Hiya.
The suspension on my Xantia doesn't feel very 'magic carpet' like. It's quite harsh, actually, especially at the back.
I've had the rear spheres, rear anti-sink and front accumulator spheres replaced. This stopped the sinking when I started the engine and ticking from under the bonnet, but didn't cure the ride quality. The car had a new rear height corrector fitted in September 02.
Does anyone have any ideas? It rises and falls fine, the only thing I'll note is that when rising it from the minimum (Right down on the floor) position it does take a long time - it'll do nothing for 25 seconds, then the STOP (!) light will come on for 2 seconds, then it'll go out, then the car will rise.
It's a 94 1.9TD SX, with anti-sink.
Ta :)
|
Michael,
The slow rising you mention isn't abnormal.
If you move/bounce the car up and down with enthusiasm (set to normal height) at the back I wonder how easily/far it goes?
A Xantia should have a soft lengthy movement that on a normal car would indicate weak springs and u/s shocks.
Wonder where your spheres came from, what make/size are your tyres and what are you using as a reference point to judge the ride??
DW
|
If I bounce it up and down the engine off, it goes up and down quite a long way :)
The spheres came from GSF, and I'm running Firestone F590 R14/185 tyres on alloy wheels.
I don't really have a reference point - it's just the fact you go over a bump and think 'crikey!'. Also if I raise it right up then lower it back to normal the ride quality is stunning for about a mile, then it's back to how it usually is..
|
Michael
How many miles has it done? Wonder if the rear arm bearings are sticking and need renewing - this can cause all sorts of 'funny' rear end behaviour. Similarly poor performance from front wishbone bushes.
On cars with twin outlet pumps it does take a long time to come up from min - but I suspect yours may be a single outlet, and so the long time to come up sounds a bit suspect. However, my mate's got a 93 VSX TD which is supposed to have anti-sink but it doesn't work - the front hits the deck about 3 minutes after switch off, and it takes a LONG time to get it back up again.
Richard
|
The car has done 152,390 miles.
I don't think the 93 cars have anti-sink - it was from Mid 94 that the changes came in (You can tell an anti-sink car - it has a driver airbag and the Citroen badge on the grille not the bonnet).
|
Mate's car is fitted with Hydractive, and all cars with that have anti-sink.
As yours has done 150k, I would definitely be thinking about the rear arm bearings - maybe get your local independant to check them. Could also be a fault with the height corrector or its linkage, or the wrong ride height set. Have you tried Hydraflush in the system to clean the gunk out?
Richard
|
|
|
don't really have a reference point - it's just the fact you go over a bump and think 'crikey!'. Also if I raise it right up then lower it back to normal the ride quality is stunning for about a mile, then it's back to how it usually is..
Could it be running too low at the rear in normal running...temp cured when you put it to high and back??
GSF spheres OK as long as they are the right spec. Firestone tyres will be OK. If it gets up to a normal ride height running in the drive, and then gives that supple long-travel feel there is no reason why that should not translate to a good ride on the road.
Shot rear arm bearings can affect the rear comfort as Richard says but usually you would be able to feel this with a static bump test.
Is there any chance that it isn't self-levelling at the rear?... So it passes when tested by hand but when you get in it it's compressed to near the bump stops.
How does it feel running in the intermediate high position?
DW
|
|
|
|
