Xantia of Desires - Farewell xantia!

[beko1987]

Can't you just cable tie the connecting rod on? That's what I did on mine and it lasted the life of the car.

I might well do, it's stayed on so far though, will keep an eye on it

[beko1987]

Please remember not to be underneath it when it's "high", then mess with the height corrector unless it's supported by axle stands or is up on ramps - several people have suddenly found it detrimental to their health when half-a-tonne of Citroen back end sinks onto their chest.

 

Yep, she was up on ramps. Was quite odd at first pushing the lever not even 1mm and watching it rise away, then moving it the other way and watching it get closer... More adjustment to do at the weekend though so will be doing it again!

[vulgalour]

All the time I've known this car its had height corrector issues and nobody has been willing (understandably) to take them off and put new ones on or clean them out fully, the best that's been done is cleaning them in situ and regular uppy-downy lever action.  Was never a big issue for me but I know it used to drive Chompy nuts and it sounds like it went properly doodah on you!  I hope you resolve it, seems to be one of the biggest issues with Xantias of all types.

[Dave_Q]

Are the hydraulic lines the same as normal car brake pipes?

 

I've found that several of the unions wouldn't undo on my berlingo and I've just had to bite the bullet and cut the pipe, use a 6 point socket to get the union out and make a new section.

 

If it is the same shit as brake pipe you can get an OK flaring tool from eBay for 30ish quid, and enough pipe and unions to do the whole car for 20 quid or less.

[beko1987]

All the time I've known this car its had height corrector issues and nobody has been willing (understandably) to take them off and put new ones on or clean them out fully, the best that's been done is cleaning them in situ and regular uppy-downy lever action.  Was never a big issue for me but I know it used to drive Chompy nuts and it sounds like it went properly doodah on you!  I hope you resolve it, seems to be one of the biggest issues with Xantias of all types.

If I can get it out without much damage it sounds an easyish job to strip and clean them, I just need a better union spanner.

 

Not sure I fancy jumping in the deep end and chopping and re-flaring pipes though...

 

Once I get the height set correctly, I'm hoping I've cleaned it out enough and lobbed enough slippery stuff in to keep it happy for a while, might even get a fresh can of brake cleaner in there and coat everything in grease, but it really needs to be taken off and properly disassembled and cleaned

 

Will the slightly lower ride height fuck it up for the next 2 days? Really don't want to have to do it after work with the darkness looming in. I'll drive like miss daisy whilst it's a bit low

 

Also, someone said cabletie the dogleg on earlier. I have thought, and probably won't, cos it it wants to pop off again it can, if I cabletie it on it'll snap or something equally hilarious*, then I'll have to find and fit one, probably with a few days delay. As is, now I know where it sits I can put my arm under and pop it on, then withdraw like fuck!

 

I gave the front corrector a good jizz in grease too whilst I had everything out just in case. Also, the height control lever, gearknob, handbrake, steering wheel and key is covered in oily crap now with my repeated jumping in and out, used a fair bit of derv too with all the idling it did this morning!

[Lacquer Peel]

Are the hydraulic lines the same as normal car brake pipes?

 

I've found that several of the unions wouldn't undo on my berlingo and I've just had to bite the bullet and cut the pipe, use a 6 point socket to get the union out and make a new section.

 

If it is the same shit as brake pipe you can get an OK flaring tool from eBay for 30ish quid, and enough pipe and unions to do the whole car for 20 quid or less.

Similar in principle but different fittings. You can buy sections from Citroen specialists cheaply.

There's a mini Citroen flare tool that allows you to bridge rotten sections but it's almost impossible to find now.

[beko1987]

I might buy one of these first and try

 

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/spanners-wrenches/halfords-professional-flare-spanner

 

I stopped as soon as I felt slippage, so only knocked the edges off slightly, rather than properly fuck them up. Also sprayed plusgas on them before I ran out of that so hopefully that will help

[beko1987]

It had sunk a bit whilst at work, and took a bit of time to come back up, and looked a bit low as I crawled up the bypass looking like an idiot checking the reflection of the rear end out in the cars next to me (modern cars are so bloody curvy, made it a right pain) but by the time I got home it was sitting perfectly...

