Kevin

The STOP light should flash for a short while after starting, for about ten seconds, indicates that the 'accumulator sphere' at the front of the engine bay is in good health.

Citoren have very handily put a drain plug on the radiator on the Xantia. As you stand in front of the engine, it is down to the right. Connect a bit of hose onto that. Remove the expansion tank cap. There is a vent on the themostat housing. Unscrew that to aid the old anti freeze in draining. Once the system is fully drained, flush it through with hot water preferably. Buy an anti freeze that is ready to pour in and check that it is one suitable for the HDi engine. You need at least -25c liquid. Close the drain plug on the radiator and pour in the fluid carefully into the expansion tank. OPnce you have got around four litres in, start the engine and let it tick over. When you see some of the fresh anit freeze coming out of the thermostate vent, close it. Continue to add the anti freeze bit by bit until the anti freeze is at its correct level in the expansion tank. Put on the cap. Let the engine temperature build up to normal and take the car for a short run, and watch to see that the temperature gauge does not rise into the red, which would indicate an air lock. Leave the car over night and check the level in the expansion tank again.

I managed to change my diesel filter, but it isn't an easy job. There is a special tool for Bosch HDi filter housings to unscrew the top. I used an oil filter wrench, but struggled a bit getting grip. Yes Hayne's is a bit over the top regarding the cleanliness. Just be sensible. The most important thing after the filter is inserted into the housing, is to prime or top up the new filter with diesel fuel before you put the top back on. Further prime the system by turning on the ignition once after attaching the pipe from the tank, which activates the fuel pump. Put a large rag under the filter to catch surplus fuel. Connect the other pipe to the engine and turn the ignition on again draining off a little fuel from the drain plug on the side which is for removing water build up normally. Engine should start straight away after that.

I am afraid you are looking at a new clutch assembly. Get one on EBAY cheap and find a mate who is a good mechanic who can do the job

Yes no handbrake turns with the Xantia. The handbrake works on the front wheels

Thank you very much. The picture is very useful. Just one last question. Where is the hand primer? Cheers

Thanks. Car going in tomorrow morning for the job.

I have a 2000 Xantia 2.0 HDi Forte. I have no idea when the diesel filter was last changed. I have heard that this can be a tricky job and debris can damage the fuel pump if dislodged. Anyone changed theirs? Is it a DIY job?

The handbrake cable to the right front wheel has snapped. Is this a big job and should I replace the LHS at the same time? Thanks

You can have that V6 power now out of your 2.2 HDi's SuperChips knock the power up to 174bhp and 319 llbs torque for £407 inc VAT As far as cheap French rubbish is concerned, I am more than happy if that is the perception amongst the general public. Those of us in the know will benefit from cheap Citroen prices for years to come!

I noticed recently that Rover dealers are advertising a power enhancement for 75 owners who have diesel engined cars. For £400 they will make a software adjustment to the engine management system to give an extra 25 bhp plus torque, but I can't remember how many llbs extra you get though. It doesn't effect a Rover's warranty.......

I own a C5 and the car is huge.... a barge on wheels and the estate version could double as a hearse in the right colour! It does give the impression that it is built like a tank! With the drivers head hitting the steering wheel, it appears that the C5 along with the Picasso has a driver's airbag that is marginal in performance. Shame that something so easily corrected has not been addressed as yet in either car.

Yes Glen and the 'hot' versions look superb, should be a worthy successor to the Saxo VTR. The 110bhp engine is highly rated for refinement and economy. I can't wait to see the VTS version!!

I gave my C5 2.0 HDi estate a birthday a couple of weeks ago and ran it into Halfords for an oil change. The reason for this was that I noticed from 5,500 miles on a discernable change in the amount of noise produced by the engine. It sounded far more 'dieselly' and because my engine is Superchipped, probably the oil is getting more of a workout. So a sumpful of Castrol 10/40 GTD Maganatec now in the engine and boy what a difference. Engine immediately sounded more muted and 'cushioned' and has continued to stay that way after 1,500 miles of fast driving. However there has been a downside. This oil has definately caused more 'drag' in the engine. Top end perfomance is down a bit and the fuel economy reduced by 5%. Averages 38 mpg instead of 40 +. I would say that the 2.0 HDi is better suited to a thin oil like the 5/40 Total 9000. I will specify that oil at the next service and being a full synthetic, I probably will not need to change it in-between services. Cost of oil change at Halfords was £38.00, local dealer in Eastbourne wanted £52!! Here in France, first service is only 85 Euros at local Citroen service centre.

