XM Fettling - Bubble Trouble

[wesacosa]

9 minutes ago, grogee said:

Is it me? 

someone from the Skoda club. Didn't know you were tempted?

[grogee]

2 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

someone from the Skoda club. Didn't know you were tempted?

I covet all your cars! 

[wesacosa]

10 minutes ago, grogee said:

I covet all your cars! 

coming from a man with a Puma and an MG Maestro that's quite a complement 

[grogee]

1 hour ago, wesacosa said:

coming from a man with a Puma and an MG Maestro that's quite a complement 

The blue Fav is just gorgeous. You'd have to be mentally ill to not like it. 

[wesacosa]

19 minutes ago, grogee said:

The blue Fav is just gorgeous. You'd have to be mentally ill to not like it. 

cheers. Its pretty ropey to be honest but it means a lot to me

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/469986-favorit-european-adventure/

[brownnova]

4 hours ago, grogee said:

I covet all your cars! 

 

2 hours ago, grogee said:

The blue Fav is just gorgeous. You'd have to be mentally ill to not like it. 

This and this in spades! That Fav is a great little thing! As is the XM! 

[Matty]

2 hours ago, wesacosa said:

cheers. Its pretty ropey to be honest but it means a lot to me

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/469986-favorit-european-adventure/

Lovely tale. Thanks pal 👍 

[wesacosa]

26 minutes ago, brownnova said:

 

This and this in spades! That Fav is a great little thing! As is the XM! 

Thanks. I'm sick to my stomach that I can't keep them

[brownnova]

1 hour ago, wesacosa said:

Thanks. I'm sick to my stomach that I can't keep them

I can only imagine, if it was me I’d be the same. But I think I would have to do as you seem to be. Choose one (or two) which will be the hobby cars and swallow the charge for this high days and holidays, but get something compliant for commuting. The whole ULEZ think is frankly awful. 

[wesacosa]

Just now, brownnova said:

I can only imagine, if it was me I’d be the same. But I think I would have to do as you seem to be. Choose one (or two) which will be the hobby cars and swallow the charge for this high days and holidays, but get something compliant for commuting. The whole ULEZ think is frankly awful. 

yeah that's the plan, will see how it works out

[wesacosa]

bit of a loss as to what to do with this now.  6 weeks ago I'd have probably said it was up there with one of the nicer ones around.  Unfortunately it then decided to have a few crazy moments where the revs would swing between 1500 and 2000 randomly.  Then to cap it all the paint on the roof started to go patchy. Typical 90s PSA metallic and better than a lot I have seen but it was pretty good until then.

I'm pretty sure the running issues is one of the seals on the pump solenoid valves leaking and allowing air in. Kits aren't too expensive but just a bit overwhelmed with car jobs and suffering a Sadiq Khan induced serious lack of motivation.  

Given how hard XMs seem to be to price I'd worry I'd spend a load of time getting the pump and ABS module (light on due to module issue) fixed and then struggle to get much more than I could just cutting my losses and trying to shift it as-is

It does qualify for Khan's £2000 ULEZ scrap bribe but if I can't bring myself to take it for a sub £400 Favorit  I'd not be able to do it for what must be one of the lower mileage XMs left. 

 

[Schaefft]

Scrapping it would be an absolute waste 100%, unfortunately the two only options you got are doing your research and figuring out how much it would realistically sell for, and then fix it up if it's worth it or sell as is. If it's a decent example it wouldn't be too far off the 2 grand mark anyway, you just need to advertise it properly.

[wesacosa]

8 minutes ago, Schaefft said:

Scrapping it would be an absolute waste 100%, unfortunately the two only options you got are doing your research and figuring out how much it would realistically sell for, and then fix it up if it's worth it or sell as is. If it's a decent example it wouldn't be too far off the 2 grand mark anyway, you just need to advertise it properly.

yeah I won't be scrapping it.  I did think £2k was about max if the problems were sorted but they do seem to be hard to place price wise. 

[rob88h]

Any interest as-is in the Citroen or XM clubs? They’d be well positioned for something largely good but needing a thing or two. And for knowing the best way around the fixes. 
Failing that, @Rust Collector hoovers up Citroen’s-in-need for reasons I’ve not quite worked out yet. 

[Mally]

I had a car I loved.  Toyota Celica 1972 ish.

Got massively front ended, not my fault but went 50/50.

I still remember it from 40 years ago.

But it taught me that at the end of the day, it's just metal. I'd take the cash.

[wesacosa]

35 minutes ago, rob88h said:

Any interest as-is in the Citroen or XM clubs? They’d be well positioned for something largely good but needing a thing or two. And for knowing the best way around the fixes. 
Failing that, @Rust Collector hoovers up Citroen’s-in-need for reasons I’ve not quite worked out yet. 

ha, sadly Rust collector has an identical one already. Same colour even !

 

[wesacosa]

18 minutes ago, Mally said:

I had a car I loved.  Toyota Celica 1972 ish.

Got massively front ended, not my fault but went 50/50.

I still remember it from 40 years ago.

But it taught me that at the end of the day, it's just metal. I'd take the cash.

true, but this should be an easier fix if I can find some motivation 

[Mally]

11 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

true, but this should be an easier fix if I can find some motivation 

By which time the 2K may be off the table.

[Rust Collector]

8 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

ha, sadly Rust collector has an identical one already. Same colour even !

