XM - Quick wash and polish!

27,037 · April 13, 2013

3,549 · April 13, 2013

Looks like a fine car. Looking forward to updates on its progress

20,076 · April 13, 2013

Looks like a decent XM. A 2.5 TD is on my rusty bucket list.

If it's like other PSA stuff, the washer pumps are pretty rubbish.

9,775 · April 13, 2013

That all looks pretty good, particularly the breakfast.

6,982 · April 13, 2013

Nice.

What cleaning products do you use? I'm using Tesco Value car shampoo or some such, and it's as rubbish as you might expect, really.

131,537 · April 13, 2013

Aye, probably the pumps gummed up with shit from over the years.

Fab looking cars these, dare I say it even HOTTER in estate format? Nice buy that, congrat's.

27,037 · April 13, 2013

I used dodo juice born to be mild on the paint, and went round the trim with some brushes and g101 cleaner

1,770 · April 13, 2013

Looks like a fine car. Looking forward to updates on it progress

it is, and I'm not just saying it, one of the best rust free XM estates out there, which with a little work will be a superb car - it's diesel counterpart in view in one of the pics isnt half as nice - and Sam, sorry I seem to have stolen a speaker and grille - they're on their way to you. Do you have all the tabs for the door locks? I can throw them in the box too if you need them.

I stupidly forgot to drag out the other wheeltrims to let you choose and steel a couple of spares - shall I pop two spares in the box I have to post anyway?

Wait till I do my collection report on my new XM - my breakfast on the ferry was biiiiigggggg.

Sam, my little helper in the garage was spending money with me too - and with daughter's friend round all day, it's been a bit hectic - I gave in trying to refit my doorcards and have three fitted, with one to go and the seat backs to refit.

18,116 · April 13, 2013

I've never seem wheels bleed before, quite oddly fascinating. Lovely, lovely car. As with others, another one to add to the bucket list

2,885 · April 13, 2013

Silly Q but have you tried the fuse for the washer motors?

27,037 · April 13, 2013

I looked in the manual for the washer fuse and couldn't find it. Only wipers. I had a cursory look in the fusebox too but none had blown. Fuses are certainly my first port of call.

Gave Amy's sister and partner a lift earlier and they were impressed. I managed to wheel spin it out of a junction too! Its just so lovely. Crap turning circle though.

Cam - I think I have all the lock tops, I do seem to be missing the light for under the drivers door though. Hold off on the speaker too I think I have some that fit, and I want to upgrade them anyway. I'll let you know and it'll save you posting it down. I could always post you up the drivers speaker.

Sodding radio only gets radio 4 and 2. Need to learn how the auto tune works

2,885 · April 13, 2013

radio only gets radio 4 and 2.

You need no other wireless entertainment than these two stations - the Home and Light service have kept the nation going through wars you know...

14,798 · April 13, 2013

radio only gets radio 4 and 2.
You need no other wireless entertainment than these two stations - the Home and Light service have kept the nation going through wars you know...

Agree wholeheartedly. The serenity of a big Citroen should never be shattered by ads for double glazing.

27,037 · April 13, 2013

I want it shattered by trance and rock! Graham fucking Norton is not my idea of a cup of tea! Had the mute on though, the turbo was much nicer

27,037 · April 16, 2013

double post, sorry!

27,037 · April 16, 2013

I had yesterday booked off work, so did some work on the XM. It was smelling rather hot, and the coolant looked like diarrhea, so I drove over th mums to get cracking, via Euro Car Parts for some coolant.

Engine was red hot when I got back, so busied myself with fixing the non working front washer jets whilst it cooled.

I then got distracted and had a quick glance at the air filter!

Quick flick round with the hoover and all was well.

Scuttle off next

Not too bad, better than the ZX was anyway

Missing screenwash cap was hiding under there, result!

ah

Henry braced himself

Much better

The washer jets were removed, and after confirming that the system does work by sellotaping the feed tube to the screen and pulling the stalk.

Some of the crap from one side jet

All unblocked, it was re-assembled and I spent an hour adjusting the jets so they were just so! The reservoirs need removing at some point and cleaning out, the jet isn't too strong still, but it works!

I polished the hidden bits where the scuttle screws onto as they were out

That done, the engine was stone cold, so I got the hose out and started on the coolant. Car put into high mode, I drained the radiator, then took all the pipes off one by one and flushed them through.

Thermostat out, had to move loads of cables to get access.

Minging header tank out

20 minutes of flushing with water, water and tar remover, water and washing up liquid and water again had it alot cleaner.

I'd bought a stat for the ZX, but never fitted it so checked it matched and bosched it in!

Coolant temp sensor looked a bit shitty, so cleaned it up as well with a small wire brush and some chemicals

Engine was flushed through from several angles with the hose, and once the water stopped being rust coloured, re-assembled everything. I hadn't bought enough anti-freeze (bought readymix as it was cheap in ECP), so it has more water than anti-freeze. Will let it clean up the remaining bits of the engine over the next few hundred miles and change for the proper amount of freeze. It worked though, now sits bang on 90, rather than floating around 80-100 as it did on the way home.

As she looked when I got home

Today at lunchtime, I grabbed some glass cleaner, APC and some mf's from home, and cleaned the windscreen inside, drivers glass, drivers doorcard and the gearstick plastics and switches!

Next plan is an oil and LHM change, but that will have to wait until payday. Need 2 rear tyres as well, which should cure the shake at 70 but again that will have to wait until payday!

