My Fleet - end of year update

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Brilliant, it looks bloody lovely! You fixed it yet?

Nah, that'll begin during the week.....

 

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[oldcars]

Well done, that ramp looks fun*. My 75s handbrake is poor remind me to never topdeck a ferry 

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Well done, that ramp looks fun*. My 75s handbrake is poor remind me to never topdeck a ferry

I held off until the car in front looked to be beyond the top, however as I drove onto the ramp it became clear they'd stopped just over the top....so I drove up slowly and thankfully they moved on in time.

 

There is an odd sensation almost like the brakes are sticking when you take off, the rear sqauts a tiny bit as if the handbrake is on a touch - obviously it's not that as the handbrake is on the front wheels

 

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[costadelglosta]

You are a winner sir!

[chodweaver]

There is an odd sensation almost like the brakes are sticking when you take off, the rear sqauts a tiny bit as if the handbrake is on a touch - obviously it's not that as the handbrake is on the front wheels

 

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They all do that, sir

 

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[hairnet]

Well done, that ramp looks fun*. My 75s handbrake is poor remind me to never topdeck a ferry 

Had one of those on the French ferry

 

Visa coped fine

 

Was here this morning - didn't see any xms just a shonky ldv

[They_all_do_that_sir]

To my shame I have owned this fine vehicle for almost a week and haven't found time to do anything with it yet. Work is very busy at the minute and I've no holidays spare.

 

This evening I did do some citrobatics for fun and started poking around. A few things I didn't notice before have impressed me, most notably the lap belt has an inertia reel - I've never seen that before. And check out the blinds!

 

It's SO comfy back here

 

I've much to do this evening, if I do get time before bed I'll start stripping stuff out of the engine bay to get a better look at the coolant system.

 

Niggle list as it stands:

 

Wobbly speedo. Seems they all do that Sir. Some remedies on XM forum.

 

Hydraulic pump. It's very rattly, and I notice the car struggles a bit to lift from its lowest height, if you try and go straight from lowest to highest the pump sounds like it's going to have a coronary. Also the PAS comes and goes. Jonathan supplied a spare pump which has a leaky input shaft. I've read this is about the only seal you can no longer get, and normal rubber seals are no use with LHM. I could try and make one good pump out of the two, but haven't looked to see if they are the same pump yet.

 

Fuel pump. It's running a pump from a xantia, and to Jonathan's credit the car performs fine so he's done a good job setting it up. However It takes a fair few turns to start from cold as the (vacuum actuated?) cold start advance doesn't work with the xantia pump. Jonathan also reckons the on boost fueling could be whacked up a bit, in his eyes the car isn't as powerful as it was with the XM pump though as I've no basis for comparison it feels grand to me. Putting a caravan on the back might highlight any power deficiency though....

 

There are lots of little issues I would like to work through that don't affect the use of the car, and are all to be expected of a 1993 Citroën with 280k!

 

One thing is the sunroof - it's currently sealed shut with gaffer tape. I know I'm opening a can of worms here but I'd like to make it functional.....

 

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[messerschmitt owner]

To my shame I have owned this fine vehicle for almost a week and haven't found time to do anything with it yet. Work is very busy at the minute and I've no holidays spare.

 

This evening I did do some citrobatics for fun and started poking around. A few things I didn't notice before have impressed me, most notably the lap belt has an inertia reel - I've never seen that before. And check out the blinds!

 

It's SO comfy back here

 

I've much to do this evening, if I do get time before bed I'll start stripping stuff out of the engine bay to get a better look at the coolant system.

 

Niggle list as it stands:

 

Wobbly speedo. Seems they all do that Sir. Some remedies on XM forum.

 

Hydraulic pump. It's very rattly, and I notice the car struggles a bit to lift from its lowest height, if you try and go straight from lowest to highest the pump sounds like it's going to have a coronary. Also the PAS comes and goes. Jonathan supplied a spare pump which has a leaky input shaft. I've read this is about the only seal you can no longer get, and normal rubber seals are no use with LHM. I could try and make one good pump out of the two, but haven't looked to see if they are the same pump yet.

 

Fuel pump. It's running a pump from a xantia, and to Jonathan's credit the car performs fine so he's done a good job setting it up. However It takes a fair few turns to start from cold as the (vacuum actuated?) cold start advance doesn't work with the xantia pump. Jonathan also reckons the on boost fueling could be whacked up a bit, in his eyes the car isn't as powerful as it was with the XM pump though as I've no basis for comparison it feels grand to me. Putting a caravan on the back might highlight any power deficiency though....

 

There are lots of little issues I would like to work through that don't affect the use of the car, and are all to be expected of a 1993 Citroën with 280k!

 

One thing is the sunroof - it's currently sealed shut with gaffer tape. I know I'm opening a can of worms here but I'd like to make it functional.....

