XM - Quick wash and polish!

[Forty-two]

Just read this one from start to finish. Nice too see all of the effort put in to keep this one running. I remember sitting in an XM when it was brand new at the dealers and wondering why my Dad wouldn't change his BX for one.

[dollywobbler]

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?

If they're anything like a BX, you can just push the calipers back. With the pads out, check the sliders are ok by moving the caliper back and forth on the carrier.

[beko1987]

Having a slow day at work today, so been thinking about what the XM needs. It seems to work for Volksy, so I'll write my thoughts down:

 

Exhaust - blowing like a fucker from the fucked centre clamp. New clamp is 70p, and a tube of Loctite 5920

 

Exhaust heatshield needs removing and re-attaching in a removable again way

 

Centre rear and centre front spheres need replacing/testing

 

Slight fuel weep from a hose in the engine bay. Jubilee clip

 

Cambelt? Engine is sounding very rattly at the moment

 

Engine bay is covered in oil and needs a wash

 

Headlamp washers need recommissioning (not too bothered about that though)

 

Rear wiper is falling to bits and starting to scratch the rear glass

 

Get the rear drivers side seat back locking properly

 

Rear fag lighter needs fixing (again not important)

 

There's a clonky noise from the front end recently, something must be worn suspension wise

 

There we go! I now have a list to work through. May make a start this weekend by tightening the currently broken clamp up to make it sound less fucked, who knows what else I may or may not do!

[dollywobbler]

Cambelts don't generally cause rattles. They cause engine destruction or they work.

[beko1987]

I think its probably a pulley somewhere causing it. I'd like to do the job one day, mainly so I can say 'I have changed a cambelt on a car...'. When I get round to it I'll spec up everything I could need for a bit of a refresh. For now I just turn the music up...

 

Some of the shitty noise comes from the exhaust though, I think

[DeeJay]

Are you sure it's not the heat shield rattling?

[tooSavvy]

Dont forget Poondland wipers

 

.... if lucky, the longest pair will be twice as long as your rear = 25p a pop!!

 

TS

[Rocket88]

Are you sure it's not the heat shield rattling?

What he said................

[beko1987]

Nope, not sure at all! Cheers for that, will have a look when I next see the car!

[Asimo]

CamBelt tensioners can break up or get loose, and the loose belt does make a hell of a rattle, flapping against the covers etc.

[twosmoke300]

Had a 110 hdi in yesterday with the crank pulley unbonded. Sounded like it was about to die a hundred deaths

[beko1987]

Well, it really has just been 

Get in and drive to work

drive home

get up and drive to work

drive home

tip run

deliver washing machine

petrol

drive to work

 

etc etc for fucking too long! I had the parts, my daughter was at nannys for the day and amy fucked off shopping, so I had a gander at the brakes

 

 

I've been avoiding the brakes as much as possible as I knew they were low...

 

 

It's the most brilliant caliper I've worked on! Bosch the bottom pin out and the whole thing hinges up!

 

 

Thats as far as I got. I went to get my claiper rewind tools and had the horrible realisation they were still in my mums garage. Fuck. (beautiful sunny morning here). Look in the haynes book, try using a small piece of bar as it suggests. Fuck my thumb...Call Amy (a friend of ours drove her as he wanted to go shopping too) and get her to run to halfords. either the full kit for £40 or nothing... mate says they will finish shopping and swing past, grab my keys and pop 25 miles to marlow, grab tools and come back. Great.

 

Had a go at the exhaust whilst I waited and the car was up on stands anyway

 

 

It's not a finished job as the sealent still hasnt arrived but the new clamp has almost killed the blow as it is, as it holds the pipes together and keeps the joint straight. Couldnt get the old clamp off so hammered it over a thicker bit of the exhaust for now. I think I need to drop the back of the exhaust to seal it so will try again then! 

 

It's getting cloudy now, I call to see where they are and they've got to the garage. Tools obtained, they hit the motorway, and heavy rain. I sit in the shed and have a few rollies and a beer watching the rain.

 

They arrive back. I set the rewind tool up, crack off the caliper bleed nipple and 3 minutes later the calipers down, job jobbed.

 

Heavy cunting rain now.

 

One side done, I ran round to the drivers side and did the whole thing in 5 minutes. Pain getting the wheel on and off as my thumb hurt like fuck against the breaker bar. Soldiered on and the job was done. No idea if the wear sensors work, the old sensors were worn but no info. I cleaned up the earth point and sprayed the plug with switch cleaner. Dont care anyway, I know their good.

