My new XM

Armidillo

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Actually I am probably more the custodian or caretaker than owner - and I pay for the priviledge! I purchased this car on eBay on Sunday 3rd March 2019, and drove it home to Armidale from the Blue Mountains on Tuesday.

Now I'm not (yet) regretting my purchase - it's a beautiful thing, and the drive home was in the main a pleasant experience. Nonetheless, I am going to start with a list of things that are frustrating, but which it is generally not realistic to fix - ie design features not actual faults. I am still compiling my 'to do' list for initial servicing and fault remediation.

* Headlights - low beam very dim.

* The very crowded engine bay - in true Citroen fashion, if you can see it you can't touch it, and if you can touch it you can't see it. If you can see and touch it, then it's not what you were looking for. For example, it took me ages to find the aircon fill points, and although I may have found the regulator pressure release bolt, there's no way I can get a spanner onto it!

* the 4HP20 transmission - although a couple of fluid changes, and time to get to know each other may change that

* Surprised there is not better sound proofing - the engine note is more intrusive than I expected. Not entirely sure whether it's exhaust or induction noise.

* The 'quarter vents' in both front and rear windows (esp. front - the vertical black bar in the rear windows doesn't annoy the driver).

* Security key pad - OTH I presume this means there is no BSI, so this may be a blessing in disguise...

* Infra-red Plip (not RFI). Series II Xantias got both chip in key and RFI remote Plip in 1998, XM only got new drivetrain and extra airbags.

* The foot operated 'hand-brake'. I am not against the principle, but the lever sits so high when off that I have to use my left hand to lift my knee high enough to get my foot onto the thing. Thank goodness I don't have knee or hip problems - not at all sure how my wife is going to cope. Also not sure what a license examiner would make of it when he asks an L-plater to do a hill start!

* No foot-rest for the driver's left foot

* the strange vertical glovebox (behind the airbag) - however I discovered that with the lid open, I can stand a 1.5 litre water bottle up in it!

* No pollen filter

There will no doubt be other things, but as I get used to the car I'll probably find that not many of these things really bother me.

Cheers

Alec
 
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Alex,

Trust me you will adapt to the foot park brake quite easily. Just remember though, if parked on a hill, the park brake is on the front wheels and you must ensure you select PARK. We nearly lost ours one night early on as we lived on a slope and due to a bit of something going on, Deb was distracted and the car was parked only on park brake and obviously the disks cooled after a while. We only knew it had rolled gently to the other side of the street when we heard two ambos arrive for the elderly lady next door and I rushed in to see what was happening.

I didn't see our XM across the street as one of the ambulance vehicles blocked the view. One of the ambos asked "who's the crap parker of the silver car across the road?" WTF! may have emanated from my mouth. Had it not rested against the kerb across the road our ownership of the XM may have come to an end very quickly as the street steepened further below where it stopped, then across the footy oval into a rugged creek!

We were religious about PARK and angled wheels on a slope from then on.

Enjoy the XM, they truly are a country km cruising car and ride better with a load (if in doubt add cases of wine at convenient vineyards on your journeys). You'll sort a few things out like spheres and ride in bliss. We occasionally still miss ours.
 
What's a foot rest? I was raised on trucks and truck-like vehicles where you put your foot on the floor. Even with a C5, from habit I still put my left foot on the floor. (The seat is forward too)
 
Must be a good one if that’s all you’ve got to say against it! All those things are pretty much features, engineered in to remind you that you’re not driving a Camry, rather than faults... only one that could potentially be an issue is the 4hp20..
Otherwise, . although, was supposed to have HID low beams.. headlights in these were always woeful, but you’d hope that would improve them somewhat.
 
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Must be a good one if that’s all you’ve got to say against it! All those things are pretty much features, engineered in to remind you that you’re not driving a Camry, rather than faults... only one that could potentially be an issue is the 4hp20..
Otherwise, . although, was supposed to have HID low beams.. headlights in these were always woeful, but you’d hope that would improve them somewhat.


