XM - Quick wash and polish!

[beko1987]

I thought the XM should start earning her pension!

 

 

The stain on the drive from where I opened the radiator bleed valve...

 

 

Put some of the tat that stays in the car in the cubby box

 

 

Had a lie down

 

 

Gave the rear windows a polish

 

 

 

 

 

Been a nice day to be outside!

[beko1987]

This first part is stuff I forgot to update on, done about 3 weeks ago!

 

After going to the tip, I hoovered her out a few days later (probably, can't remember the specifics!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The carpets came up brilliantly with just a good vac. Will get the steam cleaner in there to fix the pile right up and get rid of any remaining sand

 

 

This happened as well

 

 

Which turned this

 

 

into this

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And onto today! I had planned to wash her and polish/wax, but I felt like shit when I woke up at half 9, and it was drizzling all day! So did some odds and sods instead

 

Tailgate lamps out for inspection

 

 

Bulbs cleaned, contacts wire-wooled and smeared with copper grease

 

 

Other side. Replaced the about to die sidelight bulb with a random one I had that fits

 

 

 

That done, I removed the 9 torx screws and dropped the carpet down from the tailgate. Every moving part got a good coating of plusgas

 

 

No befores, but this is the rear wiper motor. All the grease had stuck to the back plate, so I smeared it all over everything again. Can't hear the ting now, could hear it before!

 

 

 

Took the light cluster off that is attached to the car next. Rear cubbyboxes unscrewed for bolt access. Shat myself at the massive spider skin, which quickly got hoovered away

 

 

Cleaned and waxed the hidden bodywork so the rain doesn't linger

 

 

Passenger side next. The seal wasn't even pretending to be on, no idea what happened here!

 

 

All back in, with a few drops of glue to stop it coming out completely and neatly hanging itself off the front again...

 

 

Before

 

 

After

 

 

Whilst fishing around the passenger side, I found the rear washer hose. I'd assumed it didnt have rear wash wipe, despite a switch telling me otherwise, as I'd never found the jet. I opened my fucking eyes and BAM!

 

 

There it is! Fed some wire through it to clean it up, and scrubbed out the inside and it still doesnt work..

 

Crap shot but cleaned the spindle up and coppaslipped it up

 

 

Next, and thanks for you helps in the other thread, I jacked her up. Suspension in high, jacked up 2 pumps so a stand would slide in underneath

 

 

ta-daa

 

 

 

Some lovely compost

 

 

I was aiming to get at the washer pumps but couldn't with the wing in so

 

 

Now, for the past 2 weeks I've had the odd waft of rotten eggs, mainly when coming off the motorway either to or from work and turning, or when firing her up. I absent mindedly removed the full to the brim headlight resevoir (as I never use the washers with lights on, and the headlamp washers are blocked anyway, and nearly fell over backwards. Certainly didnt do my hangover any good

 

It was full of stagnent water

 

 

Everything seems good underneath

 

 

Chucked a capfull of this into the washer tank and brimmed it, swished it a bit then left it to sit

 

 

Then, it pissed it down. Everything got jet-washed off, all the mud removed, then re-assembled. Broke the y piece going to the headlamp jets, so atm it pisses all over the floor if I set them off

 

 

Moved onto the passenger side, where the windscreen tank is. No mud behind the wing here

 

 

 

The bit where the wing and bumper bolt onto was very salty. Must rust-kill it one day

 

 

Through connecting the two pumps up in random orders, I diagnosed the rear pump is dead, as the front pump works when plugged into the rear loom. Any ideas where I can get one of these from?

 

 

 

Had to re-fit it as it plugs a massive hole. Also cleaned up the level sensor as it was heavily corroded, but it didnt like that as now everytime I wash the screen it bleeps that the level is low. Anyone got a spare one of those too?

 

Finally, I wound the two torx screws back in as they were hanging out and put everything back together

 

 

Every bolt and mating surface got a coating in copper-grease, so hopefully it will all come apart again.

 

The suspension feel alot softer now, I don't know wether jacking it up has done something. I'd like to say the brakes are a bit spongy now but I'll see if some citrobatics will fix that. Either way, not alot done, and the passenger side has to come apart again to replace the broken pump!

 

And she is still filthy And I need to re-align the front jets as they moved when I re-unblocked them

[beko1987]

Oh yes, old vs. newer

 

 

[tooSavvy]

 

This Bleachbottle/Pump combo is a Peugeot Partner pump....

