Xantia V6 broken exhaust (update: and rough low rpm running)

[lexi]

Welding old cars is a case of how far you want to go.
If you see one inch, prepare for six.

You don't talk welding. You don't know what you got till all cut out and decision made to what is clean metal..........on the job,on the car.

When doing it on many old cars and fourbys I had oxy/acy for shaping/bending. Plasma cutter for cutting shapes from plate. High quality Portamig welder. It is still a Twunt and very time consuming. Also..........you continue the chase as time goes on.

Get a car with no rust. You can always do the mechs.

[RichardW]

Indeed Lexi, but that's never stopped us talking about things in the past

I like to have at least thought how I was going to tackle before I started, but as you say until you grind it back you're not really sure how bad it's going to be - except that it will be much worse than it first looks - see the hole in Simon's sill that started off as a small hole in the outer sill next to the jacking point.....

[Northern_Mike]

Welding old cars is a case of how far you want to go.
If you see one inch, prepare for six.

You don't talk welding. You don't know what you got till all cut out and decision made to what is clean metal..........on the job,on the car.

When doing it on many old cars and fourbys I had oxy/acy for shaping/bending. Plasma cutter for cutting shapes from plate. High quality Portamig welder. It is still a Twunt and very time consuming. Also..........you continue the chase as time goes on.

Get a car with no rust. You can always do the mechs.

Very true. I had a Saab 900T16 (or 3) in the past that needed welding for the MOT, usual places - front crossmember under the radiator, suspension mountings and sills behind the front wheels. My brother and I did it ourselves - back then we had access to a decent lift, which makes it so much easier, and we did such a good job the MOT tester had to ask us again where we'd welded.

Sadly I don't think my neighbours would take to kindly to getting the welder out in our shared driveway with a load of toddlers knocking around (it's illegal, isn't it?) I've done it once or twice outside when I've done bits for people, but always shielded the area. Don't have facilities to do that now.

[lexi]

Indeed Lexi, but that's never stopped us talking about things in the past

I like to have at least thought how I was going to tackle before I started, but as you say until you grind it back you're not really sure how bad it's going to be - except that it will be much worse than it first looks - see the hole in Simon's sill that started off as a small hole in the outer sill next to the jacking point.....

Of course Richard. If the will is there anything can be done really.

I am probably giving it the old " don't do the crazy things I did" mantra

[Mandrake]

The rust holes on both cars are a pain to be sure, although touch wood the hole in the red car doesn't look as bad or in as awkward a place to fix as the silver one...

But if the choice is between getting a rust hole repaired, or getting a worse rust hole repaired AND lifting an engine and gearbox out, getting an expensive gearbox overhaul or chancing a second hand gearbox AND trying to do a top end rebuild on the engine, all with no guarantees of success, the choice becomes very clear.

My car is being scrapped because of the engine and gearbox, not due to the rust hole. The rust hole was just one final annoyance that made me realise it was time to give up...

[Northern_Mike]

I am probably giving it the old " don't do the crazy things I did" mantra

I am trying quite forcibly to do the same...

[Mandrake]

Hey guys,

I've been looking over some close up pictures of northern_mike's Xantia again and noticed a couple of interesting differences from mine.

An engine bay shot shows that the plastic engine ECU housing beside the timing belt cover is much narrower than mine - barely over half as wide, leaving a good clenched fist gap between the housing and the side of the engine, whereas on mine you'd only get a couple of fingers in between them.

In mine from the left (looking into the engine bay) is the Hydractive ECU, the engine ECU, then beside those the two double injection relays mounted in a couple of slots.

There doesn't appear to be enough room in mike's box for all three of those so does that mean the two injection relays live elsewhere on some Xantia V6's ? Any V6 experts know ?

Another difference I noticed is that on the passenger front seat kick rail (the plastic strip below the electric seat adjusters) it says "airbag" - does that mean mike's car has side air bags fitted ? Mine doesn't...(the Lexia thinks it does, but it can't communicate with any, none are fitted as far as I know, and there is no airbag labelling on the seat)

Strange when they're both '98 models that there should be these differences. Mind you mine is an early '98 S2 car that has some characteristics of a S1 - including the S1 cruise control relay location under the front guard and reversed S1 pin out on the cruise control ECU... maybe mine is a mongrel made with whatever parts were left over from the S1 V6 production...

[Hell Razor5543]

I don't know if it helps, but the side airbag ECUs reside in the central pillar trim, above the safety belt reels (well, they are on Gracie).

[Trainman]

Hmmm interesting thought on the leftovers my V6 is an S1 but has some characteristic s of an S2, for example it has the wiring for the front seat heaters but the seat don't have heaters......

Oh and the cars a 1997

[KP]

Citroen and other manufacturers do this a lot on models just as a new version comes out. They run out of older bits and if they can get away with shoving them in they will do.

Does this mean your V6 is being broken and not sold whole then Simon?

[Mandrake]

Don't know yet, its still up in the air depending on what I buy to replace it and if that's another Xantia V6 as I'd like, how many parts I need off this one to go into the replacement - removal of certain parts would obviously render the car non mobile and only suitable for breaking or trailering...

Will let people know once I know...

[CitroJim]

Yep, the very early S2 V6 (like mine) are a little different to even slightly later ones...

Mine's not got Trafficmaster for instance...

[Mandrake]

No traffic master in mine either Jim, does that mean its likely Mikes does have it ? If so, I sense a bit of wiring surgery could be on the books.

[CitroJim]

I can't remember now if Mike's does have it Simon. I shoukld know... I'm sure Mike will soon tell us...

[BW]

Mine is a late series 2 and has Trafficmaster, but support for the system stopped a couple of years ago, so it's silent now (except to test).
Interesting to read about odd parts being used, mine has light leather but the dark seat bases and carpets.