Please Help With My Xantia !

[Guest Mathew]

Hi, iv'e just become a member and this is my first post so thanks in advance for all replies :)

 

I have a late 98 Citroen Xantia mk2 1.9TD SX, and its a great car, (or could be lol) theres just a few little things that have built up that i really want sorting, i bought it 5 months ago, it has 121,000miles on the clock but has lots of service history, all spheres have were changed and few other bits just before i bought it.

 

1st: when driving along theres a annoying rattle coming from the boot somewere, sounds like a mouse chittering or whatever it is they do lol, i can't seem to trace it though, the boot panel is sercure !

 

2nd: another rattling noise but alot serious, coming from under the bonnet, i'm sure its something running of the AUX belt, sometimes its really loud or other times can only here it when rev-ing. Maybe its one of the pulleys? just wondering if theres a common pulley to go or best way to find out which it is.

 

3rd: another rattle, this time sounds 98% like its the exhaust rattling againt the heat sheild or something under the car, iv'e looked under and the exhaust isn't touching anthing, can always here it from setting of at low revs then its goes away, sometimes when in neutral and stainoery its will rattle really loud, but again only sometimes lol ! - everyone has said to me its the exhaust rattling but i can't find where :lol:

 

4th: whenever i put the suspension into highest setting mode (not to drive) the stop light and i think handbrake light flikers on an off on the dash board, is it ment to do this ? Also in normal driving mode when i take a roundabout again the stop light comes on an handbrake light until i straighten back up - i'm not going that fast either?

 

5th finally lol: start up on a morning is terrible, takes about 5seconds and if i don't rev it to keep engine going it will just cut straight back out, (could this be heater plugs)?. Also the engine really sounds nasty for first 10-15 min before it warms up, is this normal, i know a slight difference is to be expected as i had a 306Dturbo before that was same, but in my Xantia sounds like its gonna blow up ! :)

 

Thanks again in advance for any help you can give me ;)

[Guest Colin Hunter]

Hello Mathew.

 

You really do seem to have a bit of a rattler don't you! Please understand that rattles are VERY difficult to diagnose from a distance. They're bad enough when you're there! I can give you a few likely spots to look at though.

1. Your boot rattle may be your spare wheel carrier. They are secured by a screw which is accessed from inside the boot. What happens is that they seize up from lack of use and people don't screw them up tightly enough. The jack, etc lives in a plastic box in the middle of the spare wheel and the contents of this may be rattling as well.
   
2. If my memory serves me correctly I beleive hearing somewhere that the XUD and later DW engines had a common problem with the crank pulley deteriorating and causing a rattle. The only way to get to the bottom of it is to run the engine with the belt off and see if it stops rattling. Then it's trial & error to find the culprit. The most likely are Crank pulley then idlers/tensioners.
   
3. This one may be either a loose heat sheild rattling against the bottom of the car or the ceramic "monlith" inside the cat has started to break up and is rattling against the casing. Try giving the case a knock and see if you can hear anything. Some people say that putting a dent in the Cat body with a ball pein hammer will stop this. I don't think a replacement cat is particularly expensive for this car. Try this outfit Onlineautomotive. for cheap parts.
   
4. Look on top of the LHM tank and you will see a dome with two red lines on it. Inside the dome there is a red disc which is your level indicator. Under the red disc is a brass disc which makes contact across two terminals and illuminates the "Stop" light and "brake" warning light when the LHM level falls too low. When you raise the suspension the level in the tank falls as fluid is pumped into the system. The red disc should be between the two lines with the suspension set on High. The light coming on when going around a roundabout is probably the fluid moving about in the tank. Putting some fluid in to restore the correct level will cure this.
   
5. This is most likely due to an air ingress into the fuel system while the car is standing overnight. Try pumping the priming bulb while opening the bleed on the filter to see if any air comes out before you start up. If you get air out, you'll have to go through the joints in the system until you find the leak. Air can get in where diesel will not be able to leak out. Another possibility is the cold start advance mechanism not working properly. This, as the name suggests, alters the fuel timing on the pump until the engine warms up to assist smooth running whils the engine is cold.
   

Cheers. Hope this helps :)

[Guest Mathew]

Thanks alot Colin! :) i will try out all your suggestions wednesday (next day off) and let you know how i get on

 

Thanks again !