My C5 2.0 HDi LX estate is the most trouble free car I have owned in recent years compared to two Cougars: no:1 New auto gearbox at 6,000 miles. no:2 New manula gearbox at 12 (yes 12) miles and new engine at 8026 miles. New Ford Galaxy 2000 model PD Zetec, Ford had to buy it back!! I have covered 8400 miles since the C5 was new on the 5th March. Nothing has gone wrong with it at all!!! Just a few comments: Performance: Mine has been Superchipped and goes like stink. Performance as good if not better than 2.2 HDi, but still has economy of the 2.0. In fact with sensible driving 45+mpg easily attainable. I average around 40 but it is all 90+mph driving on autoroutes here in France Build Quality: Generally OK, but there are huge gaps, relatively, between the rear doors and bodywork. So much so, that passengers walk away from the car and then think they have not closed the door properly!!! NO wind noise though. In Eastbourne Wilmoths quote £152 all in for a first year 12,500 mile service. My local Citroen dealer in Auxi le Chateau has quoted me 85 Euros. Work that out, are we ripped off or not in the UK? I would recommend the C5 based on owner experience with four of them. My father, his neighbour and a friend of mine also took delivery of new C5's in March . Just a couple of problems: My father's C5 hatch SX 2.0 HDi, no refrigerant found in air con unit. Recharged by Wilmoths now fine. Neighbour's car, perfect. Friends C5 LX 2.0 HDi hatch: New part required on engine management system, now fine. Scratch on offside rear door, currently being resprayed by Sidlows, East Grinstead.

Filled up yesterday and averaging 41.58 mpg of very fast autoroute driving,ie not less than 140 kmh. SuperChips in an advertising feature conservatively reckon on a 5% improvement in fuel consumption, if you drive the car like you did before.The trouble is that you tend to use the extra performance, but I still think that getting over 40 mpg consistently is exceptionally good. That is all we got out of my wife's Picasso HDi. I think that perhaps the chipped 110 HDi is the optimum engine for performance and potentially excellent fuel economy. But I am getting a 2.2 Hdi next......definately. When chipped the performance of that engine goes from 136 to 174 bhp and the torque from 238 llbs to a staggering 319!! In gear acceleration must be unbelieveable.

The oil change interval on the C5 HDi is 12,500 miles. Mine has got 5,400 miles on the clock and I have been thinking about changing the oil. However if you think about it logically, even at 12,500 miles, Citroen would have put in a fair margin for all that mileage covered say, in city driving. It is the nature of diesel engines that causes the oil to look more 'contaminated' than a petrol engined car with the same mileage. However unlike diesel, petrol is a solvent. So in theory diesel should also act as a lubricant too. Citroen's petrol engines cars have 2 year or 20,000 miles oil change intervals. The 110 HDi engine is fitted to many different models of vans throughout the PSA/Citroen range. I don't think those engines are any different to the ones fitted in the cars. The 110 HDi engine is noted for achieving starship type mileages in excess of 400,000 miles without giving trouble, so with a kinder existence in a C5 it should outlast the car. I guess it depends on how long you think you may keep the car. By the time mine has 380,000 miles on the clock and is burning oil, it will probably be on its third or fourth owner..............not my problem!

Filled up in Auxi le Chateau today, did 89 miles of brisk driving including a 40 minute stint on the A16 up to Calais, where I brimmed it again before getting on the Shuttle. MPG = 45.88!! I think that is remarkable for the size of car and perfomance, I wasn't pussy footing it around either.

