Xantia 2.0 16valve waterleak

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Mon 2 Aug 2004 11:32
Xantia 2.0 16valve waterleak - doug_523i
I've got a pool of antifreeze under the car, and the radiator is half full. When I top it up it empties to half full again later in the day. I can't see any leaks, but it is losing coolant from somewhere behind the engine, which leans towards the driver so there is a blindspot from above. On previous leaks, in other cars, I've seen water sprayed around the engine bay under pressure, or the heater matrix has dumped the contents into footwells, there's no sign of this. I suspect the coolent is coming from the area around the exhaust outlet but I haven't been able to view it from below. The system seems to lose water when I leave it after a run, any ideas? It was recently serviced and the oil is gold coloured, with no signs of water.
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Mon 2 Aug 2004 12:21
Xantia 2.0 16valve waterleak - Crinkly Dave
Suggest you take it to a friendly garage to pressurise the system for you when the engine is cold. Most have a Sykes-pickavant or similar kit. Much safer to go looking when the engine is cold.
Have you checked the water pump area. When the seal goes it often only leaks when running, or just after you have stopped. Often tends to reduce as you add water instead of antifreeze and water mixture
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Thu 5 Aug 2004 11:12
Xantia 2.0 16valve waterleak - doug_523i
I put the Xantia into my local garage, and after a great deal of detective work they found a plastic junction with a hairline crack in it, it's at the back of the engine block just above the driveshafts. This expanded when hot so I wasn't losing water on a journey. The new replacement was also cracked, so it could be a weak spot on this car.
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Thu 5 Aug 2004 13:47
Xantia 2.0 16valve waterleak - RichardW
Failure of this plastic (sometimes aluminium) housing is well known on diesel Xantias. I suspected that it would also be fitted to petrol cars as the blocks are pretty similar, and this has confirmed things. Seems common on cars getting towards 10 years old!


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RichardW

Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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