as it just looks strange; from the side of the car the underneath looks flat except for this bulge in the front part of the exhaust. I mean it is noticeably hanging down, but having never seen another V6 I don't know if this is normal.

Can anyone shed some light on this? I don't want to spend money on a new cat needlessly, but want to keep the car ship shape for as long as I can.

Many Thanks,

Dave.

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 23 Apr 2009, 21:52

If the middle section of the exhaust needs replacing its more than likely down to that as the middle section acts as a brace for the back end of the cat. The cat on mine was the same until I replaced the centre section.

Post by **xantia_v6** » 24 Apr 2009, 06:24

What Richard said plus:

The joints at each end of the centre section are angled, so twisting it makes the centre section and the cat sit higher or lower, so you have to play with it a bit when refitting to get just enough clearance under the bodywork.

BTW, here is the best pricing I found for for V6 exhausts

Mike

Post by **CitroJim** » 24 Apr 2009, 07:07

Thanks Mike

That's a useful site as I need a new back box on mine!

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 24 Apr 2009, 10:39

Mine was a bit hangy too, but if you get under there and make sure everything is supported where you want it then tighten it all up it should stay in place. I bought some heavy duty clamps just to make sure, as the existing clamps were a bit feeble and wouldn't tighten enough without bending.

Mine used to scrape on humps etc until I fixed it but it's fine now apart from the fact that it's blowing a bit, but I'll be sorting that soon with some mastic

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 24 Apr 2009, 11:57

Stempy wrote:Mine was a bit hangy too, but if you get under there and make sure everything is supported where you want it then tighten it all up it should stay in place. I bought some heavy duty clamps just to make sure, as the existing clamps were a bit feeble and wouldn't tighten enough without bending.

Mine used to scrape on humps etc until I fixed it but it's fine now apart from the fact that it's blowing a bit, but I'll be sorting that soon with some mastic

Speaking about the system hanging down more than it should I had a similar problem, and needed to get round it with heavy duty clamps, and mounts. When you consider the weight of the system, and then the physics involved when the car is moving around, it can strain the system.

The mountings I required where the Powerflex type which are stronger, these were available from Halfrauds, and were a reasonable cheap price with the trade discount card.

Here's a link to the Powerflex web site, I just used a universal mount and cut it to size to suit.

Dave V6 · Post by **Dave V6** » 24 Apr 2009, 14:29

Wow,
Thanks for all the replies!

It seems my cat is fairly normal then; I'll just have to get the mid box replaced and hope for the best / asses the situation once that's done.

To Mike; thanks for the link to the exhaust supplier; My local guys have a similar price and will fit for £20. I'll let them have at it because I have no ramps or axle stands, and I reckon they do it all day so they'll do it better than I could.

Actually I'm not really good with engine type things, I just enjoy the driving. My vito van is giving some trouble and it took me 5 hours at the side of the road to figure out how to get it moving again...!?!?! Ok with electrics, not so good with mechanicals.

It seems my V6 needs some other work too; steering response gets very heavy at low engine revs (e.g. in a car park etc) so I assume it needs a new hydraulic pump; high ride is bumpy so probably new shperes (the corner ones were done 30kmiles ago so from what I can tell reading here that means the centre accumulators might need replacing?); mileage is just over 150k so it also looks like a new cambelt. Oh, and i have a squeaky bearing or pulley of some kind... A few bits and pieces to do, but I really really like this car. It's the best I've ever owned, and that includes a pair of reliable but boring corollas and a completely utterly unrelaible but amazingly exciting alfa 33.

If any of my amateur diagnoses seem incorrect please feel free to put me right.

Thanks again,

Dave (V6)

Dave V6 · Post by **Dave V6** » 24 Apr 2009, 14:35

oh, one more thing!

MY passenger side windscreen washer jet is gone. Do all of the Exclusive Xantias have the heated jets, or just the V6 model? As in, could I get a set of heated jets from any breaker Xantia Exclusive, or do I have to pay the local main dealer £60 just for a set of heated washer jets...

Thanks again,

Dave.

f00lzz · Post by **f00lzz** » 24 Apr 2009, 18:20

Any with the 'winter pack' fitted I believe

Dave V6 · Post by **Dave V6** » 25 Apr 2009, 21:38

Report:

Mid box done today, but cat still hanging down.

I only noticed it in a supermarket car park as I was walking back towards the car, so i set it to service high, and from a distance the mid box is sittting lower than I would have thought was normal, and the cat is definitiely hanging down. I'll take a pic at the office car park tomorrow, and maybe someone could tell me if it's out of whack?

Thanks for all the help so far!

Dave (V6)

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 25 Apr 2009, 21:49

Did you do the job yourself or use an exhaust centre? In order to get the exhaust hanging correctly the centre section has to be braced up from below prior to tightening up the joints at each end of the centre section, otherwise you will have the symptoms you describe.

Dave V6 · Post by **Dave V6** » 25 Apr 2009, 22:06

Hi DickieG,

Thanks for the reply, it was done at the local independant exhaust place (i.e. not a chain), but I didn't notice until after they had closed for the day.

I might go back on monday, if the pics look wrong to anybody here. I'll put them up in the morning.

Thanks again,

Dave.

Dave V6 · Post by **Dave V6** » 26 Apr 2009, 17:25

Here are some pics of the cat and mid box.

I set the car on service high to take the shots- I don't usually drive around at this height. Even on drive high setting the suspension is very hard. Is this indicative of a sphere change due?

Anyway, here are some pics of the cat and box.

I get the idea that they might be hanging low, but would really appreciate other opinions.

Thanks!

Dave (V6)

[/img]

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 26 Apr 2009, 18:00

To me it looks as if your cat needs turning before its clamped into place by the middle section, from where it is now release the clamp twist the cat re-tighten, job done.

The suspension always becomes stiff when its set in one of the high positions, it won't offer any indication as to the state of sphere's.

f00lzz · Post by **f00lzz** » 26 Apr 2009, 18:44

This is mine.. untouched since new!

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i65/z ... 050340.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i65/z ... 050341.jpg

I think yours looks OK

Ian

French Car Forum

Xantia V6 cat / exhaust query

Xantia V6 cat / exhaust query

washer jets?