2 * 2.1 SD

The place to show off and tell us all about your XMs (or even other cars). Should it be a big project, or just some general pics, start your thread in here.
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raynoon
Could do a 2.1 headgasket
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Re: 2 * 2.1 SD

Post by raynoon » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:12 pm

Thanks Will.
1993 Citroen XM 2.1 turboSD auto
1995 Citroen XM 2.1TD Auto EXCLUSIVE

Dieselman
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Re: 2 * 2.1 SD

Post by Dieselman » Thu Nov 03, 2016 8:44 pm

For tha last 6 months or so, I've noticed the Cobalt car ride had become a bit "springy", particulalrly at the front end. I last fittted and gassed the spheres in August 2012, apart from the rear corners which I fitted new spheres to in September 2013, so it was time for them to be gassed.


The process is simple enough but I don't have a gas bottle so needed to remove all seven spheres and take them to a friend who has gas I can use. This meant the car needed to be completely off the ground so all the spheres could be removed in one go, as opposed to doing each end using ramps.
I went with a bit of overkill on the axle stands as the car was on a slope, I needed to be completely underneath it and the centre spheres can be somewhat seized on.

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The first one to come off was the rear hydractive sphere, which can be removed without removing the exhaust or spare wheel carrier using a proper band wrench. My home made tool worked very well indeed, however I did remove the spare wheel carrier to gain better access as I couldn't get the rear stiffness regulator to depressurise the sphere so it was tight to remove until unsrewed enough to leak the pressure away. This was my fault, I didn't depressurise the system with the car in the low position but with engine running, it was still in the high position when I depressurised the system.

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Removing the rear corner spheres is easy, car on high to force the rams to grip their housings, so as to not turn and damage the pipes, crack the spheres loose with the tool, then lower the suspension, undo the pressure relief and the spheres will unscrew by hand.

The front hydractive sphere is accessed from under the car after removing the undertray. A band wrench makes light work of removing these, which, as the rear hydractive sphere, can be very difficult to remove without one.

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Next off were the front corner spheres, which are easy to access from above.

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Last sphere off was the main accumulator, which came off easily after moving the fuel filter unit out of the way to gain access, giving the sphere a few clouts with a lump hammer, then unscrewing it by hand.

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I didn't have time to check the spheres on my sphere tester, but didn't notice the readings when filling with my Tecnosir rig. The front spheres were at about 60% pressure, the rears about 75%.

Refilling the Tecnosir rig is easy. Some of the spheres can be refilled while still on the car, but I prefer to remove them to ensure a complete filling, as any residual hydraulic pressure palys havoc with the filling pressure and you have no way of knowing anything is wrong until you drive the car.

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After all the spheres are back on the car the engine should be run for about 1 minute with the regulator pressure relief open to purge the pump, then tighten the relief bolt and let the car rise. You need to raise and lower the car a few times to purge air from the suspension circuits and then must bleed the brakes.

I've only driven the car on a test drive and am happy that it feels more supple than previously, though being a H1 car does transmit larger bumps more than a H2 car. More than anything, this is due to the front corner spheres being larger, with larger damper orifaces, on H2 cars.

Judging by the LHM that was recovered during bleeding, it needs changing. I flushed and changed the LHM when I put this car back on the road, but the system was very dirty. This batch has been in four years and under 20,000 miles, but there is no chance of reading a newspaper through it.

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I have some Hydraurincage so will draw off some LHM and add it and let it work for a few thousand miles, then change the LHM in entirity.
92 2.1SED M.RP5740 ECZ Sable Phenicien
92 3.0 V6-24.Rp 5713 EXY Black
92 2.1SD M.RP 5685 ENT Blue Sideral
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90 2.1SD M.RP 5049 EJV Mandarin
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MTXM
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Re: 2 * 2.1 SD

Post by MTXM » Thu Nov 03, 2016 10:39 pm

That is an impressive piece of work Will and especially the double jacking arrangement!! Another trick I learnt from Paul is to loosen the rear corner spheres before de-pressurizing. I am sure that with use the suspension will soften up nicely! With regards, Matthew T.
1989 V6 Exclusive (Poland car) - Now living in a local Motor Museum!
1990 V6sei auto (grey auto)
1990 V6sei manual (gold car)
1990 V6.24 Pallas (Germany car)
1990 V6.24v (Scotland car)
Other previous XM sold and broken too many to mention!

Dieselman
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Re: 2 * 2.1 SD

Post by Dieselman » Fri Nov 04, 2016 4:28 pm

I've driven this car today and it is noticeably smoother than it was.
92 2.1SED M.RP5740 ECZ Sable Phenicien
92 3.0 V6-24.Rp 5713 EXY Black
92 2.1SD M.RP 5685 ENT Blue Sideral
Prev
90 2.1SD M.RP 5049 EJV Mandarin
92 2.1SD A.RP 5698 EJV Mandarin
94 2.1SD A.RP 6218 ERT Triton Green
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Dieselman
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Re: 2 * 2.1 SD

Post by Dieselman » Mon May 01, 2017 4:47 pm

Since having this car I've always thought the suspension wasn't as floaty as it should be, it seemed "springy" with the rebound feeling too sharp and uncontrolled. I swapped and regassed the spheres from the mandarin car, but still nowhere near as supple. I've been running the car on hydraulic flushing agent for a while and have noticed the ride has got better and the brakes, which always used to be slow to release when lifting off the pedal, have now freed up nicely...but the ride still wasn't fantastic.

