L592 EVN formerly J2 CXM

[Stickfinger]

both aux belts are staying, whilst they're likely old they look perfectly fine and it's less disasterous if they fail

A failed Aux belt CAN destroy the engine as they often get wrapped around the fuel pump pulley/cam which locks the top of the engine with disastrous results for the valves.

Deffo CHANGE them

[maxferreira]

that's very true

i must admit the belts do look good, still have markings on them etc so i don't think they've done that much distance

[maxferreira]

i might pull the blower fan out tonight and check the damage

[maxferreira]

quite a lot to report today

timing belt and both aux belts along with water pump has been replaced, running well too!

i managed to get the blower fan to work too! now it doesn't seem to turn off in the off position but i can live with that for

heater works well

i'm taking it on a 600 or so mile round trip over the weekend, bit nervous but it'll do it a whole load of good

[Dieselman]

You've driven the car a fair distance now and encountered no runing issues, so with a new timing belt and water pump it should give confidence to drive long journeys.

The fan works by the controller shunting the motor transistors to Gnd, through varying resistances (or automatic contorl).
If it fails to stop completely try unplugging the control unit, it should stop.
if it still runs, the motor transistors are still providing power, or the relay a small current leak. The relay is meant to be for full speed only

Leave it in Auto and forget about it. It should vary depending on the differential between the actual and desired cabin temperature. The closer the temperature, the slower the fan goes.

[maxferreira]

Got a new fan resistor from ebay, might get that fitted tomorrow

so my trip, how did it go?

very well, blower fan had it's moments of being intermitent but the car did great, 650 miles or so covered and averaged very high 50s in the miles per gallon department, wasn't hanging around either, keeping up with traffic at 80+ at times

randomly leaked some screenwash and it seems to be leaking some mystery fluid which i suspect may be diesel which i'll get sorted, but otherwise it was fantastic

i'm really extremely fond of this old girl, she's a fantastic reliable car which i like very much indeed!

[Dieselman]

Xm do get under your skin, an incredibly under-rated car.
How does it compare to the C5?

The screenwash leak is likely to be the rubber grommet round the pump.

[maxferreira]

it's not a fair comparison due to the CX spheres, it manages to be more floaty yet worse at absorbing sharp bumps than the C5 and feel less stable

at the minute the C5 has a very poorly autobox so i'm having to use the XM as my daily especially on hotter days

[Dieselman]

I thought you were changing the spheres, did that not happen?

Can you confirm the hydractive system is functioning, on your car?

[maxferreira]

i put it off for a little while as the C5 is likely to grenade itself so i can put some money into savings for another

well, i don't know, it clunks most of the time when opening a door and it switches to sport mode as it should.....but due to a likely flat centre sphere and CX spheres it's hard to tell, handling at the best of times it well, interesting

new spheres shall certainly be interesting i'd say