1998 Xantia sx 2.1 TD advice please

[foeism]

Hello,

My first post

At the end of August I will be the owner of a 98 xantia (as in subject title), as my mate bought it last month to tow his caravan.

Now I have been trawling through the web sites, as to what to look for when buying an xantia, LHM leaks, dmaged spheres, stiff suspension etc.

I'm looking forward to picking it up in a months time.
The random question I wanted to know is, when the vehicle is parked up for a few days, what setting should the suspension be set at?

When adjusting the suspension settings, should the engine be switched on?

And finally, although the wrong way round as already buying it, in your experience what should I look for or check, and if anything what should be changed once collected?

[Xaccers]

Being a 2.1TD it will have the Lucas Epic pump (so no running it on veg!). Due to the age, I'd replace as much of the fuel line in the engine bay with clear piping so you can check for air getting in.
Great cars for towing with their low down grunt and reportedly more economical than the 1.9TD (I prefer 1.9's and tended to try and get my previous 2.1 to respond the same, fuel economy suffered due to my leaded right foot!). CitroJim could get over 50mpg from the same car driving it more in line with it's characteristics.

Leave the suspension in normal mode unless you're servicing, changing a wheel (get the car to do the lifting!) or doing citrobics (set it on high, let it settle for 5 mins, set it on low, let it settle for 5 mins, repeat until your wife has finished shopping and comes back to the car). In order to change height the engine must be running (although when off it will eventually sink down, hopefully after a few weeks rather than a few days).

Remember you only have full suspension travel in normal mode, so don't move the car at anything other than dead slow at the other height settings.

If you have to work under the car, get it supported on axle stands as they can suddenly drop leaving a rather messy stain on the driveway where you used to be.
If you need to work under one end, set the car on high, put axle stands on the jacking points at that end and then set the car on low. It will tilt on the axle stands and give you plenty of room to work safely underneath.
Likewise if you need to change a wheel, loosen the wheel bolts, set the car on high, extend the jack to meet the jacking point, then set the car on low to lift the wheel off the ground. Let the car do the heavy lifting
I'd have a look under and lube the height control linkages front and back. If you've never seen them before, look for the metal rod running along the centre of the car and follow it to the ends. There are arms with springs in them, cover them in lube as they actuate the height control valves and if they get stuck the car won't ride quite right and be harsh. If they're really stuck the link between them and the anti-roll bar can snap.

Unless it's been bought from another forum member who knows the basics, assume the LHM has never been replaced (despite a full service history) and get some hydrorincage (hydroflush) from GSF to replace the LHM and bleed the brakes. This will clean the system over the next 1000 miles, then replace with new LHM.

[Northern_Mike]

For nearly all purposes, leave the suspension in the normal setting. This is the furthest forward of the two white marks on the control lever as in the pic below.



Furthest forward is "Service low" - usually only used when depressurising the system for maintenance, and the furthest back is "service high". I'm not sure exactly what service high is for. It makes it easier to change a wheel and do some jobs, but you should NEVER work under it unless it's supported by ramps or stands. If the suspension drops, it will squash you flat and you WILL DIE, and a family member will need to scrub the drive where you used to be. Spare them this grief, please.

The middle setting is for showing off to local kids, driving down steps in your local square, driving across rivers and so on. I've not really found a sensible use for it in 10 years of owning Xantias.

You'll need the engine running to adjust the suspension height as it's all driven off an engine-powered hydraulic pump.

What to look for - filthy LHM, leaks in the suspension, rust under the strut tops (see the forum sticky) and rust on the sills and in the rear door shuts. Check all the windows and electrics work, other than that, much the same as any other car.

[citroenxm]

The suspension sets its self. Automatically. . Press the front and rear and check for a smooth down and up soft springness.

any hardness could indicate spheres needed. 55 a pair roughly from aep.

for more accurate advise on suspension the actual model needs to be known.. lx, sx has a simpler setup where vsx has the electronically controlled setup. The size of the pipes feeding the front suspension units under the bonnet should help there. Either 6mm pipes or 3.5mm pipes.. opposite side to the green sphere.

heater matrix needs checking its a dash out job. Put the heater on cold warm the car up and put heater on hot and smell for curry.. yes really! !

Look under the front wings up at the underside of the strut top mount check for rot. The mounts do rot away which can result in damaged bonnets..

rust.. end of the cills at the back BEHIND the cill lip theres a flat bit.. they can rot out if the inspection grommets are missing in the leading face of the rear wheel archs..

2.1 td .. cam belt and water pump find out if its been done.. but need dooing say every 80k.

check blower works on all speeds though not an expensive fix. The heater matrix is the biggest concern..

in the car the height lever beside the gear lever. With the engine running pull the lever up and slide right back. The car should rise instanly to top setting. if Its slow to responde at the rear or doesnt respond at all its useually the stupid linkage arms siezed.. and need some loosening up.

Depending how much you want to spend is up to you.. but ideally an lhm fluid change may not go a miss do it same time as the suspension spheres if they are needed..

yes on xantias the engine needs to be running for any suspesnion rising and lowering. Check pipe work for any rust spots along their lengths. They may be plastic covered but it by far still doesnt stop rust spots and potential bursts.

[citroenxm]

Wow. I was a bit slow there..

[foeism]

Thank you all for your advice, really appreciated.

Good point about axel stands, and duley noted.

I wasn't aware that clear piping was available for fuel lines.

Citrobics like that concept, and makes sense to keep everything moving.

With regards to lubing the the height control linkages, will lithium grease be fine?

Thanks again

[citroenxm]

If they are already nice and free then yes any kind of good grease to keep them lubed and free..

[foeism]

Right, picked up the car and was not disappointed!

heater works, no smell of curry, heater blower works.
No leaks from any of the spheres or front suspension.
The car has spent most of it's years garaged.

Drove to Kent from Cardiff yesterday with the family, super smooth, and quick!
Tried the height settings, and all works, although the rear is few seconds slower than the front when going up and down.

Now and again i can hear a clicking sound from the n/s front when the windows open

The radio needs to be unlocked and the indicator when turning left sometimes i need to hold it down to work, other than that really pleased.....like the secret compartment in the front door arm rests !!

Is it worth using any engine additives to clean the engine through or not bother?

[citroenxm]

Is it a last series one or a series two? Series one blaupunkt radios can be decoded from the serieal number on the side of the unit.. however later series two clarion s with cd changer in the boot are completely different and need the chip reading contary to belief cant get the code recovered from the serial number..

[Old-Guy]

...to change height the engine must be running (although when off it will eventually sink down, hopefully after a few weeks rather than a few days...

When I had to leave the Green Lady in bits for 9 months, the suspension had only sunk slightly despite being transported home from central France, and raised up and down on a lift several times! That's not boasting, merely a fairly easily achieved on an 18 year-old car without any substantial work on the hydraulics apart from replacing the spheres for the first time nearly 6 years ago.

[foeism]

Hmmm, my rear end tends to drop a few inched after a few hours, but not the front.

what does this mean then?

will check the radio tomorrow, i think it's the phase 2, if so easy job to re-code?

thanks

[citroenxm]

Phase two.. no not computer software decode able anyway..

[Skull]

foeism Good to hear that most things are OK

[foeism]

foeism Good to hear that most things are OK

Thanks

[foeism]

Also found out the stereo is the later version.

What do I need to do in order to get it work?

where/who do i need to take it to, for re-coding?

thanks