I've done a silly......CITROEN XM

[maxxo]

  On 11/05/2022 at 22:27, RoverFolkUs said:

https://youtu.be/sKGAxnsc22U

I do agree that sort of money can't be justified. But it doesn't seem like any more of a pain in the ass to do a rack gaiter on them than any other car based on that video. 

I'm sure it will be fine

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i promised this car i'd save it, i'm determined to

reading up about it, it does seem possible to do the nearside one without removing the rack

cambelt is on hold for now, that can wait for a month or two

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 11/05/2022 at 22:41, maxxo said:

i promised this car i'd save it, i'm determined to

reading up about it, it does seem possible to do the nearside one without removing the rack

cambelt is on hold for now, that can wait for a month or two

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For reasonable cost it's got to be worthwhile

Although of course as with any old car, something could shit itself spectacularly at any time which is an expensive risk

However I'm absolutely on board with you that it wouldn't be worth spending upwards of £1-2k on a high mileage XM

[maxxo]

  On 11/05/2022 at 22:43, RoverFolkUs said:

For reasonable cost it's got to be worthwhile

Although of course as with any old car, something could shit itself spectacularly at any time which is an expensive risk

However I'm absolutely on board with you that it wouldn't be worth spending upwards of £1-2k on a high mileage XM

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my absolute limit is £800 to get it through the test

i mean, that's utterly disasterous tbh

but any more than that, well, it's just don't worth it tbh

now if i'd paid £4-500 for the car then i may have considered it

but i paid too much, and you have to draw the line......i'm £45 into the car so far in replacement item costs

[maxxo]

i will do my very best for this car, that's a promise

[High Jetter]

Plates loadsa BS!

[beko1987]

I've done a few inner steering boots and rhe biggest twat is the clip to hold it all on. Used big cable ties before but the cars have all been worthless so ymmv. 

Keep everything straight though. I got cocky doing the blue laguna and turned the rack to full lock to push out the side I was working on... Got 20 yards up the road and the esp went mental, then the dash went mental 😂 Took another 2 hours of straightening everything out to get it drivable then I got it tracked and they laughed some more... 

Actual job was alright though. Oily and messy but OK. Can't you superglue and tigerseal the old boot back together? 

[maxxo]

  On 12/05/2022 at 09:43, beko1987 said:

I've done a few inner steering boots and rhe biggest twat is the clip to hold it all on. Used big cable ties before but the cars have all been worthless so ymmv. 

Keep everything straight though. I got cocky doing the blue laguna and turned the rack to full lock to push out the side I was working on... Got 20 yards up the road and the esp went mental, then the dash went mental 😂 Took another 2 hours of straightening everything out to get it drivable then I got it tracked and they laughed some more... 

Actual job was alright though. Oily and messy but OK. Can't you superglue and tigerseal the old boot back together? 

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i must admit i'm absolutely not in the mood to work on it at the moment lol

i've got no doubts this is going to be a fuck on

but

i like the car

i must do, i've not given up on it after the MOT results

i just want to be able to drive it

[maxxo]

Thinking about this some more

I think I'll be paying for it with the credit card....so then I don't have to really think about it

If I don't fix it and sold it, I'd worry it would just be passed around people before ending up scrapped or broken for spares

Which I'm not doing

[maxxo]

XM is booked in to be mended

23rd May 

Got new plates today

Getting replacement headlights tomorrow and dropping them in Monday 

Should be good once it's done

[maxxo]

here's a question, when i drove it on tuesday i happened to notice it wasn't all that much softer than the C5.....

it bounces fine, spheres feel alright but either they're a bit knackered of my C5 is really very good

also i noticed a lot of steering wheel vibration at idle from the engine

 

[myglaren]

Could be air (nitrogen) in the system, may need bleeding.

[wesacosa]

  On 13/05/2022 at 13:27, myglaren said:

Could be air (nitrogen) in the system, may need bleeding.

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or manky filers and LHM perhaps

[Fumbler]

  On 13/05/2022 at 10:10, maxxo said:

here's a question, when i drove it on tuesday i happened to notice it wasn't all that much softer than the C5.....

it bounces fine, spheres feel alright but either they're a bit knackered of my C5 is really very good

also i noticed a lot of steering wheel vibration at idle from the engine

 

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I wonder if a sphere's blown? Not having the car at the correct ride height (even if the lever's sat in the correct spot) also doesn't help from my experience.

[maxxo]

  On 13/05/2022 at 20:34, Fumbler said:

I wonder if a sphere's blown? Not having the car at the correct ride height (even if the lever's sat in the correct spot) also doesn't help from my experience.

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i should clarify, it floats, rides well

but not massively softer than the C5, which is no bad thing

it seems to ride at the correct height, it looks correct at least

[RoverFolkUs]

I'm no expert on hydropneumatic Citroens, but surely an LHM leak which you do have isn't going to help things? A loss of pressure and open to contamination possibly?

[Fumbler]

  On 13/05/2022 at 20:36, RoverFolkUs said:

I'm no expert on hydropneumatic Citroens, but surely an LHM leak which you do have isn't going to help things? A lose of pressure and open to contamination possibly?

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It's on a return to the reservoir and the inlet pipework is all filtered so it's no biggie.

[maxxo]

  On 13/05/2022 at 20:36, RoverFolkUs said:

I'm no expert on hydropneumatic Citroens, but surely an LHM leak which you do have isn't going to help things? A loss of pressure and open to contamination possibly?

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could well be actually

shall have to see when the car is ready and i can drive it

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 13/05/2022 at 20:37, Fumbler said:

It's on a return to the reservoir and the inlet pipework is all filtered so it's no biggie.

