French Car Forum

How to Prepare Your Car For the Winter
When winter approaches there are some basic things you must do to make sure your vehicle remains reliable and safe. If you live in a warm climate you should do these things on a regular basis anyway for the same reasons!
1.Have your cooling system cleaned and flushed, and new antifreeze put in.
1.A thorough...

Having SX Xantias, I'm blessed with in car radios with iPod sockets.
I've always found that even with the iPod set on full volume, I have to crank up the volume on the radio so there's a lot of background hiss.

Turns out that on European iPods, there's a restriction on the output volume to save our children's precious hearing.

You can remove...

Although normally reliable, they can stop working or work intermittently.

The first thing to check is that the sensor itself has not worked loose, as they are sometimes only held in with a plastic clamp. It's not terribly visible although you can do it from above, it may be easier from underneath.

Examine the clamp too, as on some the bolt to...

If you should need to replace the hatchback / tailgate wiring (or perhaps the rear wash piping or anything not too directly accessible) here's a couple of tips:

1. Tie a good piece of string to it, so when you pull it out, the string 'replaces' it. Usually works quite well. Carefully tie new wiring to string (actually tie string to wiring) and...

Old one litre oil or coolant bottles are much easier. Cut off the bottom, slip a suitable sized o ring (old ZX bottom rad union) over the neck and wedge into the filler aperture on rad. Works a treat.
SC

Couple of quick tips:

Firstly, air bag wheels. Disconnect the battery and wait at least 10 to 15 minutes before attempting to remove the airbag. Take care not to damage the wiring / rotary switch as you work further too. Store the airbag unit safely out of the way.

Secondly, although this is really obvious it is easily forgot. Always leave the...

Here's a demonstration video from YouTube, showing how to clean a headlight
using Autosol polish --> Cleaning a headlight using Autosol polish by ThePolishGuy1.

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myglaren , Thanks for the tip :wink:
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The spring loaded auxillary belt tensioner as used on the later (aircon) 1.9TD and 2.1TD fail due to the needle roller bearings failing and digging into the bearing sleeve, causing it to eventually seize. It gets notchy to begin with.

The tensioner can be replaced in-situ with minimal dismantling but access is poor. Here is how.

The correct GSF...

Hi, a good mastic / adhesive for sticking a lens of my GSA headlight to the reflector part. The original 'gunge' was quite thick. I don't want the lens falling out as they are hard to replace. They are supposed to be permantely bonded. I am close to getting this car on the road. Have had two before one for 11 years, one for for10 years. Gerry

If you are contemplating removing your Xantia rear bumper.

Then please allow enough time to do it!

I have had to take the rear bumper off recently, and the worst part of the job was trying to undo the top mountings that can be seen through the hole at the back of the wheel arch liner.

This job can catch you out if you don't expect the fastners...

Removing them can be a pain because the plastic pads the seat rails sit on can be very tight on the threads of the mounting bolts; often needing counter-holding when undoing the bolts.

Drill the holes in the pads out to 8mm so the bolts are an easy fit in the pads and replacement (and any subsequent removals) of the seats will be a doddle.

Just discovered this the other day.

Needed some new washer supply hose for my 95 Xantia (narrow clear piping)

My local pet shop had it :D no doubt for pumps etc in fish tanks....89p a metre :wink:

I picked up this handy tip which helps us get the correct pressures in our tyres. While the handbook gives us a cold spec to aim for, allowing for variations such as load etc, it is just a basic guide and a poor one at that IMO as differnt tyres have different characteristics.

So here's a simple tip to judge for yourself if each tyre needs more...

This is a handy method for objects that will come off the car.

Take a PLASTIC bucket with enough water to cover the object. Throw in a couple of tablespoons of Washing Soda. Take a battery charger. Put Neg terminal onto the objectbeing cleaned. This will be the Cathode. The Positive goes to a bit of scrap mild steel..this is Anode. Make sure...

This is not that uncommon on RHD 206's

The fix is very easy though normally. Although there is a switch on some models fitted to just above the brake pedal, that's not the one ;)

Look up above the passenger footwell area, you`ll see the brake linkage and the real brake light switch here.

