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Hello again

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 2:14 pm
by Groovemerchant
Hi,
So I've not been on here in some time and had to set up a new account as I couldn't gain access to the previous for some reason.
I'm still the proud owner of a Sable XM K13 DWB.
When I bought the car, I had to replace the bosch pump and had the brake doseur had seized. As a matter of course took a trip to Pleides and replaced all spheres and fluid.
Despite a few niggles past 12 months have been relatively problem free. Does have a tendency to loose some LHM over time, but I just keep topping it up every few months as I can't locate the source of the leak.
I also attempted to cure the problem of white smoke on a cold start by replacing the glow plugs, but that doesn't seem to have made that much difference. Still a bit smokey on starting and under acceleration she throws a bit of black out of the back.. possibly the turbo I wonder?
Oil and coolant changed recently and she's still going with 70,000 on the clock.
I've noticed some bubbles in the coolant and wondered whether this is a head gasket red flag?
At 70,000 is this common? Wondered whether anyone could advise on head gasket repair or offer some suggestions. Spoke to a local citroen specialist and they're not interested in doing a repair.

Cheers
Andy

Re: Hello again

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:20 pm
by MTXM
It is great to hear from you again Andy and I hope that all is well and keeping busy! In relation to the coolant bubbles I would be surprised if the head gasket failed at 70K despite the age of the car. I wonder if you are loosing much coolant and there is always KSeal! With best regards, Matthew T.

Re: Hello again

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:46 pm
by White Exec
Does the coolant smell of exhaust at all (which would indicate HG)?
If no smell of exhaust, could be that sustem is not thoroughly bled of air, and there is some hidden localised boiling in head/block. Any coolant loss? Is system staying properly pressurised when engine is hot?

Re: Hello again

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 9:51 pm
by Groovemerchant
Hi Matthew and Chris.
Good to hear from you Matthew, hope you are keeping well! Many thanks for the response.
I took the car to a local garage today and they seem to think it's just air in the system. No sign of exhaust smell nor it the it loosing coolant. It holds pressure and there's no trace of coolant in the oil thankfully. It just looks a bit foamy.
My previous XM with many more miles on the clock used to bubble under revs and it turned out there was a hairline crack in the engine block. Think I was just concerned this might be going the same way.
I've decided to to an oil/filter and coolant change and check again in a couple of weeks.
I've re-homed the blue '77 CX in a garage around the corner from where I live. It's had a new set of tyres and is now both TAX and MOT exempt! I was quite surprised to learn that cars of this age no longer require an MOT certificate.
It's had very little use the last 2 years, so I'm looking forward to using it in the spring.
Hopefully I will get chance to pop along to one of the rallies in the new year!
All the best
Andy

Re: Hello again

Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2018 8:17 am
by citroenxm
Average life of an original psa hrasgasket can be 70 to 100k.. This has been the same with the Bx xud and Xantia Xud. If it needs dooing go proper and get multi steel layered gasket.

They are a very fiddly job to do in situ but it can be done. I've done early non egr heads and late ones with egr in situ.

Black smoke on hard acceleration I'd say was normal.. Hut as long as its not to the point the car behind disappears. Most turbo d cars give some black smoke on accelerating.