DaveWalling

Hi Folks, Have just come across this website, it deals with all things Citroen. It does require registration and some of the services have to be paid for. However for a lot of general information it is very useful. http://service.citroen.com/ Please note that if you have a pop-up blocker, you will need to enable pop-ups for this site. Lots of exploded diagrams, part numbers etc, very, very useful.

I guess you mean the acumulator sphere at the front of the engine Pete? If ther is a rapid clicking sound whenthe engine is running then this sphere defenitly requires changing, if not I would ten to leave it till you get the other spheres changed.

I might be wrong Pete, and no doubt Colin will correct me if I am wrong, but the spheres should be hand tight. I don`t know but I would suspect that the seal washer might be going. Having said that I don`t suppose giving it a small nip would hurt. P.S. Here is the link for anybody reading this thread for the Haynes manual. http://pdftown.com/Citroen-Xantia-Service-Manual.html P.S. You need to allow about 15 mins between each part, otherwise it will cost you to download the second part. Once both parts have been download unzip them, and if memory serves me correctly they should then become one. (I think there might be a song in there somewhere!!) :)

Hi Kane, It sounds like your wheel camber is out, this could be as simple as the tracking being out or it could be worn suspension parts, ball joints etc.

Hi Pete, Welcome to the forum, the Xantia has wear sensors on the front pads, so I would say that is going to be your first place to check. It certainly sounds like they are on their last legs. If you look back over some of the older messages there is a link to download a workshop manual for the Xantia. Looking at that it should not be a hard job to do. As for the light coming on when you raise the car, sounds like there could be something shorting or possibly a bad earth. When the car is up it is shorting and when you lower the car it clears, hence the light. Hope this is of help :D

Hi Colin, I suggest that you fill up with LHM then bleed the system (take it up to full height and back down again a few times) , then check the level again. If it`s OK then try the brakes, the problem is as far as I can see is what has happened to the rest of the fluid? Best to check for leaks once you have refilled the system. Hope this is of some help, although Colin Hunter may have a better idea. No doubt he will reply to you. :lol:

Morning Colin, Just spoke to the pro, as when I went down yesterday he was out and had to speak to one of the minions. It turns out that it is the pressure regulator that is leaking and not the pump, he had spoken to Citroen and they reckon there are 8 different ones and they needed the chassis number. They rang him back and quoted £165 for a new one. OUCH!!! Have been looking on the net and can only find 2 listed for Xantia`s, and one of those is for a XANTIA 2.0 16V;DIESEL, 1.8, 1.6. So I am now debating do we try a scrapper or bite the bullet and get a new one! decisions, decisions, decisions!!!! :lol: Oh, before I forget. The accumulator sphere was changed about the beginning of November. Have got to say that the clicking was worse before I had it changed.

Thanks Colin, You are a breath of fresh air, there is a good scrapper near me where my pro goes when he needs second hand bits, so if it`s not the pump I think I will tell him to have a look and see what he can find. Kinda makes we wonder if that has been the problem all along? Have noticed a low rapid clicking sound when accelarating hard, I think that this is related to the leak. Somebody said that where the leak is, is a safety valve?? the french call it "conjocteur-disjoncteur". Apparently it is something to do with the pump. Anyway will keep you posted as to the outcome. Oh, by the way I did`nt realise I was screaming that loud!!! Mind it must have been loud if you could here it up there from deepest darkest Cumbria!!!! :blink:

AAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!! Right now I`ve got that off my chest we shall begin, car went in to the pros this morning to investigate a leak in the accumalator area and stiff steering. It would seem that the culprit is whatever the accumulator sphere screws onto is cream crackered. :blink: Is this the hydraulic pump? If it is any ideas which one is required for a 95 reg 1.9TD SX. I have looked on the GSF website, but there are 8 listed and I can`t decipher which I need.

Hi Coopertron, The float assembly can be taken out very easily, it is just a case of turning it anticlockwise (I think), then it simply lifts out. I am wondering if at some point it has been overfilled and has become lodged in the upper position. If this is the case once it has been removed it may be possible to gently pull the float back down, hopefully restoring it to full working order.

No probs, I will let the pro have a look. Yes I have seen the tugs, next time I find myself up that way I will give you a wave :lol: I have been on the Ninian South about three times and the Murchison the once, although I have not been up that way for the last couple of years. :(

Soz Colin not had a look yet at the shetland photos, but have been up there a few times!! Thats if you cancall landing at Scatsta on a fixed wing and then leaving on a chopper a visit :D Anyway down to business, have decided to leave it up to my mechanic to do, as it has developed a leak from round about the accumalator sphere, went out in it this morning and nothing, however when I went round this afternoon there was a puddle of LHM fluid on the floor, so I was wondering if there was a small leak in the system could this also be the cause of the steering problems as there would be a drop in pressure? Any thoughts?

