my dad has a zant 1.8i and it has started to baulk when starting now and again?? as in almost hydraulic lock? or kicking back? .. no signs of water in the oil or oil in the water?? no high pressure build up in the cooling system?? anyone know if it could be a dribbling injector???? or somthing more serious, like a cracked liner? the car runns great and is quite ecconomical? help

You haven't mentioned if any of the fluid levels are dropping though. It's perfectly possible for a
Head Gasket to leak one fluid and not mix it - had this with oil leaking outwards from the head and
it never affected the combustion or the water so you could get something creeping into a cylinder.
What state are the plugs in as these will help guide you to what's happening in each cylinder?

Whereabouts are you located. I'm about to scrap a rather nice perfectly running and happy 1.8i 16v
Xantia because it's now got in the way and would rather the car sold for scrap money to someone
who'd do something constructive with it...

Andrew

Hi Terry

Everything Andrew has said, but when you take the plugs out do it when the car has stood for a while, then with a torch peer into each pot, you are looking for water sitting in there which can run in overnight or a clean shiny looking piston crown also a result of water ingress. I do hope however that it isnt!!!!

Good luck, i hope its cheap, whatever it is.
D

Terry.

Wasn't trying to frighten you off with my 'threat' of another car mind!
These engines are good enough to happily move an XM bodyshell about too!

- just ask Citroenmad Chris!!

Andrew