Ronin

Good luck. I do know how bad African road conditions are (served 9 years in the British Army) posted in Somalia and Sierra Leone. If I were you, I would talk to these guys. www.ladmotorsport.co.uk they can point you in the right direction (rally equipment is your best option). Samco hoses are the strongest money can buy and often cheaper than manufacturers parts. The 106 gearbox will fit but some modification to the mounting bracket might be needed. I would get the stronger driveshafts check "rally tuning sites" and find out if anyone knows a welder/ fabricator in your area to make a skid pan/ sump guard on the cheap. (i'm sure if you explain to them where your going and what your doing, they will be willing to knock something up, I know I would)...You WILL need one. May I recommend that you modify the airfilter too.The roads are extremely dusty in West Africa and will wreck the engine and clog up your standard filter. Then there are deep puddles etc. Run some ducting hose through the bonnet or backplate and up the side of the windscreen to the roof. A cheap non paper hypo allergenic vacuum cleaner filter makes an excellent dust filter on the end of it (an old Landrover trick we learned) oh and plenty of duct tape. Colway tyres do cheap rally remoulds that will be invaluable to you (about £45 per tyre) but punctures will be reduced by 75% . I would get 8 of them , FWD anyway so 2 on the front and two spare per car http://www.c-tyres.co.uk/ Another trick we learned is if you get stuck in mud etc. reduce the tyre pressures to 5psi and gently pull out in reverse with no acceleration(the helical gear teeth will take up the engine torque. Then using a rubber hose with a thin bicycle inner tube section cable tied and sealed with duct tape to one end that fits over the exhaust pipe and duct taped onto it, at the other end an old foot pump tube sealed the same way with the tyre valve connector... You can then pump the tyres back up using the exhaust pressure at revs and away you go again... A home made solution but very effective indeed. You can also use the same hose as a fuel syphon to. :( Check thomson local directory for radiator refurbishment (half the price of a new one and have warranties) I hope you know what your biting off here m8. I've tried to keep it as cheap as possible for you and wish you all the best...let us know how you get on. ;)

Like all citroens they will have plastic popper pegs. Yes you can pull them off but you WILL break some of the heads off these pegs and they will never stay secure...Definately something you dont want when fitting I.C.E.(farting sound with bass lol). The pegs themselves have a small straight cut section on the circular heads of them (that fit into the doorcard). Use a long , thin flat head screwdriver to turn the pegs slowly (about quarter of a turn) and the doorcard will slip off with gentle pressure towards you. just repeat to all of them.... How many? I don't know m8 but the AX had about 12 -13 per door card. 3 top, 3 bottom, 2 either side and 2 either side of the door handle usually Once the door card is off you can then gently pry the pegs out of the door frame from behind and re-fit them to the door card. Then when it comes to fitting it back on..... Easy.... just firmly push. hope this helps :(

I've seen prices from £170 to £300. Make sure that the garage you take it to has done xantia clutches before, They can be a pig to fit and some garages will charge you extra for the hassle involved (if they haven't done them before) If none in your area have done one, just as a precaution........ Get a quote in writing if you can (most garages with a good reputation and nothing to hide will do this for you)... That way, you have an agreement that will stand up in a small claims court if they ever tried to pull a fast one and over-charge you. Thats the worst case scenario for you :(

I am thinking about a stage 2 head and cams ,uprated lightened flywheel and LSD. All that should amount to around 255 bhp. I was told by a friend who has a 156 3.2 gta tuned to 300bhp that really is the maximum amount the fwd chassis can handle. He actually regrets going over that lol. He's right because all that power and he still can't pull away from me lol. As far as styling goes, maybe some interior lighting but well hidden lol. I think its a beautiful car as standard and hate those bodykits and spoilers. So many cars need them but the 156 just looks right without them..... As they say "perfection right from the pen touching the paper"