 

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there are numerous reasns for an inoperable sun roof! The first is that it leaks around the seal. The second is the metal frame has rusted and has pushed the seal, letting water in. The third is a drain tube has come adrift, the fourth is that a drain tube is blocked or split. They run down the inside of the door pillars (which are filled with expanding foam for good measure). The fifth is that the motor has malfunctioned - plastic gear wheels are never a good idea. The sixth is the electrics are wonky and it refuses to seal. Seventh is a microswitch has gone inside the switch/motor. There is a clutch inside the motor once you undo the interior lights and you can in theory wind the roof by hand. 

[They_all_do_that_sir]

there are numerous reasns for an inoperable sun roof! The first is that it leaks around the seal. The second is the metal frame has rusted and has pushed the seal, letting water in. The third is a drain tube has come adrift, the fourth is that a drain tube is blocked or split. They run down the inside of the door pillars (which are filled with expanding foam for good measure). The fifth is that the motor has malfunctioned - plastic gear wheels are never a good idea. The sixth is the electrics are wonky and it refuses to seal. Seventh is a microswitch has gone inside the switch/motor. There is a clutch inside the motor once you undo the interior lights and you can in theory wind the roof by hand.

It's been sealed with gaffer tape, I suspect it works but leaks. Some good pointers there, but I'll leave it sealed for now.....

 

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[messerschmitt owner]

It's been sealed with gaffer tape, I suspect it works but leaks. Some good pointers there, but I'll leave it sealed for now.....

 

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that is the correct answer!

[They_all_do_that_sir]

First impressions on driving it have been favourable, however having never driven an XM, or indeed any Citroën of this era, it would be helpful to know if they all do that Sir:

 

Clutch very stiff bringing it back up, maybe first inch or two of upwards travel from flat to the mat. Hard to explain, it just doesn't seem to have the spring you'd expect as you first start to bring it up.

 

Brakes are very solid. I read Citroën engineered a bit of sponginess into later cars so I guess this is normal. They are actually quite nice as they are however lack feel.

 

Bit of lash (probably not the right word) in the transmission, most noticeable when in start stop traffic. It feels like a worn rear engine mount, but again maybe this is normal for this engine?

 

I read dollywobblers blog, where he described his as being not great at slow / town work, but amazing on a run and I'd agree so far.

I actually really enjoy the pairing of a pretty agricultural diesel with such a refined car. The HDI in the 307 is great but far too refined, whereas the XUD11 feels and sounds like a proper diesel.

 

 

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[messerschmitt owner]

try and take the clutch cable off and reroute it (move it) as sometimes the movement is compromised by the position of it behind the engine! My last two manuals had superb, smooth, light gear changes.

[jonathan_dyane]

I never had the balls to open the sunroof! I think the lower engine mount is a bit soft which may be causing the slack in the drivetrain. The cold start advance works via a waxstat linked into the cooling system; you will find part of it still attached to the cooling hose that runs in front of the injector pump.

 

It's great seeing you getting stuck in 😀

[They_all_do_that_sir]

I never had the balls to open the sunroof! I think the lower engine mount is a bit soft which may be causing the slack in the drivetrain. The cold start advance works via a waxstat linked into the cooling system; you will find part of it still attached to the cooling hose that runs in front of the injector pump.

 

It's great seeing you getting stuck in 😀

Aye, you pointed that bit out now that I remember. To be honest it doesn't bother me, so far it's not failed to start. I just wish I'd more time this week to do something with the water leak, I'd really like to put some miles on it!

 

The sunroof is high on the list after my daughter asked me what it was. She was amazed that this was a standard thing on cars "in the olden days". Fuck I feel old if thats how she views the '90s. To be fair she's only 9. Though the fact she's almost a decade already, and I definitely remember her only being born the other week.....God....

 

I've since read on the XM form that the lower mount is a weak point, to be fair it's not a big deal

 

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[beko1987]

the sunroof on mine leaked, the frame had started to rust, and water pooled up, then ran down and into the cogs, down those, into the motor and out onto the interior light, where it then entered the car.

 

Costa del glosta will find this out when I eventually get round to posting him the sunroof motor (im so fucking crap at remembering) , as with that removed it was fine, I sealed it up anyway!

 

I'm glad the xantia hasn't got a sunroof, the one in the zx leaked too, tiger seal to the rescue again there!

 

Its a sunshine window...

[They_all_do_that_sir]

So as tonight is the one week anniversary of me buying the XM, I thought I'd make a start on the leaking coolant pipe. Nature had other ideas however, and within minutes of putting the kids to bed the heavens erupted. Bumhats.

 

So in an effort to do anything XM related I started tidying the key, formerly held together with tape. I stripped it down, cleaned the glue residue off with wd40 and was left with this

The reason for the tape is because the little screw holding the pivot pin in place is missing. So I'm on the look out for something to do the job.

I'm tempted to buy a Chinese xantia flip fob cover off ebay for £5 just to get a replacement pivot / screw but I'd be taking a chance it's the same length.

I could replace the whole thing with a threaded screw and bolt but that would look shit.