 

Will reposition the manual rod over the weekend, incase its ever so slightly pushing the height corrector down or summat

[beko1987]

I did a tip run this morning in the old girl, some of the neighbors pruned some of the communal tree's the council never touch, and we burnt aload of it a few months ago over some beers, but all the massive logs were left, so I loaded the fuck out of the xantia with that, and all the crap we had to get rid of, and pottered to the tip.

 

Upon returning, she was full of dead leaves and bloody woodlice, so I got the 1989 Hoover Aquamaster out, and gave her the first proper vacuum in my ownership! 

 

When I was doing the boot though, I lifted the carpet up as there was loads of crap under the trim peices, but noticed that the passenger side was soaking wet underneath. No rust or anything, just sodden foam... Would this be coming from the hole in the arch, or the tailgate, or havee any of it's previous owners spilt lots of liquid in the boot that just hasn't dried?

 

Either way, I'll have it out one sunny day to dry properly, but I cracked on, and did a pretty shit job of the front, because I had a village fete to go to, where the Xantia did it's bit by taking some old people home who wanted to go just as I arrived, so down to low to help entry, and back down to low to aid exit, smiles all round and I got some free cake for my troubles.

[beko1987]

Sweet, thanks Chompy! Theres no standing water, and the top of the carpet isn't wet, just the foam underneath is very damp. I pulled no water through the top with lots of vacuuming (trying to get daz's soppy dogs hair out, and bits of twig)

 

Ill add all that to the fettle list!

[beko1987]

Whilst crawling up the a404 at 3mph as usual earlier, I confirmed what I thought about the clutch, it's bloody high! The bite point is prob 1/2 a cm down the pedal travel... Never having had a xantia before, I don't know if this is normal, but I presume not. It still clutches ok (does throw a bit of a wobbly at proper low 2nd gear speeds, but a drop into 1st sorts that).

 

How does one adjust it? I suppose this question is aimed at Sir Chompy/Sir Vulg who changed the clutch, although comments welcome from everyone! The haynes manual does cover it, but pointers in simple shiter terms would be gr8!

 

What else to cover the lack of updates... nothing! It's on 131k now, I still need to properly do something about the rear height corrector, and the rear tyres, and the water leak. It's definatly dripping water from the back of the engine somewhere (literally not done anything about it, so presume a pipe somewhere), but it's not put the coolant warning light on yet, so will look at that soon. The oil level light flashed the other day on the flat too, I'm used to it flashing after being parked on steep inclines, but not the flat so will check that too, but it was spot on the other week on the dipstick.

 

I've carried 2 sofa's, done a fully loaded tip run and had the back full of hoovers. Amy hasn't been in it yet either! 

 

I'd also quite like to turn the fuel down a tad too, mainly for the MOT so it doesnt kick so much smoke out when it's being tested, is this a simple job? Will prob turn it up again afterwards, and need some exhaust tape to cover the small hole just after the 'cat', again just to get it through the test, I want to put a new wxhaust on it next year when I get my yearly bonus, the same with the spheres, they can wait until next year too. When the rear height corrector is sitting right it's very smooth, when it's not it's noticable but not horrific.

 

Everything else is fine/can wait/I haven't found it yet!

[The Moog]

I think that clutch adjustment is at the box end. Wasn't mega complicated as I recall.

 

Fuel isn't difficult either, undo the fuel pump locking nut and adjust. Can't remember which way it is.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Mine is very high too but works fine. The pedal is several inches higher than the other two. I`m told that the wrong cable has been fitted, not by the seller but by a Citroen geek

[mouseflakes]

I get the impression there is an auto-adjustment widget built into the cable. I started reading this French Car Forum thread (found via Google) but got bored before any conclusion was reached...