Although I use the Xantia everyday (supposed to be the missus's car lol) I still have a passion in my life, the Alfa. Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 24v V6 Metalic Black Momo leather interior smoked rear lights 18" Antec alloys 225/40/18 zr pirrelli p zero Tarox performance brake kit Koni suspension Alfatech polished and ported cylinder head (stage 1) Alfatech tuned stainless steel exhaust (not boomy or noisy) Alfatech throttle body, injectors, performance filter, ECU chip and fast road cam. Alfatech uprated a/r bar front and rear Tarox uprated twin plate clutch 225 bhp / 235 lb/ft torque 0-60 6.9 secs top speed (Isle of Man) 152mph...so far...Nurburgring next year. You know when people say "you haven't driven a proper car until you drive an Alfa".... Well I have to say they were right! Its a car that talks to you, you know exactly what it's doing, you feel the car responding to any input. You point it into a corner and it does exactly what you want it to do without fuss. I have to say it's the most sattisfying drive I have ever had and boy, I've driven all kinds and nothing and I truly mean nothing comes close. It's not as smooth over the bumps as the Xantia, but then again it's in no way uncomfortable.... IMHO the Engine sound is worth getting up in the morning for lol. I've owned her from new and I don't think I'll part with her ....Maybe the Alfa 159 may swing me eventually lol

I've always found that if in doubt, take the original airfilter to a local motor factor shop, A1 motorstores are usually good. They can match it up there and then for you with the dimensions required....I know in fram filters catalogue you can look in the back for the three measurements and it will give you the correct filter number then what it's usually fitted to. Another way to make sure is there is usually a part number stamped inside the airbox itself, take a note of that to make it easier. Its unusual to have a different airbox fitted, some reasons for this are performance related. I Dont know if its the same with xantia filters but I know Alfa 156 filters if you change the airbox from a 1.6 ts to a 2.0 ts type, you get 8 bhp, actually more than a k&n would give you ! My brother had this problem when buying a filter for his 1.8 ts .......Not saying this why it wont match but its a possible reason. Let us know how you get on m8

this might help you out..... all the sphere types and pressure settings etc. As John has mentioned. http://www.kolumbus.fi/perhe_pitkanen/xw/spheres.htm Your car has six spheres 2 front outer 2 rear outer 1 accumulator sphere 1 anti-sink sphere (careful removal of suspension pipe that goes into the sphere before its removed the normal way) Always use ramps or axle stands when working on suspension.

Sure... If you must... Get a shorter wiper arm and blade... doh! ;) Easy when you think about it really, isn't it?

Yes there is a way but it is not reccomended. Releasing the the main torsion bar bolt on either side, pull apart and lift an exact amount on either side and push back in and tighten...Good luck though, it will last you about 100 miles. :lol: Like I said definately not reccomended. A friend did it and his ax was crabbing all over the place. ;) Alternatively, you can speak to a few tuning firms, plenty around now that deal with saxo's and they can up-rate and lower the ride height for you with no problems. ;)

Along time ago but first time I've read this. So this is for everyone for future reference. The AX was always prone to a few weaknesses. engine: petrol: valve stem oil seals (smokey on accelleration or load) cylinder head gasket (slowly goes over time, look for emulsified oil in the oil filler cap "dirty cream". sump oil seal leakage. front exhaust down pipe prone to cracking due to gearbox securing bolt often missing. coolant pipes to heater matrix can often split or fail. Avoid 1.0 (often underpowered and trashed because of it) and go for 1.1 or 1.4 (seem to handle it better and not much difference in m.p.g. or insurance diesel: front exhaust down pipe cracks Diesel fuel leaks on pump 1.4d Avoid 1.4d very weak engine and fuel pumps, 1.5d was much improved Drive train: both driveshafts and cv joints prone to knocking on near full lock. gear linkages can get stiff with heat from the front exhaust, regular lubrication can solve this. rear wheel bearings can whine for miles and miles but won't show up on m.o.t test as a problem. Brakes: both rear brake cylinders prone to leaks. rear brake compensator valve leaver often siezes and gives the feaaling that front discs are warped, easy fix to free off and grease up. sticky front calipers, easy fix though clean off the caliper slides. electrical: both heater/ blower motor prone to failure electric windows can sieze if not used often and break securing bolts on the levers to the door frame. rear light clusters electrical connections need regular cleaning suspension: both front coilsprings can crack at the bottom coil rear shock absorbers can often leak rear torsion bar can fail but with no warning signs until the car is suspended on a ramp and rear wheels will touch the front of the rear wheel arch (tell tale sign) bodywork :both door checkstraps prone to failure, can rip off in high winds panels are very thin and can dent easily. bonnet release catch can sieze and cable snaps under pressure keep it well lubricated body mouldings and body kit clips ax gt/gti can fail with age, they become brittle rear quarter body panel can rust from within due to dirt deposits accumulating under the rear side windows and around the fuel filler cap assy. and pipes.. pressure wash the upper wheel arch ares can prevent this. interior: front seats can become loose on all securing bolts. The front seat back rest can become squeeky due to securing screws bolts loosening. door and rear quarter panel covers can start to rattle over time. Plus points: generally strong engines and gearboxes that can take a lot of punishment. amazing handling and cornering and acceleration on all models excellent fuel ecomomy (diesel's 75mpg, GT 45mpg) cheap insurance. easy to fix. Would I own another one? Hell yeah! despite it's shortfalls and quirks its a reliable car and if looked after and serviced, it will look after you. I owned a1989 AXGT for 4 years that I loved to bits and eventually modified (turbo charged). In that time it only ever let me down once : problem...a 50 pence fuel filter to the carb was dirty... two minutes and I was away. Don't be put off with what you read above, those are common faults on extremely badly looked after models (worst case scenario). hope this helps. ;)