You are right - that was my design 'features' list. Here is my list of required repairs and service items so far:


1. Shudder under brakes. Disk rotors look very worn.
2. Cruise control not working
3. T-bar hand-grip padded outer layer cracked and pieces missing
4. Leather upholstery very thirsty
5. Auto trans thumps on down changes
6. Spheres - some issues have arisen already
7. Oily underneath, although not dripping. Will need a good clean before trying to identify leak(s). BTW nobody told me I was going to need a hoist - seems that a number of things are more accessible from below.
8. Doesn't seem to idle as smoothly as the similar motor in our 406 - will do a compression test, check plugs etc. Also need to check hoses for air leaks.
9. General service - change all fluids and filters.
10. Tyres - plenty of tread, but the Michelin XM1s seem very hard, and squeal on corners and under brakes.
11. Wiper blades (already changed - replacements provided with car)
12. Rear hatch struts (already changed - replacements provided with car)


Re the low beam - yes it does have an HID conversion, and as a result is adequate (makes the conventional high beam seem very yellow).


Mike used to do some repairs himself, but sold the car because of ill health. He now has a Lexus, which he doesn't plan to work on himself. He told me that Jason Hantos has done the bigger jobs on this car, such as replacing the timing belt and trying to seal cam boxes, but unfortunately Jason apparently does not issue invoices, and Mike didn't keep a diary of work done.


Supplied invoices suggest that little in the way of servicing has been done in the last couple of years (Mike admitted that the auto trans was overdue for a fluid change), so I am working on the assumption that a major service is required. Am going to work through those invoices, and make a list of what is known to have been done.

Overall, you are right - it is a "good one". Description given on eBay was generally accurate, and so far there is little in the way of nasty surprises.

Cheers

Alec
 
Neatsfoot oil is supposed to be very good for "feeding" dry leather. I am trying to find a 4 litre container as it might be cheaper than paying $4.50 for 250ml at Lyell Eales.
My front Rover seats "gulped" up the 250ml and they need a lot more. In the reference to using this product in the Rover monthly magazine, it suggested you don't use a rag to apply it. "Pour it on and spread it on with your hands".
Good luck with the XM ....... Michael
 
If you change the transmission oil I think you need to reconfigure the gearbox on the lexia to avoid problems as. I have been having in my xantia with 4hp20. Check out the articles in the last few issues of The Chevrons CCC NSW written be Bruce Elsgood.
Be careful with neatsfoot oil. It tends to darken the leather and to be quite greasy.
It was used for horses hoofs and cuts and heavy duty work saddlery.
Moderm upholstery conditioner should be much better for a nice car in my opinion.
Congratulations. David
 
I'm enjoying this thread because it lays bare the whole classic car (if indeed an XM qualifies for the definition) experience. Even with a good 'un, it's still an old car and will need attention for it to be right.

Aside from obvious signs such as cracking rubber, I'd check the date of manufacture on the tyres. Google how you do that, but basically it is usually a 4-digit code corresponding with the week and year of manufacture. If it's XX14 or older, I wouldn't be doing more with the tyres than moving the car around the yard. I don't know anything about Michelin XM1 (how appropriate :)) performance, but it sounds like they might be old tyres. The worry is that if old and the rubber has gone hard in the wet they will have poor grip and at highway speeds they might delaminate and pop.

What about a relay for the low-beam lights? Or does the HID conversion already include that? If I were you, I'd abandon the HID conversion and go with the highest rating, whitest light, highest quality halogen bulbs you can get with a good quality relay and loom set-up to get as much of 12v at the globes that you can. Polishing the lenses if polycarbonate (are they for XM, or glass) helps too. Sorry if I am telling you how to suck eggs.
 
I hinted above that some sphere issues had arisen.

According to Mike all spheres were replaced or regassed by Jason (sometime in the last couple of years I assume), and initially the ride seemed to be just the way a Citroen should be. The audible hum from the hydractive electrovalves when a door was opened was also most encouraging!

However on the way home the ride seemed to have become very harsh on rough/patched bitumen, with at times severe shaking through the steering wheel. Once home, the suspension seemed quite stiff even when the electrovalves were singing, and didn't change when the hum stopped. I am hoping that this indicates that both hydractive spheres are flat/ruptured, in which case the ride can be easily improved.

Now I have no equipment for testing, let alone regassing spheres. However there were a brand new pair of 'rear comfort spheres' in the box of spares that came with the car. Not having experimented with comfort spheres before, I decide to give them a go, so put the rear end up on ramps, and put suspension lever on low. Found that both rear suspension spheres could be moved with the strap wrench (thanks Jason), but I realised I needed to depressurise the system before fully removing them.