Hi all, I think that my problem also stems from the filters as when the engine gets warm the steering becomes less stiff. However tried to have a look at the filters today but was unable to get them out!! The clip on top of the tank came off OK but just could not get it to come up far enough, I think it might be easier to remove the pipes first. By the look of things I dont think that the filters have ever been cleaned, only thing is, is there an easy way of getting the clips off the hoses! They are the original clips put on by citroen. By the way nice picture on your website Colin, nice to have a face to go with name. Cheers Dave

Hi All, I am following this thread carefully as my steering has suddenly gone stiff. Had the spheres changed a couple of months ago, and had a leak, which lost me a lot of fluid. Since then the steering was OK till about three weeks ago. I suspect that there may have been a bit of dirt sucked into the pump maybe? Wonder wether it`s worth getting the system flushed?

Hi Mark, I belive the way to bleed the hydraulic system is to raise to full height and lower the suspension a few times. Ths should get rid of any air in the system, worth checking after, that the system does not need topping up. On older Xantias this required raising the suspension to full height then checking the sight glass in the engine bay to make sure that the float was between the 2 lines. Obvously do the above with the engine running :rolleyes: Oh, you should find that once it is bled that your brakes should work better as the Xantia uses the same hydraulic system for the suspension and the brakes.

Welcome to the forum Stephen, I am not an expert but I would say judgng by where you say the leak is, it is possibly the accumalator sphere. Is the steering heavy, or brakes not working as they should? If you have any of these problems it could be the aforementioned sphere. It is located at the front of the engine, if you look down between the radiator and engine block you should be able to see it. Good news is that if this the problem it is not an expensive fix, new spheres can be obtained from http://www.gsfcarparts.com/ for around £20. Hope this is of help.

Welcome Shropshireman, Do you mean the speedo sensor? If this is the part you require then try these - http://www.gsfcarparts.com/. I have used them before and can only say that the service is excellent. The sensor is about £32.50, then there is P&P. They seem to send parts on next day delivery. Hope this is of use.

Welcome Pras, The light you describe looks like one of two possibilities, one it is a warning light to tell you have water in your diesel (Assuming of course it is a diesel.) The other is a warning light to tell you your windscreen washer level is low. This I suspect is the one you are describing. It looks like a small fountain and is orange. If that is what you are seeing the the latter is what the light is warning you of. I take it that you don't have the owners manual (Located on the drivers side, right hand of the steering wheel, and hidden in a compartment under the dash. You will see a small knob, turn this and a large flap comes down, and the owners manual is stored there, assuming the previous owners haven't lost it.) Hope this is of use to you. :(

Hi Crazylama, Don`t know about the knocking, but to check if you need to top up the hydraulic fluid the procedure is as follows : Have the engine ticking over, then set the suspension to it`s highest setting (Use the lever between the front seats, lift and pull to the rear then let it down so it stays in that position.) When the suspension is fully up lift the bonnet an check the viewing glass on the hydraulic fluid tank (Nearside, rear of the engine bay) If the float is between the lines then all is OK, if not then you will need to top up. Hope this info is of use to you.

Thanks for the reply, I intend getting the accumulator sphere changed in the not too distant future. On the smoking front, the answer to that problem seems to have been answered in a later thread. It looks like I have been to eager to start the engine, turning the key as soon as the light went off, leaving it for another 10 secs or so to let the heaters go off properly seems to have cured the problem!! :blink:

My M Reg 1.9 TD has started smoking at start up, just for a few seconds and only when cold. Seems to start OK just the blast of smoke, after that no problems running. There is a rapid clicking sound on acceleration, but I think this could be the accumulator sphere requiring changing, just had the rear ones replaced and while ride better still a bit bouncy. Somebody said that smoke could be a sign that the glow plugs are on their way out. Any thoughts?

Hi Skipweasel, The lock you are refering to is to do with the alarm, if I remember without having to go and get the manual, it silences the siren. It does not switch off the alarm, just the siren. Hope that is of some help to you.

Regarding the clicking sound, worth checking that the indicator bulbs are all working as it sounds like (no pun intended)that there might be a bulb gone. You usually find that the fault you describe happens when a bulb has blown, etc. It might just be as simple as that.

Thanks everybody for your help, I do have one other question and that is if a front sphere was leaking fluid apart from the obvious oil on the floor what would be the symptoms. I ask this because I have a leak on the front nearside and no obvious leak point, however the oil/fluid leaking is fairly clear, making me think that it could be hydraulic fluid? Would one of the symptoms be the same as a duff sphere? ie. hard and bouncy suspension?

Can anybody please tell me how many spheres my 1.9TD M Reg Xantia has? I have looked for spares and it seems there could be between 5 to 10 spheres! As I have now decided that it might be better changing them all in one go I want to know how many to order ;)