Removing an Activa CT engine

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XantiaMan
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Removing an Activa CT engine

Post by XantiaMan »

Whilst this is still fresh in my mind, i thought i would write this down as a brief guide on how to remove an Activa engine. Although the procedure is fairly straight forward and applies to other engines in Xantia's.


1) Slacken the front wheel bolts. Set the suspension in high, and place axle stands under the front jacking points. Lower the suspension to its lowest setting, and allow time for the system to lose pressure. The back will eventually sit on the floor, and the front wheels clear from the ground. Disconnect and Remove the battery and its tray. Remove the air filter housing. Remove the top intercooler pipe. Remove the NS intercooler hose from the intercooler.

2) Remove wheels. Remove R clip and cover from hub nut. You will need a 35mm six sided socket on a breaker bar, with an extension. Without an extension, you wont shift them!

3) Drain the gearbox oil. Remove the bottom balljoint nuts, and split the balljoints. Once split, the hub assembly will move quite easily. You may need to tap the CV joint gently to free it from the hub splines. Undo the Activa ram pipe metal clip (1x 10mm bolt) as the NS driveshaft will not clear the pipes otherwise Give the NS driveshaft a little tug and it should come out from the gearbox, if reluctant use a small crowbar at the gearbox end and sharp push will work.

4) OS Driveshaft, the intermediate bearing retaining bolts need undoing from the lower engine mount. Swing the ends out of the way once undone, as the driveshaft/bearing will not come free from the housing. Liberally apply WD40/PlusGas to the bearing housing before hand. Once the CV is clear from the hub, the driveshaft should come out of the gearbox end and the intermediate bearing housing. It could prove reluctant. A blunt chisel and 4lb ish hammer can be used to shock the bearing out, rotating the shaft after a few blows. It is possible to remove the driveshaft with housing attached but this should be a last ditch attempt! With a bit of luck, it will come out with no hassle.

5) Remove the lower engine mount supports. Whilst underneath, douse the 10mm exhaust downpipe bolts and use a small wire brush if possible to shift the crud. Undo the lambda sensor plug. Using a 10mm six sided spanner and 10mm 1/4 inch ratchet , remove the downpipe bolts with care. Order a new kit, no point reusing them. This job is a fiddle so be patient.

6)Back on top, slacken the 12mm bolt on the pressure regulator block on the front of the engine/gearbox. There will be remaining pressure in the rams and system, and you will spill some fluid... Remove the LHM tank and pipes, 2x 10mm nuts. It has locating lugs, so pulls free.

7)Disconnect the gear linkage. Pop the joints off the gearbox linkage.
There are circlips on the rear of the gearbox, use a small flat bladed screw driver or pliers to free. Tie the cables against the bulkhead, the ends are brittle so be careful.

8) Prop the clutch pedal up. Push in the clutch slave cylinder HARD and turn 90 degrees anti clockwise. Secure the pushrod if you can or be bloody careful otherwise!

9)Removing the engine loom connections in the fusebox, 2x 10mm nuts with blue paint on them behind protective covers which slide up. 1x 13mm nut. Pull the wiring out from the fusebox. Undo the fusebox nuts, and move to one side. Removing the ABS pipe unions on the ABS block. Do this carefully, and cover the ends once removed. Undo the ABS connecting block, pull the red part up and the connector comes free. Undo ABS block bolts and remove. It gets in the way. Take it from me!

10) Disconnect the engine wiring loom connections. One is hidden behind the NS headlight, you can just get to it with a screwdriver and it pulls free. Remove the ECU's and its box. Place the loom on the engine, it does not have to be removed. Remove the fuel system pipes from the fuel rail, depress the clips on both sides. Fasten out the way and keep up right if you have lots of fuel in the tank. Try not to plug them, you may damage the fitting.

11) Remove the other intercooler pipe from the throttle body, the ICV multiplug and the boost sensing pipe, remove the hose. Drain the coolant system, there is a plug on the radiator. Remove the OS lower plastic cover.

12) Remove the large top and bottom hoses once the spring clip has been removed. Be gentle but firm on the bottom hose if it resists... Remove the hose going to the heat exchanger on the oil filter housing. Remove the small bore hose at the top right side of the radiator. Pop the metal clips up, and remove the radiator. The intercooler can be removed at the same time.

13)Disconnect the bottom rad hose from the outlet on the rear of the engine. Now is a good time to drain the engine oil. Disconnect the heater matrix pipes. Easy way is the rearmost hose with the bleedscrew fitting, and from the thermostat housing.

14) To make life easier when removing the engine, and to prevent damage, remove the pressure regulator block complete with sphere. There are 2 pipe fittings, undo them both. There is aso a hose underneath, this is where you condition you hair. Remove the Activa balancing sphere from the NS chassis leg. Remove the main earth cables. Undo the smaller bore pipe from the HP pump. Remove the HP pipe support bracket, and various pipe supports along the way.

15) Remove the aux belt, slacken the tensioner using a 3/8th ratchet. Remove the tensioner, 2x allen headed bolts. Remove the air con pump bolts x4, fiddly! Swing the air con pump out the way. Disconnect the hydractive block multiplug.

16) Almost done now. Get your crane ready, have the arm extended out but do not exceed the weight limit. Position the bonnet fully back on its hinge. Make sure its not windy. Use a lifting device which allows you to balance the engine at different angles. You will not be able to do the job without!

17)Use the two lifting eyes near the cylinder head. Check and double check. Remove the gearbox side engine mount, and the drivers side engine mount, once the weight is supported. Lift the engine slightly. Check for anything you may of missed as it will get damaged otherwise. Tilt the engine on the gearbox side, and begin the lift. Once the gearbox has cleared the chassis leg, continue to lift, and level the engine out. Jack the rear of the car up, to lower the front down. Not essential.

And thats it. I may add more, but this is a fairly basic guide on how to remove the lump. Refitting of course is a reversal of remove, kinda :wink:
2003 Ford Mondeo ST220
2002 Ford Fiesta Zetec S
2001 Ford Puma 1.7 VCT
2008 Ford Transit Mk7
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andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

Great stuff Gareth! 8)

Any nice piccies to illustrate what the oily bits look like to accompany
the write up? I recall seeing some along the way... :D

Andrew
XantiaMan
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Joined: 12 Aug 2007, 18:47
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Post by XantiaMan »

Only a few tbh, and thats mainly with the engine out, and an empty engine bay.
2003 Ford Mondeo ST220
2002 Ford Fiesta Zetec S
2001 Ford Puma 1.7 VCT
2008 Ford Transit Mk7
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CitroJim
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Post by CitroJim »

Gareth, that's excellent :D Although Activa-specific, it basically holds true for any Xantia engine removal.

Using the built-in lifting eyes on the engine is the very best way to hoist. In theory at least, if you use equal length chains on them up to the hook of your engine crane, the engine and gearbox should tilt to the correct natural angle for removal and refitting. It needs to tilt at a quite steep angle with the gearbox end lowest.

The bonnet does not need to be removed. It will push right back and happily rest virtually vertical. If it's a tad windy use a bit of rope to tie it off to the aerial base.

Assistance is recommended when lifting and lowering to ensure nothing anywhere is fouling.
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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