Another issue I've noticed is the suspension can occasionally (rarely) go into hard mode for no reason. After a while it goed back to soft mode. the other evening I decided to check the pump suction hose for tightness on the spigots. I could twist the hose at the reservoir end, so tightened the ligarex banding a little. The ride has definitely improved. I suspect there was microscopic air bubbles in the LHM, which were compressing under sharp shock, rather than the LHM being forced into the spheres. The air then expanded again in an uncontrolled manner, causing the springy rebound, instead of the damped-floaty feeing an Xm should have.

The front suspension clonks, so I ordered some ARB bushes from Citroen, which will be here late next week. You cannot obain the wishbone bushes from Citroen so I acquired after-market ones.

Fortunately I have a spare set of front wishbones, so could prepare these for when the ARB bushes arrive.

The condition of the bushes didn't seem too bad, the rear ones were cracking and are defiitely soft, the front ones have exterior cracking, but he interior rubber seems fine.

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Replacing the bushes is pretty straightforward.

Use a sharp chisel to part the front biush flange from the wishbone.

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For the rear bush, slit the outer and inner metal sleeve with a thin blade. I did both sides to make the bush loose, then drive the bush off the wishbone with a chisel.

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Note the fitting position. The distance is 86mm from the edge of the front bush holder.

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To fit the front bushes, drive the front side in then pull the rear side in as far as you can, then drive it in until seated.

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I expected to have to drive the rear bushes on, but they were a lose fit, so just slid over the wishbone shaft. This was wrong and would lead to clonking and possible wear, so to retain them, I added a tack weld to each end of the bush.

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After this I had a moment of Dean-ness and painted the wishbones.

Once the ARB bushes arrive I can replace all these parts.

I had to weld a small patch on the inside of the rear of the sill yesterday, but think after the new bushes are installed and some aged tyres swapped, I should get a clear pass at the MOT.
92 2.1SED M.RP5740 ECZ Sable Phenicien
92 3.0 V6-24.Rp 5713 EXY Black
92 2.1SD M.RP 5685 ENT Blue Sideral
Prev
90 2.1SD M.RP 5049 EJV Mandarin
92 2.1SD A.RP 5698 EJV Mandarin
94 2.1SD A.RP 6218 ERT Triton Green
91 2.0SI M.RP 5187 EWT White

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raynoon
Could do a 2.1 headgasket
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Re: 2 * 2.1 SD

Post by raynoon » Tue May 02, 2017 7:25 am

I sincerely hope you have better luck with this MOT!
1993 Citroen XM 2.1 turboSD auto
1995 Citroen XM 2.1TD Auto EXCLUSIVE

Dieselman
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Re: 2 * 2.1 SD

Post by Dieselman » Tue May 02, 2017 7:36 pm

LOL. Thanks Ray.
92 2.1SED M.RP5740 ECZ Sable Phenicien
92 3.0 V6-24.Rp 5713 EXY Black
92 2.1SD M.RP 5685 ENT Blue Sideral
Prev
90 2.1SD M.RP 5049 EJV Mandarin
92 2.1SD A.RP 5698 EJV Mandarin
94 2.1SD A.RP 6218 ERT Triton Green
91 2.0SI M.RP 5187 EWT White

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Dean
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Re: 2 * 2.1 SD

Post by Dean » Tue May 02, 2017 8:29 pm

Dean-ness :D , I'm not that bad! but be careful, its hard to stop!

Call me sad but I really like this sort of work, especially if you leave it to get a bit sloppy or until it's knocking a bit, it's rather satisfying when it's all done then.
Looks like a nice job anyway Will, I know the Mandarin car was your baby but this one is still very nice.

D
92 Citroen XM Prestige 3.0i Auto R.P5678
14 Mitsubishi L200 Trojan
89 Talbot Express 2.0 coach built Auto-trail Chinook

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Dieselman
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Re: 2 * 2.1 SD

Post by Dieselman » Sun May 07, 2017 9:15 pm

This w/e I fitted the newly installed wishbone bushes and ARB bushes, finding along the way the o/s cv boot was wrecked and leaking grease.

To say it all went well wouldn't be correct...what a job for such simple parts. The rear wishboune and ARB mount is sandwitched between the subframe and car floor and there is no access at all without unbolting the subframe and levering it down. This was made especially difficult as one of the o/s bolts snapped on undoing, due to corrosion trapping it in the housing.

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The only good thing is finding that the bushes were still in surprisingly good condition. They were definitely weaker than they should be, but not actually failed.

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Annoyingly, the rattle still persisted and on checking I found the n/s track rod end ball joint to have a small amount of play. Fortunately I had a good one on a recovered steering system, so replaced it and tracked the steering up.
92 2.1SED M.RP5740 ECZ Sable Phenicien
92 3.0 V6-24.Rp 5713 EXY Black
92 2.1SD M.RP 5685 ENT Blue Sideral
Prev
90 2.1SD M.RP 5049 EJV Mandarin
92 2.1SD A.RP 5698 EJV Mandarin
94 2.1SD A.RP 6218 ERT Triton Green
91 2.0SI M.RP 5187 EWT White

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Dean
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Re: 2 * 2.1 SD

Post by Dean » Sun May 07, 2017 9:20 pm

Those ARB bushings are in a right bugger of a place to get to, while i was doing the job i did think it would be nice to of had them bolted under the subframe, even if they would of been a little exposed, maybe just wishful thinking.
No jobs that bad the day after you have finished it though.

D
92 Citroen XM Prestige 3.0i Auto R.P5678
14 Mitsubishi L200 Trojan
89 Talbot Express 2.0 coach built Auto-trail Chinook

Addicted to Crackanory

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