DaveK

Anyone have trouble replacing the fuel filter cover? Have done this job a few times and it's always a bugger to open and then screw up tight. The ridiculous plastic hexagon is well chewed so the socket slips off. Use plumbers grips on it and it chews up even more. Looks like I'll have to buy a complete filter case just for the lid. Have replaced the filter and rubber seal and it doesn't want to fasten down. Goes one and half turns and no more. Should go another half turn to mate the lugs on casing and cover and put the in and out spouts facing the right way. If I put more pressure on it feels like it will break. The new filter is 75mms tall, same as the old. In fact it may be a midges shorter so should screw down easier. Thought maybe the rubber seal was too thick so put the old one back, still same problem. Not going anywhere till this is sorted. Filter lid shows "Purflux FC582". DaveK.

If you're not too far away it maybe worth a trip to the guys at Westroen, Manchester. Charge £25 each sphere for a Xantia, plus £40 to change fluid and clean filters. They have the equipment to regas old spheres. tel- 0161 881 1061. Have website too. Google 'Westroen Spheres' should find it. They probably do the C5 too. I have a (new to me) C5 Exclusive, Jan 2005. Compared to the Xantia the suspension is horrible- very hard and joggly. Main dealer says diagnostic check shows no fault. Don't think anyone bothered to take it out for a run though. Has electronic adjustment for suspension height but if it was the lever type as on the old Xantia, I'd say it was riding too high. Anyone know if it can be altered to give the proper Citroen comfy ride? Car's done 18,000 miles. DaveK. Hi, I have changed the spheres on my Xantia and the LHM Fluid. I would like to do the same on my wifes C5 estate. I understand the C5 is a little bit more intelligent. So here are my questions. 1. How do I release the suspension pressure to change the spheres? 2. Can I change the hydractive fluid without any computer system problems/interference.? My wifes car is over five years old and the suspension is a tad hard where as my Xantia floats as it should. Any help with this procedure would be good. Also I have been quoted £50.00 each for the replacement spheres does this sound about correct? Thanks in advance for any help. Calum.

Been testing the navidrive functions. Not at all impressed with street level mapping. My old (2003) Garmin Street Pilot 3 gps with Mapsource City Navigator shows the names of all roads on screen. This navteq shows only the name of the road you are driving on.The side roads are there but no names-even on the highest zoom level. It takes an age to calculate a route compared to the Garmin unit. Inputting an address is a bit strange. Seems I can only input a town name first, then it decides which streets it can list for that town. If the street I want isn't listed, maybe it's under another town so I have to guess where it might be. I'm in Wirral. Some places are shown as the town being Wirral, others by their village name or suburb,eg: Moreton, Greasby. Son lives in Wallasey but navteq says it's Leasowe. Voice spoken directions to the next turn always state "in 200 yards" when it's actually never less than 500. No second by second countdown to a turn as with Street Pilot, which is a very useful feature in busy streets with many side roads. Am I missing something? Looking for help from you expert navigators. If this is as good as it gets I'll continue to be guided by Loretta (SP3). Then I'll need an external antenna due to the coated windscreen.

OK found where the slot is, although it wasn't that clear. What seems to be the best network, as I'll probably get a PAYG card rather than keep dismantling my mobile to extract the SIM. I'm still learning my C5 gadgets. I was going to buy another sim card- or see if you can have two the same to solve the problem. My neighbour (with an Audi) says there's no need for that- get yourself a bluetooth phone and the navidrive system will scan and find it.

Anyone give any advice on changing the clutch I paid £220 for a clutch fitted to a Xantia at Ellesmere Port clutch centre (few years ago). It's all they do, and they're quick. An Honest John review stated that hdi Peugeot's were prone to clutch break up at 60,000 miles, whilst the Citroens with the same engine didn't suffer the problem. Allegedly due to the Peugeot having hydraulic release and the Citroen with cable operation. Possibly because the hydraulic release bearing is always in contact with the centre plate, spinning around until the lubricant dries out, causing it to break up. The clutch specialists never heard of this happening and pointed out that millions of cars have hydraulic clutch release systems without problems. I've done a lot of clutch changes in the past but wouldn't attempt it on these heavy diesel engines. For a start you need a four post lift and a couple of strong men.

