my xm

[Southerneruk]

car8.jpg

[Dieselman]

A series 1 estate is a rare beast, not many made, even fewer survive. Do you have the Rp number?

Headlamps, drop links and a steering gaiter to gain an MOT pass. That's pretty minor.

I take it the front spheres are getting a bit hard.

[Southerneruk]

The spheres are good, it has alloy wheels now, the problem is I can't remember there ever being a gaiter on that side (passenger) I should have the Rp number, still in the original paint, but needs a respray now with the egg coat peeling off, it is also TD Auto, still doing 40 miles to the gallon

[Dieselman]

I think the Rp number will be close to 5680.

The power steering ram doesn't have a gaiter, but the rack itself will have.
To fit that gaiter you need to unbolt the power ram at both ends and push it off the rack spigot. You will almost certainly have to unscrew the track rod from the actual rack. Carefully pry the ball joint boot off the joint outer, counter-hold the rack spigot with a ring spanner looped over it, then use stilson's, or similar, to unscrew the ball joint.
To gain better access, remove the front hydractive sphere.
It's one of those jobs that is fiddly and awkward, but definitely can be done in situ. The issue is the rack is on top of the subframe.
In my experience Citroen gaiters last the longest, followed by other brand thermoplastic, then rubberised ones.

I note advisory. Front Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect Both (5.3.2 (d))
The tester is confusing soft, infinitely variable spring rate Citroen suspension with a metal sprung, single spring rate car, with worn out dampers.
Infinitely variable spring rate is the magic of fixed volume gas spheres, allied to the gas always trying to return to it's original volume only, with no resonant frequency, thus softer damping can be used as there is no requirement to control the springs own resonance.

I'm interested in your radiator repair, any details/photos?
I assume you pried open the claws holding the end cap on, replaced the end cap with another, then clamped the assembly tight and re-closed the claws.

[Southerneruk]

That is how I had done the repair to the rad in the end, I was just going to swap them over, that was until I see the rot in the alloy fins, the tubes side to side are OK, just the heat transfer fins had rotted about 5mm inwards in the top 250mm, where the metal is thin, any way it worked out fine, just replacing the ends, it also means now I can repair the old one from the inside, which should work out better, sorry never took any photos I should have done
The suspension is fine, just that he not use to this type of system, mine is the only one he tests for MOT
I have found a site that sells XM front headlights complete

https://www.autopartspro.co.uk/citroen- ... d%5B%5D=36#

would you know the part number for those plastic inserts for the dip lights

RP number 6729
Forest Green

Just pulled the front apart, removed one light, in doing so 3 bolts snap, i am now thinking about getting 2 new lights, the chrome layer inside the side as gone spotty

[Dieselman]

The plastic inner lens was only available with the outer glass, P/n 6213 53

It will be simpler to obtain a pair of good, used lights, or treat your inner lenses to a Hydrogen Peroxide bath. You can buy Hydrogen Peroxide readily...any unused solution can be used to bleach your hair.

I think you have misread your Rp number, the car was registered 13/08/1992, so can't have an Rp number of 6279, as that gives a build date of 17/01/1994.
Rp 5279 would give a build date of 23/04/1991, but the car would have Romana interior and rotary lights switch, among other differences.

[Southerneruk]

It did have the Romana interior, switch that to leather because of the front seats worn out the driver side was a lot worse, and it does have that rotary dashboard light dimmer switch, so that first number could be a 5