As track rod ends get worn in they often settle to one side (least path of resistance). It's not a faullt and there is nothing wrong with them. I noticed french cars come from the factory all set up but dealers get lazy during PDI checks and don't actually check for this. Go to a local tyre and exhaust specialist (avoid large companies like Kwikfit, Halfords, Charlie Brown's like the plague.... they will tell you there is a problem even if there is not (profit margins= sell,sell,sell) I should know, used to work for two of em. A local experienced set up will check your tracking for free. If that's ok, explain to them about the steering being off centre and ask them to re-adjust both track rod ends to centre it (usually about 45 minutes labour) It's a lot cheaper and easier than taking the airbag off and adjusting the steering wheel.

note the back lights... they suffered from fading so a trick with stockings / tights does the trick. de-badged gives it a smarter, cleaner look. Bodywork and mechanicals is perfect. no rust anywhere Increased fuelling and boost pressure gives a bit more oomph. yet still get 50pmg leather seat covers, black carpet and doorcards. Interior valeted belonged to my Father in law..... 1 owner from new 194,000 miles new clutch, cable and clip 1000 miles ago new accumulator sphere replaced all suspension pipes front to rear new cambelt, aux belts new nsf antirollbar drop link full service including all filters, oil flushed, slick 50. coolant flushed / replaced, brakes cleaned / inspected new led dash bulbs (dont wear out) lol steam cleaned underneath and re-greased all moving parts accordingly ziehbart underseal. steam cleaned engine bay and lubricated all linkages accordingly replaced side wing repeaters with green lenses to match rear lights Jobs to do... sort out heater blower switch / rear heated screen switch not working replace clarion 2030 head unit with new cd player, fascia plate and steering controls adapter carbon fibre look vinyl on doorpillars, rear numberplate cover and smooth interior parts. install dvd players in rear seats for the kids replace rest of the spheres for pease of mind. :ph34r:

Yeah ...cut the old bolt off(the one that holds the clutch pedal). Its far too long and put in the wrong way to start off with..... Get a slightly shorter one (1cm less makes all the difference) and put it in the opposite way. That saves 2 hours alone.....lol :( Use a bungie or string to hold up the brake pedal (wrapped around the stearing wheel) Take the pedal out and put the new clip on. put the metal spring clip halfway on. Release the clutch cable from the lever in the engine bay to get as much slack as you can and then grab hold of clutch cable in the footwell with very long nosed pliers and pull down . remove the old broken plastic clip, whats left of it Put the end into the new clutch clip as far as it goes. then touch the metal spring clip with a spare finger and it will spring into position. Check that it wont pull back off. Twist the pedal the right way round and move it up into position. .. Back in the engine bay, pull the spare cable back through and reclip back onto the clutch lever. Put the new clutch pedal retaining bolt through collar , pedal and pedal spring . clip the pedal spring onto the top notch only and using adjustable head ratchet spanners(saves another hour struggling) tighten up. use a long flat head screwdriver to force the bottom pedal spring onto the pedal... release the brake pedal back into position ... Your done. ;) Would I do it again? Sure but not in a hurry even 15 minutes is still a pain in the A***... you are pretty much sure to get sore fingers or bleed lol... :D My son "13" years old was a great help last time (long thin fingers) and got it done quicker than me lol.... :lol: cost me £10 extra pocket money though. :huh: There is a company that do a metal replacement instead of the plastic clip which stops this happening as often (much stronger)... google it. However, all that does is mask the main problem.... Citroen knew they had probs with the clutch getting heavy and chose to use a plastic clip that breaks easy as a "warning" that it needs replacing... the problem was the clutch plate was "over engineered" and lasts longer than the rest of the spring assembly... According to my local citroen service manager anyway lol. :blink: The moral of the story is ... if it goes, get a new clutch put in first or you''ll be spending your weekends getting very good at replacing the clip! ;)