 

MOT'd = F.T.W.

 

looks like yours... cost a Fiver

 

tooSavvy

[beko1987]

Yes! Thanks a million! One on my watch list waiting for payday!

[dollywobbler]

Good stuff. I'd be very wary of putting axle stands under the chassis rails though. It's very easy to damage them, especially if you're only lifting one side. Subframe is good and strong though.

[beko1987]

Good stuff. I'd be very wary of putting axle stands under the chassis rails though. It's very easy to damage them, especially if you're only lifting one side. Subframe is good and strong though.

 

Duly noted. I felt scared lowering the suspension, I suppose all that happens is the wheels tuck up. Hopefully not too many jobs will need the wheels off, I;m going to buy some ramps next month.

[beko1987]

Direct paste of the post I wrote in the club xm forum as the codes the same and fuck you all I'm tired! (and feeling greasy and dirty after a large chicken legend with salsa)

Went over to my mums at about 9.30,and got cracking

 

 

Unwrapped my ramps

 

 

They do fit, although squash the tyrewall in slightly at the bottom

 

 

Just clear on normal ride height

 

 

Eyed up the enemy

 

 

Remembered about de-pressurizing. Found the bolt, and can get to it with the car on low, which is nice

 

Took me ages to get the cap off. I left the pipes on, and thought it twisted, it didn't so I levered it up with a screwdriver and it came off lovely!

 

I've never seen LHM before, but I've heard it should be green

 

 

1 bolt and the tank was out. My parents only had a 4 pint milk bottle, so I cut it up and used that. It just held all the LHM from the cap

 

 

Got LHM everywhere, hope it's not too corrosive

 

1 filter

 

 

 

t'other

 

 

 

Swilled them about a bit in petrol

 

 

 

So went inside and filled the bowl with hot water and washing up liquid. Gave them a scrub and they came up alot better

 

 

Rinsed them out in petrol and left them in the sun to dry

 

 

 

 

Removing this is when I spilled alot of LHM

 

 

A friend came over at this point, so I carried on whilst forgetting to take any pictures. Filters went back in, tank went back in, everything was re-assembled and filled with the flush fluid. Took a scary few minutes to come up to height, and I did some citrobatics. It comes up alot faster now!

 

Since my mate was here, he sat in the car and pressed the brake pedal whilst I bled the calipers. I hate getting up onto ramps! Fooking scary

 

The front 2 calipers

 

 

and the rears

 

 

I bled until the fluid was 80% clearer than that. Didn't want to run out of the fluid, and will bleed it again when I swap for LHM, but the brakes feel alot better and the steering wheel doesn't notch and pulse when turning quick and moving slowly. I can feel the bumps in the road more though, so will see if it improves with more citrobatics in time.

 

Gave the rear height adjuster a good blast with plusgas whilst it was up on the ramps. The back end doesn't sink down now, but can't work out if it's the flush solution or the lever.

 

Anyhoo, I moved onto cleaning it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wheels first

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wheels and arches rinsed, it was time for snowfoam

 

 

 

And the tightwork was cleaned, and the car rinsed. Looks better already

 

 

Then moved onto the cay. The sun came out and it was pretty horrible to be honest. The clay pulled so much rubbish off the paint the water coming off it ran grey, which then baked onto the whole car

 

After 2ft of roof. Front doors were worse, but I neglected to take any pictures

 

 

I then gave the car another wash, rinsing as I went panel to panel to minimise any waytermarks. Was pointless! I also learned about soft XM paint, as the whole car is now covered in previously hidden swirls, and a heck of alot more from the intensive claying in the sun.

 

 

So got the polisher out, and did the bonnet, nosecone, wiper trim bit and the passenger wing.

 

Before

 

 

During (only after first stage, before refining?

 

 

After

 

 

No pictures of the wing, and a bird has poo'd on it now anyway so none until it's clean!

 

I packed away, and drove over to asda to get a mcdonalds for tea, and the engine coolant light came on. Put the heaters on, opened the sunroof and kept an eye on the temp guage for the mile left to Asda, and noticed water dripping out from under the car slightly. Popped the bonnet, and the LHM tank and surrounding area was soaked. Engine was red hot (been idling for a few hours during the hot sun whilst going up and down...) but I felt a few pipes, and the one that comes out of the thermostat housing behind the stat, and runs around the back of the engine was soaked, and felt very soft.

