HDI puff of smoke after standing and slight sinking

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charentejohn
Posts: 479
Joined: 16 May 2011, 14:58
Location: France
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HDI puff of smoke after standing and slight sinking

Post by charentejohn »

Can anyone offer advice please.

I am trying to buy a Xanti HDI and have found one locally (not easy in France, I am from the UK) which is generally ok.
It looks well maintained if a little 'grubby' with only a few minor scratches.
It has done 183k Km (about 115k Miles), timing belt done 32kKm (and 2 yrs) ago and spheres recently changed.

The car had been sitting idle for a few days I think so this may explain the following observation ? Or not....

I drove it briefly and noted the following, it started ok, no smoke.

After about 20 seconds the front rose up about 2cm, not much but it moved. Is this reasonable as I believe the no sink valve will allow some sinking over days rather than hours. My guess is the car could have been there a few days.
How low should it have sunk in this time ?
Looking at the car when I arrived the heights looked fine, just surprised to see it rise up, then again all others I have seen had just been running so I have nothing to compare against.

Drove about 200m from cold down a twisty path in 2nd gear then open road from 1st to 2nd, when in 2nd got a puff of black smoke. Just happened once and otherwise running fine, no smoke when standing still. Could this also be the fact it had stood a while and had warmed up a little ?
I believe they have a soot trap, could this have warmed up and the acceleration blew out some old soot ?

Last small point is that the 'fasten seat belt' waring light was on but we had used them. I assume this is just a dodgy switch ? The light is the one next to the airbag one on the dash, looks like a large and small person wearing a belt so assume that is what it is.

The seller seems a decent guy and the car is what we in the UK would call 'a good straight motor' in that is it reasonably priced for France (2000 Euros) and seems to work fine otherwise.

I would appreciate any comments to help me decide if these could be warnings of future problems.

Thanks in anticipation - John
You must be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
Xantia HDI 90SX C3 2005 and C3 2006 both 1.4i sensodrives
Peter.N.
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Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: HDI puff of smoke after standing and slight sinking

Post by Peter.N. »

Nothing you mention sounds very significant, you really need to take it on a longer drive to see how it behaves, if it rides OK and maintains correct height I wouldn't worry about it. If the engine sounds good with no oil running out and no sign of water being ejected from the filller or overflow pipe it should be OK, these engines can be good for 300,000 miles if looked after. You need to be able to drive it far enough to check the condition of the clutch and gearbox. The mileage is quite low so I would think it should be sound.

Peter
charentejohn
Posts: 479
Joined: 16 May 2011, 14:58
Location: France
My Cars:

Re: HDI puff of smoke after standing and slight sinking

Post by charentejohn »

Peter
Thanks for the reassurance, just one of those things that small problems like that worry me when buying a model new to me.
Just needed someone to confirm what I would have assumed, that all is ok.

This is a fair price for France (lots of cars same age / mileage for 2000 Euros) so it feels right. If it was too cheap then I would be suspicious but all normal. What can happen here is that the same car could be offered for up to 3200 Euros. Some are worth 3200 Euro because of low miles and condition, but a lot are jusr 2000 Euro cars really. I saw one for 2,800 which had a rattle inside the car when taking off (engine I think), air bag light on, no record of timing belt change, same Km, this one is better than that one.

I want a car to keep and work on as a hobby, the Xantia is ideal for me, just tricky enough.
So I don't really need a perfect one, rather pay 2k and spend another 1k in the next year or so bringing it up to a good standard.

What I am trying to avoid is engine problems etc. I need a car I can drive daily but do upgrades in small doses at weekends or similar, no major rebuilds.

I think it is a good buy and will come with a new CT (French MOT) which will verify brakes etc are ok.
Going back monday to sort out the details with the seller. I will give it a better test then, and will check the points you raised then. Engine was good, quiet and smooth, also started from cold ok, no rattles.

Thanks again, any other non-obvious things to check ? I will do A/c, raise/lower, rear adjusting to weight, windows, water in oil but but don't know if there are any suspension or electrical things to test.
You must be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
Xantia HDI 90SX C3 2005 and C3 2006 both 1.4i sensodrives
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: HDI puff of smoke after standing and slight sinking

Post by Peter.N. »

You are bound to find something wrong with it - you always do, but but the 8 valve Hdi engine is pretty bombproof, it is important that the oil is changed regularly, probably at less the the recommended interval which I believe is 12k, I would change it at 10k or less. Its not necessary to use expensive oil, I use the cheapest I can find that meets the spec, frequency of change is more important. I am sure that many of the problems with later engines are due to the extended service intervals.

I hope you enjoy your car.

Peter
charentejohn
Posts: 479
Joined: 16 May 2011, 14:58
Location: France
My Cars:

Re: HDI puff of smoke after standing and slight sinking

Post by charentejohn »

I believe you are right about the oil, I used to use such as Castrol Magnatec but a friend advised using an oil half the price but do it twice as often.
I will be changing the oil, engine and also the much ignored gearbox and diff when I get the car. It has been looked after but I always do this unless there is a recent (less than 5-6k miles) reciept for an oil change. Then I know when it was done and with what.
John
You must be the change you want to see in the world - Mahatma Gandhi
Xantia HDI 90SX C3 2005 and C3 2006 both 1.4i sensodrives
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: HDI puff of smoke after standing and slight sinking

Post by Peter.N. »

Hi John

I have been using Coma oil in my XMs for 15 years and have had two that have done nearly 300k with a 5k oil change interval. Now its about £10.00 for 5 liters, used to be about £5.00. XUD filters are pretty cheap to, the Hdi ones are a little dearer but still only about £3.00 on ebay. I must have inadvertantly used an Hdi one on the XM so thinking I had one in stock drained the Hdi oil - no filter so fitted and XUD - seems to be OK.

Peter
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