Xantia front end drops...

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DHallworth
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Xantia front end drops...

Post by DHallworth »

Since I changed the spheres and the electrovalve on our Xantia on Saturday occasionally when opening the front door the front of the car drops several inches.

It did it last night and the front bumper landed on the kerb. It didn't damage the bumper luckily but it's only a matter of time before it will.

I've got a feeling that the front electrovalve has been faulty for a while so I think it's changing that that's causing it to drop.

I was under the impression that the centre sphere was cut out of the system when the door was open as it goes into hard mode, so can't understand why the front is dropping.

Also, with all new spheres on the car, the oldest of which was date stamped April 2011 the ride on the car still isn't as smooth as I'd hoped it would be. Might just be me imagining things though.

Any advice would be appreciated.

David.
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Post by addo »

At rest with the door opening, the centre Hydractive valve should be operating. Maybe there is insufficient stored pressure elsewhere?
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Post by Xaccers »

When did you last change lhm/hydroflush?
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Post by DHallworth »

Erm.... Apparently it was hydraflushed and changed just before we got it about two years ago...

Apart from that, I've not done it.

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Post by Xaccers »

Sounds like an internal leak in the electrovalve, so gunk could be preventing it closing properly or I belive there have been posts saying the spring inside can get weak.
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Post by CitroJim »

Xac wrote:Sounds like an internal leak in the electrovalve
Very likely. An interlayy leaky electrovalve makes a noise like a flushing loo as the engine stops and all the LHM rushes up the leagake gretrn pipe.

A more determined test is to disconnect the leagake return pipe and direct the leakage into a large jar.

The leakage return should only flow when thew valve is switching and as it switches so it will spurt. In hard or soft leakage should be minimal.

With the door open the system will be in soft modse so yes, the centre sphere is in operation.

Soft is in force when:

The engine is idling and car stopped;
The engine is off and any door is open but will time-out to hard after 30 minutes;
The engine is of and all doors closed. Soft for 30s after last door closed. Then hard;
If in hard after a timeout the system will switch soft as soon as any door is opened.

Hard is in force when:

Engine is off and all doors have been closed for over 30s;
Rapid accelleration;
Hard braking;
Heavy cornering.
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Re: Xantia front end drops...

Post by citroenxm »

DHallworth wrote: Also, with all new spheres on the car, the oldest of which was date stamped April 2011 the ride on the car still isn't as smooth as I'd hoped it would be. Might just be me imagining things though.

Any advice would be appreciated.

David.
Its an Hydractive car - they arent always as smooth as SX standard syspension.. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: (JOKING for the serious readers)

In seriousness though, has the car got a ECrofting box fitted?? Mine has and it works a damm treat.. theres an obvious difference between sort and hard. May be worth checking that for smoothness if the Diodes are dud...

The Crofting kit is in with the Cars ECU box on the left front...

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Post by DHallworth »

Hi Paul,

The crofting kit is definitely not fitted to this car.

Might look at one though if it'll make a difference.

David.
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Post by Chris570 »

I'd be very surprised if that causes the front to drop, my HDi went through a period of doing this, used to really annoy me. I would have thought the sudden drop proves the elctrovalves are opening.

the front sinks down about an inch if left for over 6 hours-ish, do you get that on yours?
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Post by citroenxm »

Chris, If read correctly, I was reffering to the "Non Smooth Ride" David says he doesn't think he has, NOT the sinking... :lol: :D 8-)


Paul
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Post by Chris570 »

you sir make an excellent point. (and to think i just gave someone else a rollocking at work for not reading all the required info)

*goes and sits in the corner*
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Post by CitroJim »

David,

I'd be almost certain it's the front electrovalve after seeing Xac's Juliet exhibit similar behavior a couple of times this evening.

She has an intermittently 'sticky' front electrovalve and sometimes he sticks half way between hard and soft effectively;y leaving the suspension in hard mode.

You can prove this is the case by bouncing the front end and then going full high and back down to normal again. If she's hard after that then there's the problem.
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Post by Xaccers »

Juliet also has a crofting box fitted, so could that be playing up Jim?
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Post by citroenxm »

Chris570 wrote:you sir make an excellent point. (and to think i just gave someone else a rollocking at work for not reading all the required info)

*goes and sits in the corner*
Chris,

I howled at this... its not a problem LOL... but to think you rollocked someone for dooing the same, is what made me laugh...

LOL

Paul
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Post by CitroJim »

Xac wrote:Juliet also has a crofting box fitted, so could that be playing up Jim?
I did a quick check and I don't think so. A check with an AVO suggested it was working. To confirm properly I'll need to pop my oscilloscope on to it

I must confess I did initially point a finger of suspicion at the Crofting box.

David, to check, do you have access to a 'scope?

This is what you should see across the electrovalve at the ECU end if the Crofting box is doing it's job...

Image

That picture was taken a couple of years ago on my V6...
Jim

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