 

Bought 38p worth of smart price water (4ltrs), and emptied 2ltrs into the header tank. Fired her up, light was off. Went back into asda and got food, and gingerly drove home (going the back way so I could pull over if needed) Got home, looked under the car and the chassis underneath is dripping. Left it to cool for now, and will have a poke around later. Also want to see how bigh the puddle of water gets. Hoping it is a burst/perished hose. The header tank is full of mayo again, but the oil is fine...

 

So a good and bad day

[beko1987]

No sooner did I hit enter above I went outside for a look!

 

Polished paintwork is protected by a layer of Black Hole (a glaze) and Nattys Blue Wax, which I love as it doesn't add anything to the finish, allowing the flake pop to come though.

 

 

The hazy smudge on the door is scratches! Hard to capture with the sun. Whole car looks ruined tbh, but I know it will come up a treat with some work!

 

 

Stupid bird

 

 

Whipped it off with a baby wipe

 

Paintwork is very orange-peeley, which is a shame, but looks good from a distance!

 

 

 

 

She's sitting like this now after the drive home, is this about right?

 

 

I also had another look underneath. The 'masses of drips cascading off the subframe' is actually LHM. Was a bit watery around it, but not the potential torrent I thought it may be. Need to squeeze pipes when it's cold tomorrow I think! Any weak spots on my engine pipework wise around the passenger side?

 

Also, anyone used their 99p clay yet? Be interested for a review! (My £9.99 clay worked well but was way too agressive for the soft cheese melting wine drinking paint)

[ruffgeezer]

You complete git, I was happily ignoring the Xm itch that has been laying dormant for ages now and then you do this? It is YOUR fault that I have just emailed the seller of an motless '93 Xm...

 

BASTARDS.

[beko1987]

Happy to help!*

 

I

*I take no financial responsibility if anything happens.

[catsinthewelder]

Well done on sorting out the LHM, that yellow stuff looks properley grim.

 

Hope the leaks aren't too much of a headache to fix

[beko1987]

It rides so much better now. I have a feeling the leak is coming from the water pipe going from just behind the thermostat to the heater matrix, gonna whip it off later and have a look

[beko1987]

Saturday morning, I tacked another well needed job:

 

 

However, I then realized that I'd driven 40 miles before pulling up at mums, and it possibly wasn't the best idea to drop the gearbox oil that hot, so put the a-pillar trim back on after the blocked sunroof fun.

 

 

 

I'd taken one of the vent seals off as well, so took them both of and cleaned them up

 

 

with this good stuff

 

 

 

Top one was a bastard to get back on, and isn't fully right now but it'll do!

 

Things alot cooler now, I put the height to max, and undid the filter housing. I had my oil tray underneath, the kind with the recessed top and 5mm hole to drain it in. This wasn't enough for the dump of ATF, which fucked right over the top and onto the driveway, so had to rake that around afterwards too

 

What came out was lovely red ATF, making me realise a change was not needed fugging old engine oil, showing a change was more than overdue.

 

lots of sludge on the magnet

 

filter wasn't too bad though

 

after a wipe down with some petrol it was ok again

 

these fell out of the filter, but the box hasn't exploded yet, and they look like they've been there for a while

 

got out a new toy to help refill the box

 

thought this said Made by Hunger...

 

Job done, the box changes are alot smoother now, almost can't feel it at all. Hopefully fuel economy will improve a bit too. Got another drain and refill planned in a few k's, still got enough ATF left.

 

Packed away by 2pm, went to the pub and had 10 of these...

 

 

fooking tasty, but boy did I regret it

[dieselnutjob]

what gearbox do these have?  I thought that they were the same ZF 4HP20 that I have in my 607, but that doesn't have a removable filter

[beko1987]

Apparently it's a 4HP18. Means nothing to me though, all I know is it has a filter, I held it and everything.

[beko1987]

I cant edit the title! Havent touched the thread since we were in the old pub forum, Dave is that why?

 

Either way...

 

Had planned to give the old xm a good wash and polish today, but then couldnt be bothered, so she had a good winter service instead.

 

No pictures I'm afraid, thats how much motivation I had!

 

Fixed the exhaust. It was rubbing on the little crossmember by the centre silencer. No matter what I tried however it woudlnt stop touching it, and its all clamped up correctly. Fixed by tying it up with some stiff wire around the heatshield in a few places. Lifted it up nicely, and pushed all the joints together stopping a blow. Car sounds so much better at idle now thats not banging away underneath. Was there a special clamp for that part, or a rubber mount? Been tols it just bolts together and sorts itself out but there was lots of up and down movement as it was.

