if a head gasket goes in an xantia 1.9TD does this happen?

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falling-out-with-my-car
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if a head gasket goes in an xantia 1.9TD does this happen?

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

Hi,

My new heat exchanger that I bought from a firm called "Dieselveg" is letting coolant into the fuel line.

I have removed it from the car tested it with an air line and submerged the H/e in a pot of boiling water and found air crossing to the coolant hoses. I tested it cold but no air escaped at all so I heated it up.

I explained the very long testing process to the company who replied that coolant in the fuel line is probably my head gasket on the way out.

Now knowing there are a lot of clever mechanics on here I thought I would test out the so called claim of coolant in the fuel line because of head gasket failure.

does anyone know what this company is talking about or am I just a bit dimm today, because I think it is very unlikely to ever see coolant in the fuel line esspecially as fuel combusts in the top of the cylinder long before it has any chance of escaping into the water channels.

By the way without the heat exchanger fitted there is no sign of water in my fuel line but they have chosen to ignore that completely.

they have agreed to exchange it (excuse the pun) for another but I still dont like being fed silly facts even if there is a slight chance they might be true.

Thank you in advance whoever you may be.

Nigel.
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Post by citroenxm »

You been fed Damm stupid Blond Facts there!!

You only get Water in the OIL or Vice Versa! Never fuel...and on the Later XUD's with the fuel filter house on the thermostat, theres even less chance of a cross over from fuel to water...

It may happen on the 12v XUD units of 2.1cc, as they use the older unit on the end of the block which always give starting problems.. but I wouldn't have thought so on a Xantia

Also, quite often if a head gasket is going, bubble in the header tank.. constantly.

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Post by Xaccers »

Sounds like you've been sold a dud H/E and fortunately discovered it sooner rather than later.
Definitely repeat your test with the replacement H/E and if you get the same, it's time to demand a refund and start looking into alternative models.

I guess that's another advantage of the electric heater blocks over water heaters.
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Post by spider »

Just a note about that 'back of block' fuel heater fitted to early XUD's, its very very rare for that to let in coolant into the fuel system.

Normally they let air into the fuel system and you have starting problems (and eventually running problems)

I cannot recall any case of it ever letting coolant / fuel mix...
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Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

Thanks everyone Thats pretty much what I was thinking, oil into water or vice versa. hardly ever see coolant into fuel.



spider,

this is it the H/e was I am pretty sure leaking air into the clear fuel line, I checked all connections again and again.
in the end I took the exchanger out of the car and stuck it in a tall saucepan and boiled it with 5 psi of pressure on the fuel side no leaks from the connections but air came pouring out of the coolant side which made me go back to the car and empty the fuel line to the pump and I found water in actual fact Blue water and thats not some special pornagraphic kind of water thats the colour of my coolant liquid.

when the water was cold no air escaped I really had to boil the water for a good 20 mins or so.

if it had been the head and if veg oil had amazingly got into the coolant then why wasnt it showing in the fuel line when I took the exchanger out of the car?

They say they have never had a faulty exchanger. theyve got one now.
Citroen Xantia S2 1.9 TD estate 189K soon to be broken for parts Jan 2017 headlamps & radiator fan assembly already spoken for & A 1987 Citroen 2CV6 special just for fun.
New addition Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive Hatch purchased 09/12/2016 with 83K on the clock.
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falling-out-with-my-car
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x 24

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

spider wrote:
Normally they let air into the fuel system and you have starting problems (and eventually running problems)
Is this a fairly widespread complaint of heat exchanger use then? that is air getting into the fuel line.
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Post by CitroJim »

citroenxm wrote: It may happen on the 12v XUD units of 2.1cc
Never knew the XUD was available in such a small size Paul :lol: :lol: :lol:

I agree that water in the fuel line from a duff head gasket is about as likely as my silver Activa winning a concours d'elegance.. The only possible way it could happen is if there was a crack in the labyrinth below the fuel filter. As likely as snow in August...

One note of caution, if any water gets in the pump then serious problems can result as once it's in there it is unlikely to get out again. Hopefully the water has got in upstream if the filter and it should be caught in the filter bowl.

I've seen a pump (albeit a Lucas) damaged by water and it's not a pretty sight.
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Post by spider »

falling-out-with-my-car wrote: Is this a fairly widespread complaint of heat exchanger use then? that is air getting into the fuel line.
You've mixed it up a bit or I have.

This type of fuel heater pre-dates the perflux one (that's sat on top of the thermostat housing) , before that design apart from the Lucas one on the bulkhead, they had a fuel heater on the back of the block, cambelt end. I'm talking about (from memory) 86 to 92 only... :)

The one sat on top of the thermostat housing is in my opinion the best one in terms of ease of filter changes and reliability generally.
Andy.

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Post by citroenxm »

CitroJim wrote:
citroenxm wrote: It may happen on the 12v XUD units of 2.1cc
Never knew the XUD was available in such a small size Paul :lol: :lol: :lol:


I've seen a pump (albeit a Lucas) damaged by water and it's not a pretty sight.
2.1 litre 12v XUD.... :roll:

Water in fuel Id say is more from the Garage Main tanks rather then a coolant leak

Paul
Sharing a pug 207 1.6 hdi Sw 16v.
M reg Xm 2.1 td auto exclusive S2 269k and rising
L reg XM V6 12v SEi auto .. Light project

A very sad...
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Post by Xaccers »

citroenxm wrote:
CitroJim wrote:
citroenxm wrote: It may happen on the 12v XUD units of 2.1cc
Never knew the XUD was available in such a small size Paul :lol: :lol: :lol:


I've seen a pump (albeit a Lucas) damaged by water and it's not a pretty sight.
2.1 litre 12v XUD.... :roll:

Water in fuel Id say is more from the Garage Main tanks rather then a coolant leak

Paul
Or from aleaking/split tank on top and driving through deep puddles.
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