 

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30133

[vulgalour]

Compared to other cars I always found the Xantia clutch to be high, even when just done.  No idea how you adjust it, or even if you can, auto-adjustment does seem likely.  One corner of the boot carpet would get wet now and then but I could never replicate it to reliably find out how it was getting in.  Easy enough to sort at any rate.  The other water ingress point was the bottom corner of the windscreen on the passenger side so check the carpet that side isn't squidgy.  The trim along the bottom of the windscreen seems to be the culprit there.

[beko1987]

sounds like it's been this way for years then, I wont worry about it yet then! I just didn't recall it being like it when I first got it, but I didn't play with the bite point so much either, so probably never noticed it.

 

not noticed a leak from the windscreen either, but again, I've not checked. probably won't either, ignorance is bliss! the boot carpet can't be too bad, there's been a 1993 electrolux vacuum in its box sat on it since the day I bought the car, and it's not got wet.

[beko1987]

I put nearly 2 litres of water into the expansion tank this lunchtime, seems it's running the patented SVM total loss cooling system!

 

Will see how much it pisses out on the way home now it has some in, may help me diagnose it.

[The Moog]

It's flushing itself for you ... How considerate

[beko1987]

I thought so! hopefully where it's leaking from is cleaning the block too

[beko1987]

mmmm there is certainly a water leak somewhere, this is after 18 miles

 

 

 

 

No idea where it's coming from, it's obviously being blown around everywhere whilst driving, will have a look when it's dry and up on ramps tomorrow. any common water failure points on a 1.9td to get me started? best start carrying water around.

 

the bloke who sits next to me already suggested radweld/kseal, I slapped him

[bub2006]

Well this is new. I thought it had a water leak but then noticed lhm pipe so repaired that and all was good. Hope it can be rectified easily. Sorry fella.

[beko1987]

Nah it's ok Bub, I only noticed when I was under it fettling the rear height corrector after it had been idling for 2 hours!

 

It's not as bad as I thought though, I brimmed the expansion tank yesterday lunchtime at my mums, and I checked just now back at mums (so 50ish miles) and it's gone down a CM, so not quite as bad as I thought. It just looks worse I think, as wherever it's leaking from is splattering EVERYWHERE when driving, and taking oil and other shite from the engine bay with it. So it all looks bad, hopefully when I'm sat properly under it behind the block I can see what's occuring. It's all too wet and oily for rainagains talcum powder hack to work.

 

It might be coming from the drivers side, as the drivers side wheel is wet inside, water is running down the wishbone on both sides, but more on the drivers side. But everywhere is wet. Due to my inability to find an 8mm flare nut spanner that isn't made of shite this will be tomorrow's job, either hoping to see where it drips from, or remove pipes one by one and inspect.

 

Interestingly, once brimmed with water the temp gauge didn't rise up to a bit past halfway as it always did, so at least once this is fixed it'll run a bit cooler. It was properly out of water before though (having never checked it).

 

Talking of the rear height corrector, I'm almost tempted to get some mole grips on, and hope they grip the union enough to not slip, but that's a one chance only thing, so keen to avoid. The unions undid from the block of them further up the body though, so if the 2 height corrector pipes run to there I'm going to try removing them from the block and slipping a good ring spanner down the pipe and undoing them that way. We shall see, coolant is a tad more urgent now, I'll reposition the height control rod anyway as that's easy and 80% of that the rear height problems are for now.

 

You watch it fuck down with rain here all weekend now...

 

I did pop to our local diy shop too, but they only had a tiny selection of mainly 10mm silverline shite spanners. Fair play to the old bloke though (family owned, his son runs it now) he said 20 years ago they would have had it, but I'm the first person this millennium who has asked for a flare nut spanner. He knew exactly what fitting I meant when I mentioned citroen LHM pipe too. I think he felt a little sad that times have changed and it's no longer worth their time stocking stuff like that

 

Also tried screwfix and toolstation, toolstation sell a 23-24mm flare spanner, screwfix laughed in my face (as much as a website can), so it looks like finding a single good one on ebay is the way forward, unless ruffgeezer, do you have a decent 8mm flare nut spanner in your MASSIVE tool stash?

