A potted history & guide to owning and buying a Citroen ID/DS
This is a fuller version of a report compiled for Classic Car Weekly by Richard Dredge with collaboration, practical and technical advice from Bill Freeman, UK CCC D Section Secretary, Carter Willey, USA Citroen Car Club & Adrian Pease of Peacock Engineering Norfolk.
History
1955
DS19 introduced with three-bearing 1911cc four-cylinder engine, developed from Light 15 Traction Avant engine. Hydraulic pressure system operating brakes, steering, suspension and gearchange.
June 1956
DS19 goes into production at Citroen’s Slough factory.
1957
ID19 arrives, which is essentially a DS19 but without the hydraulic steering, brakes or gearbox. Engine also detuned, the braking system simplified and the interior is less luxurious.
1958
DS Prestige launched, with partition between front and rear seats. ID Break (estate) is displayed at the Paris motor show along with a coachbuilt cabriolet by Henri Chapron.
1959
One of the earliest MPVs hits the scene – the seven-seater Safari.
1961
Chapron’s ID19 and DS19 Cabriolet are added to the Citroen catalogue. Also, the DS19 gets a revised dashboard
1962
Front end of all cars restyled, the ID19 Cabriolet gets the DS19 engine and power steering becomes optional on the ID
1963
DS gets manual gearbox option
1964
The Pallas, a luxury version of the DS19, is introduced.
1965
A new five-bearing engine design is introduced in two displacements, 1985cc and 2175cc. These are fitted in the DS19a and ID19 Break, and in the DS21 and ID21 Break respectively. The ID19 continues for one further year with the 1911cc engine.
1966
Range-topping DS21 is launched, with 2175cc engine and production at Citroen’s Slough factory draws to a close.
1967
Major front-end restyle with twin headlamps.
1968
DS20 supersedes DS19, and ID20 appears as a model separate from ID19. DS21 and ID21 Break get 115bhp.
1969
Fuel-injected 139bhp version of DS21 arrives – imaginatively named DS21 EFi. In the rest of the world it was the DS21 IE. At the other end of the scale is the DSpecial, which is an updated ID19. There’s also a DSuper launched, based on the ID20. All cars get a revised fascia.
1970
Five-speed gearbox becomes optional on DS21, DS21IE and DSuper.
1971
All cars get the option of headlamps which turn with the front wheels, but only on cars fitted with power-assisted steering while the DS21 gets the option of air-con and automatic transmission.
1972
There’s a successor to the DS21 throne, in the shape of the DS23. It features a 2347cc engine similar to the one that will power the CX on its launch and in range-topping fuel-injected form the DS becomes the DS23 EFi, with 141bhp on tap. The D Super5 is also seen for the first time – it’s a D Super but with a five-speed gearbox. DSuper5 has 2175cc with five-speed gearbox as standard; DSuper has 1985cc with four-speed gearbox, five speed optional.
1975
The last cars are built
General
Mechanically these cars are very robust and can cover high mileages, but all are at least 30 years old so anything could have happened in that time. However the main problem is rust in the chassis and is the most costly thing to rectify so check this out first as everything else can be replaced relatively easily.
The outer panels of the DS are merely cosmetic – it’s the car’s main structure which is important. If the outer panels are sieve-like it’s easy to bolt on new ones – at a price.
Chassis
The most important parts of the main frameare the sills, the box sections that run full length either side of the car between the wheels.
To see how sound these panels are look at the underneath of each of them – any sign of bubbling underneath the strips and there’s corrosion developing. If there are just the first signs of corrosion there’s probably plenty of life left in the car before major repairs are needed – but if you’re in doubt get an expert to check. It is common to see steel plate patches welded over the original sills. These do not replace the strength lost through corrosion but will get the car past the MOT tester. The solution is to do it properly which is costly as it is a time consuming job to do correctly.
Next open the boot and see if there’s corrosion lurking in the rear wing gutters and also make sure the boot floor isn’t full of holes – its leading and trailing edges are both prone to rotting out, but repairs are easy and cheap.
If you think the main framemay be badly decayed it’s worth removing the wings to check. The rear wings are held in place by just one bolt apiece, and once they’re removed you can check the bumper mounts, suspension cylinder brackets and the rear section of the inner wings. Also check under the C pillar as corrosion is usual around the base and in the area of the upper rear seat belt mount. (yes the mounts were fitted as standard) There’s a good chance that at least one of these will have already seen some remedial work, and if it has it’s worth asking who has done it. If major bodywork repairs have been performed it’s quite possible that they haven’t been done properly. One other DS rust trap is the cant rail which supports the bolted on roof. Unfortunately it is covered by either aluminium or stainless steel so checking is difficult, but if the seal around the roof is not doing its job, water gets in and does what you don’t want it to. Repairing the damage is time consuming as the roof needs to come off – thus expensive.
