My 1993 XM 2.1 SD Auto L322 VCV

[russ92xmsed]

Brill...many thanks chaps.

[Aerodynamica]

I took a look at the ATF dipstick today and still crystal clear and not smelling of burnedness but I'll change it all the same with the Dexron II to be sure.

I find the auto on this has an annoying delay pulling away from stationary or making a greater increase in speed as though the 'kickdown' is not right. That is, it works but almost a full second after burying the throttle. It's as though the 'jerk' between ratios seen on an auto box is being extended in duration - an extended jerk.

The Xm got an extra long sleep last night as I didn't go out and start it till 2pm today. It started ok but after longer than normal starter cranks and this time got a bit of smoke. The idle seemed weak initially till it was warmed up with occasional dips in the idle usually just before the throttle was moved to 'rev up' slightly (again we're not talking much say from an idle of 800rpm to just over 1000 for a second).

I chucked in a bottle of the diesel injector cleaner too to help with any wake up it needs after the apparent previous rest up on this car.

Was there some precaution for the gearbox dipstick to practise? I seem to recall some reports of a disaster where a bit of the dipstick falls into the gearbox (did I?)

[jonathan_dyane]

If you have the orange knobbed (ooer!) dipstick this is the danger one, where the plastic tip to the metal spiral dipstick tends to fall off inside the gearbox. The Yellow knobbed dipstick with solid metal blade superceded this, and should you have an orange variety you would be well advised to seek out a yellow.

To complicate matters further, when I bought my SED auto it had the yellow dipstic, however someone had managed to ram it home at an angle which resulted in the blade passing betwixt the gearbox top plate and dipstick tube, ultimately snapping it off and deforming the dipstick tube resulting in me having to remove the top of the gearbox to rectify matters; do ensure when you push the dipstick home this does not occur...

[Aerodynamica]

Good grief Jonathan, that sounds like trouble - I can't even recall what colour it was and now it's dark with yellow street lights I doubt I'll know till tomorrow lunchtime!

[Dieselman]

The Xm got an extra long sleep last night as I didn't go out and start it till 2pm today. It started ok but after longer than normal starter cranks and this time got a bit of smoke. The idle seemed weak initially till it was warmed up with occasional dips in the idle usually just before the throttle was moved to 'rev up' slightly (again we're not talking much say from an idle of 800rpm to just over 1000 for a second).

Air leak.

[Aerodynamica]

Well I have a new manual priming bulb, bits of 10mm metal fuel pipe and a set of new clips to fit the bulb in - just need to decide the best location for it and I'm thinking of the section before the fuel heater and just after the straight section of the fuel line along the top of the inlet pipes.

No initial plans to eliminate the fuel heater yet as I'm going to source any air leaks first.

[jonathan_dyane]

Graeme,

I *really* think the air leak is your fuel heater, and if it were me the first thing I would do would be use that bit of metal pipe to bypass the heater and sidestep messing around with the new bulb.

The fuel heaters *always* fail, and it's safe to assume that if they're not leaking yet they are about to fail when you least need it!

[Dieselman]

The fuel heaters *always* fail, and it's safe to assume that if they're not leaking yet they are about to fail when you least need it!

Neither of mine have. One is bypassed as that car does suffer air ingress, but it's not the fuel heater.

[citroenxm]

but it IS IS IS a common failiure!! My SED is bypassed, and my Mates 2.1 exclusive started having starting problems, I took the heater out, and hey presto!! The problem went away..

Greame, save some hassle, the UK isn't cold enough to worry about fuel issues, take the jeater out of cuircuit, join the two with a copper pipe and try that first....

[Aerodynamica]

Where has yours leaked from? actually, the way you write that it implies that it leaks in air but that you leave it this way. The assumption then is that 'air ingress can be acceptable', unless the car in question never runs of course!

Nah, I took the Xantia this morning which, apart from clearly having a warp in one of the year-old brake disks, started instantly, runs at about half the noise level of the XM, even when cold and the ride quality is like double plush in comparison - due I admit to the CX turbo front spheres on it.. the heated rear window works very well and it just seems simple and rugged, even the FDV seems to work right. These hars are the same age and the Xm has half the miles. Still, the Xantia has knackered driver's door lock that drives me loopy and suffered from air ingress in the fuel at the start too that is still running its bypass bodge set up.


Anyway, I'll get to the bottom of this soon - I am short of time and facilities though argh. I don't see any problem with fitting a priming bulb in before the fuel heater.

I take it the fuel heater isn't necessary given that so many are bypassed. I wonder if anyone has identified where the heater actually leaks - it looks like it's made of cast iron with brazed on pipe connections - how can that leak without total failure? if it's just the fuel hose connections why does noone refit them with better connections?

Also, separate issue: is there a diagram showing the correct adjustments for the throttle lever and gearbox kickdown cable because I want to check that these are right.

Will get there in the end - hopefully all will be better for some summer rallies!