While I had my head under the bonnet, trying to find the regulator, there was a loud bang, the filler cap blew off the LHM reservoir (hasn't been seen since - presumably lodged in the engine bay somewhere), and 'steam' rose out of the tank, while the LHM in the tank appeared to be boiling. Knowing that LHM was unlikely to boil, especially without a strong heat source, I eventually realised that a sphere diaphragm must have chosen that moment to rupture :eek:! Oh well, looks like I was right about some spheres needing attention! Decided to go ahead and remove the rear suspension spheres without releasing the regulator pressure (glimpsed something that looked like the regulator deep down in the engine bay, but couldn't get a spanner or socket on the release valve).

The LH one leaked a lot of fluid as I unscrewed it, but appeared normal. RH one fizzed and gurgled as I unscrewed it (but leaked much less fluid), so looks like I found the the cause of the 'boiling' LHM!

Went ahead and fitted the 'comfort' spheres, which seemed to have very large apertures. After suspension had risen I tried bouncing the rear. MY GIDDY AUNT :eek:- that is the softest suspension I have ever felt!!! Took it for a drive, but wasn't game to go much above 60 km/h - honestly it was like piloting an inner spring mattress :rolleyes: . The rear still feels as if there is no damping whatsoever - if I pull the rear down to the bump-stops and release it, the suspension tops out on the rebound, and flollops around for a while before eventually coming to rest. So perhaps the 'comfort' spheres are actually accumulators - when the new spheres arrive I will try and identify the ones I take off.

So with my only options for the rear being one extreme or the other, the car is parked in the garage while I wait for a full set of spheres to come from IFHS. Once they are installed I will be starting from a known base if any further trouble-shooting should be needed, but for the moment I need to get on with other things.

Cheers


Alec
 
I'm enjoying this thread because it lays bare the whole classic car (if indeed an XM qualifies for the definition) experience. Even with a good 'un, it's still an old car and will need attention for it to be right.

Aside from obvious signs such as cracking rubber, I'd check the date of manufacture on the tyres. Google how you do that, but basically it is usually a 4-digit code corresponding with the week and year of manufacture. If it's XX14 or older, I wouldn't be doing more with the tyres than moving the car around the yard. I don't know anything about Michelin XM1 (how appropriate :)) performance, but it sounds like they might be old tyres. The worry is that if old and the rubber has gone hard in the wet they will have poor grip and at highway speeds they might delaminate and pop.

What about a relay for the low-beam lights? Or does the HID conversion already include that? If I were you, I'd abandon the HID conversion and go with the highest rating, whitest light, highest quality halogen bulbs you can get with a good quality relay and loom set-up to get as much of 12v at the globes that you can. Polishing the lenses if polycarbonate (are they for XM, or glass) helps too. Sorry if I am telling you how to suck eggs.


Thanks - totally agree about the tyres. The XM1 is a 'long life' tyre - I might give Mike a ring to see if they were fitted during his custodianship (he had the car for nearly 5 years). If not they are indeed old!

Re. the lights: I didn't realise beforehand that the XM low beam was a known issue - it's even discussed in the Wikipedia article on the XM. The outer lens is glass, and is perfect, but between that outer glass lens and the globe (and only for low beam) is an additional plastic lens. This is apparently the problem - the plastic gets increasingly yellow/opaque with age. Mike commented that when they got this car, it was impossible to tell when driving on low beam whether the headlights were on or not - he claimed that you could see more from the parkers!

If I could get at those internal lenses I would certainly try polishing them, but I am not about to try and dismantle these headlights. If I damaged anything, new ones (if available) would likely cost more than I paid for the car! From previous experience with HID I know they put out more light than even the best halogen globes. At the moment the only change I am likely to make would be to upgrade from 35W to 50W on the low beam, and possibly upgrade the high beam to HID as well. OTH, I am open to the possibility of using LEDs if the technology has advanced sufficiently.

Cheers

Alec
 
You are right - that was my design 'features' list. Here is my list of required repairs and service items so far:


1. Shudder under brakes. Disk rotors look very worn.

No biggie, throw some newies on. Shouldn't be expensive on fleabay. It might be worth checking the big screw in ball joints.

2. Cruise control not working

I remember fixing this on mine.... Maybe a quick aussiefrogs search will find the answer. As I don't remember much.

5. Auto trans thumps on down changes

mine slipped when locked in top. It was completely worn out. The new owner rebuilt it.

6. Spheres - some issues have arisen already

something you would expect to do on any new Citroen. No big deal. I bet the hydractive spheres are dead. Its a shame you are so far away as I could regas any that aren't completely dead.

