Xantia Evilness

[tim leech]

Some of you may know the story about love/hate relationship with my 94 Xantia 1.8i, which if it hadnt been the one my late father bought new in would have been scrapped when the cambelt snapped 5 years ago.

Shes had a running problem ever since I bought it, with the emissions being all over the place, the Co2 is over 7%, and the lambda and HC are sky high too. So far ive replaced pretty much everything, and it owes me about £1500, for car that is worth about £350 on a good day with an MOT (which it failed today again).

Last year I fitted a new genuine lamda probe which seemed to bring the emissions down, but then left the car running a bit lumpy and flat, today after a fitting new plus and leads, and bringing her out of hibernation I took her for an MOT, steering gaiter and handrake efficiency I can live with but the emissions are still stupidly high. It managed to burn £10 worth of fuel doing 20 miles and the MOT and stinks of unburnt fuel.

Ive changed, lamda probles twice, catalyst once, ecu once, coolant sensor, map sensor, plugs, leads, all filters etc but it still refuses to run well.

Does anyone have a 1.8 Xantia 8v that they are breaking that I could rob the injection system off as I am so fed up I will try anything.

Ive been unfortunate with Xantias, having owned two and both being far more problematical than anything else ive owned.

HELP!

[robert_e_smart]

Hi Tim,

I broke one a while ago. I have throttle body, inlet manifold. I think I sold the injectors.

[tim leech]

Hi Robert

Jim tested the injectors and the seemed fine, if you think swopping the throttle body/inlet manifold would do the trick (I would do a war dance if I think it would make it run right) I am happy to buy/try them.

This is from a Mk1 8v car 1.8i.

Cheers.

[robert_e_smart]

These are from a series 2 1.8 8v, but to all intents and purposes the same engine.

The throttle body is worth trying. Its attached to the inlet manifold. I'll see how easy it is to take off it.

[addo]

Have you checked the valve timing with a known good balancer and a set of timing pins?

[CitroJim]

Have you checked the valve timing with a known good balancer and a set of timing pins?

Good point Adam And the problem is that the crank pulley timing hole on the 8V is about as accurate as a British weather forecast so if the last person checked it using that, odds are very favourable it's a good few degrees out and causing the pain Tim has...

You need a solid pulley from an older XU engine like this to check it easily:



This one was off a 205GTi... You should be able to find one on an early petrol BX 16 or 19 as well, same engine more-or-less.

To use, whip off the aux. belt. Whip off the timing cover, Pop the crank pulley off. Fit the solid one and check timing...

[addo]

Out of curiosity - are they indexed identically to twin cam pulley? If so, I will have one for the toolbox.

[CitroJim]

You can tell if you look at the keyway in relation to the centre hole in the group of three Adam; the centre hole is the timing hole and when on time each of the webs cast in the bearing seal plate cover behind the pulley will be either side of the hole...

[tim leech]

Good suggestion chaps thanks, Robert I am very happy to try that throttle body.

Regarding the crank pulley Jim you make it sound very easy! bearing in mind I would have to get it done at a non Citroen garage at £30 an hour plus vat, would it be wise to change the cambelt whilst I'm at it (I have one I think)

Unless you fancy a ride up this way Jim and I pay your fuel/beer money (not in a V6 though!)

I would come to you but the lack of MOT and TAX has a bearing!

Strange that fitting the lambda probe last year brought the emissions down but its sky high again?

[robert_e_smart]

Hi Tim,

I'll get it in the post for you soon.

[tim leech]

Hi Tim,

I'll get it in the post for you soon.

Your a gent mate, let me know the damage.

PS have you put those seats in yet









you dont this trouble with a BX!

[CitroJim]

Unless you fancy a ride up this way Jim and I pay your fuel/beer money (not in a V6 though!)

Tim, I would if I had the time but honestly I'm so short of it I've tried to make my clocks run slower to give me a longer day

Work and family have me well and truly committed every waking hour from now until well into the new year. That's 2013, not 2012

[CitroJim]

you dont this trouble with a BX!

Or a diesel or an Activa or for that matter a V6...

[Deanxm]

Strange that fitting the lambda probe last year brought the emissions down but its sky high again?

Maybe not, before we get too carried away it seems having high hc could be the sign of what is wrong.

You say you replaced the O2 sensor and that cleared the emmissions up but made it run like a load of pap, over the year this O2 sensor is now failing, probably because the sensor has become fouled the same as the last one probably did.

It would seem your car is overfueling or not properly combusting so i would first do a quick and cheap compression check, secondly has the whole exhaust system been confirmed as clear? same goes for the inlet tract, is it all completely clear from the air pickup behind the front bumper to the inlet ports? a quick way to check without tearing the car apart is to see if it pulls cleanly up to the red line in 2nd and 3rd gears, make sure the engine can breath.

My next stop would be the fuel pressure regulator, its the only thing that would easily cause your problems without putting an eml up.

P.S wasnt this the car that you were talking about at last years cxm Jim? the one that didnt have that wire removed from the ecu loom when built?

[robert_e_smart]

Your a gent mate, let me know the damage.

PS have you put those seats in yet

No Probs,

I haven't yet. The BX is on sorn now for the winter. I'll hopefully get them into her sometime if I get a free moment. I have to fit PAS to it sometime as well.

you dont this trouble with a BX!

Nah, you have leaky Octupi instead!