Re: Bargain Odd Spec VSX and V6 Loveliness

[CitroJim]

Sorry to hear you've been ill and in hospital I trust all is well now...

Good work on the V6 Get some proper oil in the gearbox and change it three times in quick succession and all should be OK...

[xantia_v6]

Which emissions reading was high?

BTW, you might want to edit the titile of this blog to add the "V6" (go to the first post, edit that and change the title there).

[yannbeam]

Which emissions reading was high?

BTW, you might want to edit the titile of this blog to add the "V6" (go to the first post, edit that and change the title there).

Thanks for that. I've been scratching my head trying to work that out !

The carbon monoxide was high. I'm hoping the service has sorted it. The spark plugs were a mess. Definitely not been changed for quite some time.

[yannbeam]

Sorry to hear you've been ill and in hospital I trust all is well now...

Good work on the V6 Get some proper oil in the gearbox and change it three times in quick succession and all should be OK...

Thanks Jim. Not quite there yet but much better. I've ordered the correct oil and will flush it when i get a chance. That oils not cheap either !

[yannbeam]

Is that a bit of old fridge/washing machine etc?

A significant portion of my old T25 camper van's floor was from an old washing machine!

That made me chuckle

I have used that method in the past, but the steel in the sill is 100% new and shiny. Its my fabrication that makes it look bad
I did once make a floor for a mini from the side of a tumble dryer and coke cans. And pop rivets. Lots of pop rivets. I offered to weld it (badly) but my mate insisted his way was fine. Worryingly it also passed an MOT like that.

[yannbeam]

Another issue I've noticed today is the rear suspension dropping when it rises up from the low position. It drops suddenly about 10/15 mm, pauses and then carries on to the correct height. Its quite a jolt when it does it. I tried it many times in case it was air in the system, but it doesn't seem do it every time. The spheres are quite old so might want changing. Any ideas ?

[xantia_v6]

Which emissions reading was high?

The carbon monoxide was high. I'm hoping the service has sorted it. The spark plugs were a mess. Definitely not been changed for quite some time.

I have found that the ES9 engines often struggle with CO readings at MOT time, but it is because the Catalytic converter is not hot enough to work properly. The engine needs to be well warmed up before the test, and the tester often needs to run the engine at 3000 RPM for a couple of minutes or more to get the cat up to temperature, and then the CO magically drops to 0.

I think that the problem is that the cat is rather large and takes a lot of heating, and the engine is not actually giving it much combustible material (HCs) to work with. I am assuming here that your V6 still has the original cat. Don't replace the cat with an after-market one unless you really have to, as they don't seem to last very long.

Another issue I've noticed today is the rear suspension dropping when it rises up from the low position. It drops suddenly about 10/15 mm, pauses and then carries on to the correct height. Its quite a jolt when it does it. I tried it many times in case it was air in the system, but it doesn't seem do it every time. The spheres are quite old so might want changing. Any ideas ?

That is a typical symptom of the "hydractive bounce" that many of these cars suffer from. The problem is that the (usually rear) hydractive valve does not open when it should, and then when it does later decide to open, the pressure in the hydractive sphere is less than the suspension pressure, so there is a rush of LHM from the struts into the hydractive sphere, causing the suspension to drop a little.

This may be caused by the line pressure being a bit low (main pressure regulator needs adjusting), or it may be caused by a small spring in the hydractive valve being compressed and needing stretching. See: viewtopic.php?p=241158#241158

In any case the best cure is to change the hydractive valves for the later type from a 1999 or later Xantia Exclusive (as I have just done on my Xantia V6). These later valves are redesigned so that they don't rely on system pressure to work, and do work more predictably. See: viewtopic.php?p=494381#p494381

[Hell Razor5543]

Definitely take the car for an 'Italian Tune-up' just before the MoT. When I took my C5 down the A329M to Bracknell and back before her MoT she sailed through (and the tester only needed one go for the emissions test).

[wurlycorner]

Superb find, getting hold of one of the original press cars
Best of luck with it.

[yannbeam]

Finally got the V6 in for her MOT today. Passed no problem, but the MOT man did suggest I should seek help for my Xantia addiction
It drives well for a 22 year old car, and the low burble of the exhaust is quite addictive. Only problem noted so far is the coolant de-gassing tank has a slight weep from the seam.

Does any body know the dimensions of the tank ? My tame Hungarian Tig welder might be able to fabricate me a shiny new one

[CitroJim]

Excellent news on the V6

[Stickyfinger]

As the Degass-Pot is starting to weep you need to plan for it to let go very soon.

Just a note, it is very low in the system and you can lose a lot of coolant and drop the level in the engine to dangerous levels.

[yannbeam]

I've driven 159 miles in the V6 so far. Its now in need of a radiator, front wheel bearing and an anti roll bar link ! The engine is lovely and smooth and a joy to drive, but the gearbox is a slightly different matter. It can best be described as 'random'. It sometimes holds gears for far too long, while at other times changing up in quick succession, only to have to change down as its in too high a gear. Other than that its fine ! Is this a sign of impending failure ?

On a more positive note my tame Hungarian Tig welder has fabricated a new degassing pot from stainless so I can get that fitted at the same time as the rad.

I'm also going to check the condition of the headlights on the scrapper, as the V6 ones are dull and full of grime and are as much use as a couple of glow worms

Overall it seems to be going well. The spheres could do with changing, and it sees to be over fueling a bit so I'll get it on the lexia when i get a chance.

[CitroJim]

but the gearbox is a slightly different matter. It can best be described as 'random'. It sometimes holds gears for far too long, while at other times changing up in quick succession, only to have to change down as its in too high a gear. Other than that its fine !

Unlikely to be an impending sign of failure but one potential cause can be slightly binding brakes...

I have had similar behaviour caused by exactly that... The binding makes the gearbox ECU 'fuzzy logic' believe you are constantly going uphill...

It would be worth throwing a Lexia at it though to see if the gearbox ECU has any stored faults...

[yannbeam]

Long time no post. It seems I have an addiction. Mostly of the V6 variety



The green V6 has failed her MOT on emissions, and I'm having a hard time getting to the bottom of it.

The Red VSX now has a six speed gearbox after the Autobox finally died. I was going to put a normal five speed in it, but a thieving B*****d pikey scrapman stole it. I had the six speed sitting in the garage gathering dust, and wondered if it would fit ! Not quite finished yet, but only a few minor things now.