7. Oily underneath, although not dripping. Will need a good clean before trying to identify leak(s).

That is build in rust proofing, leave well alone.

BTW nobody told me I was going to need a hoist - seems that a number of things are more accessible from below.

You definitely need a hoist (so do I ). Just "because". Don't worry, you won't be able to access a single damn thing from underneath either.

8. Doesn't seem to idle as smoothly as the similar motor in our 406 - will do a compression test, check plugs etc. Also need to check hoses for air leaks.

The motor in mine rattled like an old fergi tractor. excellent motor for its time.

Re the low beam - yes it does have an HID conversion, and as a result is adequate (makes the conventional high beam seem very yellow).

You will get used to it. I didn't find anything that helped.

Alec[/QUOTE]

It sounds like you have purchased yourself a nice honest car there. They drive really nicely .... Shame they were built by PSA. Your going to really enjoy working on old cars after owning this.

seeya,
Shane L.
 
If you change the transmission oil I think you need to reconfigure the gearbox on the lexia to avoid problems as. I have been having in my xantia with 4hp20. Check out the articles in the last few issues of The Chevrons CCC NSW written be Bruce Elsgood.
Be careful with neatsfoot oil. It tends to darken the leather and to be quite greasy.
It was used for horses hoofs and cuts and heavy duty work saddlery.
Moderm upholstery conditioner should be much better for a nice car in my opinion.
Congratulations. David


Thanks - really appreciate any tips on the 4HP20. Haven't yet tried connecting my Lexia/Proxia (can someone tell me where the diagnostic plug is :confused:). I think I need to renew my subscription to "Chevrons", which I was planning to do anyway.

Darkening the leather isn't an issue, as it's black, but I take the point about the oilyness - not good on clothes.

Cheers

Alec
 
Can't see the 'Like' button today :confused:. Thanks Michael, David, Sans_sagesse, Shane for feedback/tips/encouragement so far.

BTW - LHM reservoir cap turned up - in the scuttle!
 
I hinted above that some sphere issues had arisen.

According to Mike all spheres were replaced or regassed by Jason (sometime in the last couple of years I assume), and initially the ride seemed to be just the way a Citroen should be. The audible hum from the hydractive electrovalves when a door was opened was also most encouraging!

However on the way home the ride seemed to have become very harsh on rough/patched bitumen, with at times severe shaking through the steering wheel. Once home, the suspension seemed quite stiff even when the electrovalves were singing, and didn't change when the hum stopped. I am hoping that this indicates that both hydractive spheres are flat/ruptured, in which case the ride can be easily improved.

Now I have no equipment for testing, let alone regassing spheres. However there were a brand new pair of 'rear comfort spheres' in the box of spares that came with the car. Not having experimented with comfort spheres before, I decide to give them a go, so put the rear end up on ramps, and put suspension lever on low. Found that both rear suspension spheres could be moved with the strap wrench (thanks Jason), but I realised I needed to depressurise the system before fully removing them.

While I had my head under the bonnet, trying to find the regulator, there was a loud bang, the filler cap blew off the LHM reservoir (hasn't been seen since - presumably lodged in the engine bay somewhere), and 'steam' rose out of the tank, while the LHM in the tank appeared to be boiling. Knowing that LHM was unlikely to boil, especially without a strong heat source, I eventually realised that a sphere diaphragm must have chosen that moment to rupture :eek:! Oh well, looks like I was right about some spheres needing attention! Decided to go ahead and remove the rear suspension spheres without releasing the regulator pressure (glimpsed something that looked like the regulator deep down in the engine bay, but couldn't get a spanner or socket on the release valve).

The LH one leaked a lot of fluid as I unscrewed it, but appeared normal. RH one fizzed and gurgled as I unscrewed it (but leaked much less fluid), so looks like I found the the cause of the 'boiling' LHM!

Went ahead and fitted the 'comfort' spheres, which seemed to have very large apertures. After suspension had risen I tried bouncing the rear. MY GIDDY AUNT :eek:- that is the softest suspension I have ever felt!!! Took it for a drive, but wasn't game to go much above 60 km/h - honestly it was like piloting an inner spring mattress :rolleyes: . The rear still feels as if there is no damping whatsoever - if I pull the rear down to the bump-stops and release it, the suspension tops out on the rebound, and flollops around for a while before eventually coming to rest. So perhaps the 'comfort' spheres are actually accumulators - when the new spheres arrive I will try and identify the ones I take off.