OK. Can't swear this will work for a Xantia radio but it works for the ZX one! If you have entered the incorrect code many times you will be locked out for several hours, maybe up to twelve. My old (1994) Xantia radio was reset as follows: Leave the key in ignition for twelve hours in auxiliary position, ie: so as to leave the radio powered up. The display will eventually show 'CODE'. Enter the correct number-followed by button '6'.

I've just acquired a C5 Exclusive hdi. January 2005, so it's a late 2004 model. 17,500 miles and all tyres are more than half worn. Maybe the previous owner swapped them around. It's had front pads replaced so maybe driven by a heavy foot. Michelin Primacy tyres which I suppose are the original. I've only driven 200 miles but it seems a firmer ride than my old Xantias and a bit more road noise than expected. I'm finding the Telematics and gps navigator systems very confusing. It's supposed to talk and receive spoken instructions but I can't raise any of that. There's some old messages on the phone screen which will speak but the electronic voice is abyssmal-almost unintelligible. Doesn't seem to have an auxiliary position for the ignition key so it needs to have the engine running whilst I play with the computer displays.With the engine off it goes to economy mode and everything shuts down. Any advice would be appreciated. DaveK

Just in the process of buying a 2005(January, so it's really a 2004) 2.0hdi Exclusive.Most I ever paid for a motor but these are rare beasts- and it comes with all whistles and bells, including 'WAKE UP!' sexy seat vibrator if you wander across lane markings without signalling. En route to view the car I passed a garage with diesel at £1.12 a litre.(£5.09 a gallon). Most expensive in UK? Check fuel prices in France, Calais region- £0.85 a litre, and that's tenpence up since last summer.. I've run two Citroen Xantias over the past eleven years- both still going strong. The 1994 version now living in Italy with 200,000 miles up, the 2000 model with 98,000. Neither have ever missed a beat, never broke down, never failed to start-or stop when required. Both towed caravans all over Europe- sometimes in places where it was foolish to go. First one leaks a drop of oil when stationary from a front drive shaft seal. Second one dribbles a splodge of suspension fluid on the driveway overnight. Too frightened to remove the reservoir to have a look. If it fails MoT I'll have to bite the bullet and see what's lurking underneath.. Back to the question: Michelins may be a hardish ride but they last. 36,000 miles on the fronts before I ditched them for the rears - which just don't wear out rolling along back there. For economy reasons fitted Nexxens to the rears. They are cheap and cheerful but look the part,have directional tread pattern and it handles fine. Whilst online I need all advice re the C5 hdi Exclusive. Need to fit a towbar. There's talk of it having Can-bus multiplex electrics. Think that means I can't just connect the towing electrics into the rear lamp assemblies with Scotchlocks.

Which model? High miles? Was the clutch release getting heavier for a while before it finally bust the clip? Well worn clutch linings and release bearing lead to this symptom. Prior to 1999 (possibly earlier) the clutch cable was adjustable. Then they put self adjusting ratchet device on it which I don't much like. If it's adjustable you measure from the base of the steering wheel to the pedal, press the pedal down and measure the distance- 150mms according to the book. So long as there's a bit of free play at the pedal it should be ok.

New here, so first post. Have owned (two) Xantias since 1996. If the clutch releases ok from stationary and gets first and reverse without problems I'd guess the synchromesh has worn on the 2nd and 3rd gears. Don't go to the expense of a new clutch or replace the gearbox-, just do what I was brought up on: Double de-clutch. I'll explain if you don't know how (but others will beat me I'm sure). DaveK.