44,563 · April 16, 2013

Great stuff. There's nowt like buying a car and giving it a proper sorting out. I'm yet to be won over by the XM, but if I'm going to own one, I should probably do it sooner rather than later...

1,770 · April 16, 2013

Great stuff. There's nowt like buying a car and giving it a proper sorting out. I'm yet to be won over by the XM, but if I'm going to own one, I should probably do it sooner rather than later...

you're heading for too late unless you can live with a petrol one.

And a manual box is a must for the twisties!

6,982 · April 16, 2013

I spent an hour adjusting the jets so they were just so!

An hour! That's commitment!!

GR9 reportage, Sir.

April 16, 2013

Excellent thread.

I've always loved these, and we had gazillions of them in for service when I was a Citroen parts wallah.

Not too surprising for Islington I suppose.

25,832 · April 16, 2013

Dammit.

Now I want XM #3...

1,770 · April 16, 2013

XM estate FTW!

27,037 · April 17, 2013

I'm feeling the love!

Fuel economy isn't great though, although my right foot has a massive part to play! For every 10 miles I do of gentle economical driving a long empty straight beckons which I hoon up at terrific speed, so it cancels out any savings! I did take the m40 home the other night though, rather than the A road and it did feel more at home there...

I played with the climate control properly on the way home just now, and noticed that it wasn't very accurate. So I investigated after remembering a thread I;ve read.

Whipped it out and bought it in

10 seconds with some switch cleaner later and

Gave the plug a spray too

I noticed 2 oddities in my light panel, there is a random wire coming out of the loom with nowhere to go, and a random socket which nothing is spare to fit, and the aforementioned plug wont fit

Gave the socket for the temp sensor a blast with the cleaner, and unplugged everything in turn and gave them a blast too. Removed all the bulbs and gave them a clean with a dry microfibre cloth. They were grey with dirt, now they are clear again!

Had an extensive play and it now seems much more responsive to changes in temperature (open sunroof etc). Job jobbed! May have gone up and down a few times! She's coming up sharper and quicker now, but I do think a good drain, fill with flush and thorough bleed will do her the world of good.

The rear follows the front now too, so the plusgas is working. Will give it another soak at the weekend. It looks a bit manky, ideally I'd like to remove it, strip it down and clean it properly, is this do-able?

27,037 · April 17, 2013

Great stuff. There's nowt like buying a car and giving it a proper sorting out. I'm yet to be won over by the XM, but if I'm going to own one, I should probably do it sooner rather than later...

That's exactly how I justified it to myself. I've always wanted one, I was a young lad when they were new and current, so I've grown up with them. And prices are going up, minter low mileage ones are 2k unless you happen to be lucky, shonky crap ones are Ã‚Â£3-400, so I jumped at this one for the condition and price, rather than trying again in a few years and forking out mega coin. Look at CX's now, and DS's for the extreme money shift.

And I love doing hardcore servicing. I;d rather see it in this state, have a good look and check it isn't too bad, do the work and feel safe that it's definatly done, and now works better than before, or as new. Either that, or I had a go and understand why it went wrong, and fork out to the local garage for help when I fuck it up...

4,737 · April 17, 2013

It looks a bit manky, ideally I'd like to remove it, strip it down and clean it properly, is this do-able?

French Car Forum is your friend. There's almost definitely a detailed guide on there somewhere, if not someone will tell you how.

1,770 · April 17, 2013

Sam

I would say take care of this one. It is a super car. And you're right. There's a super low mileage lhd v6 just sold and it had been advertised at Ã‚Â£8000.

They are past the cheap banger stage. Good news is I think the estate is better looking than the hatchback.

1,770 · April 17, 2013

Oh and that wire. I have it too. Not sure what it may do unless it is to power a light on the offside vanity mirror.

27,037 · April 17, 2013

Sam

I would say take care of this one. It is a super car. And you're right. There's a super low mileage lhd v6 just sold and it had been advertised at Ã‚Â£8000.

They are past the cheap banger stage. Good news is I think the estate is better looking than the hatchback.

I dunno, I had a good look at your white one and I do prefer the saloons. Always have done, my only drive in one was a v6 red saloon back when it was new. The estate is growing on me though! Once all the door trims are black again it will look sweet!

Good news - I attempted to set the clock right on the rh display and in doing so the broken bulb came back to life! Negative point is the buttons are broken so it has to come out anyway to fix that! Oh, and Ã‚Â£50 gets half a tank from in the light... Gonna need a way of making the missus not notice that!

27,037 · April 17, 2013

It looks a bit manky, ideally I'd like to remove it, strip it down and clean it properly, is this do-able?

French Car Forum is your friend. There's almost definitely a detailed guide on there somewhere, if not someone will tell you how.

There is info, but they seem to take the tone of 'You don't need to touch it, just spray lubricant on it'. That's fine, but I want to make the slightly worn part brand new again, by stripping it down on the bench, making every part factory clean then re-greasing or whatever it needs and re-fitting. The XM forum is a bit like that too, although I will poke deeper at the subject when I can be arsed to have a look. I'm sure it all unbolts somehow.

Also, when working on the LHM system, are axle stands enough to get the car secure to turn the de-pressurize screw thing, or can this be done without being under the car? Does the engine need to be on or off? All I read says to turn it on to do this, but doesn't mention turning it off again!

4,737 · April 17, 2013

AFAIK (and I could be very wrong), if you're flushing the LHM or doing a general check, you don't need to get under the car. The valve should be on one of the spheres. After the car's dropped fully, let the engine run for around 30 seconds before switching off. If you do need to get underneath, I suspect ramps might be better than stands.

XM - Quick wash and polish!

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