The Xantia of Not Many Shitters

[Rust Collector]

If I pull my finger out and sort the Proton this weekend then it could be a double barrelled MOT caper next week!

[purplebargeken]

Sounds like a plan...

[somewhatfoolish]

Excite.

[RoverFolkUs]

On 8/15/2023 at 8:03 PM, Rust Collector said:

Apparently I need to pull the trip computer reset button out and encourage the needle back to where it should be with a bit of wire. That’s not a photo of me doing a racing start 😅

I hope it has launch control for all of these dizzying Italian tune ups 😉🤣

[purplebargeken]

When the Xantia arrives, this is going to leave me in a bit of a quandary. I will have two large'ish wafty hatchbacks of French origin. The C5 and this.

One can stay. The other will likely have to go......

[RoverFolkUs]

52 minutes ago, purplebargeken said:

When the Xantia arrives, this is going to leave me in a bit of a quandary. I will have two large'ish wafty hatchbacks of French origin. The C5 and this.

One can stay. The other will likely have to go......

Some may disagree but I don't think a C5 can ever top a Xantia. They were made with different mindsets, the Xantia was typical 90's Citroen just being weird and wonderful, the C5 started getting sensible

Both could be seen as pros and cons, depends how you perceive it

[purplebargeken]

I like the sheer space of the C5 but the Xantia seems more essentially.... quirkily Citroen. The C5 is more generic I think. Don't mean that on a negative way at all. It's clearly a worthy, comfy mile muncher without a doubt.

[High Jetter]

IIRC the C5 was Citroen trying to be more mainstream for wider appeal (and sales). Previously they were quirky brilliance

[RoverFolkUs]

Yes, that's what I was trying to say

[High Jetter]

7 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Yes, that's what I was trying to say

 

Precis.

[purplebargeken]

Any potential interest in the C5?

[loserone]

8 minutes ago, purplebargeken said:

Any potential interest in the C5?

You should make a couple of for sale threads.

[loserone]

Have a free bump anyhow 

[purplebargeken]

Hopefully this week may see an MOT attendance.

[Rust Collector]

Today’s the day, kids.

Nothing exciting to report yet. A bulb was procured:

You can’t imagine my relief when I found that it was just a blown bulb and not a full on Citroen electrical nightmare.

I stopped by the farm and picked up the car this morning. Thank you to whoever suggested this route into the clocks:

It works!

 Cataclean and a full tank of super unleaded has been procured and added.

I also gave the car a quick wash, to get rid of the greenery.

Last thing I’ll do is try and find some pins now I’m at work, to hold the head liner up for the man from the ministry.

Predictions in now folks: we should have the verdict after lunch.

[purplebargeken]

Oooh ooooh oooooooh. More lights! Would love to be confident and say pass with two advisories, one for wiper blades and one for..... slight corrosion on brake pipes lol.

[andyberg]

Watching with interest. Good luck to both of you. Really hope the car passes. These old xantias deserve to live, I loved mine years ago and it's probably the only car I would consider getting rid of my 75 for. But finding a decent one is hard.

[purplebargeken]

C'mon Xantia. You can do it!

[Rust Collector]

Just dropped it in. Tester says give him an hour…

Having one last press of the buttons I noticed the washer jets were weak, turns out the tube from the bottle is a brittle plastic jobby and was leaking - I think where I jet washed the scuttle I disturbed it. I’ve cut it back and slipped the rubber section over. They are ok now.

I’ve pinned the headliner up as well so that the tester doesn’t have to wear it. I didn’t have a chance to clean the interior so hopefully it doesn’t upset him too much 😬

Thoughts and prayers please people 🤣

[Zelandeth]

Based on my own experience with these when sitting for any length of time it will initially be a fail due to rear brake performance.  Clean up of the (admittedly stupidly designed) calipers and you'll be on your way.

At least LHM doesn't absorb water like normal brake fluid so internal corrosion isn't generally an issue, it's just the external bits that get crusty.

[Rust Collector]

F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5...

[outlaw118]

Could have been worse....

[Rust Collector]

Oh dear 😬

I'm just off to pick it up now and get the run down...

[purplebargeken]

Oh... balls...

[EyesWeldedShut]

Other than the CO content it's all pretty straightforward tho'? (unless there's a back story to some of the entries - kind of depends on your MoTMan)
Good luck

[purplebargeken]

OK, the brakes are understandable after the car sitting for so long. Also I guess the emissions but a good run with fresh fuel and the catsclean would help a tad. Seat.... well, that's a puzzle... 

[Rust Collector]

So the seat back has a wiggle to it, the man from the ministry dug further and he says it looks like part of the frame isn't 'hooked on' where it should be and that was the fail. Seat out, strip and repair so that's not causing major panic thoughts at the moment.

Brakes are understandable and I'll get things apart and look at freeing them up if that's ok Ken. He says the parking brake was measure at 7% efficiency. It has a fair bit of travel... I don't understand the line that says 'Rear parking (secondary brake) on a single line braking system has inadequate effort at a wheel'. I thought the parking brake was on the front of hydro citroens? The brake test sheet mentions 'Park Brake (Rear).

Exhaust CO he gave a really good go but couldn't get it to pass - It is coming out at 0.59% at fast idle after a few goes, initially it was at nearly 1.7% apparently. That's the most awkward part really as I don't have any way of testing it at home...

Start the 10 working day timer!! 😅 

 

[andyberg]

That's not too bad considering really. At least there is no terminal crispy bits or really major work needed. 

[Zelandeth]

Yeah... parking brake is absolutely definitely on the front...so double check they weren't testing on the wrong bloody axle.

It took me three attempts to get that through to a tester once before.

Emissions I'd say have a really good dig around the engine bay to look for any vacuum leaks, ensure there's fresh fuel in the tank and cross your fingers.  These use a MAP setup to measure engine load rather than air mass if I remember rightly, so it can only take a tiny leak to throw the mixture out of whack.

[purplebargeken]

OK mate, do what you can if you want to. No pressure.  Parking brake deffo on the front. Emissions... fresh fuel and cataclean already applied, plugs and filter?? More cataclean lol.