 

Celebrated with 15 minutes of no exhaust blow ruining it citrobatics with my mate who was fascinated!

 

Amy went out to get eva at this point, so we cracked a can and decided to see what the washing situation was like. We were on the road, but had all the gear (he's a detailer dude too...)

 

And she had her first wash in fucking ages. Wind was howling a gale so it was a quick rinse, foam, tightwork, wheels, rinse wash and rinse but fucking hell it looked better!

 

Popped out to get some petrol earlier and grabbed a shot!

 

 

And because Amy is at work tonight I parked in our designated space, rather than on the road by the back gate

 

 

She'll be cross as she will be home before i go to work but fuck her, I've rekindled my spark with the old girl. If it would just start doing OMG60MPG tomorrow it would be brilliant...

[beko1987]

It's finally stopped raining today, so I got out there with my exhaust sealent (that arrived on thursday 5 weeks after I bought it...) and fixed the exhaust!

 

 

You cant tell, but I dropped the entire centre section, covered the bit that goes inside the other bit with sealent, then fitted it, pulled it back out half a cm and filled that with sealent, then refitted the new clamp that went on a few weeks ago loosely.

 

Then went to the back clamp and sealed that up too, as it was already off and that

 

 

It's supposed to expand and something when it gets hot so I idled it for 20 minutes, intertwined with a few stamps of the throttle and called it job jobbed. No blow at all! (not sure wether I should go for a drive to get it steaming hot, but can't anyway atm because...)

 

Next on the list is the fuel leak! It's had one for ages but getting it on the ramps revealed it was dripping alot! SWMBO is as we speak in halfords buying me some jubilee clips, so watch this space!

 

Whislt its up on the ramps I greased every contacting moving point of the rear height assembly, just incase!

 

 

Then I refurbished a lovely old Electrolux 502 that I bought whilst I wait...!

 

http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?25128

[messerschmitt owner]

I've been playing with the white SX today - battery is charged, she starts off the button, she's been washed, cleaned quickly inside, and all checked over for an overdue MoT. Six month's off the road and Monday is MoT day. New pads just before she went off the road and they're sticking a wee bit but I'll give it an Italian service just before the MoT. Topped up all the fluids and will give her a service as a treat when she passes the MoT.

 

Blue VSX estate has been run up to operating temp, citrobatics done, and she will head roadward at the end of the month if not before.

 

Blue Dispatch may be dispatched after diagnosis at the garage on Wednesday. Hope not, I quite like its utilitarianism.

[beko1987]

I had the day off today for my interview, and as I was back by half 10 and it wasnt too sunny I decided to give the car a clean

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because it looked like shit! And swmbo AND the daughter have gone away for the night, so could crack on!

 

Rinsed, foamed, tightwork and rinse again

 

 

Wheels and tyres were cleaned

 

 

A thorough wash

 

 

Then dried and SRP'd

 

 

Then buffed, 2x layers of Nattys Blue, trim was dressed and glass was polished (was fucking hot, much alcohol was drunkened)

 

Done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lovely! Didnt dress the tyres as I've run out! 

 

Then I mowed the lawn and stuff! Might potter in the shed now, fucking lovely this being on ones own lark!

[nacho man]

Looks ace! I am thinking of getting a snow foam thingy me bob, don't know if there any good or what they even do, but they look professional.

[beko1987]

Their great, and do make a difference. When I next wash it, if I do a quick maintenance wash once foamed and rinsed it pulls most of the dirt off.

 

Mine was a group buy one on detailing world. Usually always running, check out the group buy or for sale section, forget which!

[Heidel_Kakao]

Holy thread resurrection Batman!

 

All that tinkering and TLC and this XM has been out of MOT since 28-06-2015. Anyone know what happened to it?

[beko1987]

It's still alive! Having engine work done, the bloke I sold it to still has it. It should live again hopefully

[Heidel_Kakao]

That's good to hear. They are getting so rare now that unless it's terminally rotten it would be a shame to scrap one. I have grown quite fond of mine already.

[beko1987]

Just shared this with someone who asked what an xm was and read the whole thing... Fuck I miss it! Probably mega missed the boat for a 2.1td in ok order for £500 now though!