Citroen xantia 1.8 16v 1999 manual
I've noticed my overflow cap hissing after stoping the engine and I didn't notice it before even tho i've been under the hood a lot. Firstly I tried buying a new cap - didn't fix it. Now I noticed top radiator hose getting hard when the car wasn't even close to operating temperature. Did a test of opening the cap after a day of sitting and releasing any left pressure, starting the engine, letting it run for a minute and opening the cap again. To no suprise I did hear a slight hiss.... Also when the car reaches around 60C if I try to open the cap - coolant splashes out
The car doesn't overheat...
So I'm suspecting a minor head gasket leak
What do you guys think?
Citroen Xantia blown Head gasket?
Moderator: RichardW
Citroen Xantia blown Head gasket?
Last edited by August on 20 Nov 2021, 20:58, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Citroen Xantia blown Head gasket?
If the HG is blown, you should be seeing bubbles in the expansion tank, and getting loss of coolant. Compression getting into the coolant will cause airlocks in the cooling system (which can interfere with the way the thermostat works, if the thermostat housing gets an airlock in it). If exhaust is getting into the cooling system, the coolant usually ends up smelling of exhaust.
If the HG leak is between the supply oil-way (in one corner of the HG) and one of the HG coolant openings, engine oil can get injected into the cooling system (it's under much higher pressure than the coolant), and you will find oil floating on top of the coolant in the header tank. It doesn't sound as if you have this.
Both of the above will cause repeated coolant loss (not to be confused with just over-filling) and erratic behavior of heater and thermostat.
If the HG leak is between the supply oil-way (in one corner of the HG) and one of the HG coolant openings, engine oil can get injected into the cooling system (it's under much higher pressure than the coolant), and you will find oil floating on top of the coolant in the header tank. It doesn't sound as if you have this.
Both of the above will cause repeated coolant loss (not to be confused with just over-filling) and erratic behavior of heater and thermostat.
Chris
Re: Citroen Xantia blown Head gasket?
So it is most likely a blown head gasket?
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Re: Citroen Xantia blown Head gasket?
On a petrol engine, the combustion pressure increases with the load on the engine, and a small gasket leak may not be obvious at idle.
You can probably buy a kit to test for combustion gasses in the coolant.
You can probably buy a kit to test for combustion gasses in the coolant.
Re: Citroen Xantia blown Head gasket?
But if the pressure is building up in the coolant system from just a minute of idle, doesn't it make it quite obvious that the HG is leaking cylinder pressure in to coolant system? Because im pretty sure it shouldn't start building pressure untill it gets up to tempereture
- white exec
- Moderating Team
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1992 BX19D Millesime hatch LHD
previously 1989 BX19RD, 1998 ZX 1.9D auto, 2001 Xantia 1.8i auto
and lots of Rovers before that: 1935 Ten, 1947 Sixteen, 1960 P5 3-litre, 1966 P6 2000, 1972 P6 2000TC, and 1975 P6B 3500S - x 1752
Re: Citroen Xantia blown Head gasket?
Normally, pressure will not build up in the cooling system after just a minute of idling, or even a few minutes. For pressure to build, the coolant temperature will need to be quite high.
It does sound as if your HG is leaky/blown.
A workshop would be able to do a compression test on the engine (via the spark plug holes).
It does sound as if your HG is leaky/blown.
A workshop would be able to do a compression test on the engine (via the spark plug holes).
Chris