Xantia Evilness

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tim leech
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Xantia Evilness

Post by 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! :-D :evil:
Last edited by tim leech on 19 Jul 2012, 13:23, edited 2 times in total.
1994 XANTIA 1.8i SX 132k, From new, Slumbering
1991 BX TZD Turbo, 192k Batttered/Awaiting Resto
1991 BX 19TZi Auto 93k Factory A/C
1991 BX 16 TGS Athena (project), mechanically sorted just a bit scruffy!
1985 BX 19GT 57k beige wonder
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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by robert_e_smart »

Hi Tim,

I broke one a while ago. I have throttle body, inlet manifold. I think I sold the injectors.
1990 XM 2.1 Turbo SD
1991 BX 16 TGS Auto
1992 ZX 1.6 Aura Auto
1994 Xantia 2.0 16V VSX
2008 C5 2.7 Exclusive
tim leech
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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by 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.
1994 XANTIA 1.8i SX 132k, From new, Slumbering
1991 BX TZD Turbo, 192k Batttered/Awaiting Resto
1991 BX 19TZi Auto 93k Factory A/C
1991 BX 16 TGS Athena (project), mechanically sorted just a bit scruffy!
1985 BX 19GT 57k beige wonder
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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by 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.
1990 XM 2.1 Turbo SD
1991 BX 16 TGS Auto
1992 ZX 1.6 Aura Auto
1994 Xantia 2.0 16V VSX
2008 C5 2.7 Exclusive
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Post by addo »

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

addo wrote:Have you checked the valve timing with a known good balancer and a set of timing pins?
Good point Adam :-D 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:

Image

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...
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Post by addo »

Out of curiosity - are they indexed identically to twin cam pulley? If so, I will have one for the toolbox.
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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by 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...
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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by 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! :lol: 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!) :lol:

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?
1994 XANTIA 1.8i SX 132k, From new, Slumbering
1991 BX TZD Turbo, 192k Batttered/Awaiting Resto
1991 BX 19TZi Auto 93k Factory A/C
1991 BX 16 TGS Athena (project), mechanically sorted just a bit scruffy!
1985 BX 19GT 57k beige wonder
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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by robert_e_smart »

Hi Tim,

I'll get it in the post for you soon.
1990 XM 2.1 Turbo SD
1991 BX 16 TGS Auto
1992 ZX 1.6 Aura Auto
1994 Xantia 2.0 16V VSX
2008 C5 2.7 Exclusive
tim leech
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 634
Joined: 08 Feb 2006, 15:36
Location: Derbyshire.
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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by tim leech »

robert_e_smart wrote: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!
1994 XANTIA 1.8i SX 132k, From new, Slumbering
1991 BX TZD Turbo, 192k Batttered/Awaiting Resto
1991 BX 19TZi Auto 93k Factory A/C
1991 BX 16 TGS Athena (project), mechanically sorted just a bit scruffy!
1985 BX 19GT 57k beige wonder
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CitroJim
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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by CitroJim »

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

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 :evil:
Jim

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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by CitroJim »

tim leech wrote:
you dont this trouble with a BX!
Or a diesel or an Activa or for that matter a V6...
Jim

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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by 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?
XM Prestige PRV6 92
Talbot Express Autotrail Chinook 89
Mitsubishi L200 Trojan 14
Xantia Activa 95, sold (missed)

Service Citroen is awesome, it shows me pictures of all the parts i used to be able to buy............
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Re: AT MY WHITS END! - Xantia WOES AGAIN!

Post by 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!
1990 XM 2.1 Turbo SD
1991 BX 16 TGS Auto
1992 ZX 1.6 Aura Auto
1994 Xantia 2.0 16V VSX
2008 C5 2.7 Exclusive
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