Xantia : Puddle forming in passenger footwell

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PeterMann
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Xantia : Puddle forming in passenger footwell

Post by PeterMann »

Is there an information package on how to access rectify the notorious leaking of coolant from the heater core ?
There is also coolant leaking externally onto the road, from around the bottom of the passenger side of the firewall.
I'm 1,000 miles from home (in Brisbane), and if it's a long and tedious procedure, I may drive home with gallons of water stashed in the boot, and take her plumbing to task where I have a spare BX to save the day.
DoubleChevron
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Post by DoubleChevron »

You poor, poor b@stard [:(]
I was reading a few days ago that replacing the heater core in a Xantia is extremely in depth. Infact, the guy compared it with replacing the the clutch, and reckoned replacing the clutch was easier [}:)]
How about some bars leaks to get home ?? Sounds like an interesting trip, LHM leak, coolant leak ... is there anything else that can go wrong [:o)]
seeya,
Shane L.
PeterMann
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Post by PeterMann »

How about some bars leaks to get home ?? Sounds like an interesting trip, LHM leak, coolant leak ... is there anything else that can go wrong [:o)]
seeya,
Shane L.
Oh, Yeah. How about the overheating warning light not coming on until the gauge was over 110 degrees C. I think I have blown a head gasket, just slightly, and it is blowing over into the coolant (hence perhaps the leaking heater core from the extra pressure).
Then the driver's side High Beam globe dropped out about a minute before a big grey kangaroo charged from the right and left a kangaroo-shaped impression along the drivers side guard and front door.
Then a Safety Nazi gave me a $150 fine for driving at 116 kmh on an otherwise lovely road through empty undulating terrain.
mbunting
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Post by mbunting »

Why not improvise and use some coolant hose to bypass the heater matrix. Don't ask me how, but it should get you home, although you'll not have any heat in the car.
Perhaps time to find a 12v hair dryer from a car accessory shop ?
James.UK
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Post by James.UK »

Doesn't turning your heater off shut off the water flow to the matrix? if not is it poss to clamp the water feed to it somehow as a temp measure?
And can you bypass the elec thermostat on your rad (unplug the leads and join them together temp) to keep the fan on all the time, also may help to remove your thermostat temporarily till you get home.. also if its a manual, get into top asap and try to keep your revs down.. Dont travel when the sun is at it peak, and speeding WONT help!! lol..
I wish you luck and a safe journey... :-)
Cheers.. James..
PS.. But dont foget to restore all changes when you get home! lol..
lhm_leak
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Post by lhm_leak »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Doesn't turning your heater off shut off the water flow to the matrix?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Not in a Xantia. Turning the heater off just slightly reduces the amount of steam pouring out of the vents.
I do sympathise though, having had it happen to me. I only had a 50 mile journey home though, and managed it without cooking the engine - I hope [:(]. I watched the temp guage like a hawk all the way, and a soon as it edged even slightly above normal stopped the car to refill the header tank. Took about a gallon of water getting home that (cold) night. Not to mention the pantomime with a torch, mop and bucket...
Stu.
DoubleChevron
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Post by DoubleChevron »

Gee's Peter,
sounds like a really interesting trip. My car always runs perfectly until I'm 1000km's from home too [:(!]
The water pump on my CX has just died and is spewing water through the bearing. What I've done temporarily so I can keep driving is remove the cap from the header tank. This will prevent the system running under pressure(and pushing the coolant out), but will also comprimise the cooling ability of the motor. In your case, you will really have to find the inlet and outlet to the heater matrix under the bonnet and either block them(bad), or join them both together (probably much better). You shouldn't be needing a heater this time of year[:D]
Why do these things always happen away from home?? Last easter I towed the camper upto Maleny behind my CX turbo, bloody thing ran like a dog all the way there (I later found the fuel regulator to be dodgy and running upto 80psi), the car ran like crap (I only just solved this last week, took me nearly 8months to find it --not that I was really looking). There is a plug under a shroud under the bonnet, this multi plug must contain the wires to the knock sensor. I found this plug last week and cleaned it and the car is now flying (and I mean bloody fast). If the computer doesn't get a signal from the knock sensor is retards the ignition by a whole 10degrees.... No wonder the car didn't feel well !! I'd dropped from 26-28mpg towing to 15mpg coming home[:0]
good luck !!
Shane L.
PS: If you have a slightly blown headgasket I would strongly recommend removing the radiator cap, you don't want the coolant being full of air due to the leaking head gasket!
PeterMann
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Post by PeterMann »

Leaving Coolant cap loose presesnts a dilemma : the water climbs out through the reserve tank.
Although I can make some educated guesses on which hoses feed the heater core, my general impression is that some of the design is delberately too-smart-by-half, with the intention of confounding those who used to know their way around under the bonnet (so that we would be good little consumers and feed the citroen distributor coffers for every maintenance requirement).
Because there are a lot of unidentified hoses of obscure function, if somebody were to give specific description of heater hose routes, I would be more inclined to try short-circuiting the heater matrix.
rossnunn
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Post by rossnunn »

are you sure it's coolant? Xantia's suffer a problem where if the drainge hole on the passanger side scuttle panel gets blocked then water runs back through the heater and drains out onto the carpet.
To rectify is everso easy. Just unclip the wheel arch lining at the back (where it meets the sill) and put you hand up inside, there's probably leaves & other rubbish, pull all that out (careful tho I got a armfull of water - and i was wareing overalls!!) & mind the alarm in there too.
Then reach up and unclear the drainige hole, clip everything back in place, job done.
Then you have the fun of getting the dampness out of the car!!
Cheers
R
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