Xantia Activa V6

[Christian S]

Hello! I'm considering buying a Xantia V6 Activa modell year 2000. Is there anything special I should look for? I'm pretty common with Xantia but Activa is something new to me.
Ex. is it difficult to change spark plugs on the V6-engine?

[addo]

Three are easy! The others take more effort.

[CitroJim]

Three are easy! The others take more effort.

No much more effort. you need to remove the top half of the inlet manifold and that's not really tremendously hard...

What you must do is replace the gasket though...

Many don't bother replacing the rear bank plugs and even more don't bother replacing the gasket if they do.

A very important job is to mop up any stray oil sitting in the (deep) plug wells. An excess in all indicate leaking cam boxes...

[Mandrake]

If you're changing the spark plugs, do yourself a favour and fit the correct types, not a substitute "compatible" type recommended by whoever you buy from.

The factory types are Bosch FR8KDC. I've tried two other compatible types and both were a heat range too cold and suffered from fouling from short trips. Since fitting the correct types I've had no problems with fouling at all, the insulator tips are perfectly clean and white and the engine runs better.

And yes, make sure to replace the gasket - they're only a couple of quid each, I'd buy at least two so you have one as a spare for the future.

If you have oil leaks on the rear cam box, also check the 8mm bolts on the cam box are correctly torqued, as they can work loose and contribute to oil leaks. Make sure you use a torque wrench to the specified torque figure though (I don't know what it is off hand) as they strip easily if overtightened as they are steel bolts into alloy casting. (How do I know ? Because I stripped one and had to repair it... )

The V6 ES9J4 is a lovely engine when running well and very reliable, if you get a good one I'm sure you'll like it, so its worth doing jobs like spark plugs etc properly...

I'm jealous that you get the V6 and Activa together in your country, (no RHD ones, at least in the UK) I think that's my dream Xantia! at least a well sorted one...

[isisalar]

The guys at BL auto's have made at least one V6 Activa. Dread to think what such a job would cost though.
Cheers
Paul

[myglaren]

David Hallworth is in the process of building one too

[Mandrake]

David Hallworth is in the process of building one too

I've been for a ride in David's Activa (very nice condition ) and briefly driven his V6 engine donor car too. The conversion is a big project though, and with other commitments I think he might be having second thoughts about the effort and time involved.

If he does complete it though I can't wait to see it, Citroen really missed a trick in the UK not releasing a RHD V6 Activa as the TCT really doesn't live up to the potential of the Activa, either for power or fuel economy... The irony is that converting it to a V6 manual not only increases the power and torque, it would also increase the fuel economy considerably! (Even a V6 auto has better fuel economy, let alone a V6 in manual guise!)

Add the much nicer engine note of the V6 and you have a winner.

[myglaren]

You do wonder at some of the decisions that the marketing department take.
A V6 Activa could have completely wiped the competition.

[Citroenmad]

Hello! I'm considering buying a Xantia V6 Activa modell year 2000. Is there anything special I should look for?

Hi,

Welcome to the FCF, sorry to see you're Xantia in such a mess after an impact from an Audi. At least it served you well in the crash and kept you safe.

Here is a link to the Activa buyers guide put together by Jim, it should have all you need to know and some

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 20&t=25117" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;