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Told you I'm no expert 😀

[maxxo]

just got back from my 170 mile round trip today

we have, illumination!

these are much, much better!

[jamescarruthers]

  On 14/05/2022 at 14:20, maxxo said:

these are much, much better!

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Until you switch on XM headlights! 
 

In all seriousness though, don’t be tempted to touch or clean the silver any way other than rinsing with water— it is so delicate!  You can also de-yellow the lenses with hydrogen peroxide and sunlight if you have a bit of time to kill and want the best from them. 
 

If you are lucky someone may want to buy your Ray-specials HID lights on the forum!

[maxxo]

  On 14/05/2022 at 16:13, jamescarruthers said:

Until you switch on XM headlights! 
 

In all seriousness though, don’t be tempted to touch or clean the silver any way other than rinsing with water— it is so delicate!  You can also de-yellow the lenses with hydrogen peroxide and sunlight if you have a bit of time to kill and want the best from them. 
 

If you are lucky someone may want to buy your Ray-specials HID lights on the forum!

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Oh I'm well aware they'll be absolutely crap, I dare say I'm actually looking forward to seeing just how bad they are!

The HID units will be free of charge to whoever wants them

[chodweaver]

Right, here's curiosity getting the better of me. While the headlights on BKJ are quite ok, as long as the plastic beam correctors are clear and the alignment is good, I'm very conscious of the arms race going on with modernz' headlights and that my ageing retinae are often challenged by the wall of LEDs and aesthetically pleasing* fulltime front foglamps that are so popular these days. So I'm curious as to how successful/legal the late Ray Noon's solution was.

 

Tl:dr

I'll take the old ones, please! Can you let me know what the postage will be?

 

[maxxo]

  On 16/05/2022 at 15:17, chodweaver said:

Right, here's curiosity getting the better of me. While the headlights on BKJ are quite ok, as long as the plastic beam correctors are clear and the alignment is good, I'm very conscious of the arms race going on with modernz' headlights and that my ageing retinae are often challenged by the wall of LEDs and aesthetically pleasing* fulltime front foglamps that are so popular these days. So I'm curious as to how successful/legal the late Ray Noon's solution was.

 

Tl:dr

I'll take the old ones, please! Can you let me know what the postage will be?

 

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i have no idea i must admit, i won't have them until i've got the car back as they're well.....still attached

but i shall keep you informed regarding price etc

i imagine they would have been quite good really, not for me sadly due to liking originality but i can't have seen why they would be poor

the wiring is quite questionable however

[jamescarruthers]

  On 16/05/2022 at 15:17, chodweaver said:

Right, here's curiosity getting the better of me. While the headlights on BKJ are quite ok, as long as the plastic beam correctors are clear and the alignment is good, I'm very conscious of the arms race going on with modernz' headlights and that my ageing retinae are often challenged by the wall of LEDs and aesthetically pleasing* fulltime front foglamps that are so popular these days. So I'm curious as to how successful/legal the late Ray Noon's solution was.

 

Tl:dr

I'll take the old ones, please! Can you let me know what the postage will be?

 

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I think were always are illegal but the MOT regulations recently got much tougher. Previously the hope is that a self levelling car will not be caught out and this is still a possibility but your chances are smaller. Personally I’d try it but change the bulbs from the horrible blue to a more yellow, tungsten colour. 

[maxxo]

  On 16/05/2022 at 15:23, jamescarruthers said:

I think were always are illegal but the MOT regulations recently got much tougher. Previously the hope is that a self levelling car will not be caught out and this is still a possibility but your chances are smaller. Personally I’d try it but change the bulbs from the horrible blue to a more yellow, tungsten colour. 

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i can't wait to experience the proper headlights and see if they're as bad as people say

[chodweaver]

Ps In case I haven't communicated this sufficiently before: impressed and jealous in equal measure with your purchase, progress and ultimately, rescue of this beast. My only gripe with mine is that the four-pedal dance of a manual with that parking brake is a bit frantic for the nature of the rest of the car, and i want to know what an auto 2.1td goes like

[chodweaver]

  On 16/05/2022 at 15:24, maxxo said:

i can't wait to experience the proper headlights and see if they're as bad as people say

They're quite the sod to get aligned - the Bowden cables control the vertical AND horizontal and are tricky to engage again if you've taken off the slam panel. Also the reflectors clip into the housing with ball and socket arrangements that pop off for fun at the limit of their travel.
Then there's the beam correctors and their yellowing to keep on top of...

[jamescarruthers]

  On 16/05/2022 at 15:24, maxxo said:

i can't wait to experience the proper headlights and see if they're as bad as people say

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When all is in good condition, they are good, if a little too sharp in their beam cut off. But they easily go downhill fast with the yellowed lenses inside, poor reflecting silver, and voltage losses.

They should be “sufficient” though  

 

Try genuine (so not eBay, Amazon!) Osram Nightbreakers in them for best results I’m told  I found them very good too  

 

[maxxo]

  On 16/05/2022 at 15:45, jamescarruthers said:

When all is in good condition, they are good, if a little too sharp in their beam cut off. But they easily go downhill fast with the yellowed lenses inside, poor reflecting silver, and voltage losses.

They should be “sufficient” though  

 

Try genuine (so not eBay, Amazon!) Osram Nightbreakers in them for best results I’m told  I found them very good too  

 

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the man in halfords was showing me their posh bulbs they have

they indeed look posh

i'll buy some and try

[jamescarruthers]

  On 16/05/2022 at 16:11, maxxo said:

the man in halfords was showing me their posh bulbs they have

they indeed look posh

i'll buy some and try

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True but are they chav-blue?!