I learned this from a car valeter... Ever wander how car dealers get oil stained carpets looking brand new? Well one thing for sure, they dont spend a fortune on getting them steam cleaned or replaced... They use spray paint. preferebly the same colour or darker. 3x 300ml tins does the xantia carpet. tape off and mask all the plastic bits and spray away evenly... 2 minutes later you can run your hand across and its dry with no residue. then get a stiff brush and rub the carpet to soften it up a bit more. Leave the windows open for the rest of the day and 2 days later spray fabreeze on it. by day 3 the paint smell is gone totally and you have a brand new carpet. Cost £ 9.00 Believe me... It covers a multitude of sins including those annoying bits your vacuum cant or just wont pick up. for cigarette burns, rub the area with a wire brush then use a razor (disposable will do) to shave off the raised or pulled up wooly bits.. spray it and presto its gone. worn holes in the carpet? ..... Trim off the rough edges. Get a patch of carpet from under the rear seats and glue it in the hole from behind the hole. Next, use the wire brush trick around the edges and shave again, then spray the carpet... It looks brand new and you would never tell the difference lol. Think about it.... if you are thinking of selling your car. It adds value and will sell quicker if it looks cleaner and newer than the other car they have seen ! :rolleyes:

A lot of owners will replace them or spend hours with rubbing solutions to buff them up... all well and good but if you want a cheap solution try 40 denier tight or stockings... Yes you read right. I have an m reg 94 1.9td in forrest green so I got some bottle green tights £1.99 (same colour as the bodywork) I removed the light clusters and stretched the tights over them then cable tied the loose bits around the rear rubber seals. Yes it's legal as long as you see the correct colour and light behind the cover. The tights don't change the colours when illuminated. No it doesn't affect the view or brightness of the bulbs. Yes it looks cool, especially if you de-badge the rear of your car too. :rolleyes:

Ok heres a one for you guys. My heater fan/blower switch stopped working (works drectly from battery though so motor is fine) also the rear heated windscreen has gone off at the same time. I read on this site all the common issues with this and I've followed the fault to the back of the fuse box where the two fuses need to be bridged with in line type.... But how the hell do you get to the back of it lol.. I took half the dash apart but still can't find how its secured ... help ! lol :rolleyes: M94 1.9td sx btw. ;) this one has got me boggled.

I've seen prices ranging from £170- £300 so I would say £200 is fair enough on one previso, ask them if they have done Xantia's before.... The garages who have, know what they have to do to get the job done right first time m8.... One thing for sure, it ain't no astra mk2 clutch.... :rolleyes:

Definately the clutch itself. Xantia's can go and go and go for loads of miles on one clutch (mine 193,000 miles on the original) the clutch pedal gets heavier and heavier and before you know it , the damn plastic pedal connector goes and its a very fiddly job to replace. Lol 15 minutes when you've figured it out but 8 hours of head scratching and bleeding knuckles. Even when they take the clutch plate out, you will still see that there is plenty of "meat "left on it... the springs often seize up causing the heavy feeling. My advice, bite the bullet and get the clutch changed before the clip goes and you end up with three hours minimum extra labour on top of the clutch replacement. The clutch is a very awkward job to do on a Xantia and involves a lot of positioning to get the bell housing back on so look around for a good garage that have done plenty before.... get a price first and agree on it lol If your brave and tooled up , by all means DIY but dont say I didn't warn you lol :rolleyes:

