Xantia - new height corrector issue.

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Dom_81
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Xantia - new height corrector issue.

Post by Dom_81 »

Hello guys, on the off chance that someone here might know what's going on with my car?!

Non hyperactive xantia, goes up and down as it should, clean fluids and system was flushed, new spheres. I just replaced the rear height corrector and the new one is behaving the same as the one that was taken off. I stand in the boot, the back end sinks but doesn't come back up again! I can hear a single click which sounds like it's coming from the pump or accumulator sphere? But no movement.

The height is correct, it goes up and down using the lever, but its not self levelling.. any insights would be gratefully recieced.
Dom_81
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Re: Xantia - new height corrector issue.

Post by Dom_81 »

Also, when I put the car in high it goes all the way up but when I put it in normal the back stays up in the air.. if I go under the car and press the centre of the dust cover on the valve,the back does come back to normal but not unless I press it manually.
Thanks in advance.
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Re: Xantia - new height corrector issue.

Post by admiral51 »

Have you bled the brakes since the LHM was changed and the HC changed ?

The rear brakes are a long way from the resevoir and dead ends so any trapped air could cause the symptoms you have.
And please make sure the car is supported if you get underneath it.

Think the correct sequence for the brakes is passenger side rear/ drivers side rear / passenger side front / drivers side front.
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Re: Xantia - new height corrector issue.

Post by white exec »

Careful under there, doing that kind of investigation - unless every precaution (or pit/ramp) is being used! :!:

Sounds like the height corrector and hydraulics are doing their job, but the mechanical linkage to the HC is sticking. Check out the levers and rods for free movement.
Chris
Dom_81
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Re: Xantia - new height corrector issue.

Post by Dom_81 »

Thanks Admiral,
The rear brakes were bled and they seem to be pulling their weight when driving.. I might give that a try just to eliminate that options.
Dom_81
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Re: Xantia - new height corrector issue.

Post by Dom_81 »

Thanks for that Chris,
I poked the valve with a long stick.. not keen on the idea of being squashed but thanks for for caution.

The whole height corrector is new including the metal bracket thing that the valve is attached to.

How does the valve orient itself, or how does it know the car needs to life up when extra weight is added or pull down when braking for instance? Does the position of the dog bone affect this? It all seems to be as it should.
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Re: Xantia - new height corrector issue.

Post by white exec »

There is a linkage from the anti-roll bar to the HC, so if the car is sitting at an inappropriate height, the HC will feed (or remove) fluid into the rams/struts to correct it.

It is recommended that the linkage's clamp on to the ARB is not normally disturbed, but if the vehicle's height is incorrect, very small adjustments to the position of the clamp can be made to get the car sitting properly.

Someone here will have that procedure for Xantia, so may be able to post it. Citroen issue a caution that this adjustment must not be made with anyone under the car. It is a pit or workshop ramp job.

If yours is managing to get to the right (chosen) height, the clamp setting is probably ok. Stickyness of mechanism is the more common issue. The HC itself puts up little resistance, except the rubbery springiness of one of the end caps, iirc.
Chris
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Re: Xantia - new height corrector issue.

Post by xantia_v6 »

The Xantia height corrector mechanism is a different design to all other models of Citroen, although the hydraulic valves themselves are the same.

It does sound rather as if either the roll-bar link is disconnected, or the height corrector cradle is jammed.

There is some discussion of adjustment procedures here viewtopic.php?t=38718
Dom_81
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Re: Xantia - new height corrector issue.

Post by Dom_81 »

The issue is now fixed. Turns out that its essential for the height corrector linkage to be fixed to the end of long rod (which connects to the height adjustment lever in the centre console) .. as opposed to being pushed all the way along to the kink which is how I had it setup.
In other words the small 8mm nut is at the tip of the rod instead of further along it. Once I did this the height was wrong but the car responded and lifted up in response to me sitting in the boot, so I then adjusted the height by loosening the clamp on the anti roll bar. Success!
I did the same for the front height corrector and now both respond to being sat on.
The only issue I have is the front is a little spongy and the nose dips and rebounds a little when braking, rear seems stable enough. The spheres are good (I think) so will bleed the brakes fully? And see what happens.
Then if that makes no difference then will get someone more knowledgable to bounce the 4 corners.. to my mind there is too much travel at the front.
Could this be a height corrector issue? Seems unlikely.. hope not but turns out my neighbour works for citroen so staff discount might bring the cost of a new one down. Otherwise I saw a link to doctorxantia or something like that.. but cant seem to find them with a Google search.
Thanks again for the input and am pleased to have solved the biggest issue.
To bleed thr brakes.. do I need an 8mm spanner and also, what diameter tubing do I use.. I'll make sure I get enough length to return the fluid to the LHM reservoir.
Sorry for so many questions.. am so close to having a fully working xantia and not going to quit till it's done!!
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