 

Drained the oil, and put a new filter on and some new oil

 

New air filter

 

Topped up the coolant (had sunk about 1cm since last saturday

 

Hoovered thoroughly

 

Spent some time with some cable ties securing the pipes under the car in the absence of a cover. Thought of a way to fix it using an old computer case... Either way, it hadnt caught anything yet, and sits higher and more secure now so is unlikely to in the future

 

Topped up the screenwash with APC and water for the last time before it has to be filled with neat antifreeze (5degrees is the lowest its been here for now

 

Fitted my Autoshite window sticker, and found my old Arthur Daley one I had in the Puma, which still stuck well.

 

Unblocked the rear washer jet finally (water shot out a good 20ft with the nozzle removed, was great fun!) Lots of crap blew through, so confident its sorted now

 

Spent time with a pin and got the rear jet and drivers front jets aligned beautifully. Left the passenger ones as their good enough and I never sit there.

 

Almost fixed my horrendous wheel shake, and ruled out anything other than tracking and wheel balancing to be the issue. Swapped the front pass wheel with the rear pass one as the front was getting a bit low on the outer edge, compared to the good rear one. In swapping this there isnow a slight murmer at about 68mph, apart from that its great! To be fixed soon with new tyres all round and a good track and balance session.

 

Went to the tip

 

And collected this beauty

Now to have a shower and do some more jobs!

[Partridge]

Threads like this are why I signed up.

[PhilA]

 

I cant edit the title! Havent touched the thread since we were in the old pub forum, Dave is that why?

 

 

Go to your first post, hit Edit, then Use Full Editor.

 

Nice to see the XM getting the love it needs (deserves?) to carry on. Keep at it

 

--Phil

[beko1987]

Had to do something about the water dripping all over the centre console, so that was yesterdays job

 

 

And straight away fixed a rattle. The cage that the light cluster bolts to was well loose

 

 

So, all stripped down, decided to see where it was leaking from. Poured a watering can over the sunroof, which immediatly over-swamped the sunroof and fucked it all over the seats...

 

 

However, once it stopped doing that, I noticed water pissing out of here

 

 

so took the motor out, and loads of water pissed out of the worm gear bit

 

 

which was not great news. Seems the sunroof metal cage is rustin, warping and the glass now doesnt seal. Is fixable by dropping the whole fucking lot out, cleaning up the cageand re-sealing it, but that's not for me.

 

Attempted to stop the flow by sealing the motor to the hole

 

 

 

Which did fuck all apart from get masticky water everywhere.

 

 

So, with the sky like this

 

 

and the car like this

 

 

and it still dripping like a bastard, I re-connected the motor, and shut the sunroof. I then took the motor out again

 

random headlining sticker

 

 

 

So, motor out, I found the tube of Tiger Seal I bought years ago, and converted my sunroof into a lovely sunlight panel, but alas not a sunroof anymore

 

 

 

No big loss tbh, I;ve had it open 3 times in my ownership, none of which whilst driving or because I was hot, I hate being leaked on and I CBA to strip it properly. It's also stopped the wind noise that it used to have, which is a bonus!

 

Drove home and kissed my girlfriends car on the nose

 

 

Mwah 

 

Then backed off so she wouldnt notice. Although she's just called to say shes hit a phesant, and cracked the ruddy bumper anyway, so she cant complain!

[Partridge]

You're prepared for anything now! Just in time I reckon, too...now have a beer

[beko1987]

Decided it was high time to lay down some protection!

 

She was looking a bit sorry for herself

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wheels washed, car foamed, and tightwork cleaned. rinsed, washed with strong shampoo and dried

 

 

 

 

a very good layer of this made it look great

 

 

 

 

Emptied half a bottle of trim restorer over the black bits,polished and rainx'd the windows, blacked the tyres and waxed the wheels

 

Then I sealed the paintwork

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should do for another 6 months!

[The Moog]

That looks awesome. Was it all by hand? I need to sort out the xantia paintwork as it is porous and needs a proper cut back then sealing.

[Lankytim]

Nothing like a good polishing and waxing session. I need to do my old crocks some time, My XM looks like it's been neglected for years, I bet it will come up lovely with a bit of work.

[HMC]

Like the stickers! Where did you get the Arthur Daley one?

 

How long did all that on the paint take? Came up really well, and shaming me into doing similar with my cars

[beko1987]

Yea all by hand, the XM has soft paintwork which helps. I clayed it a few months ago too, and it was still clean.

