Can any of you nice folk give me any ideal what is wrong with my Citroen Xantia SX , I know but its all I can afford , the symptoms are like previous post concerning the Picasso it just loses power the power steering go's but you can still control it when you restart it is ok for quiet a time but a bit worrying to drive with this in the back of your mind John.
How, when? At when it drops to idle, at speed- does it mis fire, run poorly, re start easily, do it hot, cold or both, is it petrol or diesel, which engine size?
you know alittle info would help.....
Tim..
John Gough ( snipped-for-privacy@btinternet.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
Which engine?
8v petrol, 16v petrol, diesel with/without turbo?Whatever's causing the cutting, it sounds like it's time for an accumulator sphere at the very least, if you're losing steering that quickly.
The power steering on a Xantia is fed from its own separate output on the high pressure pump has no pressure reserve and is not connected to the accumulator. This is so that the power steering can't use all of the pressure in the accumulator that is needed to supply the brakes / suspension. The brakes WILL NOT work without pressure where as the steering just becomes heavy, hence the brakes need a pressure reservoir where as the steering doesn't.
-- James
James ( snipped-for-privacy@james.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
You're right - but so am I.... It depends on the age of the Xant - some do, some don't.
On later cars with the 5+2 pump (like, erm, my XM) - you're right, the steering is on a separate circuit avoiding the accumulator, but on earlier cars, with the 7 piston pump, it all goes through the accumulator before hitting the FDV (Flow Distribution Valve), which robs the steering of power before the suspension and finally the brakes.
In any case, it's normal for the power steering to stop being powered the instant (or very soon afterwards) that the engine stops. I've had both types of Xantia and found that to be the case.
-- James
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