Xantia 110bhp HDI takeover Qns

isisalar · Post by **isisalar** » 27 Mar 2014, 12:00

When you've got the engine cover off be VERY careful you don't lean on the top of the fuel filter housing. It is very easy to break the plastic pipes, disabling the car.
I speak from experience.
Hdi's like Shell V power.
Cheers
Paul

John Plum · Post by **John Plum** » 28 Mar 2014, 13:33

Right Paul; good warning.
This shell V Power, how is it for economy do you know?

Ref: aux belt, which had jumped of two ribs at the top - upon inspection, with belt slackened off, I found the auto spring tensioner pulley has failed. Probably also accounts for the metallic click I hear when driving, originating from engine bay o/s which increases in sound and frequency upon acceleration, especially hard Acceleration.
One thing I hated about previous Xantia TD was the spring tensioner. You can't measure that dislike, or the pain it caused.

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isisalar · Post by **isisalar** » 28 Mar 2014, 15:08

Living in London and doing a lot of short journeys, as well as a fair bit of motorway driving, usually less than 20 mile journeys I'm getting about 45mpg. I once got 59mpg over about 300 motorway miles, keeping it under 60mph. I'd say you get as many miles per pound from V power as regular diesel, the main benefit though is the cleaning properties, performance on mine is steadily getting better with every fill since starting to use it all the time.
A good dose of Slick 50 fuel system treatment for about £13 is also a very good idea. A damn good thrashing also works wonders.
Cheers
Paul

John Plum · Post by **John Plum** » 28 Mar 2014, 19:14

Paul, I'm going to fill up with V power when I get the tank empty. (;-

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isisalar · Post by **isisalar** » 29 Mar 2014, 10:07

You won't regret it, and stick with it. I'd get it as low as you dare, add a bottle of the Slick 50 and then no more than £20 of V power and then run that through first.
Would be very interesting to get another opinion on it.
Cheers
Paul

John Plum · Post by **John Plum** » 29 Mar 2014, 10:23

Paul, I filled right up with shell diesel, shall run low while recording mileage, then go for v power, in the way you suggest.
It'll take a while, and I'll post my result.
John

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John Plum · Post by **John Plum** » 29 Mar 2014, 16:53

Rear Height corrector: interesting discoveries.
The symptoms are a car that sinks standing at rear and will only rise if lever is shifted to high. Being Saturday, I whipped of the rear HC control lever turret.

Interestingly, the control lever in cabin was moving easily enough beforehand, and upon inspection the turret of levers was all free, and not due to my earlier spraying of lube; in fact it looks pretty new - possibly several months old.

I'll whip off at the height corrector itself tomorrow and inspect I think, although with a cursory view on car, peeling back rubber covers it too looks as if it may be recently replaced.

The dog bone looks strong enough - no obvious fracture I'm suspecting the control rod might have been put back on the wrong position - I hadn't checked that before commencing.
Otherwise, it could be that the anti-roll bar connector was moved, and set much too low. However, I don't seem to recall that the rear rose at all when moving from minimum height setting.

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John Plum · Post by **John Plum** » 30 Mar 2014, 10:30

Having reassembled the HC, I see the that the round pin on the lower control lever slips out easily of the square hole on the height corrector actuating lever; that is, with car on ramps, when testing by hand operating the lower control lever.
I'm not sure this is OK. The system is depressurised, of course - perhaps that makes a difference, so the HC itself won't shift so easily. Not sure.
I can see, by comparison with my old xantia, those pins don't sit far into the square hole on the lever.
I wonder should I attempt to bend the lever towards the driver side a little.

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John Plum · Post by **John Plum** » 30 Mar 2014, 12:17

Well, that seems to have cured it. She rises on medium and high now, with the correction to actuating lever, so the control lever pin doesn't slip out.
Just gotta set correct ride height next.

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John Plum · Post by **John Plum** » 03 Apr 2014, 21:55

Fitted new tensioners yesterday - auto spring and manual eccentric. The old auto tensioner was well shot away. And, a new aux belt.
Better, it won't jump grooves, metallic clicking on acceleration still persists and squeaking may be worse at idle. Definitely not over- tensioned.
I suspect everything! The noise seems to travel around.
I tried a little spray lube on remaining pulley shafts, but didn't help.
Due probably to the alternator or LHM pump pulleys. The alternator is prime suspect.
When I had the wheel off and belt running, it even sounded like from the crank pulley, which though had no play by hand (as with all pulleys), it seems to have some very slight wobble when running - but perhaps this is normal with their dampening function and rubber sandwich.

I think the metallic click spells alternator. I'm largely guessing, and telling myself it's reason I'm employing.

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John Plum · Post by **John Plum** » 04 Apr 2014, 20:45

Here's a photo if the auto tensioner on an hdi.
There are two holes for pinning. It's the first one that is pinned (least tension) when you buy a replacement: don't remove the pin until the tensioner is fitted and belt in place - otherwise you risk injury, it is said.

IDEA: I'm thinking now, that the squeal is the HP pump. It'd be good to have a few lengths of short belt to isolate the pump and alternator, alternatively. I wonder if the alternator could be isolated, probably not, given position of auto tensioner; I reckon you could miss it out though, along with AC.

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John Plum · Post by **John Plum** » 16 Apr 2014, 20:35

Took a closer look at the LHM pump, as I thought the body wasn't so well mounted, and Lo! I'll be b*********d if wasn't the main long mounting bolt that had worked loose, by the time I took the car over. That solved the squeal at start up,
I still get a slight light mechanical rap under acceleration from the pump.. It'll be OK for now, though I have a standby to swap over. The pump's pulley bearing must have taken some unpleasant forces,,, I guess it's a bush worn oval?

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