 

Can't remember where I got the arthur daley sticker from, was from google somewhere. Had it when I first got the Puma, then it sat in the garage until 2 months ago when I found it and stuck it in the XM!

 

Took about 5 hours all in, including fags and tea. Could have done alot more with more time, a proper polish,decent glaze under the black hole would have made it really shine! Covered in defects too, which need work that I may or may not give it!

[beko1987]

Well... not 2 weeks after my last post, our lives got turned upside down! Thanks to a rat infestation which made our little girl very ill, we abandoned the flat and moved in with my mum temporarily, whilst we save for soemwhere else.

 

I moved everything with the XM. It rides really nicely with a washing machine, boxes of books and plates and vacuum cleaners in the back! Sadly though, since there is only space for 2 cars on my mums drive, the XM has been living in my work car park. Now I walk to work, it;s been abandoned for weeks at a time. I've done 260 miles this month, normally that is 400+. 1 tank of fuel has lasted loads!

 

I had a day off today, so decided to spend it on the car.

 

First job - tyres. Front passenger had a puncture, and held air well to start with, but this last week itwould go dead flat overnight.

 

 

 

My freindly part work tyre place sorted me out 2 barely worn winter tyres for £40 the pair fitted. I got the pair done as the front drivers tyre was quite old, and hadn't worn at all. Job done though, as it took ages to balance, and now my wheel wobble is completely gone!

 

 

This was chucked on the floor. No idea what citroen its off though

 

And done! 1 Toyo Snowproxy...

 

 

and 1 Hankook Kumo Solus Vier!

 

 

 

 

Very pleased with that! Got half a mind to go back next week after I've been paid and get the backs changed, although the backs are fine, so it would be a bit wasteful!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sun was out, it was 9 degrees, I had a whole day to myself...

 

Rinsed and foamed!

 

 

 

I then went round and cleaned the tyres, wheels and tightwork. Foam was rinsed off, and I washed her well.

 

 

Barely any protection left!

 

 

Old rainx still doing well though

 

 

 

And nothing left on the back at all!

 

 

I must have got the car hot when driving about, it went a bit condensationy with the cold water!

 

 

I then skipped pictures as time was getting on. Car was dried, then glazed with Black Hole, then waxed with Nattys Blue. Windows were cleaned inside and out (inside was filthy...) and rainx'd on the outside.

 

I then looked up and the lovely day had turned into

 

 

So I very quickly buffed the wax off before it rained and ruined the finish. Tyres were dressed as well

 

Done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need new wiper blades though. They work fine but stuff seems to be growing on them...

 

 

 

All done. However it spotted slightly with rain, but nothing worse. So I opened the boot...

 

Has had the seats down for the past 2 months. I thought it was time to make it into a car again rather than a van.

 

 

 

 

Better

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gave the dash a good vac with the dusting brush, and then a good wipe down

 

 

Nearly there

 

 

 

Parcel shelves and pushchair back in

 

 

 

And daddy wagon back together!

 

 

Ignored the cubby holes for now!

 

 

 

All done! Can be neglected again now! Got a nice run up to Birmingham then Belper planned in Feb, so hopefully that will do it some good, and bring the fuel economy back. Sitting all week, then doing 50-70 fast revvy miles on a and b roads, then sitting for a week etc has the average MPG at 28.2. That wants to go up!

 

Still a few jobs to do, mainly the exhaust, remove the heatshield for the centre sphere and clean the engine bay. However Amys car is blocking its oilways up and pressurising the sump so I imagine that will jump the queue. One job I will do this weekend though is front brake pads, they are VERY low. Is there anything special needed to change them, or can I wind/squeeze the caliper pistons in as normal?

[Partridge]

I'm gulity of leaving seats down for months on end too. I'm starting to get into a car house-keeping slump, I need to snap out of it.

The more I look at this XM, the more I want one...

[beko1987]

You can fit a scary amount into it, and not notice at all! I only noticed when it changed down 2 gears rather than the one it does when empty on certain bits of road at 65. You can laden it down until its sat on the floor and 20 seconds later perfect ride height! That alone is worth it, I'm keeping it until we've moved into our own house certainly!

 

Seats down lower the centre of gravity and make it faster too... Also means you can hear the rattles from the boot more too...

[Partridge]

I like the standard issue wheel trims too...but if I was to get one I'd be tempted to track done some wobbly webs.