Oh no...

KP · Unread post by KP » 04 Jun 2010, 16:46

Looks like i may have some trouble ahead for my activa

Scrap heap i think will be its next port!!

Unread post by **myglaren** » 04 Jun 2010, 16:52

Just needs a new head gasket Will.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 04 Jun 2010, 17:01

That does look quite pronounced mayo.

I'm guessing there are some out here in forum land who'd jump at
the chance for a sorted legal Activa that needs a TD or V6 transplant
if you decide to call it a day and threaten to scrap the car! Goes without
saying these aren't getting any more common...

Take heart - the 8v head isn't half as complex as a 16v or v6 one and
the only issue will be hanhandling the turbo hanging off it. Petrol heads
never need skimming and the head gaskets do just 'go' for no apparent
reason with one garage I've spoken to in the past even suggesting that
they'll go once in the life of an engine and it's par for the course for these
2.0i's!! I've not had to renew more than a couple and one was purely a
sideshow due to a collapsed tensioner roller rather than the gasket.

Hasn't this engine only recently been fitted to the car; what history did
you get told about it, mileage etc?

Andrew

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 04 Jun 2010, 22:52

Oh no

That doesnt look too good

Is it using much coolent?

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 04 Jun 2010, 23:19

To scrap it would be a waste, its only a head gasket and they arent exactly mondeo's.

D

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 04 Jun 2010, 23:36

Mind, any prolonged exposure of oil in the water will rot the rubber hoses
from the inside out - normally where there are twists and tuns in the circuit
where the oil will cling/settle - heater matrix for example? It isn't much fun
chasing around leaking points of the cooling circuit and additional water loss
won't exactly help an already unhappy engine...

An imminent fix will help matter sooner rather than later!

Head bolts are about 10,
a big mamma torx bit for the head bolts - 10,
a HG (gaskets) about 40-70,
and a faffy angle gauge 10.

plus decent water & oil flush/oil/auti freeze.

If you're prepared to yield the spanners this could all put you out of pocket
to thye tune of just over 100quid - worth scrapping the car for?

Andrew

KP · Unread post by KP » 05 Jun 2010, 06:14

The main probem is that with the kids and rachels current workload i cant set aside a weekend to do the job

KP · Unread post by KP » 05 Jun 2010, 11:47

Plus i'd need to add in cambelt and tensioner and water pump while its all off and i'd need to lock the flywheel, and sprockets and then flush the sump out with some really cheap oil first to ensure no water is left in. then put the new oil and filter on and knowing me i would think about the turbo upgrade to a tomcat turbo

Unread post by **Dommo** » 05 Jun 2010, 12:17

If you don't feel up to doing the work on the Activa yet, I'd keep it until you are able to do to work, or at least sell the car on to someone on here. The scrap yard should be your absolute last resort

And if it does go there, ask if you can have the rams, flexi pipes to the rams, and all four electrovalves, all these will be required at some point to keep other Xantias on the road.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 05 Jun 2010, 12:32

I'm with Dommo, though the next coming weeks/months are going to be
primetime with weather and daylight for sorting this out as there'll be no
inclination when it's dark and cold before you've even left work - weekends
never go far enough either as I well know...

Do you know where things are going with the car yet?
It's not going to come down to the car being scrapped is it Will?

Andrew

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 05 Jun 2010, 12:53

Please excuse my ignorance but I have a question; Can I take it that these petrol engines don't have oil coolers as I notice this hasn't been mentioned as a possible cause of mayo?

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 05 Jun 2010, 13:27

Yes the turbo's do have oil coolers but ive not heard of one failing...maybe because there arent that many turbo's around i dont know but it is a valid suggestion and worth checking out first!!

D

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 05 Jun 2010, 13:51

Good call about a failed oil cooler as THEY DO FAIL!

I've had one on a 90hp HDi Xantia and a V6 Xm manual so know the
hassles and poor quality of the newer aluminium ones. In this case
(though I stand to be corrected) there isn't one on a 95 s1 Activa TCT.

I'll have a rummage about on all of mine to be 101% certain as I've
nicely set myself up with a serious egg on my face suggestion!

Andrew

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 05 Jun 2010, 13:59

i would have thought a car that passes its oil through a massive oil heater like a turbocharged petrol does would need a oil cooler????????????

D

robert_e_smart · Unread post by **robert_e_smart** » 05 Jun 2010, 14:07

The TCT Xm I broke had an oil cooler, don't recall if the activa hs or not, but guess it does.

I also had oil cooler failure on a 1.9TD Xantia and 2.5 TD XM, and there was oil in the coolant, but no mayo like that, no signs of water in the oil ways. So perhaps its not the oil cooler but a H/G problem with water getting into the oil.