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XM work in a week.....

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 7:37 pm
by citroenxm
Hi all..

Had the pleasure of working on a 2.5 XM Estate..(Or Not :D :D :lol: ) The only engine work though was swapping an Altinator Bracket to solve a sheared tensioner bolt. I have "borrowed" one for now, so I have time to sort the sheared one.

Anyway Monday was : 406 HDi rear spring swap, cam belt, water pump, oil service and pair of drop links. All shut eyes work. Then monday afternoon after the peugeot started on the XM, and AMAZINGLY I was suprised to find that the Altinator can be removed, the HP Pump moved forward, and enough room to remove the bracket from the car. So all refitted we had Brakes and Power.

Tuesday. It rained, so I sat in the car pulled the dash apart and changed the bulbs in the RH display. Fitted a cruise stalk and shorted the main switch out on the dash to get it working. Check the brake pedal switch. Then worked in the shed while it rained. Later in the afternoon it stopped, so managed to swap the heater matrix which was giving curry smells...

Wed: It was dry again so started on the near side wheel bearing.. however, after getting the car jacked up correctly I then discovered a rear end hydraulic leak! Arrrggghhhh un expected..
So swapped the the wheel bearing and also found an inner track rod worn joint. Swapped that too.
Onto the rear leak, dropped the subframe and found the pipe from the Anti Sink Sphere to K joint had split! This turned into fun, as it goes from the Sphere to a K joint, which then goes to one pipe which had been changed to a Kuprel Nickel pipe, and another which went to a second K joint to two other pipes... Grrr, the anjoining pipe wouldnt remove, so I had to disconnect 3 pipes and remove the two K joints, find a joining pipe and anti sink sphere pipe and re fit it all between the body and subframe top... so got that all sealed up.. and sorted.

Thu: One last job to do, sort the ABS light. In the event of swapping the front hub I couldnt remove the front sensor from the old hub.. I initially fitted a Xantia Tevis sensor, then looked again and discovered that the sensor from the xantia actually sits the wrong way.. So I had to get the old sensor out. I resorted to slight modification of the hub.. I cut the O orface in a C so theres still enough to grip a sensor etc. This worked and I managed to remove the old sensor, and swapped it back onto the hub. That sorted that problem out. However the dreaded light still came on. Further readings on the Lexia showed "Rear Right Sensor out of tolerance"..to that effect. A quick phone call to our residant ABS expert gave me some food for though, in that the reading was being affected by something or another on the sensor or teeth.
So off with the Hub.. after removing the caliper and disc which was a doddle.. removed the hub to find the rear sensor Was coated with dried grease but in the form of the Teeth, and there was also some bits in the teeth grooves.. so, cleaned it all up, got rid of all bits etc and refitted it all back only then to find it wasn't now recording wheel speed... ARRRGGHHHHHH... so, car back up on top, supported and decided to unplug the connector and check resistance. It had some.. reconnected it, reset the light again for the 10th time, and while the back was jacked up in parameter measurments, spun the wheel.. phew.. it was now reading. So got the car back on all wheels and went for a test run... Braked about 50 times, light stayed out.. one more small task, there was something niggling me at the front drivers side. when braking I could hear a strange noise. So jacked car back up again.. and discovered the Caliper retaining pin at the bottom had snapped in half at some point allowing the cliper to push out under anti rattle spring tension. Replaced the pin put it back on all 4's again.. MUCH better again.
So as a test run, bought the car home with me (40 miles each way) - cruise on.. and relaxed and steered home...

So, the upshot or low Shot, which I did learn or prehaps already knew. Never expect to need to do JUST the work you think you need to do! Theres always something hidden away!

Me? Well, I actually enjoyed getting it all done. NO No pics. I dont have time to stop every second move to take them! But basically a car with FSH has had the following in summary done:

Nearside wheel bearing and track rod ARM
Heater Matrix replaced
ABS faults all cleared and an issue with the rear sensor appears to have been resolved
Two pipes replaced at the rear. Most of the rear subframe pipes have already been replaced with Nickel type pipework including the two to the rear calipers
Things I noticed: Recent front discs and pads.
Rear brakes ALL good too
drop links have no play either

Job Done! (I hope)

Re: XM work in a week.....

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 7:43 pm
by Dieselman
Sounds like it is now a sound car.

Re: XM work in a week.....

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 7:44 pm
by citroenxm
I bloody hope so. But as said Will, I did little actual engine work except the tensioner (NON Air Con Car) so features a manual tensioner! PERFECT! No stupid leaning spring loaded tensioners etc

Re: XM work in a week.....

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:10 pm
by Charles M
Excellent.

Looking forward to the 2.1 diesel moving up the queue! The V6 is lovely but my petrol bill is horrid...

Re: XM work in a week.....

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:11 pm
by citroenxm
Yes Charles...I do appologise for the Que'd delay.. :oops: :oops:

Re: XM work in a week.....

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:16 pm
by Dieselman
Charles M wrote:Excellent.

Looking forward to the 2.1 diesel moving up the queue! The V6 is lovely but my petrol bill is horrid...
When I finally get round to filling mine up again, I'll post up the mpg. It's pretty good, especially since it's been driven hard across country this last tank.

Re: XM work in a week.....

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:17 pm
by citroenxm
Dieselman wrote:
Charles M wrote:Excellent.

Looking forward to the 2.1 diesel moving up the queue! The V6 is lovely but my petrol bill is horrid...
When I finally get round to filling mine up again, I'll post up the mpg. It's pretty good, especially since it's been driven hard across country this last tank.
I ASK you NOT to Will.. It will upset charles, and put EVEN MORE pressure on me, Ive enough as it is..

THANKYOU.. ;)

Re: XM work in a week.....

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:44 pm
by captainhaddock
Great job ! Good to go for some years again or so it seems.
Did you use a ramp, lowering the subframe? I intend to do that some time but haven't figured out the best way to do that in a way that will allow you enough space to work on those pipes.

Re: XM work in a week.....

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:49 pm
by citroenxm
No Captin NO Ramp..

Jack the car up with a trolly jack under the subframe, as high as possible.

Now, I place support along the Cill edge AND rear foot well floor/fuel tank area.

I use a couple of blocks and a piece of wood along the length to spead the weight..

MAKE sure shes secure - rock her if you have too... Get the weight of the car on the support lower the car with the jack.. Now undo the two subframe bolts 1x 19, 1x18 for some reason. Have the jack take the weight, and let it down. The subframe will only go SO FAR before the other side stops it so it wont go too far.

When offering up MAKE SURE THE FRAME is inline with the Mount Bolts Holes on the car!!! The can go out of line easyilly and cross thread the bolts!!!

Re: XM work in a week.....

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 8:52 pm
by kingp
It's ok Charles, I have a Hdi up for grabs if you really want to get mpg revenge :)

The service history for this car is the most concise I have seen for a long time post warranty period.

Every service and work is detailed with dates and mileages on a front sheet and invoices and such are all in there, old mots, even some service citroen exploded diagrams for front brakes I'm guessing for when the last pad change was done.

It's gutting I'll only get a short time with it, but from the moment I was offered the chance to save it from being a parts car it became a saving project like the Xantia I recently got and I feel great knowing I've done my bit to keep a good car on the road for another few years and hopefully make at least 1 or 2 more future owners happy instead of buying some new modern day tripe!

Pictures to follow :)

And above all thanks to Paul for putting the work in to keep this beauty going :)