Citroen XM Forum

The optins are;
Mount the catches higher or,
Bend the rods lower.

No option to mount the catches higher. The holes on the body are set



and so are the ones on the clasps



So I'm back to square one in bending the rods.

I wonder if that bonnet has been slammed on already closed catches at some point which bent the rods up?

D

Offside rod has connected with a push up to last autumn but the nearside rod has never connected.

Agreed, Eddie, no adjustment on catches or rods - only on the bonnet-slam feet Left and Right, which screw in and out...


The rods on our 2.5 look different to yours (ours have no flat heads), but probably just a S1/S2 thing:



In the last photo, gap between underside of bonnet (folded lip) and topside of rod is 17.5-18mm.

Do the catches both lock properly if you insert a dummy rod into them?

I'd remove the two screw-in feet for testing.
Maybe elongate the mounting holes in the catches to allow them to be raised a tad?
Bend the rods as a last resort, for fear of breaking away the welding.

Check the bonnet for the two rubber bump stops near the front edge corners.
These are about 20mm deep and set the bonnet front height.
There are another two rubber wedges on the ends of the scuttle front panel.
These set the bonnet rear height.
Remove the bonnet pull wire and cross rod and see if the bonnet then locks down on either side.
If not then that is when you adjust the rods or catches to get lock down and bonnet at correct level.
This should be easy to check on with the nose cone unbolted so the locks can be easily released.
Once you have the catches locking add the fixed rod and check again.
Then add the pull wire as a final check.
The wire route across the headlamp can cause problems and there is a link joint in the engine bay.

John

Adjusting the rubber stops isn't what is required if, As Niel says, the bonnet is lower than the wings.

Either the bonnet pins have bent, or th e front panel is somehow loer than it shuld be.

The new information that one side has never latched is interesting. Check the fit, then if that is correct, bend the latching pins.

As noted, early cars had heads on the pins, which were deleted soon after production started.

I've adjusted the front rubber stops up and down, and every which way in-between, with not an ounce of success. The gap between bonnet and rod is just what I need to ascertain if there is anything out of line which is not obvious to the eye. I'll see if the catches will clasp around a similar sized screwdriver shaft - but if all else fails I'll get the rods heated up to bend them down slightly.

Dieselman wrote:As noted, early cars had heads on the pins, which were deleted soon after production started.

Yeah, something else which is bloody different on this car.

The pins cost money to stamp, so were deleted. It was meant o show "Luxury".

Don't heat the pins, it will just blister the paint. A gentle bend will suffice.