Body Panels
The front wings are rust-prone at their bottom rear corners as well as around the wheelarches. Cars with faired-in headlights also need to be checked just below the lamps – the metal here rusts and is difficult to repair because welding leads to distortion. The glass then doesn’t fit, so the only solution is a new wing.
The rear wings also corrode, mainly along the bottom edges, although badly neglected cars will also have rot at the top of the leading edge and down the support panel. Doors are the main problem as the bottoms can rust pretty horrendously if allowed to with the lower rubber holding strip being the first to go. The boot lid is pretty durable although export cars got a sponge type seal that absorbs water and corrodes the steel as a consequence. So is the bonnet, which is aluminium. At least a saloon’s roof won’t rust as it’s glassfibre although the roofs of some export cars were aluminium, and Safari/ Break roofs are steel.
The front undertray is another rust trap and is also prone to accident damage – check for filler covering a multitude of sins. This goes for all the panels too.
Engine
Although the four-cylinder engines fitted to the DS and ID aren’t especially refined, they are remarkably durable. The best units are the five-bearing ones (1985cc, 2175cc and 2347cc) but the three-bearing 1911cc powerplant is also pretty long-lived. But this smallest unit is also a sweeter unit than the others, so it may be the one to go for if your mileage is likely to be low. A properly serviced engine will last at least 150,000 miles before any TLC is required – it’s common for double this mileage to be racked up before the head has to come off.
Even when the engine does need maintenance it’s usually restricted to just the top end. Because bottom end work is rarely required it’s normal for the engine to be worked on in situ. But if major work is needed, it’s usually more cost-effective to buy a second hand unit for around £250 – a rebuild one will be more like six times that.
Cracks in the alloy cylinder head between the combustion chambers are common, as are incorrectly fitted oil filters. The former problem occurs because the correct level of anti-freeze hasn’t been maintained – well-maintained cars won’t give any trouble here. The latter problem will lead to the engine seizing if the triangle symbol on the filter casing isn’t aligned with the matching triangle symbol on the sump, because the oil flow will be cut. Another problem is cross-threaded spark plugs, because the plug holes aren’t particularly easy to get to. The key is to use the correct Citroen two-piece plug spanner.
If the timing chain is getting noisy it’s an engine out job to fit a new chain and tensioner, according to Citroen. However, there is a procedure for cutting out a hole in the inner bulkhead (AAAAAAArgh don’t go there…..) to access the timing chain cover before making up a new inner bulkhead cover plate to be fixed in place with self-tapping screws. Few people approve of this method since it affects the originality of the cars. Let the timing chain go and major repairs will be needed. Another common fault is damage to the camshaft and followers due to the tappet clearances not being kept at their correct sizes. The cam lobes wear as a consequence and performance suffers as a consequence. A noisy engine is not a happy engine. Exhausts rot with mild steel systems lasting about 3 years. Stainless systems are readily available at around £500 and last forever (theoretically).
Intake systems are conventional carburettor but from ’69 Bosch electronic fuel injection was offered as an option. This gives a significant power increase and is simple and basic compared to modern systems and reliable to boot but make sure the fuel pipes have been replaced with modern unleaded fuel compatible hoses. A pinhole from a hard and cracked pipe leads to excessive combustion in unwanted places – injection SM’s are notorious for being..erm..flamboyant. On the subject of fuel, be aware that the steel fuel tanks corrode from the inside out and in the process rust particles block the fuel system. Cars that have sat for some time are more likely to suffer from this problem, but there are two drain plugs to assist cleaning.
Transmission
Whether they’ve got four ratios or five, the gearboxes fitted to the DS and ID should last the lifetime of the car. When problems do occur, again it’s cheaper to buy a used unit rather than get your existing one rebuilt. Change the oil regularly and there will be no problems…this is not always done.
The gearchange itself can be complex or straightforward, depending on whether its hydraulic or conventional – the former (called a semi-auto) is quite complicated. There’s a clutch operating cylinder, centrifugal regulator, clutch re-engagement control, gear brain and gear selection cylinders – any of which can stop working. The system isn’t inherently unreliable, but it does need to be set up properly in the first place –it is an uncomfortable drive if not done and if it fails you’ll be left stranded. But it’s a great system to use, with the gear being selected from a fingertip-controlled column-mounted gearchange. Gearbox design changed in ’66 along with the driveshaft and wheel fixing method due to the increased power output produced by the new engines. Thus the two types are not compatible. The manual change is slow but positive with slackness coming through failed rubber bushes and maladjustment in the linkage. All of which is easy to fix (unusually).
