Xantia V6 cooling expansion bottle change

Sid_the_Squid · Post by **Sid_the_Squid** » 12 Dec 2010, 11:53

Hi all,
finally got time to change the green goblin's cooling system expansion bottle, I knew it needed chaining since I bought the car, (just another little thing your mechanic failed to mention Brett

) what I had not realized is just how bad it was.
Heres a the damage

This last picture appears to have lime-scale formed on the side

which is strange as I never use anything other than anti-freeze and deionized water, which suggests that someone has, and I need a coolant change asap

Post by **CitroJim** » 12 Dec 2010, 12:23

Gosh, that looks terrible Sid but may not be limescale. Anti-freeze crystallises just like that and that's most likely what it is. You can often see a real heavy buildup of these crystals on a weepy waterpump.

You can easily tell the difference. Limescale will be hard to remove whereas anti-freeze crystals will be very easy to shift.

A flush is not a bad idea for peace of mind. There are block drains on each bank to help you. On the MK1 they're proper drain cocks that you can attach a hose to but I see on the MK2 they are just studs so it'll be a wet and messy job to use them...

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 12 Dec 2010, 21:28

Those header tanks on a V6 fail so regularly there are almost a service item, my V6 got through two of them in something like 55k miles.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 12 Dec 2010, 21:54

The header failed on my pal's late V reg v6 and was spraying under pressure
around the mid waistline seam; it appears that the sealing or plastic welding
etc can fail at the natural joint in the two halves. He dismantled it and
drilled a series of holes around the collar banding on the wasitline and used
small nuts / washers / bolts to reseal it together using JB weld. Bsically it
held for a while but did leak again promting hime to renew it with a new one.

Nor he or myself were actually expecting it to cost as reasonable amount as
it turns out to be having got used to being quoted eye watering prices for most
stuff new from Citroen. I've just checked service citroen again and £38 all in is
fine for the job it does.

Surprisingly resonable and a similar price to that for a 2.0i 16v one I priced
up for someone on this forum recently.

Andrew

Sid_the_Squid · Post by **Sid_the_Squid** » 12 Dec 2010, 22:09

I'll check tomorrow see if the dirt is lime-scale or crystalline deposits, lets hope for antifreeze

Two in 55k miles

£38 Andrew??, last quote I got from Citroen parts was £75 earlier this year!

I have heard their largely unrepairable, but I've a broken one here will happily donate to anyone willing to try

This type of coolant expansion tank is on the V6 and 2.1td right, are there any other models? I thought for a min the HDi did, but then I dug out my old car pictures and realized they do not. I sometimes miss that HDi it was a very good car. ahh memories..

Heres an old pic whilst I'm thinking, lovely colour.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 12 Dec 2010, 22:17

00001307HT EXPANSN CHAMBER 32.27 GBP 37.92 GBP 37.92 GBP

I'm hoping it's £38 quid too!! Typical dealer then doubling the actual retail!
Maybe they've been caught out here quoting £75...

Andrew

Sid_the_Squid · Post by **Sid_the_Squid** » 12 Dec 2010, 22:24

Interesting stuff... dealer must have been trying to pull a fast one. Grrrr..

I like in that diagram how both items 2 & 5 are referred to as 'radiator cap'.

Out of interested item 6 the 'degassing tank' anyone know if these are prone to breakage? I took a peak at mine once, doesn't seem like their particularly strong, and like the expansion tank seem to be made from two halves glued together.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 12 Dec 2010, 22:38

That expansion tank looks like a dead ringer for the one found on every Cx!

Not saying it's identical but assuming manufacturing processes have improved
since then, (OK try not to laugh

) the new xant one should last as well
as the one on the CX - in all the years I've run Cx's, only one split around it's
middriff.

Anyhow:
00001307HJ DEGASSING TANK 5.91 GBP 6.94 GBP 6.94 GBP

Is Citroen having a quiet Christmas sale on at the moment!?

Wonder if they'll pull the old, yes it's listed sir but is on back order and
hard to get from France. It will need to be specially made from albino
rocking horse teeth...

Andrew

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 12 Dec 2010, 22:47

I'm sure that when I bought the expansion tank it was something like £46+

addo · Post by **addo** » 12 Dec 2010, 22:52

Is the level detector a bayonet fitting? Is it NO or NC in the detection circuit?

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 13 Dec 2010, 07:07

Sid_the_Squid wrote:Interesting stuff... dealer must have been trying to pull a fast one. Grrrr..

I like in that diagram how both items 2 & 5 are referred to as 'radiator cap'.

Out of interested item 6 the 'degassing tank' anyone know if these are prone to breakage? I took a peak at mine once, doesn't seem like their particularly strong, and like the expansion tank seem to be made from two halves glued together.

Funny you should mention that as I'm pretty sure my degassing tank has a slow leak as it seems to have a slight drip coming from it. Mind you, it could just be trickling down from the header, although this has been replaced.