 

I wouldn’t want two old Citroens in the same colour now, that’d just be sad…

49 minutes ago, rob88h said:

Failing that, @Rust Collector hoovers up Citroen’s-in-need for reasons I’ve not quite worked out yet.

I’m a sick man 🤣

[wesacosa]

finally found some time for the XM. Sadly not the leaky pump solenoid or the abs light which are probably preventing any interest from buyers, but the broken and subsequently removed drivers door check strap.  thanks to @Rust Collectorfor providing the replacement. Its the earlier design but thankfully they are interchangeable.  Sadly being messy/disorganised/forgetful I misplaced the two fixings into the A pillar so I borrowed one each from the rear doors until the old ones hopefully turn up

now this is in I can fit the replacement window regulator I bought last year and have a working window again

 

 

[wesacosa]

fired up the XM today for the first time since mid August. Reconnected the battery and gave it a few primes on the diesel bulb . It fired up instantly and rose quickly.  It did somehow manage to lock the doors with keys inside and engine running though. Thankfully I had a spare key inside.  It really is such a lovely car this but the pump solenoid weep seemed to put anyone off buying it even at over £500 less than the minimum I'd say it's worth with the work done.  MOT due next week so hopefully that's not tempting fate 😂

[grogee]

17 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

fired up the XM today for the first time since mid August. Reconnected the battery and gave it a few primes on the diesel bulb . It fired up instantly and rose quickly.  It did somehow manage to lock the doors with keys inside and engine running though. Thankfully I had a spare key inside.  It really is such a lovely car this but the pump solenoid weep seemed to put anyone off buying it even at over £500 less than the minimum I'd say it's worth with the work done.  MOT due next week so hopefully that's not tempting fate 😂

Is there a picture that illustrates how easy or impossible it is to change the pump solenoid (or its seal, assuming it has one)? 

[wesacosa]

It depends if you do it properly* or not.  The proper way is to take the fuel pump out, however if its just the solenoid O rings (they are the ones I could see leaking) you can do them it situ. However you are of course at risk of getting dirt in, dropping something into the void of the engine bay, or damaging the wires which are attached to the solenoid block

they are situated where this solenoid block attaches to pump body 

 

[wesacosa]

Now with 12 month's MOT

Not driven it since August so was really nervous taking it on the roads around London this morning, proper knots in stomach nervous. Im starting to think driving shonky old cars and the roads I have to drive on might not be compatible.   car drove very well though thankfully so cruised back the long way m25/Dartford crossing getting my £12.50s worth!

[Minimad5]

Glad you mended this.

Was mighty tempted when it came up for sale, but was lacking in funds and time.

Hope it's still going well 🙏 

[wesacosa]

its not exactly mended.  Still needs the weeping pump seals sorting.  I had hoped someone would buy as is but I didn't really get any interest, although it was a bit of a half hearted for sale campaign!

It's got to go this spring though as its such a waste of a lovely car sat outside my house pissing the neighbours off

[wesacosa]

I decided to take a brave pill and look to change the seals I know* are leaking (more on that later....)

I had bought the whole seal kit previously but not been motivated enough to have a go.  I had hoped I could just move it on cheaply given it was a nice car aside from this but it didn't happen so its become a road ornament / neighbour annoyance until the MOT the other week. 

The leak is definitely coming from the solenoid block on the top of the pump. Looking at the diagrams the only seals here are the ones shown on the diagram which fit between the pump body and the solenoid block. All the diagrams I have seen on the pump only show these seals so they must be the source of the leak, right.      No Wrong

I went back to check the video I made way back when I discovered the pump was leaking and the pool of fuel is above the split line between pump and solenoid block, red arrow below points to the pool of fuel and the red line is the joint between block and pump

 

Shit

So something is clearly leaking above that split line that isn't marked on any of the exploded diagrams, mentioned in the Lucas manual I have a copy of or avaialble in any rebuild kits.

Turns out that there are 2 orings inside the solenoid block. 

 

 

 Back in the day the whole solenoid blocks were just supposed to be replaced if the O rings inside them fail.  If you can find a replacement block now they are £300+ a pop and need some delicate wires to be unsoldered and resoldered.    Hmm,  not going to happen

Luckily through trawling the Citroen forums a nice Frenchman has written up a PDF on how to replace them including the spec of the O rings needed

https://citroen.cricou.net/epic/changementelectrovannes.pdf

It actually doesn't look tooooooo bad , although perhaps a bit fiddly and no doubt wholy unsuitable for my fists of ham. Anyway I will order some suitable O rings and keep  my fingers crossed some of those needles and springs don't ping off into the abyss , never to be seen again 

(or keep hoping someone who is better at fixing cars than me wants to buy it from my half hearted sales attempts)

 

 

 

 

 

[N Dentressangle]

That doesn't look too awful - the pics help fill in the gaps around my crap French. O rings look readily available for pennies too, which is nice.

Take it slowly, plenty of tea breaks, and put a cloth underneath the pump to catch anything that escapes.

Well done for having a go 🏆

[wesacosa]

o rings turned up at the weekend..just need the weather to perk up and my confidence to stay up

I really have to get this lovely car in a position that someone wants it

 

[grogee]

You can do it @wesacosa! You're already braver than 75% of so-called 'mechanics' by owning, driving and fixing an old Citroen.

Methodical, take time, take pictures, label or write down fixings. 

A man (or woman) made it, so another man can repair it.