Citroen XM - was JohnK's steed

[chaseracer]

SUNROOF REPORT

 

Good to know another part of my first XM lives on.

 

[messerschmitt owner]

Ian knows he has some 'adjustments' to do - good news is we know how to take the motor off and play with it!

[messerschmitt owner]

Good to know another part of my first XM lives on.

 

only the glass - motor was partially seized and the manual releae quite worn - nowhere near as bad as Ian's glass though - 'fucked' is how I'd describe the frame - rust and plastic broken in numerous places. However, the glass was enough and DW should be able to fiddle with it to get it to work better - that's next weekend!

[dollywobbler]

Good to know another part of my first XM lives on.

 

 

Only the glass and frame, but still a massive improvement! It is quite a long time since that mechanism was fitted to a car. I think that must be the XM you bought on one of the 2CVGB parts moving missions? THAT was a long time ago!

 

 

the following day, I investigated the 'open a jar' sunroof - they had taken down the electric motor off the mechanisms 'cog wheel' - long story short I managed to get the sunroof functioning fully - the motor is synced to the mechanism - I 'parked the motor' in the closed position n shoved the sunroof mechanism itself to shut - it took a few attempts, n I was initially 'one cog out' as I remember...

 

Its possibly the same with XM sunroof mechanisms....

 

Yup. I reckon that's what I'll be doing. I somehow managed a very similar thing when I was investigating for leaks, so should be an easy enough fix. When I get the car back.

[dollywobbler]

In other XM news, the firmness of the ride is seriously bothering me, though it did seem to get better the further I drove. But, I just love the way it lopes along on A and B roads. 60mph is so effortless. It remains the perfect antidote to the other frenetic motors on the fleet. I'm hoping to get a sphere change done next month, but am starting to feel that the more money I throw at the XM, the less is available for 2CV revival. 

 

I'm also looking forward to drying the passenger seat out so Mrs DW will actually travel in the XM again. It doesn't seem to leak water onto my seat...

[messerschmitt owner]

Ian

Have you the rechargeable spheres. If not the estate has them fitted. No use for the rears but ok for the fronts and centre ones.

[dollywobbler]

Fronts are rechargable. Not sure about anywhere else. It's the back that seems least compliant.

[messerschmitt owner]

The backs always go first. I'd suggest two new ones.

[dollywobbler]

It rained today. The inside of the XM is dry. Bit too early to rule that a result really, but it is pleasing. So, having finally managed to get photos from my camera to my laptop (you wouldn't believe the trouble I've had doing that) I can report on the weekend.

 

The XM was still being worked on when I arrived in Hereford, as my mate had been having one of 'those' weeks. He does seem to be restoring about six cars at once. Anyway, things got a bit late and I ended up in Devon far later than planned. There are no photos. During a huge tailback on the M5 (J27 sliproad down to one lane) the XM got a bit hot. More than a bit hot. Considerably over 90 degrees with no hint of the fans kicking in. The Autoshite solution was obviously to put the heater on full pelt and open the windows. This worked.

 

I do have photos of the trip home. It began in Bideford.

 

I got bored with the A39 Link Road, so just randomly turned off and just kept randomly turning to find pretty scenes like this.

 

Also followed a Sunbeam Stiletto with rear wiper and homebrew stop lamps but failed to get a pic due to driving. I also failed to get a pic of it passing an Austin Seven coming the other way! Amazing. Don't worry though, I managed to snap this gem.

 

Random-nav finally got me back to the M5. At Gordano services, I parked next to this trade-plated Jaguar XE. It was LHD, covered in thick, wrinkled plastic and the driver looked very nervous when I got the camera out and drove off. Had a 2.0d badge on it.

 

Things now got very pretty indeed. It was a beautiful day for a drive.

 

I'm very lucky to live here.

 

On the way there, I did actually fill up, so if I'm brave enough to fill it again (over £80!) I can get an MPG calculation. It's a stonking weapon for cruising along motorways, but it is still marvellously poised in the bends too. It's crap around town - horrible clutch, shite PSA gearchange and the ride isn't particularly nice - but anywhere else, I just love it.

[messerschmitt owner]

result on the sunroof!

[FakeConcern]

Looking gooooood!

[dollywobbler]

I like it so much that I even rust-treated a few blemishes from where I still haven't got around to painting after the welding work in November... (to be fair, winter is a crap time to be painting outside!)

[hairnet]

thats a 15 xf - launches a week on weds no wonder he was looking at you weird

[richardmorris]

A black jag passed me on the M40 last month with some aerial thing duct taped to the roof and all the jag badges covered over in black tape. Another prototype?

[dollywobbler]

thats a 15 xf - launches a week on weds no wonder he was looking at you weird

 

Ah, that'd explain things. Got misled as I saw my first XE (quite an unremarkable looking thing) on my way down south. Due to be launched to the media tomorrow, yet a classic car hack from deepest, darkest Wales has already seen one. Ace.

