New Member in Canada interested in XM from Japan :)

[xantia_v6]

It's changed to this: blob:https%3A//mail.google.com/2ff2b89b-17e9-4b07-84cb-79a17203449c

I don't think that is a correctly formatted public URL. It looks like something that is only available internal to your browser.

[Jan-hendrik]

Looking for some parts are you Jan...? car park accessories, stylee...

Not looking for parts at all

With a little help of google I estimate the vehicle is in the Toronto area.

I myself discovered my current XM 9 years ago in Chiba, 860 km from Hiroshima. It had done only 36000 km. I hopped on a train, had a look and bought it on the spot. The owner of the dealer drove it all the way down to Hiroshima himself a few days later, registered it and gave me the keys.

Andrew can ask me himself and I would not mind making a few calls here in Japan, but one must know where to start. There are more than 85 official Citroen dealerships in Japan. And don't forget the importer and dealers may be very reluctant to cooperate because of privacy rules.

[Andrew]

It's changed to this: blob:https%3A//mail.google.com/2ff2b89b-17e9-4b07-84cb-79a17203449c

I don't think that is a correctly formatted public URL. It looks like something that is only available internal to your browser.

Sorry, I've uploaded via dropbox so hopefully this link is accessible: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G ... directlink Also tried to add as an attachment.

'98 XM 24V Transmission Fluid colour at 97000 Kms.jpg

I've zoomed in and it may actually be a very light tan/brown rather than pink?

Thanks,
Andrew

[Dean]

I think I can see the silhouette of Andre Citroen standing at the base if the Ifle Tower in an impressionist style, I think it's a sign, buy the car, having said that it looks like the tower is falling and Andre is stooped over, possibly crying..........


D

[xantia_v6]

Subjectively, it does look a bit pink, but not red enough to be pure dextron. I would guess that it has been filled once (or maybe just topped up) with dextron, which would leave about 60% of the correct fluid.

Old fluid usually looks grey due to suspended particles.

I would not be put off by this alone, but I would be cautious about checking the operation of the transmission, particularly that the upshifts are near perfect, with no flaring or jerking. I had a Xantia V6 with the same transmission that was full of dextron when I bought it, and the auto-adaptive software could never get the gear changes smooth, sometimes they were much too soft, and sometimes too harsh. In that car, flushing and refilling with the correct fluid did not help much, but I suspect that it had been flushed and filled with dextron in an attempt to get it changing correctly, the real culprit was probably a blocked filter.

[Andrew]

Looking for some parts are you Jan...? car park accessories, stylee...

With a little help of google I estimate the vehicle is in the Toronto area.

Andrew can ask me himself and I would not mind making a few calls here in Japan, but one must know where to start. There are more than 85 official Citroen dealerships in Japan. And don't forget the importer and dealers may be very reluctant to cooperate because of privacy rules.

Thank you Jan-hendrik, I tried sending a pm but can't seem to get out of the outbox
Yes my XM is in Toronto it was shipped in November last year from Tokyo via Livingston Transportation International.

Thanks,
Andrew

[Dean]

I would think the special fluid is only special because of its long life and high operating temp properties, if the viscosity is correct and it is synthetic like dex 3 then it should be all good, just with shorter service intervals over the original spec fluid.

A lot of American tranny shops seem not to get too excited over fluid spec from what I've heard, it is after all just a hydraulic oil with friction modifiers and anti foaming agents like most.

I'm no professional though, seeek expert advise from ZF first.

PM stay in the outbox until read by the recipient

D

[Jan-hendrik]

PM stay in the outbox until read by the recipient

I am not receiving notifications from the forum anymore. Can't figure it out.

[Andrew]

Thanks Dean and xantia_v6

At least it looks like clean ATF. I will check for smooth shifting and if all seems good I will do a fluid change once I've driven it back 1500 Kms.

[xantia_v6]

One reason that the correct fluid is very important in these transmissions is that the lock-up torque converter does not completely lock while cruising, and the ECU controls the pressure to give about 5% slip in the TC. If a fluid with the wrong viscosity or friction is used, then the ECU can't control the slip properly, and there is a good chance of wearing out the lock-up clutch, which on these transmissions has the compound effect of prematurely clogging the oil filter, leading to catastrophic failure.