Struggling To Put The Fuel Tank Back On

[Woger]

Hi all!

I'm new here and would really appreciate some help with my car. I'm struggling to put my 2.1td XM back together after a lengthy period of it being in pieces.

I have replaced the leaking hydraulic pipes that were needed and it seems to be working, so i just need to refit the fuel tank and exhaust. I've come to putting the fuel tank on though and because it was taken off with some force by a friend of mine, most of the hose securing clips have snapped.

When I've tried to put the tank back on something isn't lining up correctly and the tank is about 1cm out on the filling side (the tank is too far back), meaning i cant get it screwed back on. Does anyone have any ideas or photos to show where exactly the hoses should be positioned to enable the tank to sit correctly.

I will be consulting the Haynes manual again, but i think it's lacking any detail and pictures in this chapter. I think the problem either lies with where i have routed the hoses or with the alignment of the fuel gauge sender unit and hoses, but i could be mistaken.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Roger

[Andmcit]

Hi Roger, welcome to the forum!

Your first question is a difficult one too!

Just to clear up a picture on exactly what the position of things are so to speak;
the tank has two protection bars under it that brace against it which itself is bolted
up against the floor with 4 or thereabouts big bolts. Do any of these align properly
or is the issue with the head top of the tank sender? Which securing clips are snapped?
There are some loops that the fuel pipes run through on the top of the tank to the
sender although I don't see these causing problems unless from what you're saying
they are now too short to make their correct path?

It may be that another car needs to be nearby to refer to as pictures aren't going to
be readily available - I'm not totally sure many here will have a dismembered car
handy that pictures can be taken from!

Where are you located?

Andrew

[Woger]

Thanks for the speedy reply. I'm located in Wigan, near Manchester. It is only one side of the tank that i am having problems with, and yes you have correctly identified the loops for the pipes that are the snapped ones. I'm just not sure where the pipes went over and where they went under or round. This may not be the problem but it's the only reason i can think that the tank wouldn't align properly on that one side. The bars and their screws locate in the other holes, just not the fuel tank filler side. I'll try to post photos tomorrow, and will be having another go at it in the afternoon.

This post has been edited by Woger on September 14, 2008 09:59 pm

[Andmcit]

This may sound silly, and I'm sure you've had a long look at the car, but I do recall the trailing
edge of the tank has a lip that sits up ABOVE the subframe!? Been a while since I've had a mess
on around this point on an Xm and I may be grasping at straws in my memory, but the problem
may well be down to how the tank is offered up!

I'd have to have a look a removed fuel tank and/or a nearby car to be certain!!

Andrew

[Woger]

thanks for all the help, i've been really busy, so i'm gunna have a go at fitting it all back together tonight.

Just a quick couple of questions... I have just replaced the height corrector unit, but the rear of the car seems to want to stay way up in the air when the engine has been running, even when min height is selected. The front of the car is on axle stands though so i don't know if this has anything to do with it. I've heard that it may have something to do with an anti sink sphere, any ideas? It's been about a year since the hydraulics on this car were used properly though, so should i expect more problems before I'm finished?

[techmanagain]

Just a quick couple of questions... I have just replaced the height corrector unit, but the rear of the car seems to want to stay way up in the air when the engine has been running, even when min height is selected. .....................

My guess -with the amount of detail you have given - says that the linkage for the height control is at fault, or even that the bush in the chassis at the end of the longitudinal height control rod is badly worn or siezed.

[Andmcit]

I'd say the height corrector rod running to the rear of the car is not adjusted correctly
having been disturbed by the removal of the fuel tank. It takes fractional adjustments
on the main longitudinal rod that levers against the rear height valve.

If you're new to XM's (although it sounds like you've worked on the car enough to know)
it cannot be stressed enough that SAFETY is taken very seriously here regarding any work
under a hydraulic Citroen - BE VERY AWARE that a sinking XM WILL crush you - there's
only a few inches to spare under a fully flat Xm, and it's damned big and heavy and can
drop very fast if you disturb a linkage etc!!

The only certain means of checking the height adjustment is on sturdy ramps, over a pit
or on a 2/4 post lift!

And of course there's the high pressure of the hydraulics to consider too!

Just me being an old woman buy hey, I don't fancy seeing ANOTHER news story about
someone being killed by a Citroen sinking on them - IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE!!

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on September 17, 2008 02:17 pm

[demag]

Yes Andrew is right. Given the chance this car will kill you without turning a wheel. Don't go any where near the back underside unless it is well supported at a clear height on ramps/stands. Sorry to repeat but this is very important.

[Woger]

Thanks for the warnings, but the back is on ramps and the front is on axle stands, so i should be safe. I've had this car towed/skimmed along without the suspension working so i know how low it can go (a few inches seems like an over estimation)

The fuel tank went back on with much pushing and levering and seems to be correctly in place.

With regards to the height control rod; i have a feeling it was bent in a couple of directions when i've had the fuel tank resting on it, so i'm guessing that is to blame. I've bent it to what i thought it should be, but it doesn't look like it's doing the job.

Am i right in thinking that with the height control rod completely detached the height corrector is set at maximum? and that the rod bending is a trial and error process?

[Woger]

also, when i checked the other day the height control rod seemed to be doing what it should to the height corrector, could i have been interpreting it wrong?

Pictures would help i know, but i don't have a camera at the moment.

[Andmcit]

Hi Roger.

There is a linkage off the height corrector that is attached to the anti roll bar which determines
the relative position of the ride height at the rear (and for that matter the height corrector at the
front. The anti roll bar will be under tension and may not in the normal running height position if
the wheels are hanging in space or jacked up or in the sunk down position. The adjustment of the
main corrector rods can be miniscule and still have significant effects to the running height of the
car!!

Guess it may very well depend on what you adjusted/disturbed when the rear height corrector
was changed?

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on September 17, 2008 10:59 pm

[Woger]

Guess i'll just put it all back together and get it down off the ramps and stands as soon as possible. Then for any adjustment work i'll ask the garage next door if they will kindly let me use their car lift one night that they're staying open late. will be much easier than the scrambling around on the floor i'm doing at the minute.

Thanks for all the valuable help so far people.