[beko1987]

So, on this glorious but fucking windy day, I have tools out and the drivers side jacked up, and the wheel and arch liner out, as mu lying on the floor in the week deduced that that side is soaked...

 

 

 

I turned her on (the belts are squeaking now too, this started friday morning, I think the leak and this are connected), and ran it up to temperature, and a drip made itself known, running off this sump bolt

 

 

it wasn't much though, a drip every few seconds, this was the mess after 15 minutes

 

 

I squeezed lots of hoses, revved it up from the fuel pump etc, and I can't see any water leaking. One pipe (goes to one side of the fuel filter housing) is damp, but i think it's water from inside the top layer, not a leak

 

 

However, what did make itself known, was this pool of liquid around what I think is an injector (is it?)

 

 

 

And after cleaning off the sump and various pipes underneath with an old towel, liquid is running (not too fast) down the sump from up above the front (the back of the engine is dry)

 

 

 

Could this be what my drip from the sump bolt is? It's running lots of ways?

 

 

And doing more taste tests, it's bloody veg and diesel (running about a 50/50 mix). This would explain why the underside hasn't dried, cos it's coated in lovely rustproofing veg!

 

 

And after turning her off, and buggaring about for a few minutes, the pool of liquid on the engine had gone!

 

So, could the 'raining liquid' I saw on friday morning after getting to work actually be loads of fuel pissing out of somewhere? How/what do I do to have the injector off to have a look/seal it up? Not sure why the header tank was a bit empty, but I don't think that's the alarming cause here, maybe it just needed topping up?

 

Fuck my mouth is dry now though!

[bub2006]

I did mention a weeping leak off pipe. Could be that?

[beko1987]

It might be! Looks to be coming from around the injector base, but obv it could be running to that point. I feel some stripping down coming on once I've got the arch liner and wheel back on. I didn't notice it doing it when running diesel, but could smell a waft of it every now and again, but everyone has always said that veg leaks more than derv

[dean36014]

if theres enough slack in them trim the ends of the leak off pipes and reattach. Every XUD I've had eventually had the replaced. you can buy it by the length for peanuts. Also nip the injector pipes up and make sure they are tight.

[The Moog]

Just replace the leak off pipes . They arent that hard to do, can be a bit fiddly anf cheap enough

[oldcars]

Is this spanner any good?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/151992011724?lpid=122&chn=ps&adgroupid=28306099746&rlsatarget=pla-184492175826&adtype=pla&poi=&googleloc=9045996&device=c&campaignid=628859225&crdt=0

 

Its park tools with i used to use all the time for the mountain bike and were good quality when i used them, all be it about 18 years ago.

[beko1987]

To all those who confirmed leak off pipes, you were right! I remember asking this about the ZX but that didn't leak so I never bothered. I found the culprit, once the intercooler pipes were off it became apparent

 

 

A quick test fire revealed fuel spunking out of the nipple, it was hitting the intercooler pipes and running for it! The reason became clear when i took the braiding off the hose

 

 

chopping the end off and re-attaching did the job and will keep it dry for now, I'll buy new soon

 

 

 

I then saw this bit of bare wire, what wire is it and should I wrap it in something or just leave it alone?

 

 

I then tidied all the random hoses up, too kthem off, cleaned them up and re-attached them, tidied this blue one up

 

 

it needs an air filter soon, I rotated it so the cleaner bit was over the intake

 

 

When Bub handedm e the keys he asked if he could have his lucky sidelight bulbs back (these weren't fitted the the escort... what could have been? All out now daz, I'll lob them i nthe post when I remember!

 

 

Job done for now I think, need to go to asda later so will test it out. I did some bits on the meriva too, but we are going to the food festival now, which is good cos i'm starving, so I'll put that up later!

[bub2006]

I had them same bulbs in the van. I bought some after crash and swapped them along every car