So with my only options for the rear being one extreme or the other, the car is parked in the garage while I wait for a full set of spheres to come from IFHS. Once they are installed I will be starting from a known base if any further trouble-shooting should be needed, but for the moment I need to get on with other things.

Cheers


Alec

You have blown at least one sphere ............................... Oh well, shit happens. At least it didn't break any of the plastic. It is unusual for spheres to die in such a fashion. They usually leak over time.

Accumulators have no valves in the head of them. If its a series 1, for now until you get new spheres, lock it in "hard" mode and it should ride just like a CX. If its a series 2, unplug the wiring plug from the rear hydractive solenoid so it gets stuck in hard mode.

seeya,
Shane L.
 
Headlights come apart pretty easily and those plastic filter bits just clip in. You can remove them and that helps a bit.. not sure where the light beams will go with HID though.
 
For the record, mine is a Series 2.5 - one of the last handful sold in 2000 - with the ES9J4 motor, 4HP20 transmission, and 4 airbags. If no-one has referred to the post-98 cars as S2.5 before then I'll take the credit for inventing it :D. It makes a major difference to me, as it opens up the options for finding 2nd hand drivetrains (or parts thereof) to include V6 Xantias and D8 406s. The extra airbags also help to make it seem more up to date and less of a fossil.

I already know that there is no difference between hard and soft modes - whether the electrovalves are singing or not makes no difference to the feel of the suspension at rest, so can't imagine that it would make any difference on the move either. If that's how a CX rides, I'll stick to modern Cits! When I accelerate, the headlights are in the trees, and if I brake they brightly illuminate the patch of road in front of the bumper bar! No doubt it's made worse because the front is stuck in hard mode, so the rear simply pivots around it.

It's OK - I can wait. I've got other cars I can drive, and I really have more urgent stuff to do in the next week or so. In the meantime it's parked in the garage out of the sun while we wait for the bite to go out of the sun for a few months.

Cheers

Alec
 
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Headlights come apart pretty easily and those plastic filter bits just clip in. You can remove them and that helps a bit.. not sure where the light beams will go with HID though.

Thanks - that's encouraging!!
 
Headlights come apart pretty easily and those plastic filter bits just clip in. You can remove them and that helps a bit.. not sure where the light beams will go with HID though.

Yes, sorry Armidillo, this was a point I meant to make.

I put a HID conversion in a VH Commodore and while it produced a lovely white light I could hardly see a thing. I researched it on the interweb and it is (was) a common problem with such conversions - the light spread can be different, it relies on the reflector not the glass to direct the beam and even then it can depend on where the bulb sits in the reflector as to how accurate the throw is.

You might be better off with old-school halogen but without voltage drop via relays. (I feel old saying that. Since when was halogen -- indeed quartz halogen -- old school? :)

I'd be finding a way to split those h/light assemblies to polish the plastic lenses too.

Anyway, it sounds like you have other more important stuff to do for now.
 
You have blown at least one sphere ............................... Oh well, shit happens. At least it didn't break any of the plastic. It is unusual for spheres to die in such a fashion. They usually leak over time.

Accumulators have no valves in the head of them. If its a series 1, for now until you get new spheres, lock it in "hard" mode and it should ride just like a CX. If its a series 2, unplug the wiring plug from the rear hydractive solenoid so it gets stuck in hard mode.

seeya,
Shane L.

Try unplugging the rear hydractive solenoid. This will lock out soft mode. It will be nowhere near as soft!
 
Try unplugging the rear hydractive solenoid. This will lock out soft mode. It will be nowhere near as soft!


All right, all right, I heard you the first time!

1. Can hear the rear solenoid but can't see it or touch it. Unlike on a Xantia, it's tucked away above a heat shield, which in turn is above the sideways muffler (this car has the same complicated exhaust as the PRV-engined 605s and XMs).

2. Front one is accessible from underneath (behind the transmission). As I expected, unplugging made no difference (apart from stopping the whistling). The front may be a little stiffer, while the rear is just as wildly soft, so if anything the imbalance between front and rear may be worse! This confirms my theory that the rear hydractive sphere (and possibly the front as well) is stuffed.

Whatever the spheres are that I put on, I doubt that they are suspension spheres. Time will tell.

Cheers

Alec
 
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