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New XM owner - 2.0 LE-Jetronic 1990 XM

Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 5:19 pm
by jamjamgood
Hello and good evening distinguished gents!

I'm a proud owner of a Citroen XM . After lots of time fantasizing about old Citroens, I finally bit the bullet and bought myself an XM. I really loved the looks and the sheer bonkerness of it, was interested to buy a BX as a "hydropneumatic initiation", but an offer appeared and i just couldn't let it go.

So, as for the car - it was sold by an old enthusiast, who deals with hydraulic lines and regassing spheres - I had a nice time while loading half a Fiesta worth of parts from him, and still is to come! The car is in general good contition, estetically - it has only 147k Km (about 92k miles), just some paint sunburns on the right wing and top part of the doors and the awful pvc wrap on the roof and spoiler (oh, and a dent in the RR door, but eh' )

Regarding the engine, it's ok, no leaks, no bumps, starts ok - nothing out of the ordinary. For the hydraulics tho', there are some niggly issues that have to be sorted out over time, but the major issue is the clutch - biting on the last 10mm of the pedal travel and slipping (oh, and don't get me started on using the brakes on a old Citroen - they work well - but only in a let's say 10mm range - and the position and the dangliness of the pedal was scary at least on my first test drive).

My first questions for you guys, are:
1) Where can I find a parts catalogue for a <94 XM - found one for phase2 but not for phase1 (will update RP/ORGA no).
2) I need a reference for a clutch assembly - I've found it online (at least from VALEO - https://www.valeoservice.com/en-com/tec ... country=DE) but it is the right one? I don't want to pay garage fees just to put back the old clutch...
3) The clutch changing operation - is it that difficult? I've called an "restoration garage" in Bucharest and the guy who answered said that it's scared and they don't service XM's anymore - pretty pathetic from my perspective, regarding they are an "Peugeot an Citroen lovers garage".
4) Any additional checks that I can do in order to have the car back to proper running order?

I have to mention that I have an automotive engineering background, so any schematics, diagrams and technical notes will do very well indeed (the Haynes manual that was inherited with the car it's a bit lacklustre in diagrams and specific drawings) - I want to learn as much as possible regarding the hydraulic system (it's not my strong point - I have got more experience into engines and engine calibration). Also, I have some experience with the spanners - but not that much, only brake jobs, general maintenance etc.

Thanks a bunch,
Mihai
(P.S: No photos, just this one at the moment, for the sake of it)

Re: New XM owner - 2.0 LE-Jetronic 1990 XM

Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2020 5:05 am
by Dieselman
Nice early Xm you have there, grey suits the car.

For a parts list Citroen offer Service Box access for £150 per year, alternatively you can buy stand alone software from 3rd party sellers on auction sites.

The clutch you have linked to appears to be correct.
The Xm 2.0i manual only came in one flavour in 1990, the Xu10j2 with Be3 manual gearbox.
The version you have with LE-jetronic is the R6a.

Why pay a garage to perform a clutch change, it's straightforward and the 2.0 is easy to work on.
There are only two points to note.
1. You will need to either raise the LHM tank at the front, or remove it, to gain access to the gearbox mount.
2. The engine will need to be supported once the gearbox mount is undone. The best method is to hang it from an engine beam between the inner wings. A stout piece of wood and a ratchet strap works fine.

There are many advantages to doing the job yourself...you develop your skills and get to know the car, you save money to spend on nice shiny tools.
If you don't have a clutch alignment tool, don't worry as you may not be able to completely remove the gearbox anyway. You can see the friction plate edges through the cover plate. Just ensure it is equal all round.

Your brake pedal sounds normal, there is no master cylinder, the pedal presses directly on the hydraulic doseur valve.

You will find the Haynes manual is more than sufficient for maintaining your Xm.
The Peter Russek ones are a little more detailed, but harder to read.
We have the majority of electrical wiring diagrams for S1 cars.

Re: New XM owner - 2.0 LE-Jetronic 1990 XM

Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2020 10:53 am
by White Exec
If you do need up-to-date Parts info, just ask here, as some of us do have Citroen parts access.
For copyright reasons, it is not possible for this info to be posted in substantial chunks.

Re: New XM owner - 2.0 LE-Jetronic 1990 XM

Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 6:55 am
by Dieselman
jamjamgood wrote:
Thu Nov 26, 2020 5:19 pm
the major issue is the clutch - biting on the last 10mm of the pedal travel and slipping
Iirc, LHD Xm do without a self adjusting clutch cable.
You may find the cable adjustment is too tight, exacerbating the high bite point and slipping.
At ~150k km, the clutch on a 2.0 petrol is going to be pretty worn out, unless there has already been a replacement previously.

Valeo is a quality brand. Autodoc appears to have them at a good price.

Re: New XM owner - 2.0 LE-Jetronic 1990 XM

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2021 8:44 pm
by jamjamgood
Hello gentlemen,

I have managed to bring the car back home (btw ORGA 4925) , and now it's in a preservation state - while I managed to get the paperwork on my name and all.

I have managed to talk with a Citroen service with the clutch job, next week should be sorted.

So far, the only problems that I had encountered are:
1) There is a clicking noise from behind the dashboard - I saw that this might be related to the "talking" of the indicator relay - it doesn't sound like a relay tick though in my opinion, more like something from plastic being broken, or snapping - I have stopped the HVAC fan and AC and ran through all positions of the climatisation (feet, vents, defrost etc.), still no avail.
2) The Clarion stereo works, but only the radio. The speakers are trash (well, as a 30yr old paper cone speaker should sound) - but the cassette mechanism doesn't work - the tape goes into the slot, there are no obstructions - but it doesn't "play", it does not "get eaten" and plays (the sound from the radio is cut though) - I didn't saw this problem while searching and I though someone should know - I will change the unit at some point, I have another Clarion stereo lying around...


Also, I think the accumulator sphere is a bit tired, the regulator cycling at around 5-10s while in normal position (while idling)- no major leaks detected so far (on the ground and in the engine bay).

With regards,
Mihai

PS: with the new registration :D
PS2: Oh, and the forward electric seat control of the front seats does not work - the electric motor runs, but it moves the seat like 2cm - another issue to take care.

Re: New XM owner - 2.0 LE-Jetronic 1990 XM

Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2021 9:46 pm
by White Exec
On the behind-dash clicking, see whether it us coming from the fuse/relay board.
Try very gently moving the direction indicator stalk up and down (ie Left and Right turn) by a tiny amount, without actually making the full switch movement . . . If the clicking sound varies, it is conductive debris inside the switch.