Suspension
If there’s one aspect of a DS or ID that’s sure to strike fear into anyone who might be thinking of buying a DS, it’s the hydropneumatic suspension and braking system. But those fears are misplaced, because as long as it’s properly maintained it’ll remain trouble-free for years.
The most common problem is corroded pipework, and as the fluid is at 2,400psi, any weakness will soon become apparent. Any leaks are most likely to be by the nearside rear wheelarch – put the suspension on its high setting and look underneath. Fluid leaks will be obvious, and if things are really bad there’ll be a pool of fluid under the car. The only solution is a new set of pipes at around £250 for the main loom, which is the area most likely to give problems. Any leaks on the low pressure or return side of the system usually only need relatively cheap new sections of rubber hose. However getting at these pipes to replace them is not usually easy – get a ramp.
The spheres which provide the springing and damping can also give problems. They may need recharging, or if they won’t hold pressure because their inner diaphragms are gone they’ll need replacing. But this isn’t any trickier than swapping shock absorbers on a conventional car. There is another sphere to remember – see later.
Pre-1966 cars used a red fluid called LHS or LHS2, (Liquide Hydraulique Synthetique) which is corrosive and absorbs moisture. If not changed regularly and the filter cleaned, or the car is not used regularly, this can eat away the pipes from inside, and the fluid can also crystallise. This was changed in 1966 to a mineral hydraulic green fluid called LHM (Liquide Hydraulique Minerale) but if you want to convert an early car to LHM then every unit and all the hundreds of seals must be changed, as they are not compatible and will just disintegrate.
Next check the accumulator that keeps the suspension fluid under pressure by listening for clicking from under the bonnet. If the accumulator sphere is on its way out the hydraulic pump will be working continuously, causing it to wear out. This sphere is also the reserve pressure unit that provides braking power in the event of engine failure. It is essential to renew or recharge these every 3-4 years, or when they start cutting the pump in too frequently.
The front suspension can get notchy due to the arm bearings suffering from’ brinelling’ however this is usually masked by the other forces operating the system and can only be detected with the hydraulics disconnected so the arms can be moved by hand – complete replacement is the cheaper option.
Hydraulics
There should be no pools of hydraulic fluid under the car, however leaks are common due to perished rubber boot seals – there is one for each wheel with the front ones completely hidden behind a panel – and the steering rack is another culprit. The return pipes are mainly flexible and often old, cracked and prone to leakage resulting in a small puddle on the garage floor in the morning. Check the reservoir level with the suspension on high only. LHM is expensive stuff at £5/litre. Clicking of the pressure accumulator with the engine running is normal – every 20 seconds or so – more often than that suspect that the accumulator sphere will be due for replacement soon, and guess if it is easy to get at….
Brakes
The brakes on a DS work very well, but their inaccessibility often leads to corners being cut so that they’re not running at maximum efficiency. Changing the inboard front discs can take 12 hours and even swapping the brake pads takes up to two hours.
If cheap brake pads have been fitted the brake discs can be worn prematurely, so it’s worth ensuring that the correct (Citroen-specified) Ferodo items are being used. The early (pre’66) and late front braking systems are completely different and are not interchangable.
Trim
Everything is available for the DS and ID, in terms of both interior and exterior trim – carpets, dash tops, door trims and seats can all be tracked down, along with the exterior brightwork. Poshers cars (Pallas models) had leather trim while the cheaper ones used cloth. Retrimming in hide is typically over £2000 while you might get away with half that in cloth. Although the trim is durable, you need to check the top of the back seat where it’s been in the sun. Bear in mind that shopping around can save you a lot of money as prices vary significantly for trim parts.
CONTACTS
Cars for sale, servicing, parts & restoration
Brodie Engineering, North London. 020 8459 3725,
Centerville, Newcastle. 0191 276 3730,
Citronique DS Solutions, South London. 07860 308 135 or 07941 216 836
French Classics, Kent. 01474 703 125.
Peacock Engineering, Norfolk. 01953 605 678 or 07899 822 529
Pleiades, Cambs. For all Hydraulic parts. 01487 831 239
Vantage, South London, 020 8544 9998 – New & Used Spares delivery service.
Clubs
Citroen Car Club - D Section Secretary, Bill Freeman, 7 AlbionVillas Road, Sydenham, London, SE26 4DB. 020 8699 0295,
COST OF PARTS
Suspension sphere regas: £12/£15
Suspension sphere: up to £48
Drive shafts £30 to £150 good used or new if you can find them
Door (new): £450
Door (used): £200
Engine gasket kit: £30/£40
Alternator: £120
Brake disc (pair): £80
Brake Pads: £60 to £110 depending on make and quality
Water Pump: £50
Exhaust (mild): £160
Exhaust s/Steel £500 fitted.