What normally happens is it gets accidentally kicked by...

A very good idea, thanks
Tony

Large front hub nuts, such as the 35mm ones on the ZX, can sometimes be difficult to remove even with a long bar. Part of the problem is that a lot of the force exerted is getting lost as you compress/expand the car's suspension against the rear wheels which are locked by the handbrake. To avoid this, use a chock on the front wheel, so that you...

I recently changed the front discs on the C5. The N/S one, as they often do, took a bit of a clout to free it from the hub- but it came off OK.

The O/S one was a different matter. After hitting it to the point where bits started to break off it still wasn't shifting at all. Keeping it wasn't an option as it was now buckled. What could I do?

Once...

Removal, Cleaning and Refitting of a standard Xantia Front Height Corrector

You will need:
x3 Front Height Corrector Hydraulic Union Seals (Citroen P/N - 96085 785)
Purpose made 8mm flare nut spanner (an open end spanner will round the delicate unions!)
Spanner Set
Screwdrivers of varying lengths
Pliers
White grease spray

Removing

Secure...

Here is a home made sphere removal tool which is easy to make and simple to carry in a toolbox.

Thing's you'll need:
- Bicycle chain (fit around sphere)
- Bicycle tyre inner tube (to wrap around sphere)
- Electric drill and drills for metal
- Grinder (like Dremmel tool)
- 1/2 socket wrench
- 1/2 socket (size like 24,25,..30 mm)

* Drill 2 holes...

Hi ,
I have found Mr . Muscle , oven cleaner , wonderful for cleaning the engine bay .
The foam is very clean product, with little mess .
Makesure you wear goggles though ! !
Terry .

When changing the cam belt on an XUD use a paint roller (the long radiator one) to lock the crank into position, with this you don't need to remove anything and can slide it down behind the starter motor in seconds.
ALLWAYS DISCONECT THE BATTERY OR THE HANDLE WILL SHORT ON THE STARTER.
this can be used on all the XUD's 7's 9's and 11's (1.8, 1.9...

Their Contact number is 0845 0207 190

The discount varies for each part but they are willing to offer discount to French Car Forum members.

Speak to Martin as its a variable discount depending on part.

IE i just got quoted 10% off for my newer strut mount and the bellow :)

Result really as it makes the VAT I pay even smaller.

Oh and i have...

- Just an addendum to the well-known method.

Remove the internal piece of your lock button (that bit which grips the wire's serrations and clips inside the button proper) then hold it upside down with some fine-nosed pliers.

Plunge the grippy end into boiling water until it loses the memory of being deformed. Allow a few seconds to cool, then...

I fell upon this useful link when looking at the Valeo website, after all you wouldn't want to have to change a heater matrix for a second time #-o

were is the giude to fixing a xantia heater fan, (ignition switch/relay???) this one has no power to the fan plug

regards malcolm

Just a quick simple one for you all.

If your struggling to get your HDI injectors out as every body does.

Pour COKE A COLA around the base of the injector where it it mounted and leave over night to soak in.
Then start the engine in the morning and let a bit of temperature get to them. They will come out a doddle!!

NOT DIET COKE

Regards
Craig

As an experiment, I removed the 2 plastic clips on otherwise working front and rear height correctors.
The results are the suspension will ONLY be fully up or fully down depending on which direction you LAST moved the internal height adjuster.
This simulates when the white plastic link fails when either end DISCONNECTS from it's ball socket.
I...

If your Diesel Engine will not switch off at the ignition switch because the stop solenoid has failed say, here are the emergency stop lever locations for both Lucas and Bosch pumps.

This is the Lucas Emergency Stop lever. Push it in the direction of the arrow away from the idle speed adjuster screw head.

This is the Lucas with the lever...

I have finally done it, thanks to the cold weather, and produced a guide to stripping a Bosch Diesel Injection Pump as fitted to many a Xantia 1.9TD. Earlier pumps without the electronic bits are very similar, as are non-turbo Bosch pumps.

The strip is what you would have to do in order to replace the seals most likely to leak. I do not...