I filled up my C5 estate this afternoon (4/4/03) in Carrefour, Cite de Europe, Calais. Put in just over 64 litres...........phew that was close! Worked out the average mpg with a calculator............43.5mpg!! Getting better all the time, must peak soon though. Then did 155.5 autoroute miles at not less than 90mph before arriving back at Calais and a brim up at Carrefour before boarding the Shuttle. 38.7 mpg this time, but I was really shifting the whole time. Diesel down in price since last week in Carrefour from E.86 to E.76 or 52p a litre!! Had to brake hard due to wobbling cyclist today, EBA came into play hazards and all. Good job there was nobody behind as I did not mean to stop quite that quick, but the system took over due to the rate I hit the brakes rather than pressure applied. On another note, my C5 has not required a drop of oil during the running in period or even due to these very fast runs. Took delivery of the car on March the 5th and already have over 2,200 miles on the clock. Apart from the flickering headlights as mentioned in another topic, the car is 100%. Very impressive!

My new C5 had its first service at Wilmoths, Eastbourne on Monday 24th March. The only fault on the car are the headlights which 'flicker' or 'flash' intermittently. I was informed by the Service Manager that all C5's have this problem and Citroen are aware of it. It is caused by a voltage fluctuation in the electric pump that powers the car's suspension apparently. However my father also has a new C5 and his lights are fine...................

The Superchip technician informed me that they don't have a performance enhancing programme available for the C3 at present. With 1,700 miles on the clock, the last few tankfuls have given me: 37.2 mpg, 39.8 and yesterday 41.6. I don't know if the improvement in consumption is aligned to the engine running in. The last fuel consumption figure of 41.6 was 157 miles of fast autoroute driving in France averaging 80+ mph. When my wife had the Picasso HDi SX, it averaged 44 mpg. So getting over 40 mpg in a car the size of the C5 Estate is not bad at all. Regarding emisions, I really don't know. However he car appears to be very clean burning, not as smokey as what the Picasso was when you 'booted' it.. It appears the Superchip enhancement does not effect the fuel consumption adversely. I drove my father's non Superchipped C5 110 HDi the night before last. It feels like a different car, nowhere near the aircraft carrier steam ram pick up of mine and the engine seems more 'diesely' in noise. It may be that no two cars with the same engine sound alike, but mine is definately smoother. See performance graphs at: www.v-e-s.biz

In anticipation of my C5 using a bit of oil during the running in period, I today invested £10.95 at Halfords on 1 litre of MOBIL1 0/40w turbo diesel synthetic oil. I will give the car an oil change at 6,000 miles. Probably take it to Chessington Tyres in Eastbourne. £28.95 for a sumpful of MOBIL 10/40 semi synthetic and a replacement oil filter.

I had a Cougar V6 before the HDi estate,and the in- gear acceleration of the chipped C5 is comparable. It goes like stink. No one can tell it has been done either,until you drive the car!! I had a boy racer follow me today because he was puzzled why my car was so quick I think.I left him standing,and I am driving it carefully.Just wait until it is run in. Power goes from 110bhp to 138bhp and torque from 184 to 242llbs! Haven't had a chance to check the mpg yet. Taking the car to France tomorrow so will fill it there with cheap diesel.

Having renewed my insurance in the last couple of weeks, it was noticeable that insurance companies now want to know in advance when you are travelling abroad. You have to phone them and tell them how any days you will be away and then they deduct those days from your annual limit. I ended up renewing with Norwich Union Direct who undercut TESCO and I ended up paying £295 for my new C5 LX 110 HDi estate!!! This premium also included an extra £20.00 for unlimited Continental use.

The Total 7000 oil is a regular semi synthetic oil, not a special one for diesels only. Total 9000 5/40 is a full synthetic and is also recommended for the C5 110 HDi in the handbook. You can put in Halfords (made by ESSO) own 5/30 fully synthetic oil for topping up. If you look on the back of the pack, you will see a code for the rating of the oil for diesel engines. Currently most oils are up to CF. The rating for petrol engines would be something like SG. MOBIL do a MOBIL 1 oil specifically for diesels, but it costs an arm and a leg and comes in 1 and 4 litre containers.