Xantia bounce and poor brakes and steering

[merlin617]

At starting from cold the suspension does not rise at all, on driving there is considerable bounce and the steering is a bit heavy with under performing brakes. Car has been little used for over a year. As its all three thought it might be a weak pump ?

Xantia 1.9 TD manual 1998 hatch.

[Xaccers]

How long does it take idling for the STOP light to go out on the dash?
How long does it take to rise?
Idling at normal height, how long is there between ticks from the regulator at the front of the engine?
When you set it to high is the orange level indicator on the LHM reservoir between the two red lines?
What colour is the LHM in the reservoir?
How dirty are the filters in the reservoir?

[Stepto1]

New spheres. Flush and replace LHM. Clean filters in LHM tank.

It will feel like a new car. Worked wonders on mine.

[merlin617]

How long does it take idling for the STOP light to go out on the dash? immediately

How long does it take to rise? it does not rise unless I use the height lever next to handbrake

Idling at normal height, how long is there between ticks from the regulator at the front of the engine? cannot hear that over the engine

When you set it to high is the orange level indicator on the LHM reservoir between the two red lines? no its above the top red line

What colour is the LHM in the reservoir? darkish green

How dirty are the filters in the reservoir? a bit of residue but I'm guessing at how bad that might be

Thanks for you reply so far, does that give you enough to go on ?

[Xaccers]

Do you know when the accumulator sphere was last changed?
When you say you use the height lever, what are you having to do with it to get it up? Set it on high and then when the car looks normal set it to normal?

It sounds like the height corrector linkages have seized or their dog bones have popped off.

[merlin617]

Do you know when the accumulator sphere was last changed? I don't know when it was last changed, I
When you say you use the height lever, what are you having to do with it to get it up? Set it on high and then when the car looks normal set it to normal? I set on high just to see if it would rise, putting it back to 'normal' sees it going back to a normal driving position. when starting its not on the stops it just does not show any movement.

It sounds like the height corrector linkages have seized or their dog bones have popped off.

[CitroJim]

No, if the dog-bones had popped then the car would go either full high on the lever or full low but with the lever in the normal position the suspension would either stick full high or full low.

That it won't rise from low to normal suggests you have low pressure in the main hydraulic circuit either caused by a weak pump, a ruptured accumulator or a faulty pressure regulator that's cutting out too early. A heavy internal leak can also cause this but it's rare.

The hard and bouncy ride my be caused by the main pressure being so low that the anti-sink valves close when they shouldn't.

First port of call has to be to swap the accumulator sphere. Although you can't hear the ticks from the regulator you will be able to hear them indirectly by applying a screwdriver 'stethoscope' to the hydraulic pump body. When the pump is idling (i.e. system up to pressure) the pump will run silently. When working to maintain pressure the pump will make a sort of rapid 'drrrrr' sound, almost like a little machine gun.

Under normal circumstances you should hear a short burst of 'drrr' followed by a period of silence before the next short burst of 'drrrr'. The 'drrrs' coincide with regulator ticks and the period between them should be in excess of 30s. If the pump is 'drrrrring' all the time then the system is never reaching regulator cut-out pressure and this is a good sign the accumulator is duff.

[citroenxm]

I reckon MORE on simply Flat Spheres... system pressure in the rear has an affect on rear brakes..

So flat spheres result in no pressure in the rear cuircuit.... This then means little or no brakes.

What im comming to is, you be surprised though rear brakes dont do a lot, when they are operating theres a difference in braking effort.. I dont think the linkages have siezed solid, or the dog bone has popped off, but more you have STICKY linkages, and moving the lever in the car just moves the lever under neath to get the height corrector working.

[merlin617]

Thanks for all your replies I'll have another look at it. Simply stunning the knowledge the forum members have.