It sounds like you have air trapped in your coolant system. You will notice a few pipes that come from the radiator and cylinder head, look for a smaller coolant pipe that has what looks like it has a dust cap from a tyre valve on it (usually around the highest point on the engine). This is the bleed valve for the cooling system. It's in the Haynes manual if your not sure. Remove that dust cap and remove the coolant filler cap refill the coolant and run the engine until you see the coolant come from the bleed valve with no air bubbles, just constant fluid. Keep an eye on the coolant header tank (keep it topped up so no air gets back into the system). Stop the engine and close the bleed valve.... .Job done. This sounds like your main problem. :rolleyes: What you could do if you think the coolant hasn't been renewed for a while is:- Remove the radiator bottom hose and drain the system into a large bucket.You could also use a cooling flush treatment to get rid of any deposits (just follow the instuctions)...... refit the hose and refill the sytem with fresh coolant mix (winter is coming so a 50/50 mix is better (25coolant/75water) for summer use. Then just follow the steps above to bleed the system. I do this twice a year to all the cars I've owned and I have never had a problem with cooling issues (since it's your first car) get into a habit of "prevention is better than the cure" And you will find motoring is an easier and less expensive process. "what is with the small hose next to the coolant filler? It goes somewere under, and the water goes out of this hose after overheating" That is a pressure release over flow hose to prevent you getting burnt from the header tank or exploding lol.... Nothing to worry about , its doing the job it's supposed to do. :blink:

You've pretty much covered all the bases foxman.... It sounds more electrical than a pump/ injection fuelling problem. You shouldn't really get a surge from faulty fuel side issues just a lack of fuel delivery so it sounds like an ECU fault (it cant regulate itself to the correct mapping on the info it gets from the sensors) Thus the surge on over compensation. This seems to be similar to a problem that a friend of mine had on a Rover 420 sdi turbo. We checked everything, it went to the main dealer, auto electrician, fueling rail specialist and not one of them could pinpoint the problem. (they came up with wierd and unrelated fault codes but nothing to stop the actual fault) I happened to come across a crashed Rover (same year and model) in a breakers yard and removed the ECU (£20)..... It worked like a charm and he had no further problems. It did need a visit to the auto electrician to get the mapping codes set properly though as a precaution(1hr labour). Now i'm not saying thats the answer to your problems but it's worth a try. there are plenty of xantia's about now in breakers yards, most with good electrics and engines etc. due to suspension (mot) failures. just make a note of the serial number on the ecu and try to match it up. Just ring around the local breakers yards for simailar age and model types. Your bound to get two or three possibilities. Try and avoid citroen breaking specialists though, they will almost certainly have ECU's on the shelf but don't mind charging the earth for them. Normal breakers have little idea of the value of them or often what the box actaully is in your hand :rolleyes: Also check the wiring loom for any heat damage (melting or dis-colouration) if it has been too close to a heat source you could be getting a short somewhere on it but I assume that the auto electrician has checked the sensor plugs for correct voltage....But going by expereience, heat causes resistance = voltage drop... Thats something that they often miss when they stop and start the car while working on it but often rears it's ugly head again on a longer road test where the heat has a chance to build up. One last thing.. check and clean all the earthing points you can find... sounds crazy but it might just help. Other than that, I cant think of anything else to help you out...sorry I sincerely hope this helps m8 and you get the car back on the road with not too much hassle. :blink: let us know how you get on m8 ....its a tricky one

Well if thats the case Terry, it sounds as though the two rear outer spheres need re-charging or replacing. Most good mechanics can do this without too much trouble or cost (spheres £22-ish) and labour allow 1 hr per side :) It also might be worth while to drain and replace the LHM fluid if your not to sure when it was last done.... Your Xantia will run sweet and smooth again. If it still isn't any better, then I would look at the rear centre sphere (in front the spare wheel carrier) but for the cost and peace of mind get all 3 replaced m8

Hi Terry, A few things that you have to check first m8 are:- 1.When you adjust the ride hieght lever (centre console). Does the car move up and down correctly? 2.With the lever in the high position (engine running), check the lhm fluid level (orange float). 3.With the engine running, how often do you hear the "ticking sound" from the hydraulic pump? 4.Engine running still, press down on all four corners of the car to check that the suspension has travel up and down in one movement. If one or two corners are hard to bounce it could be the spheres are on there last legs or need recharging. 5. Is this harsh ride all the time or just now and then? It will give us a better idea of what is the problem and how to advise you better ok m8. :)

Thankyou very much m8... just one question, the bleed valve, where is it situated please... Sorry but dont have a haynes manual yet. Never mind ...found it lol .....First ever citroen I owned with this suspension lol :)