In the meantime I have used a cable tie, which is at least the same colour.....

There is no battery in the fob, however I think something might be missing:

To me it would take a very thick battery to fill that gap, unless I'm very thick myself and looking at it wrong...

 

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[dollywobbler]

I don't think I've ever driven an XM with a light clutch pedal. I would like to. 2.5 TD has a hydraulic clutch. 

 

Brakes are very odd if you're not used to them. Takes a while to learn how to do an emergency stop without it being seriously dramatic. If it doesn't have ABS, it might be worth finding a quiet, wet road and just getting used to a hurried application. I remember locking all four wheels up, in the dry, in my first BX. Them brakes have power! An emergency stop usually results in better parking brake performance too...

[beko1987]

I'm finding this in the xantia. I've out braked many another cars almost emergency stop without realising!

 

it's either nice and gentle, slow down or whump stop.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

The brakes are definitely very very strong. They just feel very solid compared to other cars I've driven, there is no sponginess at all in them. Must try an emergency stop then chaps. Preferably a non emergency one....

 

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[chodweaver]

Regarding the keyfob, got any old Meccano lying around? iirc all the gears in Meccano used a nifty grubscrew to secure them to a shaft. Just a thought that one of them might fit.

 

Alternatively, yes, do use a bolt, but once you've figured out how long it should be without protruding, cut the head and surplus shaft off then hacksaw a slot in the top and -- you've made a grubscrew (of sorts)

 

Inspired by this thread! Good luck with yer fettling.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Regarding the keyfob, got any old Meccano lying around? iirc all the gears in Meccano used a nifty grubscrew to secure them to a shaft. Just a thought that one of them might fit.

 

Alternatively, yes, do use a bolt, but once you've figured out how long it should be without protruding, cut the head and surplus shaft off then hacksaw a slot in the top and -- you've made a grubscrew (of sorts)

 

Inspired by this thread! Good luck with yer fettling.

Meccano isn't a bad shout! I'll have a look

 

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[beko1987]

I need to sort the folding key of the xantia out at some point, but the grub screw is fine in that, the casing itself is cracked.

 

I just use the other non fancy key, not even sure where the plip is atm...

[They_all_do_that_sir]

I need to sort the folding key of the xantia out at some point, but the grub screw is fine in that, the casing itself is cracked.

 

I just use the other non fancy key, not even sure where the plip is atm...

I only have one key. Apparently it's a nightmare finding a locksmith who can do the four sided Citroën ones properly?

 

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[jonathan_dyane]

I think the fob takes two or three of the coin size batteries which is why the space is so large. Does the handbook give any clues?

 

For my previous XM I ordered a new key from Citroen because it's practically impossible for a locksmith to cut one that works.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

I think the fob takes two or three of the coin size batteries which is why the space is so large. Does the handbook give any clues?

 

For my previous XM I ordered a new key from Citroen because it's practically impossible for a locksmith to cut one that works.

I'll maybe try that. The handbook is not very helpful in this regard. It's all a big distraction from fixing the one thing stopping the car from actually being used

 

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[Dave_Q]

Regarding your pump with a leaky shaft (fnarr)

 

If you can get the seal out and measure it, or see if the size is on it somewhere, there's a good chance this place will stock it.

 

http://simplybearings.co.uk/

 

They do most things in Viton as well which is apparently lhm resistant.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Regarding your pump with a leaky shaft (fnarr)

 

If you can get the seal out and measure it, or see if the size is on it somewhere, there's a good chance this place will stock it.

 

http://simplybearings.co.uk/

 

They do most things in Viton as well which is apparently lhm resistant.

Brilliant shout, cheers

 

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[They_all_do_that_sir]

Some Citroën work was done today!

 

I started by removing all the intercooler to turbo pipework and the upper inlet manifold to give me more access. Ended up with a big pile of oily plastic in the shed

This is the offending pipe

It runs down the back of the engine and into another doodah where it's held in place with this clamp thing

Now I've taken out every bolt that holds it in place and the bloody thing won't budge an inch, any advice?

Also, is it safe to leave a hydro car jacked up like this?

The suspension has naturally sunk to its lowest position. I don't want to be putting any stress on anything but on the other hand it would be convenient to leave it like that until I can finish the job....

 

Also, is it normal to see the flywheel?

 

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[chodweaver]

 

 

 

That's a splat washer, right?

 

 

As for the flywheel exposure, I'd be surprised if that's how it's supposed to be, but then I'm not familiar with XMs or that engine/gearbox. (Something I'm increasingly thinking I need to remedy)

[They_all_do_that_sir]

A nice chap on the XM forum has sourced me a replacement pipe, therefore it doesn't matter if I bugger the existing one taking it off.

Apparently it just needs a good tugging to remove, however 280,000 miles probably mean it's fused into the water pump casing. I was in lidl earlier and they had these for £7.99

I needed the one in the middle for a plumbing job in the house, but the one on the right seems promising as a way to get purchase on the pipe

 

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