 

EDIT - Social media seems to be saying you're wrong and that it's just an XE. They're so bloody boring that it's hard to tell to be honest.

[chaseracer]

Nice XM too, but you could tell from the seats that it's been damp in there.

 

If only Ian knew someone with a complete interior available... 

[Noel Tidybeard]

maybe worth pluging a obd podule into xm and see if it gives coolant reading so as to check the gauge- although 90* aint hot the works 208 e-hdi sits normal at about 92*

with a/c off the spaceship runs at about 88-92*

 

also not sure if xm does the 2 speed thing with the rad fan that some stuff does

[dollywobbler]

It would do Frank, if the speed control relay wasn't missing...

[messerschmitt owner]

It would do Frank, if the speed control relay wasn't missing...

why didn't you say ... as you know, there is one on a car near me!

[Andrew353w]

I do have photos of the trip home. It began in Bideford.

 

My home town! I was born there! A little-known E.U. directive orders you to eat a Hockings ice cream when stopped on Bideford Quay; I hope you complied! The green dome in the background indicates the site of the former British Leyland dealer in the town, Heard Brothers. Happy days.....

[phil_lihp]

My Escort was parked on that very quayside Saturday afternoon while I was at work but didn't spot the XM about.  Hockings is indeed the law, all new arrivals to the area must be asked "Have you had a Hockings yet?".  A negative response gathers a crowd offering to take them to a nearby van at once.

 

Heard Brothers is still there in a large, once very ornate but now crumbling building behind the dome but just a workshop now with a strange little used car sales pitch in the yard which is never visibly open apart from a couple of long-term, ludicrously overpriced cars which are moved out to the front each day but never seem to sell.  They still have a few Rovers decaying in their yard including an early-ish R8 I went to look at a while back.  I reckon they'd still be in possession of a dalek too, they still seem to get a steady stream of MGFs in there.

[dollywobbler]

Progress! Sunroof appears not to leak anymore, headling has been reinstalled. I even found time today to give the poor girl a service at last! The stuff has been sitting in my garage for a good month...

 

Naturally, because I'm hopeless, there was plenty of oil spillage. Turns out that chopping wood right there was a good idea as there was still lots of shavings about the place! Super for absorbing spills. I was lucky though. I didn't check the oil capacity before dropping the oil - it's actually more than five litres. Glad I hadn't topped it up recently, and that not every drop of oil comes out. Could have been very messy!

 

Also managed to spill diesel everywhere during the fuel filter change, but it bled up nicely at least. Air filter was no bother at all. I still haven't put any fuel in this car since I set off for Devon - over 780 miles on this tank so far, though the low fuel light is starting to flash up now. I would have filled it up but my local garage's card system appears to be down, so fuel light roulette it is. Can I make it to 800 miles?

 

I still like this car a great deal. It's like putting on a comfy jumper and snuggling down in front of the fire after the frenetic activity of the other pair. Next big job is replacing all of the spheres - all seven of them. Or at least getting them regassed. I'd like to know what state they're all in.

[eifion]

I've done 50 miles with the low fuel light on in my XM, but I'm not coming to rescue you if you try this and fail.

[richardmorris]

I've done 50 miles with the low fuel light on in my XM, but I'm not coming to rescue you if you try this and fail.

Pah! I've done that in the 6cyl merc- now that's living on the edge;-)

[dollywobbler]

I reckon there is at least another 50 miles left in it if not 100.

[mercrocker]

Blimey! I was in Bideford that day too. Mrs Rocker had a Hockings so tradition upheld. Wish I had known about Heard Bros. would have snapped the Morris outside of it.

[D Spares & Tyres]

I do have photos of the trip home. It began in Bideford.

 

My home town! I was born there! A little-known E.U. directive orders you to eat a Hockings ice cream when stopped on Bideford Quay; I hope you complied! The green dome in the background indicates the site of the former British Leyland dealer in the town, Heard Brothers. Happy days.....

I have never heard the words `British Leyland` and `happy days` in the same sentence

[320touring]

I have never heard the words `British Leyland` and `happy days` in the same sentence

[pedant mode]It doesn't happen there either;)[/pedant mode]

[FakeConcern]

Mine starts to cut out very soon after the low fuel light comes on! However this is usually after about 400 miles & it's a V6 so I'm not too upset.

[Andrew353w]

I've done 50 miles with the low fuel light on in my XM, but I'm not coming to rescue you if you try this and fail.

The last time I played "petrol roulette" I finally bottled it, pulled onto the forecourt and filled my Xantia, which took 72 litres; given that the tank capacity is 65 litres I reckon I was in some strange negative matter/parallel universe world....