Part of this job is listed in the ‘Common Problems & Fixes – Archive’, but the link to the author no longer works.
This link goes straight to the dash removal job:

A frequent cause of leaks into the boot on a Xantia Estate is failure of the mastic holding the inner polythene membrane to the tailgate. The seal fails and allows water to run stright into the boot and in the process soaks the tailgate trim.

The cure is to remove the membrane completely, clean all the old mastic off and apply new mastic. The...

I use white spirit (with gloves).
Cheap and as effective.

Lost your code for you Blaupunkt PHI series ,,,,give me an email i may be able to help you

Just changed the plugs in the Xantia, so thought I'd post a few hints and tips. This is based on my 97 car, which has the tubo pipe bolted onto the turbo outlet flange - some cars have the pipe fixed on with a jubilee clip, which is better, as it's much easier (possible?) to remove. Arm yourself with a good 12mm cranked ring spanner - the deeper...

The job has started :D and in between helping a friend fix a 53 year old valve radio, good progress has been made.

I'll update this as the job progresses. The job is being done on my very early MK1 sinking Xantia 1.9TD and things may be different for later 1.9TDs.

Start off by jacking up and securing the front very firmly on axle stands. let...

At last the government has done something right for once

Enjoy....I am :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Info about changing them:

And Jon's thread that I referenced:

When they are gone they give a deep clonking noise at the rear, and the back end squirm about all over the place. 10 years / 100k miles seems about the life. Worth jacking up first and checking that the play is not in the tailing arm bearing - if it is then you will need to...

If any of you V6 owners want to buy the oil filter from Halfords you will notice it is not listed (neither their own brand or Champion).

Not sure you would think of buying the one listed under the Peugeot 406 3.0 V6 1998 onwards, being the same engine it will fit.

It's a Champion F118. I did bought it and it worked fine!

Shame Halfords don't...

Ever had the problem of droopy loose or falling off strips on the doors? Not used much these days, but as is the way in the car industry, what goes around comes around, so no doubt even new car drivers may one day have to face this problem.
Common causes of failure seems to be moisture, extended exposure to weather both hot and wet, accidental...

I've found Cif Oxy-Gel is great for cleaning wheels and tyres. Don't tell Mrs B though!

Hi Folks,

Just got round to bleeding the brakes on my Visa, then with very little pressure on the spanner, the front nipple sheared off flush. no chance of getting it out !!!...

So I picked a spare BX rear one I had in my box of bits that had a similar fate. and set about using this as a test bed...

I carefully drilled the remains of the broken...

alright peeps,

ive just brought a 2000 w plate xsara vtr 1.8 furio with no radio, ive got a pioneer head unit in the garage, ive brought the supposedly right converter block / stalk converter from autoleads (code from their webby) fitted all in but the radio doesnt turn on or off with the key and the steering wheel controls are mental. Im not...

I had a problem with my Xantia brakes involving stickiness and uneveness, akin to a warped disc. I also began to experience an alarming groaning noise on gentle right-hand bends and an even more alarming vibration under hard braking - suggesting a disc might be cracked! The discs aren't very old so I checked (for the umpteenth time) and confirmed...

There are a limited number of reasons a diesel won't start: Fuel, preheat or compression. How do you know which is your problem?

1. When does the fault occur - cold and / or hot?
Cold only: Likely to be glow plugs (but see 2)
Hot and cold: Likely to be an air leak problem
Hot only: Probably compression problem
2. When cranking, what comes out of...

I find W5 glass cleaner from Lidl quite good for keeping windscreens clean, anything with some isopropyl alcohol in it will shift flies and road film.

I have been astonished at how many owners have put up with a declining heater performance and steaming up of windows without really considering the cause.
If you have any of the models with air con then you have a cabin filter. On the Xantia it is installed under the left hand footwell on RHD vehicles and needs the removal of the felt covers to...

Hi All,
Just jotted some thoughts on the above problem, may be of some help.

I have a 93 Xantia . The lights on dip are dull. Is it possible to remove the silver cover over the dip bulb to increase light and does this work? Also do bigger wattage of bulbs help? Already cleaned lens but this has made little difference.Any advice would be great.

Don't put it on the drive though as it takes up the tarmac.